During a recent family road trip, I took the first shift driving so my kids could sleep. A few hours later, my son volunteered to take his turn behind the wheel, and I was glad to let him. It wasn’t long before I nodded off in the backseat, but I wasn’t asleep for long.
"Hey Mom, I think you should wake up now.”
I opened my eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“I think I’m going to get pulled over pretty soon. There’s a cop behind me.”
“Were you speeding?” Of course, I already knew the answer. I breathed a heavy sigh. “How much were you going over?”
My son, who has mastered the art of giving his mother elusive answers, replied, “Enough.”
I quickly saw him make the sign of the cross. I was about to comment that’s not how that works, but I kept quiet. We sat silently for a few miles until we saw the cop turn off at a different exit. My son got lucky.
As we continued to drive, I thought about my son making the sign of the cross. While our faith is not a “get out of jail free card,” I’m glad he thought to turn to God after making a mistake. Turning to God doesn’t get us out of the consequences for our actions, but God’s grace helps us navigate those consequences. Fortunately, we are never alone. God is always there to help us. We only need to open our hearts to Him and ask for His forgiveness.
Whichever road you choose this summer, I hope it draws you closer to God. Hopefully, the sign of the cross will be the only hand gesture you turn to while driving.
-Susan
