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Carpe
Diem
People complain they haven’t enough time. It’s
because they look at their lives from too human a point of view. There is
always time to do what God wants us to do. We must take the opportunity to
grasp the opportunity. This prayer is adapted from Michel Quoist’s “Prayers of
Life”.
Lord, I
went out into the street: people were coming and going, walking and running
Everything was rushing, cars, lorries, the street, the whole town.
People
were rushing not to waste time. They were rushing after time.
To catch up with time. To gain time.
Goodbye,
excuse me I haven’t time.
I’ll come
back, I can’t wait, I haven’t time.
I must
end this letter – I haven’t time.
I’d love
to help you – but I haven’t time.
I can’t
accept – having no time.
I can’t
think, I can’t read, I’m swamped – I haven’t time.
I’d like
to pray – but I haven’t time.
Lord, you
understand – they simply haven’t the time.
The child
is playing, hasn’t the time right now. Later on…
The
student has a project to do, hasn’t time. Later on…
The young
person has sports, hasn’t the time. Later on…
The young
married have the new house to fix, haven’t the time. Later on….
The
grandparents must look after grandchildren. Haven’t the time. Later on…..
They are
ill, they are having their treatments. Haven’t the time. Later on……
They are
dying, they have no….
Too late!
They have no more time!
Lord, all
people run after time.
They pass
through life running, - hurried, jostled, frantic, overburdened, and they never
get there. No time!
In spite
of all their efforts, they’re still short of time, of a great deal of time.
Lord, you
must have made a mistake in your calculations.
There is
a mistake somewhere.
The hours
are too short, the days are too short, and our lives are too short.
But you
Lord, are beyond time, you smile to see us fighting it.
And you
know what you are doing.
You made
no mistake in your distribution of time to us.
You give
each of us time to do what you want us to do.
So we
must not lose time, waste time, kill time.
For time
is a gift you give to us, a perishable gift, a gift that does not keep.
Lord, I
have time; I have plenty of time.
All the
time that you give me: the years of my life, the days of my years, the hours of
my days – they are mine.
Mine to
fill quietly, calmly.
But to
fill completely, up to the brim.
Lord I am
not asking you for time to do this and then that.
I am asking you Lord, for
your grace to do conscientiously, in the time that you give me, the things you
want me to do. |
