As I woke up this morning, I looked at the clock on the wall. Seeing it was still kinda early, I thought to stay in bed a little longer. As I drifted between wakefulness and sleepiness, I found myself recalling the day before. It was along day. I spent most of it at the Faith Formation Conference being inspired and moved by the speakers and fellow attendees, then enjoying the evening celebrating Mila’s birthday, with a quick dash home in between to catch a glimpse and spend some time with Jonathan and Jane. I also thought of the new day: what Anabelle and I would be doing today, the things we will be doing, the places we will go to, the people we will be seeing. Then, I finally woke up and got up. I looked at the clock again and I realized I stayed in bed longer by no more than two minutes. And yet, in that short expanse, I lived through two full days and went to my usual haunts and places with some special places to boot. I thought that in those two short minutes, I was beyond space and time.
I love taking photos of sunsets and sunrises. At a certain point, I find it difficult to tell one from the other, unless I recall when and where I took the photo. The sun breaking out into the colors at the start of the day often looks the same as the sun catching back the colors from the day as the night creeps in. And yet in between those two moments are the many things unfolding and happening. This photo can be the sunrise. It is actually a sunset. But its sheer beauty and eloquence defies the limits of space and time.
Sometimes, I think space and time are mere human mental constructs to help us define and understand where we are at and the what it takes to get from one point to another of that ‘where’. They do not really exist. Yet, we need to see space and time as the milieu for our unfolding and becoming. But even as we unfold and become in space and time, I have strong intimations of an existence that is beyond space and time. Like that moment this morning between wakefulness and sleep. Or like standing before a glorious sunrise or a magnificent sunset. Or holding the hand of a loved one to feel her presence. Or going out of myself to serve and care for another. Or being lost in wondering contemplation of what goes on around me.
In my life journey, I know I am called to greater things and to become more and better than what I am today. It is often difficult to imagine life beyond space and time. But I have been promised an existence beyond space and time where life is full, where there will be no more hungry to people to feed, or thirsty mouths to quench, or naked people to clothe. Where there will be no more sickness nor death, no more limits to imprison us. This will be the fulness of life in the eternal now.
But while I am still in this world bound by time and space, in this period unfolding and becoming; I will do my share in feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing those caught in the cold and the rains of life, welcoming the stranger and the homeless, bringing comfort and company to those who are in prison or who are sick or who seem to get more than their fair share of life’s tribulations.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.
~Psalm 23
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Matthew 25:31-36