timefliesfeedback

Was 2005 on a fast track? Prophetically, and in most other ways, the answer was yes. It started with the incredible aftermath of the Asian tsunami, hit another high stride with the death of Sister Lucia dos Santos (last of the Fatima seers), and swerved as the world witnessed the horrid spectacle of Terri Schiavo, which nearly coincided with the death of John Paul II -- one of the greatest and most prophetic popes in all of history.

That Catholic crescendo was then followed by a truly astonishing series of natural events that caused even those who have resisted the notion of chastisement -- of purification, of "signs" -- to wonder.

Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Rita. Hurricane Wilma. More than two dozen tropical storms that lashed also at foreign shores -- from Cancun to Spain (for the first time in recorded history) as California and other states fought wildfires in the warmest year in human record-keeping.

Was it just a climate flux? There was the temptation to consider that idea until one considered disasters unrelated to weather like the earthquake that killed 73,000 in Pakistan in a year that not only set records for financial loss due to natural disasters but also saw painful events such as Iraq and the London bombings.

With that cascade of happenings was the notion that time itself had sped. Whether old or young, spiritual or not, folks were complaining about what seemed like the unusual speed of the clock.

Could it be that Christ was causing the time of unfortunate events, the time of darkness, to pass swiftly? Was it real, and if so, was it a sign of something?

As one reader named Joni Coniglio noted, quoting Origen, the famed priest and theologian (around 185-153): "The sun of justice (Malachi 3:20) never sets, but continues to pour forth the light of truth in the hearts of those who believe. But when the number of believers has come to fullness and when the degenerate and corrupt time of the last generation has come, when because of the increase of evil, the love of most will grow cold (Matthew 24:12), then the days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)."

"Dear Spirit Daily," noted Mary E. Black of Fort Wayne, Indiana a month back. "This is so weird. I was just thinking this morning how I cannot believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow, we have some snow, and Advent starts Sunday. I was wondering where October went. We had an exceptionally beautiful fall this year, and I don't know how I had little time to enjoy it. Then I read your post on 'time flying by.' How crazy is that? I am noticing more nudges to hit the confessional, fast, and pray. There is definitely something afoot. I'll just pray, watch and wait!"

If it wasn't waking up right at three a.m. with the call to prayer, it was this phenomenon of days whizzing by.

Said Deirdre Morris Ringgold Georgia, "Our family has been experiencing the same thing. And we do not have a full schedule. In fact we have a few days a week that are supposed to be considered slow days. Even our kids think time is flying by! That’s unusual because kids usually don’t care about time and they think it takes 'forever’ for anything to happen. Also a few months ago while in deep prayer I had a vision of God setting a timer in the heavens. I didn’t know if it was for me or for the whole world. One thing for sure, I desire to be with the Lord and for my children to know Him."

"I was so struck by your main article today," added Maria Sargent of Tallmadge, Ohio. "Just one day ago, my 13-year-old seemed so sad and worried that I kept her in the car once the other children had gone in the house. When I questioned her on what was wrong, she sat silently for almost three minutes and then blurted out, 'Is the world coming to an end, Mom?' Startled, I asked her why she would be thinking about such things at her age, and she said that she sees more and more bad things in the world, but most of all she feels that she 'can't keep up with time,' that time seemed to be moving so fast that she 'couldn't keep track of days' and that every time she turned around 'it seemed weeks had gone by' and this frightened her. She wanted to know what was happening to time! I had noticed this, but I am old now----but when a child who has just turned 13 mentions it, it tells you that something is truly going on..."

It does seem to say something -- and 2006 may be more so. But we also recall this from Origen, in his "Homilies on Joshua," 11,3-4:

"Yes, the same Lord is able to prolong the length of days when it is a time of salvation and to shorten the length of the time of tribulation and iniquity. As for us, so long as we have day and that the time of light is lengthened for us, let us live honorably as in daylight (Romans 13:13) and let us do the works of light."

Walk while you still have the light, says John 12:35, "or darkness will come over you."