John 16:23-28 Two Wings and One Prayer

Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”

Asking and Giving.  Pray for those who do not pray.  Sacrifice for those who do not know how to make a sacrifice, for they all think of themselves as being kind.  They are, until someone is in need of them.  And then?  What happens next?  Don't we all pride ourselves in being “tolerant”.  We are, to a certain degree, until someone steps on our toes. 

Yesterday I was traveling from Chicago to Dallas and so I couldn’t write my meditation (I don’t have a laptop).  At around 9:30 pm I finally arrived in Dallas.  It had been a very long day.  Now I had scheduled my flight from Chicago so that I could be back home in the early afternoon.  When I arrived at the airport, my flight was on time.  Everything seemed great.  I sat down at my gate like a good little boy and waited.  It was an enjoyable morning.  I even got into a few fruitful conversations with some passengers.  But when we all noticed that our flight was delayed, we began to worry.  I for one needed to get back to Dallas as quickly as possible.  So I went up to the United Airline counter and asked them if the flight would be cancelled.  That was my biggest fear.  They told me that the flight was delayed due to mechanical issues, and that everything should be just fine.  But as the hour approached for our departure, the airline representative announced over the intercom that our flight would be delayed for another hour.  At this moment, some of the passengers I had spoken to began to show some consternation and impatience.

Things only got worse.

Our flight got delayed three more times.  I began to worry, but I didn’t lose my cool.  I had to control myself.  I got up and went all the way over to the customer service booth to see if I could get my flight changed from United Airlines to American Airlines.  After waiting in line for about an hour, I was told they couldn’t do that unless the flight had been cancelled.  

As I walked back to my gate, I saw all these passengers get up and leave; almost all of them, running.  I managed to ask one person what happened and he told me that the flight just now had been cancelled.  The passangers were now heading to where I had just been.  I couldn't believe it.  I kept my cool.  I had to.  

Now by this time a few passengers were cursing.  Of course I couldn’t curse.  I couldn't.   I was in my collar.  They say that the habit doesn’t make the monk.  It doesn’t.  But it sure forces him to act like a monk around unpleasant circumstances, unpleasant people (passengers) and inconsiderate employees (United Airlines staff).  So instead of following the crowd and going to the back of the line, I took my cell phone and dialed the United Airlines hotline. 

I spoke to someone who probably resided in India.  After explaining my situation, they told me that I had automatically been booked on the next available flight.  I was so relieved…until he told me that I would be leaving Saturday afternoon. 

After waiting on the line for around 2 hours, they managed to get me on the next available flight…with American Airlines.  I would be leaving Chicago at 5:30 pm.

Now by the time I had arrived to the American Airlines terminal (Terminal 3, concourse H) and gate (H16), the gate and time had both changed.  I kept my cool.  I had to.

After waiting in the airport for nearly eight hours (equivalent to a flight to Spain), I was in the plane and walking to my seat.  But as soon as I arrived, a passenger, sitting in the middle seat, got up and asked if I would be willing to move to a different seat.  I looked at him and wanted to say what I felt like saying but of course I didn’t; again, I was in my collar.  He told me his story.  His wife was seated a few rows behind him and he would like to sit next to her.  I looked at him and said, “Of course...whatever you need.”  He was extremely grateful.  It turns out he had asked someone else and they said no.  I too wanted to say no, especially when I learned that I had given up my aisle seat for a middle seat.

When we finally took off and reached our cruising speed and maximum altitude, an airline attendant came up to me and asked me if I wanted something to drink.  I asked her for some water.  She gave me a one liter bottle of water.  Surprised, I looked at her and thought it was a joke.  She then asked me if I wanted a snack.  “No, thank you.”  She insisted and said that she would pay for it.  I asked her why she was being so kind to me.  She said, “For all you do for others…including me.”

We're so used to knowing where we're going and how long it will take to get there.  Our final destination is on a big digital screen.  But with faith, we're never quite sure where it's going to lead us. 

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”

We all need to ask for patience.  We all need to ask for humility.  Let's also ask for an increase in faith, hope and love.  Far too often we ask God for things that will make us happy.  Not often enough do we ask for things that will make other people happy.  If we do, our joy (like our day) will be complete, and it may even take us completely by surprise.