A  NEW  BEGINNING

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 19^th Saturday in Ordinary Time  is, “A New Beginning.”

If you come to daily Mass, have you noticed lately - like in the book of Joshua - several references to the River - and River is capitalized in today’s first reading?

It’s the Jordan River - the river that flows right down the middle of Israel.

Back track a bit to Egypt. Israel moves out of Egypt. It begins with the Escape, the Exit, the Exodus, the journey through the Red or Reed Sea.  Then it takes them 40 years in the desert - before they finally make the move into the Promised Land - which they enter going across the Jordan River.

And they do that crossing downstream a good bit from the Lake of Galilee - closer to the present day country of Jordan. If you take a tour of Israel they bring you to spots higher up the river from where the actual crossing took place.

At least that’s what the historians and specialists say….

As we heard the other day, Moses dies on the other side of that river - on the eastern side. He never makes the crossing.

That crossing was their baptism - their becoming a people.

JOHN THE BAPTIST

We were taught that the crossing of the Jordan was very significant.

It was a beginning - a new beginning for the people of Israel.

John the Baptist called people to the River - to go to the other side and then enter the river  - be dipped in that river - be renewed in that river - and then come up on the Israel side and start again.  

Have a new beginning....

We were taught that was what John the Baptist was doing with his baptism.

And Jesus entered into that renewal - that new beginning.  It’s called Christianity, the New Testament.

NEW BEGINNINGS

Retreat Houses and programs often grab the theme of New Beginnings. Check their brochures that list their programs.

Hopefully, we’ve all had renewal experiences in our lives - fresh starts - new beginnings.

A person gets transferred to a new location in a company. And it gives him or her an opportunity for a fresh start, a new beginning.

So too athletes traded to another team.

So too kids starting in a new school - a fresh start - maybe in a new city, it’s a chance to start again. Or going to High School or College.

Then they get out - and it’s a fresh start.

CHILD AGAIN

Today’s gospel gets us to think about being a child again. To have that wide eye - looking around - discovering - exploring bottom drawers and closets and cellars and attics and life - like a child again.

EACH DAY

Each day can be seen as a new beginning.

We’re starting it off with a mass.

Then Go the Mass is Ended - and a new hour begins.

Life:  it never grows old.

How old is the universe that God gives us his children each day.

What is God’s attitude towards life?

Thy Kingdom Come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Say that, pray that, do that every day - before each new beginning.