Time is on my mind. And two words go

With my ponderings. The first is liminal – between times; the second is a Greek word- Kairos- appointed time.

Thursday is the Festival of the Ascension when St. Luke records Jesus’ last post-resurrection appearance to his disciples and his literal ascension into heaven. The event creates liminal time for disciples ever since – the time between now and then. It’s a poignant reminder for us as we still stand between our restricted now and the hope of the new now as the restrictions are slowly lifted.

In an article in The Christian Century, Stephanie Paulsell, a professor at Harvard Divinity writes: 

The most tempting way to keep account of time these days is in increments of how long it will take for things to go back to the way they were. Will it take four weeks, eight weeks, all summer, a year? How long until we can put all this behind us?

Love makes me count the hours. But keeping account of time by love with the saints also means resisting the desire to go back to the way things were. Because that way is marked by economic and social inequality that has made the burden of this virus fall hardest on the most disadvantaged, by a health-care system that leaves so many unprotected, by the ridiculously low pay that people doing the most necessary jobs receive. None of this can be accounted for by love. It’s not enough to want our old life back. Especially in the season of Easter, we are called to make room for more life—not just for ourselves, but for everyone.

Which brings me to Kairos. Perhaps this time is the appointed time for us to re-vision our mission and ministry, to become agape- God’s love in action. Thanks again to all of you in your faithful support.