- - -eighteen, life, holy week - - -
"Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day."
-Isaac Watts
This verse, from the hymn "O God, Our Help in Ages Past," was on my mind a bit last week as I turned eighteen. I spent several days leading up to my birthday reflecting on my life. I guess the emphasis society places on eighteen, like twenty-one, caused me to take a little more time than usual to think about where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going.
Time's a funny thing; often it seems like it just won't go by quickly enough for our liking, but then there are moments when we realize how swiftly time really does move. It slips by silently until one day we fix our eyes upon it and wonder how so much of it managed to get by us without really noticing. It's easy to get caught up in silly worries, distractions, and trivialities; that seems to be the danger: missing out on a full appreciation of our existance because our sights are so narrowed that we can't see it. A major part of life, as I see it, is the process of finding that ideal vision. The daily worries and concerns of our lives shouldn't be ignored, but they do need to be seen in the proper focus. A focus which allows us to see the presence of the Eternal in this transient life, surrounding and permeating everything. Perhaps, with this vision in mind, we more readily choose right actions. Or perhaps it is through practicing right actions that our sight is adjusted to that vision. Or maybe it is a bit of both. I don't know; I'm just trying to get part of last week's thoughts down.
Holy Week, the greatest days of the entire year, are upon us. I'll try to do a little post about each of the liturgies during my free time.
Wednesday: Tenebrae
Holy Thursday: Solemn Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday: Stations of the Cross, Solemn Commemoration of the Lord's Passion
Holy Saturday: Solemn Mass of the Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday: Solemn Mass of the Resurrection
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day."
-Isaac Watts
This verse, from the hymn "O God, Our Help in Ages Past," was on my mind a bit last week as I turned eighteen. I spent several days leading up to my birthday reflecting on my life. I guess the emphasis society places on eighteen, like twenty-one, caused me to take a little more time than usual to think about where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going.
Time's a funny thing; often it seems like it just won't go by quickly enough for our liking, but then there are moments when we realize how swiftly time really does move. It slips by silently until one day we fix our eyes upon it and wonder how so much of it managed to get by us without really noticing. It's easy to get caught up in silly worries, distractions, and trivialities; that seems to be the danger: missing out on a full appreciation of our existance because our sights are so narrowed that we can't see it. A major part of life, as I see it, is the process of finding that ideal vision. The daily worries and concerns of our lives shouldn't be ignored, but they do need to be seen in the proper focus. A focus which allows us to see the presence of the Eternal in this transient life, surrounding and permeating everything. Perhaps, with this vision in mind, we more readily choose right actions. Or perhaps it is through practicing right actions that our sight is adjusted to that vision. Or maybe it is a bit of both. I don't know; I'm just trying to get part of last week's thoughts down.
Holy Week, the greatest days of the entire year, are upon us. I'll try to do a little post about each of the liturgies during my free time.
Wednesday: Tenebrae
Holy Thursday: Solemn Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday: Stations of the Cross, Solemn Commemoration of the Lord's Passion
Holy Saturday: Solemn Mass of the Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday: Solemn Mass of the Resurrection