Summary
St. Augustine’s contribution to our understanding of time in our life is unique and remarkable. Before him, time was not perceived as linear. His profound reflections and meditations introduced the concept of linear time—a timeline with a definite beginning and end, creation and the final resurrection.
However, there is a risk that civilisations influenced by Augustine’s ideas might come to view this linear time as the sole measure. Beyond this linear framework exists another dimension of time: a time of transformation. A spiritual understanding of time and of the new journey opened up by Jesus which takes us from one form of time to another, while still here on earth. “Transformative time” transcends the linear one and leads us towards the City of God, i.e. Mary, the place of eternity and the fullness of God’s presence.
We can visualise the difference between linear time and transformative time using the analogy of an airplane on a runway. Linear time is like the runway itself—a straightforward path with a clear start and finish. By contrast, transformative time is akin to the path the airplane takes after it lifts off. As the plane accelerates and ascends, it traces a trajectory that represents exponential growth—a gentle curve ascending towards the eternal time of God, surpassing the constraints of earthly, solar time. The texture of time has thus been changed by Jesus, for instead of being closed in a linear time, He moves us from our time to eternity, paving a way through the take-off trajectory.
Mary is the place of this new time, she is the true City of God and the necessity then is to dwell in her. Of course, she can only be our dwelling place because Jesus himself made her – she is dependent on Jesus as the true Builder: if God fails to build the House, in vain do the labourers labour. Mary, thus, is the true New Jerusalem.
For those readers who would like to go directly to the explanation of the transformative process of Jesus go to Parts V and VI.
I- Introduction: Ancient Cyclical Views of Time
Mythological and Cultural Beliefs: In many ancient cultures, time was seen as a series of repeating cycles tied to natural phenomena, agricultural seasons, and religious rituals.
Greek Philosophy: Many ancient Greek philosophers, including the Stoics and Pythagoreans, held cyclical views of time. They believed in eternal recurrence, where events and ages repeat in a continuous cycle. Both Parmenides and Heraclitus discussed the nature of change and permanence, which indirectly involves considerations of time. Although Plato and Aristotle did not fully endorse cyclical time, their cosmological views included elements of recurrence and regular cycles, such as the eternal movement of celestial bodies. In the “Timaeus”, for example, Plato describes time as a moving image of eternity, created along with the heavens. This work presents an early cosmological perspective on time. Similarly Aristotle provided a systematic analysis of time in his “Physics,” defining time as “the number of movement in respect of before and after.” His examination is one of the most detailed from antiquity.
II- “The City of God” and the Understanding of Time
The “City of God” is a major work written by St. Augustine. It had a profound influence on Christian theology, philosophy, and Western thought. It provided a framework for understanding the relationship between the church and the secular world and has been a foundational text for discussions on the nature of society, politics, and history from a Christian perspective.
St. Augustine’s “The City of God” (Latin: “De Civitate Dei”) is a monumental work of Christian philosophy written between 413 and 426 AD. It was written in response to the sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 AD. Pagans blamed the fall of Rome on the abandonment of the traditional Roman gods in favour of Christianity. Augustine wrote this work to defend Christianity and to explain the nature of human history and the ultimate destiny of humanity from a Christian perspective. The work is divided into twenty-two books as follows:
Books I-X: Critique of Paganism
Books I-V: Augustine refutes the claim that Christianity caused the fall of Rome. He argues that Rome’s misfortunes were due to moral decay and not the abandonment of the pagan gods.
Books VI-X: He critiques pagan philosophy and religion, showing their inadequacies and contradictions, especially focusing on the ineffectiveness of Roman deities.
Books XI-XXII: The Two Cities
Books XI-XIV: Augustine describes the origin and nature of the two cities: the City of God and the Earthly City. He explains that these two cities have different destinies and are rooted in different loves: the City of God in the love of God, and the Earthly City in the love of self.
Books XV-XVIII: He traces the history of the two cities from the time of Cain and Abel up to his present day. Augustine discusses the biblical history of mankind and how it fits into the divine plan.
Books XIX-XXII: Augustine examines the ultimate fate of the two cities. He describes the Last Judgment, the resurrection of the dead, and the eternal happiness of the City of God versus the eternal punishment of the damned in the Earthly City.
The main theme shows the differences inherent in “The Two Cities”. Augustine contrasts the City of God (composed of those who live according to God’s will) with the Earthly City (composed of those who live according to human desires). The City of God represents the ideal Christian community, destined for eternal life, while the Earthly City represents the temporal, secular world, doomed to eventual destruction.
Another theme is that of “Divine Providence”: Augustine emphasizes that history is under God’s control. Hence human events, including the rise and fall of cities and empires, are part of a divine plan leading to the ultimate realization of God’s kingdom.
The saint critiques the moral and intellectual failings of pagan religion and philosophy, arguing that they cannot provide true happiness or salvation. The work concludes with a detailed discussion of Christian eschatology, including the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the eternal destinies of the saved and the damned.
The Notion of Time Implied in the City of God
In “The City of God,” St. Augustine presents a complex and nuanced understanding of time, which is interwoven with his theological and philosophical ideas. His notion of time can be summarized as follows:
1. Linear and Teleological Time
Augustine views time as linear, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. This contrasts with the cyclical view of time held by many ancient pagan philosophies, which saw history as repeating itself in endless cycles. Augustine posits that time began with God’s creation of the world. Before creation there was no time, as time is a part of the created order. History unfolds in a linear progression, moving towards a divinely ordained goal. This teleological view means that history has a purpose and is directed towards the ultimate fulfilment of God’s plan. History is thus perceived as linear, progressing from creation to the final judgment, and contrasts sharply with the cyclical view prevalent in some ancient philosophies. Unlike the cyclical view of history prevalent in some ancient philosophies, what Augustine conceived, then, is teleological, meaning history has a definite purpose and direction, culminating in the fulfilment of God’s divine plan.
2. Temporal vs. Eternal
Augustine distinguishes between temporal (earthly) time and eternal (divine) time. Temporal Time is the time experienced by humans, characterized by change, succession, and the passage from past to present to future. It is finite and bounded by the creation and the eventual end of the world. Eternal Time is God’s existence outside of temporal time. God exists in an eternal present, where past, present, and future are simultaneously present. This concept emphasizes the unchanging and timeless nature of God.
Augustine critiques the cyclical and often pessimistic views of history held by pagan historians and philosophers. He argues also that their failure to recognize divine providence leads to a distorted understanding of human events and their significance.
3. The Two Cities and Time
The two cities, the City of God and the Earthly City, have different relationships with time.
The City of God is oriented towards eternity. Its citizens live in temporal time but with their ultimate aim directed towards eternal life with God. Their actions and lives are imbued with a sense of purpose that transcends earthly existence.
The Earthly City is bound by temporal concerns and finite time. Its citizens are focused on worldly affairs, power, and pleasures, often neglecting the eternal perspective.
The saint frames history as the narrative of two cities: the City of God and the City of Man. The City of God represents those who live according to God’s will and seek eternal life, while the City of Man consists of those who pursue earthly pleasures and power. These cities coexist and are interwoven throughout history, reflecting the ongoing spiritual battle between good and evil.
Augustine also explores the relationship between temporal existence and eternity. He distinguishes between the earthly city, which is transient and subject to change, and the heavenly city, which is eternal and unchanging. This distinction underscores the Christian hope for eternal life beyond the temporal realm.
4. Eschatological Time
Augustine’s eschatology, or the study of the end times, further elaborates on his notion of time. Augustine believes that temporal time will culminate in the Last Judgment, a definitive event that marks the end of human history and the beginning of the eternal state.
Resurrection and Final Judgment are pivotal events in Augustine’s understanding of time, as they transition human existence from the temporal to the eternal. The resurrection of the dead and the final judgment are moments where individuals’ eternal destinies are revealed.
Augustine’s understanding of time is deeply eschatological. He believes that the ultimate meaning of history will only be revealed at the end of time, with the Second Coming of Christ and the final judgment. This eschatological vision shapes his interpretation of historical events, seeing them in light of their ultimate significance in God’s plan.
Conclusion
In “The City of God,” Augustine’s notion of time is multifaceted. He sees time as linear and purposeful, moving towards the fulfilment of God’s divine plan. He distinguishes between temporal time, experienced by humans, and eternal time, characteristic of God’s existence. The two cities, the City of God and the Earthly City, represent different orientations towards time, with the former directed towards eternity and the latter bound by the temporal. Augustine’s eschatological views further highlight the culmination of time in the Last Judgment and the transition from temporal existence to eternal life.
Augustine emphasizes that God’s providence governs history. While humans have free will, God orchestrates historical events to achieve divine purposes. This belief in providence provides a sense of order and meaning, even amidst apparent chaos and suffering.
The Novelty of Augustine’s View
1. Distinctive in Christian Thought: While some earlier Jewish and Christian thinkers had linear views of history, Augustine’s detailed and philosophical exploration of linear time was influential and distinctive. His integration of theological and philosophical perspectives provided a comprehensive framework that became foundational for later Christian thought.
2. Contrast with Pagan Thought: In a nutshell Augustine’s linear conception of time, with a clear beginning and end was a significant departure from the dominant cyclical views of the ancient world. It offered a radically different understanding of history and human destiny, emphasizing a unique, purposeful, and unrepeatable sequence of events. In summary, Augustine’s linear view of time, with a clear beginning and end, marked a significant shift from the cyclical views prevalent in ancient thought. His perspective was rooted in Christian theology and became influential in shaping the Western understanding of time and history.
St. Augustine’s reflections on time, particularly in his “Confessions,” Book XI, are often considered one of the earliest and most profound explorations of the nature of time in Western philosophy and theology. However, it is not the absolute first major reflection on time. Here’s some context:
3. St. Augustine’s Contribution: While not the first to reflect on time, Augustine’s work is notable for several reasons:
– Depth and Originality: Augustine’s reflections in “Confessions” and “The City of God” are deeply introspective and original. He delves into the subjective experience of time, the relationship between time and memory, and the distinction between temporal and eternal.
– Integration with Theology: Augustine uniquely integrates his philosophical reflections with Christian theology, discussing time in the context of creation, God’s eternity, and divine providence.
– Influence: Augustine’s thoughts on time had a profound influence on later medieval and modern philosophical and theological discussions. His work serves as a cornerstone for subsequent reflections on the nature of time.
In summary, while St. Augustine’s reflections on time are not the first major philosophical engagement with the concept, they represent a significant and influential milestone in the history of thought, blending profound philosophical inquiry with theological insights.
III- Time and History in Old Testament vs New Testament, a First Approach
The understanding of time and history in the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT) reflects the different theological emphases and historical contexts of these texts.
Old Testament
Linear History: The OT presents a linear view of history, beginning with creation and moving through a series of covenants with key figures (Noah, Abraham, Moses, David) towards a future fulfilment. This linear progression underscores a sense of purpose and direction in history.
Covenantal Framework: History is seen as a series of divine covenants. God’s promises and actions are central, with each covenant marking a significant moment in the unfolding divine plan.
Prophetic Expectation: Prophets in the OT look forward to a future intervention by God, a messianic age where justice and peace will prevail. This expectation shapes the Jewish understanding of history as moving toward a divinely ordained climax.
Sacred Time: Certain periods and festivals (e.g., Sabbath, Passover) are set apart as holy, commemorating God’s saving acts in history. These serve as reminders of God’s ongoing involvement and faithfulness.
New Testament
Fulfilment of Prophecy: The NT views Jesus Christ as the fulfilment of OT prophecies and covenants. This fulfilment inaugurates a new era in salvation history, often referred to as the “last days” or the eschatological age.
Christocentric History: History is now centred on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event is seen as the decisive intervention of God in human history, redefining its meaning and direction.
Already and Not Yet: The NT introduces the concept of the “already and not yet” of the Kingdom of God. While the kingdom has been inaugurated through Christ, its full realization is still awaited. This creates a sense of living in the tension between the present experience of salvation and the future hope of its complete fulfilment.
Eschatological Perspective: The NT emphasizes the imminent return of Christ and the final judgment. This eschatological outlook imbues history with urgency and expectation, focusing on the ultimate restoration and renewal of all things.
Comparative Summary
Continuity and Fulfilment: The OT’s linear, covenantal history sets the stage for the NT’s Christ-centred fulfilment. The NT sees itself as the continuation and completion of the OT narrative.
Prophecy and Realization: While the OT prophets speak of future hope and restoration, the NT proclaims that these hopes have begun to be realized in Jesus, with a future consummation still to come.
Sacred Time and Eschatology: Both Testaments maintain a sense of sacred time, but the NT’s eschatological focus reorients the understanding of history around the events of Christ’s first and second comings.
In essence, the OT lays the foundational narrative of God’s interaction with humanity, marked by covenants and prophetic promises, while the NT reinterprets this history in light of the Christ event, emphasizing fulfilment and the anticipation of a future consummation.
IV- The Three Comings of Jesus and The Mid One
There are three “comings” of Jesus:
1- Visibly 2000 years ago: the Incarnation of the Second Person of the most Holy Trinity.
2- Spiritually in our hearts (Jn.14:21.23). Jesus comes in an invisible way into our hearts.
3- Gloriously at the end of time: we say “Maranatha, come Lord Jesus” (See end of book of Revelation). See also in 1 Thess. – 2 Thess. on how Spiritual Life in us makes us pray, hope and ask for Jesus to come back.
These three “comings” of Jesus are reflected in the unfolding of the Liturgical Year as follows:
The last week of the Liturgical Year is dedicated to the glorious coming of Jesus at the end of time. See the Mass readings of the last week of the year. Advent is dedicated to the preparation of the celebration of Jesus’ coming 2000 years ago and to his invisible spiritual coming into our hearts. With John the Baptist and Mary we prepare for this double event. Of course Advent is dedicated more to Mary with: The Immaculate Conception on the 8th December, the Octave of it, and more specifically from 18th December onwards.
The function of the Liturgical Year is to communicate all of the Mysteries of Jesus to us. They are spread over the entire year (or three years). Liturgy is the moment in time where Jesus’ Grace is communicated to us. The more we are attentive to its rhythm the more we receive the Grace of God. Everything in the Church is at the service of Jesus’ coming into our hearts, His growth in us until He reaches his fullness in us. Everything really in the Church is normally focused on that! The growth of the Church is the Growth of Jesus in us.
The more Spiritual Life grows in us and develops, the more we become sensitive to this invisible coming of Jesus into our hearts and his growth in us. And it aches to see how far the reality on the ground is from this. How the way we celebrate Christmas is far from focusing on the inner reality of it. It is normal to feel this pain and it is the sign that Grace is working in us – the mysterious coming of Jesus into our hearts is becoming the focal point in our lives.
Note: In the early stages of spiritual growth, we are tempted to start to focus on the final coming back of Jesus in glory, forgetting that it alone fails to make sense without progress and growth of his invisible coming into our hearts. The latter is the only door which allows us to be ready for his final glorious coming. The coming of Jesus into our hearts is the only door to his coming at the end of time. It is the only way to please Him and hasten his final glorious coming. Therefore, it is better to concentrate all our energies on learning to receive Jesus into our hearts in order to have a real growth of Jesus in the Church and in the World. Why would we focus on His coming back if people are not ready to greet Him? If people do not have Him in their hearts already, is it real love on our part to want Him to come back? Would it not be spiritually egoistical?
If the Love of God is really growing in us, if the love of our neighbour is growing in us, we will want our brothers and sisters to experience the invisible coming of Jesus before our asking for his glorious and final coming! This is real love on our part. Growth of love of God and love of neighbour form are the potential Body of Jesus.
Asking Jesus to come back before having had growth through his repeated invisible coming into our hearts shows a lack of realism, and most importantly a lack of real love for Jesus and for his Body.
Then, of course, if we start to focus primarily on his final glorious coming, our interest will be captured by false prophecies… and our “apocalyptic fantasies” will start to develop.
St. Bernard has a Homily on the three Comings (see below). We read it in Advent in the Office of Readings.
The more we are transformed by the Grace of God the more the Holy Spirit calls for Jesus (the desire for Him grows and grows, and it aches! It asks always for more.) The initial work of the Holy Spirit is to prepare the place in us for Jesus. He is the Host who prepares us (the House, the Bride) to receive Jesus in full Union. St. John of the Cross described this work of the Holy Spirit wonderfully in the Spiritual Canticle.
From the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbot
Let The Word Of The Lord Come To Us
We know that the coming of the Lord is threefold: the third coming is between the other two and it is not visible in the way they are. At his first coming the Lord was seen on earth and lived among men, who saw him and hated him. At his last coming All flesh shall see the salvation of our God, and They shall look on him whom they have pierced. In the middle, the hidden coming, only the chosen see him, and they see him within themselves; and so their souls are saved. The first coming was in flesh and weakness, the middle coming is in spirit and power, and the final coming will be in glory and majesty. This middle coming is like a road that leads from the first coming to the last. At the first, Christ was our redemption; at the last, he will become manifest as our life; but in this middle way he is our rest and our consolation. If you think that I am inventing what I am saying about the middle coming, listen to the Lord himself: If anyone loves me, he will keep my words, and the Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Elsewhere I have read: Whoever fears the Lord does good things. – but I think that what was said about whoever loves him was more important: that whoever loves him will keep his words. Where are these words to be kept? In the heart certainly, as the Prophet says I have hidden your sayings in my heart so that I do not sin against you. Keep the word of God in that way: Blessed are those who keep it. Let it penetrate deep into the core of your soul and then flow out again in your feelings and the way you behave; because if you feed your soul well it will grow and rejoice. Do not forget to eat your bread, or your heart will dry up. Remember, and your soul will grow fat and sleek. If you keep God’s word like this, there is no doubt that it will keep you, for the Son will come to you with the Father: the great Prophet will come, who will renew Jerusalem, and he is the one who makes all things new. For this is what this coming will do: just as we have been shaped in the earthly image, so will we be shaped in the heavenly image. Just as the old Adam was poured into the whole man and took possession of him, so in turn will our whole humanity be taken over by Christ, who created all things, has redeemed all things, and will glorify all things.
V- Jesus is the Future
St. John was given in the Book of Revelation the entire contents of the act of Hope. What is the act of hope? Hope is linked to a promise, hope projects us into the future. The object of our hope is the final realisation – what we are aiming for. We are aiming for “Union with God” through spiritual warfare, battle and so forth with victory being the final outcome. At the end of time, of course, all the elect will be gathered together. This is not a mere historical narrative, but St. John making a statement. He is not telling us about “future events”, nor about visions. In fact, to a certain extent the book of Revelation is not really about visions. It is rather informing us about facts. He is telling us about where we are heading. Through the visions he is describing that our final goal has been revealed.
St. John informs us that we do not have another future to expect. The future is different according to our faith to the structure and meaning of time given to us by Jesus. The future is Jesus himself: in the sense that we are aiming for Him, aiming to be transformed into Him, to be united to Him, to have Him live in us. Since He is eternal, this will drive us to change our understanding of the movement of time and of history.
There are no Futures outside of Jesus. There is no future outside of the Heavenly Jerusalem. It is inconceivable to even think of one outside of the Heavenly Jerusalem! A correct concept of time outside of the eternity of the Heavenly Jerusalem cannot be envisaged.
It is often said that the only “prophetic” book of the New Testament, in the sense of telling about things yet to be realised, is the book of Revelation. Or the other books are often said not to be prophetic. In a way, this is not only a distortion of our understanding of Prophecy, but it shows a deep lack of understanding of the true nature of the New Testament concept of prophecy. Prophecy inherent in the book of Revelation is not based on a future calculation according to our common notion of time, of linear time, having a beginning and an end, a homogenous constant flow of time.
St. John, rather, is explaining to us the true nature of Prophecy inaugurated by the New Covenant in Jesus. This new nature of prophecy brought to us by the New Testament is not the prophecy of future events. It is rather the prophecy of our journey in the spiritual life, of what can happen to us if we grow spiritually, if we draw closer to union with Jesus. This is the true prophecy in Jesus. It can only be understood if we grasp Jesus’ mission first, what He came to achieve. He came down to earth, the Eternal Son of God became incarnate, entering in time to take us from our fallen time, so to speak, to his Eternity. He came to give us Redemption, to save us, to take us from the place of death and darkness to his place. Death here means distance and separation from God, from his Eternity. Darkness here means distance from light, lack of transformation. Jesus came to bring about in us a real transformation from a fallen reality, distant from God, to a victory: a crossing over, like in the Passover, an Exodus whereby we move from a place of slavery, of darkness, to a place of light, joy and beatitude.
It is deeply significant that Jesus came to unite himself to each one of us, to carry us from our place (distant from God) to his place. There is one species of time here and there is another species of time there. And there is a line of evolutive time between the two. The reality of time changes in function of the spiritual transformation which takes us from one form of time to another. We are carried by Jesus, and carrying us, He crosses from one time to another, from one reality, one form of the flow of time,… to another form.
Carried by Him and through Him He unites each one of us to Him. This is the future. This is Jesus’ prophecy, this is his promise regarding our future – the future He and only He can offer us. Each step on this journey is a step of transformation for us. The Holy Spirit transforms our being, from a half-dead existence, from having lost our likeness to God, to being alive with God’s life, and having regained our likeness to God.
Through this process it can be understood that the notion of time and the notion of Prophecy have been radically changed and transformed by the Redemption brought to us by Christ.
Let us take an image to give us a little help in entering more deeply into this different and new understanding of Prophecy – a christic future, the real future – not the artificial notion of future that we have, distorted, twisted when compared to the correct one.
The explanation that now follows is very important to help us understand the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament, between prophecy in the Old Testament and prophecy in the New Testament.
Lesson 1: The new prophetical life inaugurated by Jesus for every human being: God befriends us and wants to talk to us. This is the practical meaning and the fruitfulness of this new prophetism.
There are some people who when they address time and history might use the expressions “the history of Salvation” or “Bible timeline”. I am sure many have heard this expression: “Bible Timeline”. It is also a beautiful course that you can find here and there.
Following the Bible timeline implies considering time with its starting point as creation and then of course the end of time would come with the final Resurrection, the final Judgment. In the middle would be the Incarnation and the Cross.
– How does time flow in this case? – Time advances in a linear way. We have different events which punctuate time: the Fall, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the prophets and so forth until the last prophets who announce Jesus. In like fashion Jesus is followed by the time of the church until the last created people.
Maybe we can even suppose that when we think about time and think about history and events, even in a Christian way, we see time moving in a linear way, moving forward, with a beginning and an end.
However, we need to be on the alert here, because although the nature of time changed through the Incarnation and the Redemption, not enough attention is being paid to this. This is very dangerous because if we continue to think that the history of salvation functions in a linear way, with a beginning and an end, we are in danger. Why so? Because the coming of Jesus, the coming of the Eternal Word of God, changes certain things. In a way we could say that it does not change things radically, while in fact we should also see and say that in reality it changes everything radically.
The temptation is not to fully perceive the difference between “Prophecy” in the Old Testament and “Prophecy” in the New Testament. This is why St. John of the Cross, in chapters 19 through to 22 of Book II of Ascent of Mount Carmel,presents what we are discussing here, i.e. the true change of time and the history of salvation and prophecy!
I invite you to visualise it this way. Imagine I draw a line and at mid distance I do something completely unexpected – I draw a door and then I draw a new line, which instead of being horizontal and following the line of time, will change. Time is no longer linear, it is as if it has changed dimension, texture, contents. The door we meet half-way admits us into a temple. Imagine it to be Salomon’s Temple. In the Temple there is a narrow path that leads to the Holy of the Holies. But this journey from the door to the Holy of the Holies is not horizontal anymore (like in linear time) rather it is ascending in an exponential curve (like a plane taking off vertically).
We need to realise that the nature of time changed from the moment of Pentecost. From this moment we are in the time of the grace of God – it is the transformative time. The door and the way have been opened, finally giving us the possibility of moving from our reality to God’s reality through a transformation.
Henceforth now Prophecies are accomplished in Jesus because prophecies are about the coming of Jesus.
We have the Temple, it has been given to us and the Temple has a unique function: to lead us to the Holy of the Holies because the veil has been opened and the way given to us: “I am the door”, “I am the way”, I am leading you to the Father through a transformative way in me.
As the Temple is Jesus himself so the door is Jesus himself, the shepherd is Jesus, the journey, the way is Jesus, time has changed completely. In fact, there is no time there; time has changed: it is a transformative time, which cannot be counted it in minutes and hours but in “steps of transformation”.
So, the question now is: “is there a future?” In this new time, inaugurated 2000 years ago, the future is God himself.
Christians do consider that there is time after the Cross, that there is history after the event of the Cross, that nothing has really changed. However, we have not fully understood what we have just visualised concerning the Temple.
We fail to consider the existence of this Temple, this transformative power of the Holy Spirit which leads us to the new the Holy of the Holies, to Union with Jesus. We just do not consider it. We still talk about “tomorrow”, we still talk about “next century” or “next millennium”. This is totally absurd when you think about it. A new dimension has opened up in front of us and we fail to see it – we continue to see only linear time, we are not transformed, no change of dimension. By contrast, however, the truth is that each generation (since that first Pentecost) can achieved this journey – starting from the door of the Temple and reaching the Holy of the Holies. Each generation, each human being can accomplish this journey, entering into the new dimension, into eternity, from this very moment in time here on earth.
In this sense, then, we can say that there is no future – as seen as the end of a line of time. Since we are led through this door into another dimension, we have to say that “the future is God himself”, that “the future is Jesus himself”.
So when we talk about prophecy in the Old Testament, yes, we are walking along a linear pathway and hoping for the coming of the Messiah. There is a straight linear line of time: creation, fall, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Exile and so forth.
And then who is the promised One? Jesus. He is our true Temple, the true and only Temple in whom we find the fullness of the divinity (Col 2:9).
This Temple has been promised, this door has been promised, this narrow path has been promised – nothing else has been promised as a future. In this sense there is no future out outside of this Temple.
The temple has the future within it. There is no linear future. It just does not exist – it would be absurd to consider it. For us, there is no prophecy about the future because the future has already been accessible for 2000 years and each generation has had the possibility of reaching the final Point: union with Jesus, entry into the Holy of the Holies. Remember when Jesus dies in Luke’s gospel, the veil is torn apart. This is a clear indication that Jesus is our true Temple, and that through Him and in Him we have access to the divinity, to union with God.
Thus it is of the utmost importance to stress, that each human being during his or her time on Earth has the possibility of reaching the summit, the maximum of achievement. It is not a false or incomplete hope, impossible to realise. It is not: “I leave it to my son … I leave it to my daughter… to live what I couldn’t live.” No. I am responsible for myself.
I hope you can see the point here that I am endeavouring to explain, namely, the difference between the notion of time/history/events and future, and of course prophecy, with that of the transformative time. So many authors, some very commendable authors – I am not talking about any random author but about important authors – talk about creation as a beginning and at the end the final resurrection of everyone judgment at the end of time. We say it even in the Creed, but it is very dangerous spiritually wise not to perceive the nature of our time. In old-fashioned times, in Christian Europe, they used to write not “year 2022” no, they used to write “the year of Grace 2022”. In fact, we are in a different form of time, we have a door that has been opened, we have a pathway opened up and we have a place to live in which is this Temple and, to bring in a brief comparison with Teresa of Avila, there are mentions in this Temple of growth, progress, transformation, until we reach spiritual marriage with Jesus.
(Explanation and Diagram of this Transformative Line in Jesus will be found in the video at the end of the article.)
VI- Entering in Mary, the City of God
The City of God is the Church. But the Church can only be the City of God if she becomes the image of Mary. Mary gives birth to the Church, to each member of Jesus’ Body. The Church is virgin and mother, virgin because she gave her faith to her Groom, Jesus, and she is mother because she gives birth to all her children. But the Church can only be truly Jesus’ bride, the virgin who gave her faith totally and in an unfailing way and gives birth to children, if she is truly in the image of Mary, virgin and mother.
We then need to read, study, meditate and understand the following teaching:
The One Who Contains What Heavens Cannot Contain
“All the Predestinate are hidden in Mary’s womb”
Where did Jesus go? The Ascension of the Lord
Our Place in God, our Place in Mary
As a consequence of the above considerations, we can see that there is a safe place here on earth and it is very much the New Jerusalem, Mary herself. She is immense and she contains all of us in her womb. She is God’s City, the place where He dwells, the place where He finds His Delight. From this life here on earth we are invited to dwell in God’s City.
Mary is the heart of the Church’s Mystery, its source and summit. The Church itself is like a way, or a journey, and at the heart we have Jesus dwelling in her with the Holy Spirit – but if one looks carefully, they are dwelling in the purest place, Mary herself.
Let us go and dwell in the New Jerusalem, from now onwards. Each one of us has a place in Her (John 14).
Mary is the true Jerusalem. Therefore we can pray, sing, and express our joy, because God is offering us a way to enter in Mary, to be transformed in Her, find Jesus in Her in his fullness (see Mr. Olier’s Letters). Union with Jesus is certainly Union with Mary. They cannot categorically be separated. It is in the true bride that we become the bride, it is by being transformed into her that we find our place with Jesus and are united to Him. Let us sing and rejoice!
God opened up our time, our linear time, and paved a new way, from our time to his time, i.e. eternity. Eternity in full can be accessed as of now. If we are united to Jesus, transformed, taking our place in Mary therefore, we enter into this other dimension of time: eternity. Deep within us, we will already belong to the City of God.
“I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the House of the Lord.” [allusion to the Temple in Jerusalem] 2 Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up— the tribes of the Lord— to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. 5 There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.” (Ps. 122)
Jerusalem is the city of our King, Jesus. Mary is the true Jerusalem who contains all the elect in her.
7- Conclusion
Jesus inaugurated a new way. “We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh” (Heb. 10:19–20).
Crossing from the Holy to the Holy of the Holies changes time. We move from our time to Eternity. And Jesus opened the way. It is a way of transformation.
A friend priest from the Greek Melchite Catholic Rite told me one day: “When I am at the Altar, time is different, I am in Eternity.” Indeed, liturgy allows heaven to open, and descend here on earth, or vice versa – it takes us from where we are to the heavenly Jerusalem. Is it not a fact that we say, during the liturgy right before the Sanctus, that we join the eternal song of the angels and saints? Earth is lifted up and united to Heaven. It is one liturgy. But each one of the faithful lives this moment of uplifting according to his or her degree of transformation.
There is a new and living way opened up by Jesus, inaugurated by Jesus during the Redemption He accomplished on the Cross. It is our journey. He is our way. It goes from one form of time to the other, through a “curvilinear time”.
If one is allowed to suggest an expression, I would suggest that Jesus, by establishing a new way between our fallen earth and his Eternal City (Mary), is forcing us to accept another time from our linear time – He is modifying time, through its pathway between earth and the Eternal City: it has now become or been transformed into a “curvilinear time”.