John 14:7-14 Doing Great Things

John 14:7-14  Doing Great Things

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Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.  And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be gloried in the Son.  If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. 

Just recently, I told you about my vacation and how SPIRIT airline’s delays became my problem.  They refused to help me get home to Dallas in a timely manner.  Little did I know (or expect) that in a few days they would find themselves in the center of a firestorm!  As you probably all know, the CEO of SPIRIT airlines, Ben Baldanza, not only openly rejected but openly humiliated a dying man’s request for a ticket refund after his doctor told him he could not fly.   This poor man was asking for $197.00 back from a company that profited 23 million dollars in the first quarter of this year.  But regardless of what Ben Baldanza thought, people will not support a mean-spirited and ruthless CEO or company regardless of how much they can save.  Our country still cheers for the underdog.

As I write this meditation, I just found out that SPIRIT airlines will refund this man’s ticket.  It seems as though Ben is right about one thing:  it’s all about money.  And the company was losing millions of dollars in stocks because of this fiasco. 

Do you see the power of boycotts?  Do you see the potential power of 70 million Catholics if we would only agree?  I heard from somewhere that it takes 50 million people to elect a president.  Well, gentleman and ladies, let’s do something great!

The AARP found their niche with the elderly.  The Wounded Warriors found their niche with veterans.  Now it is time for Catholics and all Christians to find their niche with God.  We must!

I never told you what I did when it appeared as though I would lose my flight.  I told you how I bought another ticket for over $500.00.  I told you how that plane had a mechanical problem.  I even told you that I felt like crying when they told us to get off the plane.  But what I did not tell you is what I did back at the terminal.  I prayed.  I prayed a mystery of the Rosary.  And as soon as I finished praying the mystery, the mechanical problem that had grounded us had been resolved!  There was a mechanic of sorts sitting next to me, dumbfounded by the news that we could board.  He was convinced that the plane could not be repaired, especially from a small airport like the one we were in.  He told me, “I can’t believe we are boarding again!”  I said, “You know what happened?”  He said, “No.”  I said, “I fixed the problem.”  And I smiled.  He didn’t understand a thing I was telling him.  I knew it was God.  Ask anything in my name, I will do it.  Yes, it could have been a coincidence.  But I would prefer to be considered a fool and make it home on time than to be considered a practical man and stranded!

I learned a great lesson that day.  You can plan everything out (I will fly out on Friday).  But all it takes is for someone or for something to screw it all up (Spirit Airlines).  You can find a solution (By a new ticket with American Airlines).  You can think you beat destiny (I'll be home tonight).  But then destiny gets a stronger grip on you (mechanical problems).  Finally, you realize that you need to turn to God; that the only one that can help you now, that can make this work, is God.

On May 1^st, I read an article in the ultra-liberal newspaper National Catholic Reporter.  It turns out that the Pope gave $250,000 dollars to the Anglican Ordinariate.  By the sound of the article and by some of the comments, you would think that the Ordinariate is not worth that much.  After all, there have only been around three thousand converts to the faith and around one hundred Anglican priests that have converted to the Catholic priesthood.  I commentator wrote:

“Somehow I suspect that the money didn’t come out of the pope’s personal bank account…few Anglican conservatives have actually chosen to follow once they looked a little more closely at the whole package – not only no women priests but papal infallibility, birth control ban, mandatory celibacy for new priests and so most decided to stay put.”

Another wrote: 

“Rome really screwed up badly from day one… the 250K gift from Pope Benedict is to pump life into this dying dragon.”

I wrote back: 

“Or maybe, just maybe, this is how all great things happen:  small, like the number twelve.  All of your comments could be said of Jesus Christ:  Only twelve men…after all your sacrifices?  Yes, chastity, obedience and poverty have never been a big selling point.  Leave your possessions, your homes, your families, your nets and come follow me!  It’s a tough sell.  But as we all know, people love a challenge.  The Ordinariate will fly HIGH!” 

I don’t think the Pope took any money from his personal bank account.  I believe but I’m not sure of it, but I believe the Holy Father makes no money from being Pope.  After all, there will be no time to relax and retire.  The Pope will die in Rome.  He will die in the Vatican.  He will die working.  He will do great things because He is man who believes in God.  And with God, nothing is impossible.