Randomers?

I overheard two people the other day and one of them described someone who came up asking for directions as “Some randomer.” There’s a relatively new word to describe someone as a stranger – or someone we don’t know. And while I’m at it as they say, there are quite a few new words and expressions used more and more today. For example there’s ‘Totes’ and ‘Totes amaze’ and ‘Totes amaze balls.’ Epic is another well used word.  And then there’s the word ‘What eves’ (whatever that means (!) If you want to hear a fun and interesting take on all these new expressions go to the Drivetime Radio programme on the RTE Radio Player and Author, Joseph O’Connor speaks of these in his Radio Diary from Wednesday of this week.

We must therefore all be a ‘randomer’ to someone. I walk around and people pass me by day in and day out and most of them don’t know me from Adam. To the masses I must be just some randomer passing by and is gone. Unless you’re a rock star or a Hollywood actor or the Pope, could you just be some randomer? “Who was he, oh I don’t know, just some randomer.” It’s a cold expression I believe.

I may be some randomer to many out there and vice versa but the randomer has a mother and a father, is a son or a daughter, and perhaps a brother or a sister. She or he is part of a family and perhaps she or he is loved by someone or loves someone. I am conscious that our human love is not perfect but that someone is perhaps loved dearly by another.

I was a Hospital Chaplain for three years and everyday, people I never met before came in to the hospital either as admissions for procedures or serious surgery or in an emergency. One could call them randomers, but to someone they were special and at times prayers were said but hopes were high for a good recovery. The professionalism of the nursing, medical, surgical, and care staff was heroic in the treatment and care of the patients. No matter who came through the doors, especially in critical incidents, there was always a commitment to give the very best care to the patient.

To Jesus Christ we are no ‘randomer.’ Jesus knows the very hairs on our head. The Holy Father, Pope Francis in his homily during Mass yesterday said that Jesus is primarily a Pastor to us. That means he shepherds us and takes care of us. Today in his homily at Mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the pope described God as someone who seeks us out. “God is always there in front of us…When we arrive, He’s there. When we look for Him, He has already been looking for us…”

This is the description of a personal God who wants us to be part of his family, who wants to live in our hearts. He is interested in our hopes and dreams and our fears. He loves us, and he loves those we love. And like the lost son and the (Prodigal) Father, He keeps looking out for us and runs towards us when we begin to return.

“See, I have carved you in the palm of my hand.” (Isaiah 49:16)