Review: Eternity in the Midst of Time

This book, as with most of Fr. Stinissen’s reflections, draws us into his thoughts.  It opens our minds to the much bigger picture.  In this case, he takes the present, this now --- even this moment you are reading these words --- and broadens your perspective to see how this moment is an accumulation of your past, and a building of your future.  He helps you see with God’s view of time and eternity, and that all time is part of the big picture He has created --- for a reason.  He helps us see that we each have a purpose in God’s reality.

Along the way, Fr. Stinissen addresses our misuse of time: worrying about the past, fretting over all we think must be done RIGHT NOW, and confusion over a future we wish we could see --- and control.  God is in control.  Stinissen encourages us to focus on the one thing we are doing in a moment, and do it well.  We have time in prayer and meditation to focus on the bigger picture and trying to see God’s Will; there is a time for that, and for us to do that Will also.  Stinissen examines how we should live in time, and he offers prayer techniques for those not used to listening to God.

Some quotes bring forth the riches of Stinissen’s words better than I could ever summarize:

·         Time is a gift.  Time gives us a chance to grow. (P23)

·         How could (God) reveal himself totally at once?  The little human being needs to receive revelations in small doses. (p26) God wants to give us His love and He created time so that we would little by little open ourselves to it. (P33)

·         The fact that God gives you time means: you have something to do.  And above all, you have something to become. (P49)

·         There is an element of fear in stress.  We are afraid of failure.  Fear is conquered by trust, surrender. (P87)

·         To live in what WAS closes the door to what IS.  Licking old wounds is not the best way to cure them.  Transformation of the past happens primarily by openness to what is new in the present moment. (P105) It is the present that decides what the past means. (P117)

·         A basic requirement for being able to redeem time is to forgive and let oneself be forgiven.  It is above all our feelings of guilt that hold us in the grip of the past.  There is no person who does not sometimes make “wrong” decisions.  It is a tremendous liberation when you concretely, in your inmost self, dare to take a leap of trust and believe that God really forgives and that you may let go of your guilt feelings. (P119-20)

·         Why would I not forgive myself, when I know that God forgives me? (P123)

·         How our eternity will look depends on how we live now. (P155)

·         Do not exchange the acceptance of your present situation for resignation!  True acceptance --- this is worth repeating --- is openness to God’s transforming power. (P157)

·         God in his wisdom uses everything to lead us to himself.  By accepting what is now and resting in it you abandon yourself into the hands of God. (P159)

·         In the present you meet your past, which asks of you: create me anew!  Transform me!  And in the present moment you lay the foundation for your future. (P167)

·         The passing of time can become a blessing to the one who, like Saint Paul, forgets what lies behind and stretches toward that which lies ahead and races on toward the finish line. (Phil 3:13) (P174)

- - - - - - - - - -

The Reading at mass this morning was from Genesis.  The Jewish people were voicing (their latest) complaint to Moses, saying “It’d been better if we stayed in slavery in Egypt.”  And Father John said: “In reflecting on this passage I saw myself, and the sin it seems that I am always fighting.”

In hearing Moses’ (and God’s) response to their complaint, the Jews in effect were saying: “You mean I must trust in Him again, and again, and again?!”  Even though God had been there in their past trials, they forgot --- as we do.  While, as Fr. Stinissen explains, we must live in the moment, we must be aware that this moment was built upon our past, and we need to look at the past and recall not our sins or our sufferings, but that He was there for us, and use this moment to make us stronger in our trust, and so advance ever more confident in seeing The Promised Land.

At one point the Jews became adamant: “We want to do things our way.”  And God responded: “Very well, then you won’t see The Promised Land.”

When Fr. John spoke of his own stubbornness in wanting things his way, and that difficulty in trusting was his greatest sin, I think I saw every person in that church nodding in agreement, including me.

The Jews were on a journey to the Promised Land, a parable about our journey through time to a Promised Eternity with God.  He died to make that possible, and to show us the way.  Why do we so stubbornly insist: “But I know a better way?”  Why can’t we trust? 

And why do I have to look at that picture on my kitchen wall EVERY DAY and read again those words at the bottom:  My Jesus, I trust in You.