SACRIFICE OF TIME IS THE SAME AS SACRIFICE OF ONESELF
Our meditation today has the theme: Sacrifice of Time is the Same as Sacrifice of Oneself. Is it true that time is the same as human beings? The book of Judges features a variety of good trees that, at the right time, produce their best fruits, refusing to sacrifice themselves to become king over other trees. Only an ugly, thorny little plant is willing to sacrifice itself to become the king.
The workers integrate and unite their working time that each of them can provide, with each one who actually dedicate oneself to work. Wages are given not only because of working time required, but moreover, the dedication, ability and willingness of the workers, and certainly the generosity of the owner or master. The sacrifice of time is actually something seen from outside which signifies the human person and his works at a given period of time. And so, a sacrifice of time is also a sacrifice of self.
Our today's liturgical readings relate sacrifice with the call of leaders and those who work in the service of others. Leaders and public servants have the duty to sacrifice or dedicate their times. A governor must spend more times serving the people than for his own family.
In the dimension of faith, leaders and the ministers dedicate themselves and their time to God. The main characteristics of a dedication should be the willingness and selflessness. Wages in the form of material elements are not the main thing to pursue, but what so important should be what is given or offered. God wants our sacrifice to be offered in freedom and generosity as an expression of love and obedience.
Leadership in families, communities and the Church is something normal. In all of this there is an aspect of service. Then the Lord wants to speak to us about this: the time spent for doing all this is sacred and it does not depend on short or long duration. When time is used properly and appropriately, then a quality of work done in the service of others or care for life is manifested, without first taking into account what is gained in return, this is what we mean by a self-sacrifice.
So, we need to spend time with self-sacrifice, and the same also, a self-sacrifice really needs time to manifest itself. It's useless to talk about a sacrifice but we don't have time for it. It is also meaningless or nonsense if we have time but it is wasted and is not used with a self-sacrifice in service of others.
Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for the today teaching that makes us aware of the meaning of self-sacrifice. Bless every form of our ministry and work so that we don't forget that aspect of sacrifice. Glory to the Father... In the name of the Father...