Time is growing short

There are never enough hours the day to attend to all the things that we have to do. I am just so busy I can't find time to scratch myself! It will be Christmas before you know it. It seems that we are often caught in a cycle of time where we become swept along by the tides of the moment and the pressures which seem beyond our control. We are caught up in circumstances and events which are of passing interest and which seem to make life into a reality game show where we are merely observers rather than participants.

This Sunday's readings bring us into the present moment. The people of Nineveh are alerted to patterns of behavior which could lead to their destruction. It is a wake-up call where they start to realize that life has an essential value and that they need to attend to what is happening which is causing hardship for them and for others. It also recognizes that God's desire for people is to discover a relationship which sustains them to live in a life giving way. 

Similarly, Paul preaches to the Corinthians that they should not just trust their life to the future but live the Gospel for this day. This is not one of fear which believes the world is going to end but what deserves our primary attention. Essentially, it looks at how we become present to God so that we can see our lives as one of communion. A life which draws its origin from the one who seeks to draw us into a relationship on a daily basis.

Jesus preaches this when he says, "The time has come, the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the Good News." This is not just talking about length of days but the appropriate time.We are called to be people who seek each day to deepen our relationship with God so that we can be of service to each other. This is not something we can lead to chance or to a more appropriate time. We seek God to be at the heart of all our relationships so that we do what is necessary for this day and this time. Then we discover that we are able to be present to what needs to happen and live with joy and thanksgiving what we are called to do. Not to become tireless workers for God but people formed in a divine friendship which echoes inside us and draws us into life where God is all in all.