In our culture, there is a large emphasis on efficiency in regards to our time. “Time is Money” is a common phrase that is thrown around which has a multitude of meanings. Regardless of its interpretation, the phrase expresses the worldview of many who are trying to maximize what they can get out of this life with the limited time that they have.
On the other hand, we also live in a culture that has the ability to waste time on frivolous activities like never before. Because of the vast varieties of entertainment, many have trained themselves to fill every waking second with some form of entertainment that meets their fancy. With the extreme accessibility to mobile screens, not only is it possible to do this, but the reality for many.
In both these scenarios, an addiction is taking place. In the “Time is Money” mindset, the person desires to squeeze out every second they can into something that they believe is fulfilling (which is usually calculated in monetary terms). Wasting time in the form of entertainment, the person squeezes the most out of every second by maximizing pleasure with all the free time that they have. In both cases, the issue is the same. The person is trying to control and orchestrate their life. Even though both scenarios look different, the root of serving one’s own wants and desires is the driving force of the person’s life. Thus, slavery to that way of life and those wants and desires ensues, and ultimately never satisfies. The former will find that the busy schedule of “Time is Money” is dehumanizing, and all forms of entertainment will become stale for the latter, leaving both searching for more.
Yet, it is not wrong to be efficient with one’s time, and it is certainly not wrong to have the pursuit of leisure (some would state that leisure is the basis of culture). But intention and priorities matter. The Lord calls for us to evangelize while we are on this Earth, and this takes hard work in the face of trails. Thus, being efficient with time would be a virtue if there are pressing needs essential for the life of the Christian community that is being formed through evangelization. A parish priest would be very familiar with these demands and need for an efficient schedule. But leisure is also needed, even for the evangelist who needs to be efficient. The movement periodically from a demanding schedule into a slower way of life is essential for the health of the individual. A parish priest would also understand this necessity as an effort to not get “burnt out.”
The key in knowing the time for each is by listening to the Lord’s call. There are times for everything as Ecclesiastes states, but only the Lord has the wisdom to tell us which to pursue. Things should only be done out of love, and as He is Love, He knows how we should apply ourselves to His Kingdom. We are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus who did not grasp after glory or experiences, but rather took on the form of a slave for His Father’s will. Sometimes that meant continuous work through preaching and healing, and sometimes that meant times spent in prayer and leisure. But whatever He did, He did it out of love for His Father and consequently out of love for us.
So the life of a saint is not maximizing our time on this Earth according to worldly standards, or striving to only enjoy the pleasures of this world, or even setting a well balanced schedule. Rather, it is learning how to listen to God, and abandoning our will for His. When we do, we will find that our time on this earth is well spent.
