Growing up, the local news radio station was always on in our house first thing in the morning. This particular station would always mark the 7 o’clock hour with a call to the Naval Observatory. It was a good way to sync the clocks around you: your watch, alarm, the microwave. “The Naval Observatory master clock, at the tone, Eastern Daylight Time, seven hours, zero minutes, exactly” the voice would pronounce officially.

The “certified” time seemed to only be kept accurately at that one radio station. It was nice to know when my watch said 12:15, it was REALLY 12:15. Checking in with “the source” kept us all on time.

Driving into work the other morning, I tuned in to that station. It is the same ageless radio host that I remember hearing as a teenager. He still marks the seven o’clock hour the same way. I laughed as I glanced at my watch and at the clock in my car. The truth is – this little practice is obsolete now. I still enjoy the tradition — it’s kind of nostalgic.

These days, we all carry little smart devices connected to satellites called cell phones. Along with all of the other conveniences, it enables us to ALWAYS know the accurate time.

We allhold the same time-telling authority as the “Naval Observatory Master Clock” in our hands.

I thought about this and remembered Jesus’ words to his disciples in the Gospel of John after his Resurrection:

20-21 The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.”

22-23 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good.”

In other words, the true time was no longer only to be keptby Jesus, butwould be carriedby all of us.

Just as the Father sent Me — I send YOU.

Jesus breathes on His followers (the same way God “breathed” on chaos to create order in the Creation narrative) and imparts the power of the Holy Spirit that he possesses, along with a pretty heavy responsibility.

Bring order to the chaos. Set the time right.