Today's mystery

For some reason, this morning I was struck by the way the Liturgy uses the word "today." And then that very word turned up not once, not twice, but three times in the first reading! Talk about a confirmation that this is an avenue for me to pursue...
It's always today, of course. But in the Liturgy, no matter what mystery of salvation we are celebrating, it happened "today," as if there were really only one day, and that is "today." You find that especially in the Preface (that prayer of praise that we sum up in our "Holy, Holy, Holy!"), but on really big feast days, it is inserted in Eucharistic Prayer I. The Opening Prayer presumes that same "today" and the closing prayer sends us out on mission in the spirit of that unique grace. The closing prayer usually also has more than a hint of the world to come--the ultimate "today" win which all time is condensed into the present.
So our Lenten theme really carries a lot of power: "If today you hear his voice, harden not  your hearts!" Because it really is today.