Among the many possessions that we have, it seems to me that one of the most precious possessions we have is our time. As I look at my own busy life, given the many competing issues that I need to address each day, I am constantly making decisions where I spend my time, both opening and closing opportunities to minister to those around me. I am always reminded how precious every moment is and how important it is to keep my priorities in line with what the Lord wishes me to do each day.
Since we are all living busy lives, it is inevitable that we cannot get everything done that our hearts desire. We will always be “pressed for time.” However, what is in our power is to make each moment count, by being attentive and fully engaged in whatever we are doing at a given moment. This is especially true when we are with other people, who should receive our full attention and concern when we are with them. For this is another way to share our time, by making it quality time with those around us.
How often do we neglect to engage family members or friends when we are with them? How often do we stop paying attention to someone who is speaking with us? How many times are our thoughts already on something that may occur later in the day (i.e., dinner, evening engagement, afternoon meeting, etc.), all the while allowing the present moment to slip away? On such occasions, we may be physically present but we are not sharing our time as a gift. And the person who is always the poorer for such decisions is ourself.
Remembering the words of Jesus in this past Sunday’s Gospel, if we choose God over our possessions, then we must learn to share our time well.
The previous reflection originally appeared on Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Facebook page. Follow the Bishop for daily reflections and weekly videos.
