It is easy to feel powerless in this world. There are so many things moving and continuously changing around us. And yet despite how we may feel some days, the truth is that we are not powerless and we are certainly not alone. We can claim the power of Jesus at any time.

With the Incarnation, we observe God humbling Himself to take on the human form of man and to take the name of Jesus. As He walked the earth, Jesus Himself told his apostles — those people who knew Him personally — that they can ask Him for help at any time — and as long as what they ask of Him is aligned with the goodness of God, He will help them:

“‘Whatever you ask in My Name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in My Name, I will do it.'” John 14: 13-14

The apostle John’s diligence in recording Jesus’ words confirms that the same promise and power is available to us, as followers and believers.

How often do we ask Jesus for help? When things go wrong, we are more likely to call a friend or maybe tune into a self-help personality of some sort. What would happen if we stopped and turned to Jesus?

Have you ever noticed that even whispering His Name can help to calm your heart no matter what is swirling around you? Calling quietly for Him, without even knowing what to ask, summons the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us about the power of the Holy Spirit:

“‘And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; you know Him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you.'” John 14: 16

When we invite Jesus into our days — both our joys and troubles — we claim a Power far greater than anything available to us through earthly means. Here are more words spoken by Jesus, shortly before His death, as recorded by John:

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.'” John 14: 12

A beautiful example of a life lived claiming the power of Jesus is that of Pope John Paul II. George Weigel, an American Catholic author and political analyst who wrote a fascinating biography of Pope John Paul II, shared these numbers about the Pope’s life:

“By October 16, 1998, the twentieth anniversary of his election … [Pope John Paul II] had made eighty-four foreign pilgrimages and 134 pastoral visits inside Italy, traveling 670,878 miles, or 2.8 times the distance between the earth and the moon. During 720 days of pilgrimage, he had delivered 3,078 addresses and homilies while speaking to hundreds of millions of men, women and children, in person and through the media.”1

These numbers are staggering. How did one person accomplish this? Perhaps the even bigger question is why so many people — Catholics and non-Catholics alike — were drawn to Pope John Paul II?

In particular, Pope John Paul II touched millions of young people through his World Youth Days held round the world. The Pope’s message to young people was not an easy one. He asked them to contemplate their place in the world and to make that place better. He asked them to respect the dignity of all persons and preached sexual abstinence as one way of refraining from the temptation to treat others as objects. It is a fact that young people flocked to the Pope, even in the Pope’s old age. When asked by Weigel how this was possible, Pope John Paul II’s answer was that it was the work of the Holy Spirit.

Today, when you are unsure of what to do, turn to Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you. You will not be disappointed.

Jesus loves you so much.

Love always wins.

1George Weigel, Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1999), page 844.