Thinking About Time
Years ago, the Rolling Stones sang: “Time is on my side, oh yes it is!” Time is a gift from God that allows us to develop a relationship, a friendship with God. That friendship was so important to God that Jesus, the Son of God became incarnate to help us. Our TIME here ends either with our death or the Lord’s Parousia (His return).
Are you ready to join in prayer, “My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.” [Psalm 57] TIME here on earth is ours to prepare our hearts, to get our hearts ready to fully and faithfully do God’s work yet, sometimes we put ourselves & our goals ahead of everything else.
Reflect on this story about a businessman, who prides himself on efficiency, and who needs a few things at the grocery store. He estimates that it will take him 30 minutes to complete his shopping. Once at the store, he flies through the aisles, picking up the items on his list.
He’s on cruise control – until he runs into an elderly couple looking at laundry detergent, their cart blocking the aisle. They fumble through coupons and debate the merits of TIDE vs. WISK. They finally move one, completely oblivious to the man in a hurry. UNBELIEVABLE!!
He encounters the couple again at the dairy case. The businessman knows exactly what the wants but can’t get to the case until Mom and Pop make their selection. CLUELESS!!
At the checkout line, the man in a hurry heads to what looks like an open lane. But there’s the elderly couple again, slowly unloading their cart, rechecking each item against their list. The businessman scans the other lanes looking for a faster option. No luck. The elderly woman notices the man’s basket, then whispers something to her husband.
In a gentle friendly voice, the elderly man said: “Hey, why don’t you go ahead of us? You only have a few things.” “That’s ok…I’m in no hurry,” the businessman says. The elderly couple’s kindness has stopped him.
It dawns on him that their time is precious, too. As it turns out, the man misses his 30-minute goal by 5 minutes. But those 5 minutes were a small price to pay for discovering that only those who give of their time ever own it in the first place.
Take time to appreciate the goodness and love in your life; recognize that it is a gift from God. Then each day prepare your heart for the gentle whisper of God.
May God be Praised!
A Prayer for Our Nation
Loving God help us to serve those who are shunned or eschewed; guide our civic leaders; bless our nation; and bestow Your grace upon our elected officials and anoint them with the desire to foster the common good. Amen. Dcn. George Kelly]
COVID 19 Pandemic Prayer
Hear my cry! “Lord, listen to my prayer: turn your ear to my appeal.” You are my refuge and my hope, I turn to you during this COVID 19 Pandemic and plead for Your intercession. In Your mercy and Your compassion “… grant eternal rest to the dead, comfort to mourners, healing to the sick ….”
[Psalm 143 and Collect from Mass Time in Pandemic]
Provide strength to the first responders, compassion to the medical personnel, and wisdom to government leaders. End this coronavirus scourge. Send Your light to me as I wander in the darkness of this pandemic and give me hope in Your eternal love today and every day. Amen. [Dcn. George Kelly]
No comments:
Post a Comment