Chronos vs Kairos

This past weekend we had our Kairos retreat for our high school youth.  While it is supposed to be a four day retreat, we squeeze everything into three days.  There is quite a paradox here.  We take the students watches and cell phones to remove them from time and the obligations of texting, etc.  But we have a very rigid schedule whereas we need to keep the retreat moving.  It is a weekend that is packed with reflection, prayer, and stretching their spiritual imaginations.  We want them to move beyond doing religion into doing faith.

In some ways this is a quick jaunt through the Gospels.  We call them to follow us, and then we begin to take them along on a journey of discerning Jesus as the Christ.  Even if it is once in their lifetimes, this is a powerful time in their lives.  We ask them to look deeply into their relationship with God and others.  One of the most important things that we do is to paint a vivid picture of faith for these young people.

There is an important insight about conversion and discipleship here.  In our time we say that we have to have the sacraments completed by a certain age and with particular requirements.  But, how many high school juniors might not be ready to make a faith commitment?  We look at the apostles and find that at the very end, as Jesus begins the process of the Paschal Mystery, did not fully comprehend what Jesus was about.  In face they all ran away out of fear.

The Scriptures are full of stories of God choosing young teens to lead nations, and old couples to bear children.   This is Kairos.  It requires that we remain open to the possibility of the Holy Spirit in our life.  Discipleship takes with it the necessity to 'Come and See' all that Jesus does in the most sacred moments of life, and the most ordinary.  We are always looking for holiness and the opportunity to make Christ present.

When we had the Branches here at St. Mary Parish, I would joke about the ability to create a homily out of any object or situation.  We laughed, but I could do it.  As these young people heard about family and friends, Sin and grace, falling on ones face, and having the strength to stand up again; we tried to help them see the presence of God in all things.  And once they begin having 'holy' thoughts, and responding to the world in Christ-like ways, then conversion and discipleship becomes a possibility.