As the sentimental, nostalgic beings that we are, we love our decades. We love to talk about “the 60s,” “the 90s,” and so on.
We also love to mark milestone decades. Turning 30 years old, 40 years old, and so on are times for pause and celebration.
There is a significant decade of note currently being observed in the Catholic Church. On March 13, Pope Francis was officially our pontiff for 10 years.
A rough browsing of past popes came up with the fact that around 75 out of 266 popes made it to the 10-year mark.
Is this a significant milestone in the papacy of Pope Francis? Perhaps, it is. If nothing else, it’s been a chance for a lot of people to reflect on the years of the Church between 2013 and 2023 and think about all that’s gone on and all that has changed.
So, first off, congratulations Pope Francis on 10 years in the chair of St. Peter.
And also, congratulations to anyone else celebrating decade milestones, whether they be work anniversaries, birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and so on. Here’s to [insert the applicable number of years here] more!
No time
I understand the logistics behind there needing to be measured time.
Just think about how many dates would fail because one party told the other to meet them “two hours after nap time” or how many work meetings would be sparsely attended if the manager instructed everyone to come to it “after you come in for the day”.
[Speaking of time, can we do away with that “spring ahead” losing an hour thing already?]
Time can be so limiting though when it is used as a boundary.
We put in a good hour at work and our sense of accomplishment also gives us a sense of finality. The same goes for a good day at work. “I got a lot done yesterday so I can slack off today.” [No, Bishop, I’m not talking about myself in particular, I’m being hypothetical].
I’m not advocating to not having a “quitting time” and just keep working, or going on with whatever kind of task that we are tasked with, but don’t let the time stop us.
God doesn’t say “I helped you for a whole hour, you’re on your own for the next two”.
I’ve heard numerous priests and bishops say they take off their watches prior to Mass (and sometimes, unfortunately, lose them afterward) so earthly time is not part of the holy and reverent Eucharistic celebration.
How about that for a glimpse of Heaven? Don’t wear your watch, a clock, or your phone (always a good idea), from the time you arrive at church until you’re about to leave.
Leave time behind. Live totally in God’s presence on His time.
Again, we can’t do this for many things as it’s our responsibility to be on time for a lot of obligations, but let’s try to find moments in our life when “what time is it?” is not a necessary question.
Some retreat experiences have covered wall clocks and encourage no phones or watches so you do not know what time it is. You merely trust in the Lord during the experience.
When I used to help out with Confirmation retreats, the young folks would often ask “what time is such-and-such?” or “what are we doing next?” or just “what time is it?”
My response was always, and not always loved and accepted, “God only knows”.
I love Altar of Repose time on Holy Thursday because I don’t hold myself to just a holy “hour” (oops, it’s 6:05, time to go!), but it gives me a huge chunk of time to just be in the moment and wait for Night Prayer to know that my prayer time has concluded for the night and everything before that is just me and God, with no timetable to adhere to.
Good times
Time isn’t all bad, though.
It’s good to celebrate when a young person reaches special age milestones.
My 21st birthday was very memorable — sitting in my dorm room alone, eating pizza, and watching Monday Night Football. It was perfect.
Wedding anniversaries should absolutely be celebrated.
For years, I loved covering the diocesan wedding anniversaries celebration.
To some couples, it might seem like they’re doing just what they’re supposed to be doing, but any couple that can stick together for anything like 40 years needs to be recognized and acknowledged.
Getting up at a good time every day is good too.
When I worked overnights, I’d get up at 6 p.m. on work nights and that stability was very helpful.
Above all, let’s learn to “make time”. Let’s go beyond the hands of the clock and not let hours, minutes, and seconds define where our efforts and energies are going.
Don’t just spend an hour with your kids, spend the right amount of time with them.
Don’t let your schedule get in the way of being where you need to be the most and who you need to be with the most.
Don’t get caught looking at your watch when your time is up.
Thank you for reading.
I’m praying for you.