Not Yet His Time

7 March 2008 First Friday
Wisdom 2, 12-22; Psalm 34; John 7, 1-2.10.25-30

The Gospel tells us that no one in Jerusalem laid hands on Jesus because His time has not yet come. A plot to kill Him was brewing among the Jerusalem authorities; there were schemes to catch Him in his speech because He claimed that God is His father and thus His equal. His appearance in Jerusalem began the murmurings about Him which resulted to a division of opinions; but the most critical is the accusation that Jesus was a fake, a deceiver who leads people astray --- a false prophet as described in Deuteronomy. But it was not yet His time.

When we look closely in our lives, there are processes that are ongoing. And in the middle of these processes we often find ourselves impatient. Take for example those who are in first year college: you are done with the euphoria of high school graduation, but you are far off from the end of college. Take another example of newly-married couples: they are done with excitement of the wedding, but they have not settled yet as a couple or they are beginning a family of their own. Take another example of those who have recently retired: they have left an active lifestyle and an unknown future. Remember Moses and the Israelites on their way to the Promise Land: they left Egypt and they were in the middle of nowhere, and the Promise Land was not even on the horizon. But it was in the middle of this sojourn, this journey, that their relationship with Yahweh --- despite its ups and downs --- were strengthened and forged.

However, the quality of our preparation determines the quality of our service in the future --- when our time has come, then we are to take the reins. To those who are days before graduation, are you ready to take the world? Are you fully equipped Ateneans, being sent to a world that has its challenges? Will you be able to face your detractors head long? Will you remain strong?

In the Season of Lent, we reflect on where we are in our journey to the Lord. Are we moving closer and closer into the heart of God? St. Ignatius gave us three questions to evaluate these personal journeys to the heart of Christ: What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What ought I to do for Christ?

If we are able to reflect on these questions our preparation for Easter would not have been a failure.