‘One moment in time’?

Br Augustine asks whether Whitney Houston has anything to say about today’s Gospel.

Reading: Luke 19:41-44

The following homily was preached to the student brothers during Compline. You can listen here or read below:

‘Give me one moment in time, when I’m more than I thought I could be; then in that moment of time, I will feel, I will feel eternity.’

This reflection on our living in time comes not from Plotinus or Heidegger, but from the 20th century existentialist philosopher Whitney Houston. Alas – Jerusalem does not recognise her moment. Jesus cries over Jerusalem because it doesn’t accept him. He offers a peace the world cannot give, but they’ve rejected the things that make for peace.

That peace is himself. Ironically they reject his offer by taking him up on the cross. Jesus foretells the destruction of Jerusalem, but he is also the solution to their problem. We know Jerusalem will be rebuilt. And the sign of that promise is Christ crucified, who has opened the way to the heavenly Jerusalem. ‘The Lord builds up Jerusalem, and brings back Israel’s exiles’ (Ps 147:2).

But who’s doing the building? Is it the Lord, or his people? Well, both. ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is always at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure’ (Phil 2:12-13). So don’t worry about having missed the time of your visitation – it is now. ‘Think of God’s patience as your opportunity to be saved’ (2 Pt 3:15).

You know deep down you want to do something for Jesus. If you’ve been waiting for God to give you a sign, stop waiting – you’ve waited long enough, and so has Christ. He has been waiting for you. If you’ve been waiting for God to make the first move, stop waiting – because God lives in you and must work through you. ‘Now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation’ (2 Cor 6:2).

Seize the day, and see in it the time of your visitation.

Seize the day, and choose to follow Jesus.

Seize the day, and step into salvation-history.

Seize the day, and you will feel eternity, because you will have begun, once more, your journey to the kingdom of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, where we will be ‘living stones making a spiritual house’ (1 Pt 2:4-5).

Forever begins now. That is why, at the start of every Mass, many Dominicans past and present say, ‘I will confess that the Lord is good; for his mercy endures forever.’

Image: Augustine Joseph Chen, Be it done unto me according to thy Word.