Time-out-of-time!

It feels like we have been living in a time-out-of-time time.

One definition of ‘time-out-of-time’ (yes, found online) is:
“An imaginary period; a period that is unrelated to real events in the past, present or future.”

A number of people have commented they never imagined they would live in a time of physical distancing, of self-isolation, of not seeing children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents…, a time of a worldwide pandemic.

It feels like an imaginary time that no one would have imagined!

There is a cartoon depicting a parent standing beside a wall calendar in the kitchen, calling to the children in another room, “Who wants to flip the page of the calendar to a new month?”

And, sometimes we have to focus to know even what day of the week it is!

But perhaps ‘time-out-of-time’ can be another way of saying ‘eternity’. Time-out-of-time might be a way of saying – NOW, this moment, this SACRED moment; a way of realizing that being aware, right now, of the flow of air as we breathe, being aware of the feeling of the communion of foot touching floor, being aware of the stillness of that blade of grass reaching out of the concrete…being aware of all this NOW is being aware of the sacredness of all times.

Time-out-of-time is resurrection time.  None of the gospel writers describes the actual moment – the actual moment of Jesus unwrapping the clothes that swaddled his crucified body, the actual moment of him standing in the tomb, of his eyes opening, of his breathe returning.  The writers describe an empty tomb, describe encounters of the risen Jesus with companions, but they don’t try to describe the ‘moment’ of resurrection.

Perhaps they knew it was a time-out-of-time moment– a moment somehow beyond time and yet containing all of time; a moment when heaven and earth, divine and creaturely, sacred and ordinary – are ONE.

This moment, every moment, is sacred.  This time-out-of-time can be a time of experiencing God in time, out of time, with us at all times.

Our weekly Zoom gatherings are one way in which we spend time with each other in these time-out-of-time times. If you would like to participate (no previous participation required), the link follows. All are welcome.

Here’s the link for Thursday, July 9, at 9 am.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7538449219

We look forward to seeing you again.

Blessings,
Carol and Jeff