In the story, Saint Ben, three o’clock is an important hour. It’s when Jonathan gets home from school and starts his paper route. And as Ben and Jonathan have become fast friends and do almost everything together, Ben has taken up joining Jonathan for this delivery experience, each taking a different side of the street. Ben fittingly has the side with the odd numbered street addresses, and Jonathan, the even.
To Jonathan, the paper route is an opportunity to learn something about business (he had to collect everyone’s payment once a month and turn it in to his dealer), and a chance to make a little spending money. But to Ben, who was serious about absolutely everything, it was much more. It was an obligation to get the day’s news out and deliver it safely to everyone’s front porch or driveway who was paying for it.
“Jonathan, we’re letting people know about the world around them,” almost as if they were bringing the world to them.
Nothing Ben ever did was small. You see, Ben knew he had a hole in his heart and he surmised that his life would be brief, so he made every moment — every opportunity — count.
So “It’s three o’clock” meant a lot more than time for a paper route; it meant time to bring the world to the people. Their customers wouldn’t know anything if they didn’t get the news out.
What about us? We have the news too, only it’s better news than you will find in any newspaper.
It’s the news that will forgive people’s sins. All of them.
It’s the news that will give people a new heart with instructions written on it.
It’s the news that will help people become kind, loving and compassionate.
It’s the news that will bring hope to people and to the world.
It’s the news that will guarantee life everlasting.
It’s the news that will change the world by changing the people in the world.
And what about the urgency? Shouldn’t we feel the same thing Ben felt about our lives and about getting this fantastic news out? Our lives are brief too. Not that we should panic, but that we might have a seriousness about our presence in this world.
We have the gospel of welcome, and people are feeling more alone and isolated than ever. We have grace to turn outward to everyone we meet when we live in such a hostile environment. Grace where there is so much anxiety, fear and suspicion.
What a time to be alive!
What incredible news to deliver!
What are we waiting for?
It’s three o’clock. Time to get the news out!
For a Special Video Message from Noel Paul Stookey:
Click here
To participate in the “Gotta Get The News Out” Campaign:
Click here
and thank you for joining us in getting the news out to everyone, everywhere.
Special thanks to those who have contributed so far:
Gary – Franklin, New Jersey
Richard – Nashville, Tennessee
William – Livingston, Louisiana
Steve – Nashville, Tennessee
Tim – Twin Falls, Idaho
Joe – Houston, Texas
Joyce – Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
Allen – Exton, Pennsylvania
Keith – Portland, Oregon
Tami – Pensacola, Florida
Pat – Normandy Park, Washington
Mike – Sacramento, California
Laura – Medford, Massachusetts
Kristin – Chesterfield, Missouri
Linda – Bainbridge Island, Washington
Lisa – Sunland, California
Joanne – Lynden, Washington
Tom – Orinda, California
