The house that I grew up in had a mechanical, wind-up clock in the living room that you could see from the kitchen table. I remember the Winchester chime that rang on each quarter of the hour. Our family was accustomed to the sound, and we never heard it through the night. I remember sometimes waking up in the middle of the night, without a bedside clock radio, and I would wait until the clock sounded to find out what time it was.
My parents have both passed on and the clock on the wall is gone. I now live part-time in the house. I was constantly looking up at the wall, where the clock once was, to see what time it was. In chagrin, I was reminded every time that there no longer was a clock there. The hour had come to do something. I now have a clock on the wall that is three feet in diameter! Now I know what time it is, and I am never disappointed when I look up!
The Gospel According to John talks about Jesus’ hour. The time was fulfilled when by his resurrection, Jesus overcame death.
O God of endless time, keep us looking to you for a lifetime of hope. Amen. —