Did you ever want to stop the clock, turn the hands back, or move them forward? When you're way late, what if you could get two hours back or at least stop the clock for a while! You're losing by two touchdowns with one minute left in the fourth quarter. What if you could change the clock to one minute left in the third quarter! Then you'd have a chance. Your kids are sixteen and fourteen. They're rebellious and distant from you. You wish you would have spent much more time with them over the years, but you can't turn back the clock. You have six stressful years to work before you can retire. What if you could move up the clock! However, time is relentless and merciless. We can't stop it, slow it, or accelerate it. When it is time, certain things will happen, but not until then, and we can't do a thing about it.

However, Jesus is Lord of time. He rolls back the clock so we can receive the saving grace of His death and resurrection. The time of Jesus' final coming and the end of time can be "hastened" by our lives of holiness (see 2 Pt 3:12). Then the clock will stop forever. Time will pass away. Those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord of their time and lives "will go off to eternal punishment and the just to eternal life" (Mt 25:46; see also Rm 2:6-8; 2 Thes 1:9). Thus, eternity (i.e., no time) will free those in Jesus from the tyranny of time and impose an even worse tyranny of doom on those who have not given themselves to Christ. It's time to come to Jesus.

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 19, 2014

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.