“A Christian’s time is not his own.” This ancient maxim is an excellent reminder of the radicality of discipleship. Jesus not only asks us to surrender our favorite pair of sneakers and our checkbook, but also our future plans and any claim we might stake on the present moment, in order to follow him more freely. In a culture that places a high value on “me-time,” this can be an especially difficult task; yet, experience suggests that the more we carve out hours and days and weeks solely for ourselves, the more distant we feel from eternity. The next time, therefore, our phone rings as we preside over some grand work project, or we see a person with a flat tire while on our way to an important meeting, or a friend knocks on our door as we sit down to watch the ballgame, we can remember, with Jesus, that there is a time for everything (Ecc 3:1).
Ave Crux, Spes Unica.
