The beginning of 2013 has certainly been a rocky start for Nicole and myself. We experienced some unexpected car trouble that kept me away from a formation workshop-the first such formation-related event I have ever missed, and I hope the last. We then experienced a series of unexpected minor calamities, none of which would be a very big deal by themselves, but which, happening all at once, had the effect of depleting the bank account unexpectedly. Then my grandmother passed away, although we knew it was coming. At the end of this past week, a cousin of Nicole's had his life brought to an end at a youthful age. Last night at RCIA, I learned that not only was a dear friend who is part of our RCIA team having chest pains, but that he was told by his doctor to go immediately to hospital. The early weeks of this Year of Our Lord 2013 have shown us how fragile and delicate our lives are.
We are blessed to serve a God of second chances, and Lent is all about second chances. It is a season of conversion and repentance and penance on the one hand, and renewal and refreshment and new life (as we know we move toward Easter and the Lord's Resurrection). However, Lent is also a reminder to us that taking advantage of God's mercy is our choice, and we only have one life to do it in. That, coincidentally, is why you see the clock on the left sidebar of this blog. Yes, you will be able to tell the time by . More importantly, however, it is my hope that it will serve as a reminder that God's me for us in this world is finite-each of us has one life to do our part for the Kingdom of God.
Some will hear the words today "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." We are called to a life of fidelity to God, and today is a reminder that no matter what we might have done, Christ is ready to receive us in love all over again.
People come to your website to get quiet and to spend time getting closer to our Lord, to feel the warmth and security of his presence.
ReplyDeleteYour recent addition of a ticking clock, complete with the words "Time is Short!" is the equivalent of pouring a bucket of cold water over our heads!
We realize you are excellent with the technical stuff, but this is an unpleasant distraction on an otherwise wonderful website!
I thank you for this very valuable and-I know-prayerfully offered feedback with regards to the clock.
ReplyDeleteI, too, had a similar concern when I was pondering whether to put the clock there. I wondered if the clock might be a distraction. However, after some prayer and reflection I decided to put it up (I should point out that the style I chose was not my first choice-it was what I could make fit the blog's current set-up.
However, the clock's presence is not meant to be a distraction (unpleasant or otherwise) to the blog's readers, especially those who find this little opus a place for spiritual reflection and quiet time with the Lord. As I said in the above post, there is a spiritual significance to the clock more than a physical one (I know you have other ways to tell the time). It is meant as a reminder that whatever our vocation is in life, we have but a short time in this world to be about God's work. It is a reality that has confronted me personally in recent weeks, and Lent should serve, I think,to remind s of this and other important spiritual things.
However, your words have given me pause to reflect. Although my initial inclination is to keep the clock in place for now, allow me to pray about it. I recognize that something which one person may see as holding a very important spiritual message may be a spiritual and devotional distraction to another.
Forgive my imperfections, please, and pray for me as I ascertain the best way to make this little site a blessing.