Deacon Tom Writes,
“Time is running out”
Paul’s message to the Corinthians rings equally true for us today, “Time is running out!” Who ever has enough
time? Ronald Rolheiser in his book, “Against an Infinite Horizon” writes, “In the torment of the insufficiency of everything attainable we come to
understand that here, in this life, all symphonies remain unfinished”. What
a sobering thought that reminds us that we all suffer from a chronic shortage
of time. The clock is always running; how important it is for us to invest our
time wisely.
Paul’s letter to the
Corinthians wasn’t a lesson on time management! He stresses the importance of
using the time we have now wisely in light of a future event that he is quite
sure will take place in the near future. Paul is referring to the end times, the
end of one era, and the beginning of a new one, when Christ will return in
glory. This will be the final age when the things of this world will pass away
and God’s Kingdom that Christ established in His time will reign forever. The
message St. Paul wants us to understand is that in order to prepare for that
day, we need to live differently and act differently; we need to align our
lives with Jesus and His teaching and not in accord with the ways of the world.
We look to Jesus to teach us how to be faithful to the gospel while
living in this world. According to Mark the journey begins when we answer His
call, as did His first disciples. Simon and Andrew, James and John dropped
everything when Jesus invited them to “Come
after me.” Jesus knew that time was critical and there was much work to be
done. How interesting that two thousand years later nothing has really changed!
Time is still the most precious element in our lives. My appreciation of that
fact has deepened when I began visiting hospice on a regular basis. To some
extent, time stops there. So many emotions are at work as spouses, children,
grandchildren, and friends sit at the side of the bed as their loved one passes
on. I often hear the expression, “I’ve lost track of time” or “I don’t even
know what day it is.” Sometimes there is a lot of sadness and regret on the
part of the survivors who feel guilty for not spending more time with their
loved one, for not showing enough care. And as I said, time seems to stop as
the inevitable unfolds.
There is still much work to be done and the clock is running as we maintain our vigil for the Kingdom of
God to break forth on earth. We have time to do a simple act of kindness for a
friend or loved one. We can lift somebody’s spirit with a phone call, a card, a
simple “thank you” or a smile as you pass by. We have time to do so much good
and to let the light of Christ shine in our lives so as to brighten the way for
others as we wait for Christ to come again.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
