UNISINOS – RESIDÊNCIA CONCEIÇÃO
Residência Conceição 30 August, 2016 XLVI:2
UNISINOS
Cx. P. 101
93.001-970 São Leopoldo, RS e-mail: [email protected]
BRAZIL http://www.egfbenya.com
Dear Family, Friends, Colleagues, Benefactors and Collaborators:
Time is a relative measure of sequence; objective in count yet subjective in accuracy. A year is defined by a planetary revolution, its orbit, around a star. However a year varies with the planet and the star. In the case of the earth and the sun, that revolution takes 12 months or 365.25 days (366 days on leap year); variable because of yearly spatial lag in completion of the orbit.
Yet time is crucial in daily function of awakening, prayer, feeding, work, relaxation and rest. It then extends to seasonal activities of cultivation, hunting, fishing, culture and preservation. It continues to annual operations of commerce, evaluation and renewal. These diverse activities then present their own timing variability depending on region, climate, environment, condition and age of the individual. We tend to move more slowly with age.
Holy Scripture nicely captures the relativity of all timing by recognizing that before Almighty God
“…one day is as a thousand years…and a thousand years are as one day..”.
Such variability may be nerve-wracking for researchers, philosophers and educators attempting to quantify dynamic systems, but that same variability provides Hope for pilgrims and sinners trying to navigate this life. The absolute truth or error of that navigation lies solely by the Judgment of God for which all of us can be grateful. The Creator inspires Saint Paul to recognize that we are in the “End Times”. So it is. However, the precise length of this End Time is known only to the Almighty.
This is most inspiring to those of us particularly prone to error. The promise of recovery, new beginning after a fall, is the Promise of Salvation. Salvation is characterized by patience; patience of the Creator towards His creatures, a patient charity that should extend within and through each of us for one another AND patience with ourselves.
These 32 years of ordination have seen the blessing of patient charity of all of you with me as I navigate this life, vocation and hemisphere with falls and errors, but also in witness and with gains, all blessings of Almighty God. I thank that same Almighty God and I thank you for that patient charity. It extends in ways you cannot even imagine.
Gratefully in Christ
Ed Benya, S.J.