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Luck or Gift.

Does it ever happen that once in a while, you get lucky, and something great happens? Paul, in his letter this week, does not call it luck. He tells us it is because of the Spirit that we are able to do great things.

Jeanne Jordan was 47 years old when she brought in a blind, elderly woman to live with her so she could care for her. A few women noticed and went to Jeanne and said they were impressed and inspired by her charity. They wanted to imitate her, so they formed a religious community.  Today, the Little Sisters of the Poor are in thirty countries and have imitated the love of their foundress about a million times over.  They asked Jeanne, “How did your congregation grow so strong, and how have so many people have benefited from your order?” She responded…now pay attention because her answer is important. She answered, “It wasn’t me. All I did was help a blind elderly woman.” That is what Paul meant by the Spirit.

            Dad had cancer over twenty years ago. I told him that I knew some people at the MGH. Dad told me, “I don’t know how to get there.”  I promptly replied, “I will take you.” Dad found a really great surgeon, and the operation was a huge success. All the cancer was removed. Just before the operation, however, Dad had to wait for an extra half-hour in the waiting room, I was with him, and got a chance to be with him before he entered the operating room. So I asked him how he was holding up.  He answered, “Peter, it is completely out of my hands which is a good thing.  Now I am in better hands.”  Dad just perfectly described the Spirit.

One time, I was called to the hospital to anoint a patient who was going to be taken off of life support. When I got there, the family was gathered around a man who was heavily sedated and unresponsive. He was hooked to a large breathing apparatus.  I anointed the man, spent a few minutes with the family, and left.  Two years later, a man came over to me after Mass and told me, “I don’t think you remember me but you came and anointed my father before we were going to take him off of life support.  I wanted you to know that just after you left, my father started to improve. He was taken off of life support soon after and he walked out of the hospital two weeks later.” When I heard that, I was amazed that I was a part of such a great story, and I didn’t even know it. He thanked me for being the priest. I turned and said to him… now pay attention because this is important. I said, “It wasn’t me.”

Paul tells us in his letter that it is the Spirit that gives us big opportunities to be a part of great moments. That is what God gave us when He sent His Son. That is what Christ gave us when He died on the cross. Now we know why great things happen to us.

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