Time and 'times'

The chronology of time, which is referred to, as chronos,  is a 24 hour rhythm globally. We have a defined time in the calendar of a day and night to complete what we desire to do. This is the realm, where we have enough guidelines on the 'management of time', most of which are valuable to help us to go through life leisurely, at a pace that we are most comfortable with. In fact what adds colour to the daily living is the sense of fulfilment we draw from the feeling of having spent the day 'well'.

The time has another dimension of Kairos (Greek word meaning right or opportune or supreme moment). 

A family who dropped in to visit me last week mentioned an incident which made me aware of this dimension. The neighbour was bothering them over a property boundary, which has been a pending dispute for fifteen years over which the relationship had broken down. It was mainly one person in the other family who was most indifferent to settle the dispute. He received the news of  a well deserved promotion which was pending for too long. This family visited the neighbour to congratulate and wish him well in his new assignment. At the end of this visit, he broke down and said, 'let us be friends as before'. 

The family used a pleasant occasion to reach out to bridge a relationship that needed attention. This became an opportune time for the delight of both the families. To discern a moment to make it an opportune time, we need grace of understanding and promptness of response.

The third dimension of time is, thronos, which adds the dimension of beyondness. Time is never ending till the the 'fullness of time'. This infuses into our consciousness the reality that God has set 'eternity in our hearts'. We are people of today and tomorrow. We are called to live fully and abundantly each day and yet all that we experience can only be one side of 'all that God has kept in store for those who love Him'. We cannot contextualise everything to an 'existential' reality, although that is what is apparent to all of us each day. The temporal is temporary and we are invited to a hope, that is 'everlasting'. 

It is this awareness, which a child brought home to me, when he said, 'I am glad that I can see with one eye'. He transcended difficulties and disappointment over the loss of sight in one eye, following an injury sustained during a cricket game. 

Let us celebrate time because it is pregnant with meaning and direction in our lives!   

M.C.Mathew( text and photo)