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Sunday, 27 January 2008 |
In the English language, there is an accepted commonsense notion of “time”: What time is it? Time seems to be moving so fast. Time’s up, we need to end our meeting. This notion of “time” suggests a measured unit of the ongoing duration of life. For most of us (theoretical physicists aside), “time” measures life chronologically, sequentially. This common-sense notion of “time” was also known in the Greek-speaking world of the 1st century A.D., when the oral traditions of the early Church were written down as the books of the New Testament. The Greek word for this common-sense notion of “time” is chronos. Time moves chronologically.
But there is another sense of “time” in our English language: The time is right! Now is the time to change your ways! This is the time we must unite! In this sense of “time”, one understands the sense that this moment is the right moment to act. The Greek word for this second meaning of “time” is kairos. Kairos-time means “the moment for decision.” It means “this is the moment to act”.
Right now, at this moment in the history of our parish, we are facing the moment of decision. Our Building a Legacy of Faith campaign is all about kairos-time, a time for decision, the time for action. NOW is the time to say “yes” to this call of the Lord! Every registered parishioner will be invited to join me in the next six weeks at one of our Building a Legacy of Faith receptions. At each of these receptions, I will speak about our plans to build, and how I understand this as part of the renewal of heart we are being called to by the Lord. The Lord is calling SJN to renewal, to a renewed sense of fellowship, of family. We are being called to rediscover our Catholic faith, to rededicate ourselves to the Way of the Lord Jesus. I ask everyone reading this column to make a decision…a kairos-decision… knowing that now is the time to raise all we need and to build all we need. It is the time for a living out of that sacrificial love we profess, Sunday by Sunday. A.M.D.G.
Msgr. David |
