Happy Holy-Days: Where has Time gone?

Happy Holy-Days! Jewish and Christian people are celebrating the holiest days of the year this week. In doing so, we remember that as difficult as life can be - especially with persecutiton by leaders - we are traveling through life with a loving, merciful, compassionate G-d who saves us from death and leads us to abundant life (Exodus 34:6).

The question is: Will we make time this week to gather with a spiritual community,, to pray, to honor, to celebrate, to explore the ancient stories that are still so relevant, to grow in Divine Love and share that with our world, that so desperately needs it.

Where has Time gone?

A prayer-poem by Rev AndreaGrace

Where has Time gone?

The digital clock appeared

and the analog clock disappeared

with its beautiful hands that showed us how time marched on…

seconds turning into minutes, turning into hours.

The digital clock helped Time run out.

Where has Time gone?

Stores opened on Sundays

and the day of Sabbath disappeared

with its time of rest and

praying in community and visiting with circles of love.

Shopping on Sundays helped Time run out.

Where has Time gone?

Laptops became mainstream

and working 9-5 disappeared

silencing the bells

upending work-life balance.

Laptops helped Time run out.

Where has Time gone?

Pagers evolved into cellphones with

the vibrations and beeps,

stealing from us the gift of truly being present

stealing from us the gift of voice conversations

stealing from us the wisdom of the elders

Cellphones helped Time run out.

Where has Time gone?

Organized after-school activities filled our schedules

stomping out pick-up games and

playing ‘til the streetlights came on

leaving us with little time to breathe

stripping away the creativity, empowerment and joy

of play and spontaneity

Overfilled schedules helped Time run out.

Where has Time gone?

COVID happened and quarantined was the norm.

bringing Zoom connections

and the comfort of not leaving our home

in order to “be” with others – to socialize with others –

to pray with others.

COVID helped Time run out.

Where has Time gone?

The digital clock – the stores open on Sundays

the laptops – the cell phones – schedules and COVID

all got together.

Together, they stole our sense of time.

They left us with both

a sense of “we’re too busy”

and “we’re connected” through technology.

Together, they left us with no way to mark our days,

to mark our milestones,

our beginnings and ends.

our journeys.

Together, they tricked us into thinking that

we don’t need the age-old, basic element of

face-to-face community and human touch.

Where has Time gone?

Time left town

and left us with anxiety, depression and loneliness

as we struggle to “find Time.”

Let’s pray:

Oh Holy One

You who are the source of all time

and You who are timeless.

In this season

as we consider “spring cleaning”

show us how we can let go

of some of these things that have stolen our time.

Give us Your sense of time.

Help us to make time for You and Your people.

Lead us back to face-to-face connections

where we can gaze into each other’s eyes

and feel each other’s touch.

Help us to prioritize our days.

Let us keep death daily before our eyes.

Grant us effortless action and efficiency.

Help us to enjoy blessed Sabbaths of rest.

In your many Holy Names we hope and pray and trust.

Amen.

PS - if you are looking for Christian services this week:

YOU are most welcome to pray with the BeLoved Inclusive Catholic Community and Presbyterian Church in Sudbury in our joint services this week. Sign-up here to have the details emailed to you.