Beginning Again

After teaching high school for six years and working in higher education for almost 25 years, late summer and early autumn seem to draw my attention to new beginnings: the beginning of school, the beginning of college football, nature’s display of her most beautiful array of color. From one day to the next, this time is filled with the excitement of new life experiences and the bright promise of special things to come.

The Church also seems to call us to reset our sights on the important mysteries of faith as we celebrate the Birthday of Mary on September 8th and the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14th. As Franciscans, we rejoice again in the gift of the Stigmata of Saint Francis (September 17th) and the Transitus and the Feast of Saint Francis on October 3rd and 4th.

Also, this fall, the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, overlaps the feast of Saint Francis (Oct.2-4). The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is commemorated on October 11th. Again, these Jewish feasts mark new beginnings -rejoicing in the promise of what is to come and leaving behind the sins of the past.

In reality, no matter the season of the year, each day is an invitation from our loving God to begin again. And as Catholics, we have so many aids to start anew. We don’t have to wait for one day out of the year to seek reconciliation with God when we have the opportunity to go to frequent Confession, or end our day with an Act of Contrition.

As we begin our day with our morning offering, we have the opportunity to use each hour for the honor and glory of God and the service of others. So let us see each day as a gift, given to us by God, to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. In many ways, it’s always good to find ourselves at the beginning of our journey to holiness and seek the bright promise of the Kingdom to come.