Cattle call

Last week I had a two day business meeting in Orlando and when the company's travel agent asked me for an airline preference I said Southwest, for two reasons.  One, because they fly out of Providence and two, because they usually run very efficiently with point to point route operations and not that hub and spoke model.  I haven't flown in recent years so I was delighted when TSA waved me over to a cue where I didn't have to remove my shoes and got to the gate quickly.  My flight down was direct and smooth. 

In my carry-on bag I brought along plenty to keep me busy including business reading, my faith formation lesson, and a blank tablet of paper for Sunday's Homily.  You know one, the Gospel with Jesus' parable about the landowner and the laborers, and that great line; "the last will be first, and the first will be last".  I had plenty of time to reflect and write the Homily I would be delivering that next weekend.

My meetings went very well and on that last day I finished lunch, said my good-byes, and rushed to the gate for my flight home.  At the time we made plans for the trip, there were no direct flights available so I had a connection in Baltimore to catch before reaching T.F. Green.  When I reached the gate I found it nearly deserted so I spoke to one airline agent who told me that due to bad weather in Albuquerque, my plane was delayed 3 hours which meant I needed to change my connection in Baltimore as well (so much for point to point).  I moved to another counter and asked for anything direct to Providence but settled for a later flight out of Baltimore that I had a chance of catching so long as the 3 hour delay didn't stretch out.

The flight Baltimore did leave in time to make the connector but i had to rush to the right gate.  Those of you familiar with Southwest Airlines know that there is no assigned seating and instead your ticket has a letter and a number.  The letter designates the group you belong with A,B,C...and the number represents where you are suppose to line up to board the plane (often referred to as a "Cattle call").  As I approached the gate I could see the display showing "C", the last group. 

I took out my ticket and saw that I was C-54.  I approached the end of the line and one man looked at my ticket and said, "You're ahead of me. I'm last, doesn't that figure"  I told him that I didn't care and that I was just happy they had a seat for me to get home since my flight was delayed 3 hours and they had to put me on this other flight.  Upon hearing that, this man became animated and said, "If they bumped you then you should be at the front of this line!"  Once again I replied, "I'm just happy to have a seat for the flight home" But he wouldn't stop and again he said, "You should be right up there..."

Then it hit me, and as he was searching for his next words and his mouth opened to speak I said to him in slow, steady words, "the last will be first..."  He closed his mouth and didn't say another word.  He smiled and gave me two quick nods as if to say 'Okay, Thanks. I got it'. 

Isn’t it great when just a little bit Scripture can work as a dope-slap for a fellow Christian? 

I may have been the second to last passenger to walk on that plane but so what, I was happy to be going home to my family.  

Mooo!
Deacon Paul Harney