Prioritize
People ask me all the time, “Where do you find the time to write 25 books?” I tell them, “I don’t find time, I make time.” There is always something vying for my time including leisure. But I am goal oriented. I don’t let other things get in the way. Plus, I’ve discovered “boredom is overrated.” I’d rather apply myself and work than be bored. Amen?
Same with prayer. Unless you have a goal to make prayer your priority, time has a way of slipping into the future and prayer becomes an afterthought. But if you are disciplined and plan things out, your preparation will lead to purposeful, meaningful, prayerful, fruitful lives. Seize the day before the day seizes you! After a short time, a disciplined life becomes a lifestyle of discipleship (notice: discipline/disciple, same root word) and fruitfulness. Then, truly, as the Stones sing, “time it’s on my side…yes it is!”
The Bible
The Scriptures speak of time in many and varied ways. A few examples: “Now is the acceptable time.” “Today is the day of salvation.” “The time is fulfilled.” “One day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day.” “God gives us time because of his patience, waiting for us to repent.”
Biblically, time is the fabric by which we have the opportunity to come to eternal life. Time is the great opportunity. Time is the sequential, ordered gift of God.
We gain wisdom by understanding the “shortness of our life.” Once I visited St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. On the left side towards the front, a haunting statue: It was the final sculpture of the 80 year old Bernini. It is a statue of death holding an hourglass and the sand is quickly slipping away. This statue is a warning to all. It’s timeless message? Time is quickly passing and we all must use it to prepare for death. We must make the most of the time we have, because as we the Steve Miller band so rightly sang, “time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future.” And, “time waits for no one, no not even you,” to quote the Moody Blues.
What Are We To Do?
That was the question those gathered at Pentecost asked. Peter responded, “Repent.” Personal change is the same truth Jesus announced when he said the time is fulfilled “Repent and believe in the Good news.”
When it comes to time, you have to start somewhere. A great starting place is making a new dedication of yourself to the Lord. Make time to listen to Jesus’ teachings and the teachings of the daily Mass. Create time for prayer. Respond by surrendering your heart to the Lord over and over and over again many times a day. Turn away from any known sin. Dedicate yourself to a fruit bearing lifestyle of discipline and time management. Live with Passion! not passivity.
This long season of Ordinary time (green symbolizing life) can be anything but ordinary if you seize the moments. We have been given a gift…time. It can’t be held in a bottle because it is always slipping into the future. Today is yesterday’s tomorrow. Time moves quickly. Time seems to move faster the older we get. Cher’s wish won’t happen. We can’t turn back time. Live with no regrets!
We are given great optimism in the Bible: Now is the acceptable time. Today is the day of salvation! Therefore, keep making a fresh dedication of yourself to the Lord. Even though time passes, it will be working for you, not against you. As the Rolling Stones sang, “tiiiime is on your side…Yes it is!”
