Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 / Luke 9:18-22
I had this experience of visiting a relative who was in a nursing home and was suffering from a terminal illness but not yet in danger of death.
I spent time with him over lunch, and then gave him the "Anointing of the sick" since that was part of the reason why I visited him.
I noticed that he was yawning so I took leave and said that I would see him soon.
That "soon" turned out to be about four hours later when I was informed that he had passed away in his sleep and I went over immediately to bless his body.
What struck me was how nicely the events fitted in before his passing on. It seemed that everything was timed perfectly, that I should visit him, give him the anointing and then he passed on peacefully.
In the 1st reading, those 11 verses from the book of Ecclesiastes has the word "time" mentioned at least 30 times.
It is telling us that all time is in God's hands . And though God has permitted man to consider time in its wholeness, yet man cannot comprehend the work of God from beginning to end.
And though we wish that we had more time in the busy and hectic lives, yet it is time that we often waste or misuse.
Let us make good use of our time to come to know who Jesus is and hence we need to spend time in prayer. It is prayer that we will realise that all our time and all our life is in the hands of Jesus.