In the creed we’ll all profess shortly, we’ll proclaim our belief in the second coming of our Lord; we know Jesus is coming again, we just don’t know when. I know some wonder if we’re living in the end times. We hear of wars, divides, hunger and struggles and wonder if this is, “…the time of suffering…”[i], Jesus mentions in today’s Gospel that’s supposed to precede his second coming.



In so many ways it would be great to know the moment of Jesus’ second coming. If it was known Jesus was coming tomorrow, it would be easy to spend the money and enjoy it now rather than save for retirement. If we knew Jesus was coming soon, maybe some would work to reconcile damaged relationships, quit a job they despise or give up going to the gym. Just imagine the lineup at the Confessional the hour before Jesus’ second coming.



If we knew the moment of Jesus second coming, the end of time, many would use time very differently because we give priority to things we know we have very little of. Spending habits are adjusted when the bank balance gets low. Diets are restricted when there’s not so much food in the fridge. When the pandemic shifted spending habits, the world seemed to run out of toilet paper.



Last week, we reflected on the natural inclination to grasp for control when things become scarce and how our Saviour challenges us to instead surrender control even of finances. We’ve been considering on the challenge to surrender control for awhile now. By the way, the full text and a recording of Sunday homilies given in our church are available on our website each week, so anyone can catchup or review what we’ve reflected on. Disciples are challenged to surrender control of attempts to earn eternal life and instead give priority to following Jesus. We’re called to surrender control of our ideas of what greatness is and instead accept God’s revelation that true greatness is rooted in service. Jesus challenges us to surrender control of caring about what others think of us and instead recognize how following him and receiving his healing matters most of all. Those with hearts focused on love surrender attempts to control others and that love influences the world.



Today, we finish our exploration of surrendering control with the biggest challenge of all: surrendering control of our time. Surrendering control of time is the biggest challenge because we know how limited it is. You can make more money or friends; food grows; it’s possible to learn more, go more places or have all kinds of experiences. But no one can make more time. So, we grasp for control of our time and then, we’re busy.



Now, surrendering control isn’t about just letting go and accepting whatever. For disciples, surrendering control means recognizing how we occupy only one tiny moment of a much larger history. We admit that our role in history is just one part of a greater story that we’re mostly unaware of. The story isn’t about any one of us, but about the ongoing work of our maker to build a great Kingdom. We surrender control by confessing that we don’t know how to build this Kingdom, we don’t know how to fix all the problems of the world. It’s not in our power to end injustice, destroy all evils or conquer death and that’s okay because we know our Saviour does have such power.



So, disciples have a huge responsibility: to surrender control of our time so God may work through us. We surrender control of time by recognizing the time we have as an opportunity to allow God to work through us. Doing things our way on our schedule only gets us so far. By trying our best, we can get glimpses of the paradise we long for, many might grasp for enough control to build mostly happy lives, but something always remains missing. There’s fear of losing what we have, we’re aware of the suffering of others and creation itself can seem like an obstacle at times. The answer, the solution needed to build the Kingdom of joy and peace doesn’t come through money or an election or any human effort but only through God.



We surrender control of our time by giving God the start of our week, by coming here. This is where we take a moment to set aside all the things that make demands of our time and attention and instead turn our attention to God. This is where we come to practice for Heaven. What we do here, we renew regularly through daily prayer where we invite God into the decisions made, the people encountered and the words said.



We surrender control of our time by examining what it is we aim for. We all have goals that probably started in our imagination. We imagine the life we want maybe in five or ten years and then we aim to make that happen. Of course, many of our plans don’t work out, unexpected things come up. But we’re still here, we make it through, though with some frustration. Disciples might also imagine the Kingdom of God, picture it and include it as part of our own plans. Through this we build a world, not in our image but according to God’s.



I know some wonder if we’re living in the end times and the truth is that we are. We don’t know when, but Jesus is coming. Between now and that moment, disciples use this time to prepare and practice for his coming. We willingly surrender control of so many things today so that when he comes, we’ll be ready to surrender all to him.



God of all, guide us through your Holy Spirit so our hearts would be open to the coming of your Son here in this Mass, at the end of our lives and at the end of time itself. As we surrender control of all we have to him, we ask that our small offerings would be magnified and contribute to your Kingdom and the salvation of all. We offer all our prayers in his name. Amen.







[i] Mark 13:24 NRSVCE

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