time

As we approach the end of Ordinary Time, our Mass readings focus on completion and the end or fullness of time. In the Gospel According to Luke 21:5–19 (NABRE), Jesus talks about the eventual destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, which becomes a metaphor for the destruction of all things.

The reading addresses how people will know when the time has come and creates the impression that there is a set point in time, i.e. a specific date, when all these things are ordained to happen. The Greek concept presented here, though, is somewhat different. The Greek word καιρός (kairos) most literally means “a due measure” or “fullness.” When used in a temporal sense, this word can mean something like “in the fullness of time,” but it additionally could refer to the need to meet specific requirements—when everything is ready.

How does this emphasis in meaning affect your view of the end times? When do you think it is that Jesus will return?

related topics: Ordinary Time; times & seasons

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