APPOINTED TIME / HOUR
The concept of “appointed time” or “God’s timing” is significant in Christian theology and Scripture. It refers to moments designated by God for specific events or observances. God governs time, meticulously arranging the events of history and the holy observances for His people. He commanded the Israelites through Moses on when to observe holy days:
“The LORD said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites and tell them: The following are the festivals of the LORD, which you shall declare holy days. These are my festivals” (Lev 23:1-2):
1. Sabbath: “The seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest” (Lev 23:3).
2. Passover: “The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month, at the evening twilight” (Lev 23:5).
3. Feast of Unleavened Bread: “The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD’s feast of Unleavened Bread” (Lev 23:6).
4. Pentecost: “Beginning with the day after the sabbath, the day on which you bring the sheaf for elevation, you shall count seven full weeks; you shall count to the day after the seventh week, fifty days. Then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD” (Lev 23:15-16).
5. New Year’s Day: “On the first day of the seventh month you will have a sabbath rest, with trumpet blasts as a reminder, a declared holy day” (Lev 23:24).
6. Day of Atonement: “Now the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. You will have a declared holy day” (Lev 23:27).
7. Feast of Booths: “The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD’s feast of Booths, which shall continue for seven days” (Leviticus 23:34).
Additionally, God instructed the observance of the jubilee every fiftieth year (Leviticus 25:8-11).
The Book of Ecclesiastes provides a profound reflection on the nature of time and God’s sovereignty over it: “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens” (Eccl 3:1). While the timing of God’s plans remains a mystery to humans, “God has made everything appropriate to its time, but has put the timeless into their hearts so they cannot find out, from beginning to end, the work which God has done” (Eccl 3:11).
Appointed Times in the Liturgical Year
The Catholic Church recognizes several “appointed times” or liturgical seasons throughout the year, each with its own spiritual significance:
1. Advent: A time of preparation for Christ’s coming.
2. Christmas: Celebrating the Incarnation of Jesus.
3. Lent: A period of penance and spiritual renewal.
4. Easter: Rejoicing in Christ’s resurrection.
5. Ordinary Time: Growing in faith through daily life.
These seasons help Catholics align their lives with God’s timing and plan for salvation.
Appointed Time (Hour) of Jesus
God the Father set the time for His Son’s incarnation and mission. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption” (Gal 4:4-5).
When the Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus did not want to travel to Judea because people there were seeking to kill Him. He told His brothers, “My time is not yet here, but the time is always right for you” (Jn 7:6). For Jesus, the “hour” referred to the time of His passion, death, and resurrection. “Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father” (Jn 13:1).
Whenever Jesus’ passion was not imminent, He would say, “My hour has not yet come.” At the wedding in Cana, He told His mother, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come” (Jn 2:4). Similarly, when Jesus was teaching in the Temple, the Jews tried to arrest Him, but no one could lay a hand on Him because His hour had not yet come (Jn 7:30).
Regarding His second coming, Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Mt 24:36; Mk 13:32).
Demons’ Appointed Time
God has permitted the influence of evil spirits on humans until the time of final judgment (Enoch 16:1, Jubilees 10:7–10). When Jesus came, the demons knew their time for ultimate destruction had not yet come. Jesus, possessing authority over evil spirits, expelled them to free the afflicted but did not destroy them.
When Jesus entered the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs approached Him, shouting, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” (Mt 8:29). They were aware that their final doom was reserved for the last judgment when they would be cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41).
REFLECTIONS
Understanding God’s appointed times has several important implications for Christians:
1. Trust in Divine Providence: We are called to trust that God’s timing is perfect, even when we don’t understand it.
2. Patience: We must learn to wait on the Lord, knowing that His plans unfold in His time, not ours.
3. Discernment: We should seek to align our will with God’s, discerning His timing in our lives.
4. Preparedness: While we cannot know the exact time of Christ’s return, we are called to be always ready.
5. Stewardship of Time: Recognizing that our time on earth is a gift from God, we should use it wisely in service to Him and others.
As Christians, we are invited to live in harmony with God’s appointed times. This means being attentive to the rhythms of the liturgical year, patient in our personal lives, and always ready to respond to God’s call. By doing so, we participate more fully in God’s plan of salvation and grow in our relationship with Him.
Let us pray for the grace to recognize and embrace God’s timing in our lives, trusting in His infinite wisdom and love. May we, like Mary, be always ready to say “yes” to God’s will, whenever and however He calls us.