What time is it?

What Time is it?

Eileen Renders

Where are we in our lives today is a question I raise today, for consideration. This is an all-inclusive question that encompasses: how far have we grown spiritually, have we projected a positive example to the young in our families, are we in the state of grace, have we replaced fear with trust in God? This writing is not to raise fear or speak about the “End Times”; it is meant to remind us that we only have today. We have lost loved ones, and work to help those disabled, hungry, and homeless, and realize that life as we know it is terminal.

Many of us lead busy lives, working to support our family, our jobs, and care for our children and the elderly, and we have little time for the “News”, some even choose not to watch the News in the morning with our daily dose of coffee as it is usually quite negative.

Nothing would please me more than to bring some brightness and joy into your day. And I do hope that you are finding joy, hope, and encouragement in knowing that by focusing on frequenting the sacraments and remaining in the state of grace, you are releasing fear and replacing it with trust in our Creator.

Dying often requires only a few minutes, but death, our life hereafter, is for all eternity!

Many things that Jesus told us through His Apostles during His short time on earth are now, I believe, playing out. The Catholic Bible tells us all that God wanted us to know.

As a young adult, I felt there was much time in the future to rearrange my focus and priorities. For I had a job, a need to work, and a plan for a future. To marry, have children (my greatest goal). God spared my life when, as a child with severe infection, and before the discovery and availability of antibiotics, I came close to death. Ahm, but that is another miracle. God, in His mercy and wisdom, however, does not spare us all.

We have been taught that “No one has been given the day or the hour” when we will be called from this life, face accountability for our sins, and we will be judged.

Again, as a child, and when I was taught this, I felt God was an authoritarian and demanded respect. As a child, I respected His power, and still found it a bit difficult to build the love aspect easily. It was only as I matured spiritually and opened my heart to God that I began to love Him more than life itself! For it is only then that He can shower us with the graces and blessings He desires to give to us (being free of sin, and remaining in the state of grace). 

Let us then, remind ourselves each waking day, why God created us; to avoid Satan and his temptations to sin, and to follow Christ’s teachings, and enjoy His gifts of love, mercy, understanding, joy, empathy, trust, contentment, and more!