All in its due season

No One Can Determine the Right Time to Act

There is an appointed time for everything,

and a time for every affair under the heavens. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

It is the time of year when the dark skies appear more like sunset than daytime. The air can be still, gusty, combative, or delicate all within a short span of time. This particular morning the clouds had ceased to overflow with rain yet were still shedding a light mist, just enough to mess up my eyeglasses. The wind too had almost disappeared, leaving such a light breeze that only the thinnest of branches could be convinced to engage. Upon a closer look, I could see the remnants of some leaves twirling gently in the breeze ever-so-softly; still clinging to their branch with what little life remained in them. As the Canadian geese overhead honked their announcement of moving south, soon too the last of these leaves would surely drop. All in its due season.   

It caused me to think about how different life is when we accept God’s plan and timing. In those times, we are carried by the Holy Spirit in a dance that is like the leaf with the gentle breeze. At other times, our life feels as if in the eye of a storm. Sometimes others have brought that upon us. Unfortunately, too often we bring it upon ourselves having made ourselves vulnerable to storms by stepping away from the Spirit as we attempt to control our own destiny and that of those whom we love. 

It’s all a matter of trust. 

This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

Our Lord’s faithfulness to us is unending because His love endures forever (Psalm 118). He is always present to us, with us, and in us. This is how we must live out our faithfulness to Him: be present to Him, with Him, and by grace in Him as partaker in His Divine Life (2 Peter 1:4). God’s presence and act are always here in the present moment, always have been, and will continue to be. This is what brings hope. But we must first trust Him; hope and trust go hand-in-hand. Hope demonstrates that trust; our trust in Him is an act of our hope. By trusting in Him, we show Him that we hope in His promises. In this respect, His gift of faith held in our heart manifests into hope which is evidence of our trust in Him. Trust and hope grow in proportion to one another. 

Yet our fidelity is made fragile by our seeking things other than God. In the first Book of Kings, Elijah’s trust enabled him to face 450 false prophets so that God could expose their falsehood by showing His Greatness (1 Kings 18:20-39). The people were willing to come out and witness the test. Then they immediately surrendered to Him, afterwards killing the false prophets. It was only after they had suffered great drought and famine did they seek the true God. So too is it today. Catholics too often need to suffer the famine of grace, the drought of love and peace, before they are willing to consider that just maybe life’s answers aren’t found in their own self-reliance. Interior freedom is only found by surrendering to Him. 

The foundation to our self-reliance is typically fear of God. Make use of these last days before Christmas to prepare your heart to receive His. Don’t be afraid to hold this God-man who comes to you as a simple babe. 

“The first result of our devotion to God should be the union of our hearts with the adoration and annihilation of Jesus in his mother’s womb. When we give ourselves to God it is, unfortunately, too often with a view of becoming something great, something distinguished, pride and self-love exercising a strong influence over our dedication to the Lord. Let us now give ourselves to him with no other view than to be entirely consumed and destroyed ; with no other desire than to sacrifice for ever all self-esteem, all anxiety even for our spiritual exaltation ; all personal interests ; all views, considerations, and reflections connected with self. Let us once for all lose sight of ourselves, and give up our being to God alone.”[1]

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

P.S. Discerning Hearts’ Advent Journey for the Discerning Heart is outstanding. Five-minute reflections perfect to jumpstart the day or enter into mental prayer. Full list at https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/an-advent-journey-for-the-discerning-heart-with-kris-mcgregor-discerning-hearts-podcast/

(Images by © Debra Black, no use permitted)

[1] Fr. J. Grou. (1893). The Interior of Jesus and Mary, vol. 1, 3rd ed. Benziger Brothers.

63. 60-63.