Appreciation of Time and Season

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, September 25th, 2020

Texts: Eccl. 3:1-11; Ps. 144:1-4; Luke 9:18-22

Today's first reading reminds us that there is season for everything under heaven. This is a call not to be lax or careless, but to be prudent. It speaks of best time for everything. We should not sleep when we suppose to work; we should not work when we suppose to sleep.

The reading also teaches us to value our time. It speaks of value of time thus: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. A thing is beautiful when it is done in its time. We abuse a time when we do wrong thing at the time. It is not only time that is bused when a thing is done at the wrong time, the thing itself is also abused. A thing is beautiful when it is done in its own time; it loses its beauty and so its value when it is done outside its time. Sleep is beautiful when it is done at the right time, and abused when it is not done at the right time, so also it happens to work. A good work, such as almsgiving, fasting, or praying is beautiful in its own time; it is abused and loses its value when it is not done at the right time. 

We value a time when we exploit its benefits by doing what is best suited for it. We are to make best use of every season. There is time to give and there is time to accept.

The reading makes us to realize that time is not man-made, but God's gift to humans. Being a gift of God to us is another reason for us to value it. When we abuse time we are just ungrateful to God who has given it to us. 

God created seasons to make us aware of the future; the succession of seasons gives us the knowledge of future. Hence, the preacher says, "He has put eternity in man's mind". 

The preacher calls us to humility as he reminds us that despite the eternity placed in our minds, we cannot still find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. We are to humble ourselves before God.

The gospel reading takes further the message in the first reading. In the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of man, there is a time to suffer and a time to be glorified. There is a suffering time and there is a glorious time. Hence, he says, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

We are to learn to accept what time allotted to us offers us. Every time allotted to us by God is beautiful, even a suffering is beautiful in its time. We should always pray that every event in our lives happens in its own time. In the life of Jesus Christ a suffering time gives birth to a glorious time. If we are not dead we cannot be raised. No victory without battle. It is a suffering time that brings a glorious time, as the night ushers in the day.

It is also worthy to call to mind that earthly life is a season in human life; it leads to eternal life.

God our Father,  forgive us for the number of times we have abused time, your gift to us; we pray you to make events of lives happen in their times that they may be beautiful, and help us to accept what the time allotted us offers us. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke