Mk 13:33-37 God Gives Us His TimeJesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come…Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: “Watch!”
God help me!
I call out to the Lord, “Where are you? Why is this happening to me?” The Lord replies, “What has become of you? Why have you strayed so far from me?”
It’s that time of year again. I just recently switched radio stations because my favorite station plays Christmas songs twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week until December 25th! I don’t mind Christmas songs – at least most of them – but I cannot stand listening to them all the time. So, I began listening to one of the secular radio stations. I couldn’t believe it! On the air was The Carpenter’s, “Have yourself a merry little Christmas.” Even these guys were playing Christmas songs! Before I turned off the radio, I listened and reflected not so much on the song but on the life of Karen Carpenter. Here, on the radio, was her voice. She has been dead now for some time. I asked myself, so what makes her death so much different? We all know that she was one of the first victims of anorexia. Although Anorexia has been around for centuries, only recently has it become like a devastating plague! Anorexia is that horrific eating disorder that sucks the life out of too many of our children today. The experts tell us that this disease has nothing to do with food but with self-esteem. So what causes a child to lose their sense of direction, sense of worth, sense of purpose in life? What causes a child to lose the sparkle in their eye? It might very well be boredom.
I remember a professor in Rome that was not the most enthusiastic professor around. Many of us would fall asleep. One day, he noticed. He made a comment I will not forget. He went over to one young seminarian that had dozed off. He poked him. The seminarian was startled. The professor asked him, “When an animal sniffs around and finds nothing new, what does it do?” The seminarian shook his head, “I don’t know”, he replied, “I don’t have any pets.” The professor nodded his head, “It falls asleep.” Then he addressed the entire classroom, “But a human being, on the other hand, when he finds nothing new, begins to reflect and meditate. I invite all of you to be human!” This professor taught Anthropology.
I never fell asleep in his class.
Be watchful! Be alert! Stay awake! Not with energy drinks or with caffeine or with gum. Rather, stay awake! Be attentive! Reflect. Meditate. Examine your conscience. Examine your lifestyle. Reflect upon your words and works before it is too late! “Where are you? What are you doing?” How can I ask the Lord for His help when I do not follow His Commandments, His example, His Way? “What has become of you? Why have you strayed so far from me?”
Music can be lifting. Lyrics can inspire revolutions; but artists can sometimes hide behind their lyrics and their deaths will always bring us back to reality. Actors and actress can hide behind a script. But they can’t seem to hide the dramas of their life. Bones can hide behind flesh, but the soul cannot hide from sin!
The Lord did not hide behind His words; He lived them! At a certain moment in His life he could no longer follow the script. So instead of living his life as a tragic play, he lived it as the Love Story of all time. He preferred to have His flesh torn rather than to allow his soul to fall from grace.
Throughout history, throughout time, man never seems to have enough time. How often do I say, “I do not have enough time!” I say it way too often! I say it to my spouse. I say it to my children. I say it to my parents. I don’t have time for any of these people because I don’t make time for my Lord.
But make no mistakes about it. The Lord makes time for us! He is the eager friend that comes. He is the jealous friend that never stops hounding us! He comes when we least expect it. He comes when we least want Him. He comes when we most need Him. When is that? Always! He is our heart. He is our brain. He should be our life.
The Lord gives us His time, his peace, his joy, his life. Do all things in the name of the Lord. Make time for Him. Make time for your spouse, your children, your neighbors and friends – this world - is waiting for his second appearance. Make it happen! Give the Lord your time, for he truly has all the time in the world.
God come to my assistance. Lord make haste and rescue me!
