It was a scheduled appointment which was to happen on an uneventful Saturday morning. I was due to visit my dentist for a crown installation for one of my posterior molars. It’s really an uneventful treatment. In fact, because I had had a similiar crowning treatment done a couple of months back, I kinda knew the drill and what to expect. Needless to say, I just wanted to get it (the crowning) done and over with and move on with my life.
Little did I know that my dentist for the day would be the owner of the clinic itself, the main dentist. Over the years he has never really treated me as his understudy, Dr N usually took up my case. At first I wasn’t sure whether I would be comfortable with the main dentist, Dr R as I was more familiar with Dr. N. Nevertheless, since it was just a simple crown treatment, I didnt give it much thought and decided to just get on with it.
Dr. R did all the usual stuff, and once he had scanned my molar to make the crown, that was pretty much it. The next step would be for the machine to just prepare the crown. Usually in this case, I can leave the office already and come back for the 2nd half of the treatment, that is to fit and install the crown itself (like I said, nothing eventful at all).
But what turned out to be a routine flow, turned out to be one that I would never forget. As I was waiting for the Dr’s cue to leave, he suddenly started asking me whether I was a christian (based on my name). I said yes, I am a catholic and the next usual question would typically be which parish I attended, to which I mentioned QoP – I didnt want to mention anything about the Way as I wasn’t sure if he even knew about the Way. I was pleasently surprised to hear he knew the former PP there (who as also our NC Way Priest) and from there, he then asked me if I had any theological questions for him.
Being the sound and formed catholic that I am, I politely declined saying that I am good and I am very comfortable with the faith. At that point I just didnt want to get into any lengthy discussions while being on the dental chair. He smiled and said usually people would have isuses with the Virgin Mary and all, but what people fail to see is she was truly a virgin!
I smiled back and just agreed with him, partially because yes I have heard this objection a billion times now, and yes I knew what the Truth was, and more importantly, I just wanted to leave the dental chair and head back home!
He then continued on talking about Our Lady, to which I politely listened, while internally being a little impatient about this chat I was having. I mean what was the point? I know all this! I just wanna go home!
But then, what he would say, would keep me in my chair for the next 15-20 minutes as I reflected. He started off by telling me about the Annuciation and the Visitation
“Do you know why Mary went to see Elizabeth?” he quizzed me
“Yeah, for proof that nothing is impossible to God” I retorted back, feeling quite haughty with my answer.
“Ah but that’s not it, you see, Mary would have been just 16 years old when the Angel appeared to her and she concieved Jesus” he told me in a kinda like a fatherly way. He then went on to explain that because of her young age, Mary may not have known how to look after a newborn, and so by visiting her cousin, she would “learn the ropes” of being a new mother while also looking after Elizabeth.
The Doc’s answer, although not canon, was not absurd either.
He then went on a similiar vein with the nativity of the Lord – by explaining to me why God chose the shephereds to be the first to visit christ and also the gifts of the wisemen. Everything had been preordained by God so that the needs of the Holy Family would be met, he explained to me.
I sat there, feeling enlightened – because I truly believe that was a God-given moment for me. That our God is not just some lofty cloud-sitting God who intervenses at some obscure moment, and beyond that, is sitting up in some heavenly ivory tower and looking at man contemplate on His greatness. No, our God is a God that “comes to his people” and provides the very bare basics that His children need. But He does it, in his own time and in His own way.
“So you see, God is practical” – Dr R told me in summary. “He gives us enough, He knows when to give what, and He gives just what we need” he summarised towards the end after sharing with me all these moments in the life of the Holy Family (there were many more other annecdotes he quoted such as the fleeing to egypt, the provision of the family car (i.e. the donkey), the gifts of the wisemen etc, and settling in Nazereth). Everything had God’s masterful design on it and it was all ordered to a specific purpose.
I left the dental office feeling assured by God, but more dumstruck in awe on how God can speak to me like this. For months now, I carried alot of burden in my heart – from the aussie move (when would it happen) to switching jobs (am I doing the right thing) to financial stress (how will I pay the increased school fees that Hammie’s kindergarten suddenly announced for the following year?!) All these worries were valid, but not in stone. Our God is one that provides the bare basics, as I said before – I felt my encounter with Dr R, was God’s way of assuring me to chill, not worry; that He’s gonna take care of me.
It’s funny how God works – even while seated on a dental chair.
