An Angel Priest Helps Woman Trapped in Car [Update: Priest found]

By now most people have heard the story on the news about the mysterious (actually, miraculous) appearing of an angel priest who helped a woman trapped in a car.

[Update: A commenter came along and mentioned the important fact that we need to test the spirits in order to see if they are from God or not. Of course, such a recommendation is biblical and I totally agree. As it turns out, the "mystery priest" has apparently been identified. Although he doesn't look like the sketch artist's version. Here is a link to a story about the priest: Nice Deb: Mystery Priest Identified.]

There are thousands of stories about it online, but here is one that I think contains a good summary of what happened:

The Stir - CafeMom: 'Angel Priest' Appears Out of Nowhere & Saves Woman Trapped in Car.

Excerpt:

According to everyone on the scene, the priest suddenly appeared just as the woman stuck in the car, Katie Lenz, began to feel life slipping away from her. He had anointing oil with him and bent over Katie and told her to relax. He said a prayer. She said a sense of utter calm came over her.

And then he turned to the firefighters on the scene and told them they would now be able to get her out. Chief Raymond Reed told KHQA-TV:

I can’t be for certain how it was said, but myself and another firefighter, we very plainly heard that we should remain calm, that our tools would now work, and that we would get her out of that vehicle.

That minute, a neighboring fire department arrived with the jaws of life and they were able to cut Katie from the car and free her.

Everyone turned to thank the priest but ... well, did you think he'd still be there? Of course not. Angels do their business and then move on.

Reportedly, the highway had been blocked for miles and there were no bystanders or parked cars near the accident.

Other explanation? A priest saw the blocked road, knew someone must be in trouble, and walked until he found it and did what he could to help.

BUT. This doesn't explain why no one has been able to find him. Apparently there are several Catholic churches in the area but the mystery priest has yet to reveal himself. Maybe he doesn't watch the news? Says Katie's friend, Travis Wiseman:

We're looking for the priest and so far, no one has seen him. Whether it was a priest as an angel or an actual angel, he was an angel to all those and to Katie.

Katie has several broken bones but hopes are high for her recovery. The driver of the other car has been charged with DWI and second degree assault.

Whether it were divine or human intervention, the fact remains: He was an angel. They exist!

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Hearing that the angel/priest had "anointing oil with him" reminded me of a post I did in the past regarding Psalm 23 and the verse that tells us, "Thou anointest my head with oil."

During that study on Psalm 23, I discovered what the anointing oil was all about.

Copy of previous post:

Keller (author of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23) goes on to discuss and describe the irritating and highly contagious disease called "scab," which is common to sheep the world over. He mentions how sheep tend to rub heads together in a friendly, affectionate manner. However, when one has the "scab," this terrible disease spreads easily from one to the other.

Keller writes:

In the Old Testament when it was declared that the sacrificial lambs should be without blemish, the thought uppermost in the writer's mind was that the animal should be free of scab. In a very real and direct sense scab is significant of contamination, of sin, of evil.

Again as with flies, the only effective antidote is to apply linseed oil, sulphur and other chemicals that can control this disease. In many sheep-rearing countries dips are built and the entire flock is put through the dip. Each animal is completely submerged in the solution until its entire body is soaked. The most difficult part to do is the head. The head has to be plunged under repeatedly to ensure that scab there will be controlled. Some sheep-men take great care to treat the head by hand.

[S]o I know precisely what David meant when he wrote, "Thou anointest my head with oil." Again it was the only antidote for scab. [Keller adds that an old remedy is olive oil, sulphur and spices.]

In the Christian life, most of our contamination by the world, by sin, by that which would defile and disease us spiritually comes through our minds. It is a case of mind meeting mind to transmit ideas, concepts and attitudes which may be damaging.

Often it is when we "get our heads together" with someone else who may not necessarily have the mind of Christ, that we come away imbued with concepts that are not Christian.

Our thoughts, our ideas, our emotions, our choices, our impulses, drives and desires are all shaped and molded through the exposure of our minds to other people's minds. In our modern era of mass communication, the danger of the "mass mind" grows increasingly grave. Young people in particular, whose minds are so malleable, find themselves being molded under the subtle pressures and impacts made on them by television, radio, magazines, newspapers, [Christine adds: the internet!] and fellow classmates, to say nothing of their parents and teachers.

Often the mass media which are largely responsible for shaping our minds are in the control of men whose characters are not Christ-like: who in some cases are actually anti-Christian.

One cannot be exposed to such contacts without coming away contaminated. The thought patterns of people are becoming increasingly abhorrent. Today we find more tendency to violence, hatred, prejudice, greed, cynicism and increasing disrespect for that which is noble, fine, pure or beautiful.

This is precisely the opposite of what Scripture teaches us. In Philippians 4:8 we are instructed emphatically in this matter, "...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things"! Here again, the only possible, practical path to attaining such a mind free of the world's contamination is to be conscious daily, hourly of the purging presence of God's Holy Spirit, applying Himself to my mind.

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It will be interesting to see how this woman's life is changed after this angelic appearance experience! 

Hat tip: The Stir - CafeMom