Time and love are never ordinary

By Mary Regina Morrell
©Catholic Online 2005

"Let us reflect...on time that passes, flows on inexorably and bears our brief existences away with it . . . on the gigantic and mysterious curve of time, all human history is simply a return to the Father's house, a return to the homeland. Therefore, every single existence forms part of this journey toward the Father. Living means covering a stretch of the way on the return home, every day and in every hour." Pope John Paul II

___________________

Several days ago I learned that one of my dearest friends is going through a serious crisis that has devastated him. The news was like a knife in my heart and left a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was caught off guard by my reaction and I thought to myself that I should have expected nothing less since ours was no ordinary friendship.

The next day, as I was preparing to read at Mass and saw the words "ordinary time" above the day's readings, I thought again about my "anything but ordinary" friend.

Ours is a friendship of length and breadth and family, of special occasions and significant moments, but, more importantly, ours is a friendship of the everyday.

It is simply in that, the everyday, the ordinary, that our relationship is extraordinary.

As friends we have journeyed together through all the moments, all the struggles of life.

Most of our journey has been walking through "ordinary time." But what we have learned is that ordinary time is no more ordinary than love is ordinary. Both sustain the difficult work of intimate relationships, either with God or with each other.

We have learned together to celebrate all the moments of life, not just the "holidays,"

not just the times of preparation for the feasts, but those times when famine is more the picture.

We learned to celebrate those moments because, in sharing them, we discovered the true abundance and the real cause for celebration rests in the relationship.

In his book, Prayers and Devotions, Pope John Paul II encourages us to be mindful of the truth of time. "Let us reflect...on time that passes, flows on inexorably and bears our brief existences away with it."

When we keep our mortality and the precious moments of our existence in mind we are more likely to find reasons for celebration. It is in this awareness of the fleetingness of life that we nurture hearts of love and gratitude.

Father Ronald Rolheiser reminds us that "sanctity has to do with gratitude. To be a saint is to be fueled by gratitude, nothing more and nothing less."

It is easy to be grateful during the remarkable times of life, the holidays and the holy days. It is not so easy to be grateful when the ordinariness of life and the seemingly routine experience of struggle gnaw at our souls.

Still, as Rolheiser emphasizes, gratitude is something we must cultivate because "only one kind of person transforms the world spiritually, someone with a grateful heart."

And so, as I follow this wise priest's advice, which has also been the advice of saints throughout the ages, I will think of my extraordinary friend when I seek to be reminded of the need for gratitude. I will remember him and the foundation of ordinary moments that have crafted our lives in friendship and love.

For these moments, and all the moments to come, I will be especially grateful.

Contact

Diocese of Metuchen
http://www.diometuchen.org NJ, US
Mary Regina Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religious Education, 732 562.1990

Email

mmorrell@diometuchen.org

Keywords

time, love, ordinary, gratitude

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »