RBWords

     I promised something more elegant from Ecclesiastes [Qoheleth] for today and I think many heads will nod in recognition at the opening lines from today's passage.  These lines might remind some from my generation of the popular song: "For every season, turn, turn turn..."  They are Ecclesiastes set to music!  There is profound wisdom and beauty in the poem, but there is also an underlying stream of determinism that can make one a bit uneasy.  At least, it might make someone from Western individualistic culture uneasy.  We tend to think we can shape our own future and that we are "captain of our ship."  

     At the same time, the seasons of the year and our personal and cultural experience should suggest to us that God "is working his purpose out" and when we coooperate with that we will find ourselves doing things at the right "time."  The Greeks had two notions of time: "chronos" meaning meaured time as on our clocks; and "kairos" meaning the "right time" for something to happen.  Without wanting to read that notion into the text, I think it can be helpful in understanding Qohelth's words.  Acceptance of God's providence in our lives should be reassuring rather than making us feel we are not in control!  AMEN