Time (Gift of)
“Time is both the most familiar and the most mysterious gift that we receive at birth. We cannot see it, hold it in our hands, stop it, or turn it back. Yet it is time that measures our lives: through childhood and old age, waiting and meeting, work and rest, prayer and distraction, hope and memory. Every one of us has money, health, energy, knowledge, and… time. Yet this strange resource is the only one that cannot be stored up for later, saved for a rainy day, borrowed from the future, or recovered from the past. We can save money, restore our health, and acquire new skills, but a past hour never returns. In this sense, time is a resource far more precious than anything we are used to calling a resource. At the same time, time is not a ruthless counter ticking life away. It is a space where we meet God, make choices, learn to love, and become who we are destined to be.” (Vladimir Basenkov)
‘Blessing’ and ‘sanctifying’ are two distinct actions corresponding to two distinct notions. The Old Testament notion of ‘blessing’ suggests imparting a special power or gift so the recipients may exercise to the fullest their assigned roles and responsibilities. Thus, God blesses living things, sea creatures, humanity, and time (Genesis 1:22, 28; 2:3). All these ‘created’ entities were viewed as moving (including time), so in order to be able to move, they need some special power, a blessing of sorts, from their Creator. As for ‘sanctifying,’ this notion provokes placing aside things or persons as a sign of love, care, and appreciation. In the beginning, God sanctified the Sabbath day (Genesis 2:3), a portion of time, as the most representative element of God’s creation, and it was set apart by the Creator to be always next to him. Interestingly, God did not sanctify space (e.g., earth, sun, moon or even the humanity created in his image, Genesis 1:27) but rather time, setting aside the Sabbath day as a precious treasure trove of his creation.” (Eugen J. Pentiuc)
“…in Genesis 2:3, God at creation sanctified “time” (the Sabbath day) rather than space or things. God blesses things that move – and movement by definition is change which occurs through time. Blessing and sanctifying are thus connected by time. “Time” is so much harder to grasp as it is invisible and incorporeal just like God. As quantum physics has shown in some ways, time is ineffable and incomprehensible – it is affected by gravity and yet has no mass! It is relative (i.e., changing) depending on the position of the observer (as has been proven with space travel and even with global positioning services). In some ways it connects the physical/ empirical with the spiritual or intellectual. It is a sign that mystery does indeed exist. God’s creation is more mysterious than we commonly think. We start the Divine Liturgy with the deacon saying: “It is time for the LORD to act” (Psalm 119:126). Time for the mystery to begin.” (Fr. Ted Bobosh)
“Our brief time on earth is God’s gift. As faithful Christians, we are accountable for our stewardship of this precious gift. The American scientist, Thomas Edison said, “Time is not a commodity that can be stored for future use. It must be invested hour by hour or else it is gone forever.”…Time is a precious gift that we dare not waste.” (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese)
“City dwelling encroaches on our sense of eternity, space-bound time, and time bound to space. Low ceilings, tight hallways, crowded subways, traffic jams – places only meant, in time, to be escaped from. Meanwhile, stargazing in the countryside, plunge us into an unreachable vastness, during which we wish the pausing of our mental clocks would never end.” (Sebastien Brock)
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