Ecclesiastes chapter 3:1-3a (RSV) says: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal..." (Perhaps a familiar song or movie popped into your head as it did in mine.)
For years I was disturbed by the verse "a time to kill" since I am a Christian committed to loving, not killing. But it finally dawned on me at Mass this morning about the different senses of Scripture, and to what this might actually refer to.
Perhaps the "deaths" that need to happen refer to things that are offensive to God and harmful to ourselves and others, like: sin, evil, envy, hatred, lying, pride, unforgiveness, bitterness, injustice, judgmental-ism, lust, sloth, etc...
When we take the time to examine our conscience, it helps us to identify what we "need to die to." Then we can ask Jesus to help us to be victorious in this area of our lives.
+Br. Philip Maria Allen, CFR
St. Felix Friary
Yonkers, NY, USA
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