Time
Yes, I know today is Ash Wednesday. And I know everyone who is preaching will be talking about prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Very appropriate, very necessary, and very timely. And it is the last word, timely, that caught my thoughts. Even in the second reading it proclaims now is the acceptable time. Time. Why is time so important?
If you ever get to go on a retreat the leaders of the retreat will proudly share a new word with you. Kairos. It means God’s time, or to say on this retreat we are on God’s time. Whatever happens on the retreat or when it happens on the retreat is on God’s time. Or another phrase to remember is: Don’t anticipate, participate!
Perhaps that should be our focus this Lent. Do not anticipate but participate. And this fits in well with Kairos, God’s time. Another thought, time is important to us. We only have so much. God is the God of time and the God of the timeless. He is our God in everything we do here on earth. He is the God of everything we will be in the timeless. We are not to anticipate the timeless. We do not know what that is, except to be with God.
Therefore, participate now. Right now, right where you are. You were baptized into the timeless, but we live now. Then pray as if your life depended upon it. Live for the heavenly food you receive at mass by abstaining periodically from worldly food. Give of yourself without expecting in return.
OK, I cheated a bit. But just a bit by implying prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Today, do not anticipate the end of Ash Wednesday but participate fully the start of Lent in the presence of God.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen