Well, it’s that time of year again!  Before you hit the sack this Saturday, be sure to move your clock back one hour as we return to Standard Time.

The good news about returning to Standard Time is that we get an extra hour of sleep.  The bad news is that you’ll soon start to feel like heading to bed at 4:30 in the afternoon because that’s when it will get dark!

Of course, this raises the annual question: Why are we still doing this?

As you may know, there’s actually been movement in Washington to put an end to our twice-a-year clock-changing ritual.  In July, the House passed legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but the bill has stalled in the Senate.  Bear in mind, this was tried before, in 1974, and was quickly repealed because of huge public backlash.

So, for now, we’re still playing the familiar game of “spring forward, fall back” because apparently changing every clock in the house, resetting the microwave, and wondering why the car clock is wrong are traditions we’re not quite ready to abandon!

As for me, I’d prefer either keeping Standard Time year-round or not monkeying with things in the first place.  I’m not convinced that twice-yearly clock adjustments are among humanity’s greatest achievements, but I’ve heard that having Daylight Savings Time year round will cause some parts of northern New England to see the sunrise at just after 9:00 a.m. at certain points in the year.

Not that it matters to our legislators, but there’s also a lesson here from Jesus (yes, I can connect these dots!).  In Matthew 6:34, he reminds us not to worry about tomorrow, because today has enough troubles of its own.  Jesus understood that life isn’t meant to be spent anxiously chasing the next hour, the next day, or the next thing on our to-do list.  Time is precious and what matters most is how we use it.

After all, we can change our clocks but we can’t manufacture more meaningful moments.  And, unlike our clocks, our hearts don’t need resetting twice a year.  They just need regular reminders of what matters most; which is why Sunday worship is so important.

So remember to change your clocks and enjoy that extra hour of sleep.  And who knows?  Maybe by next fall, Congress will have figured out what time it is.

Until then, let’s make the most of the time we have; whatever the clock happens to say.

See you in church,

–Rev. Dominic