The mikveh, a collection of waters, is a pool for restoring the soul. It is used when significant moments are upon us–a bridegroom before his wedding, a father before the circumcision of his son, a mother after giving birth or after her menses when she is ready to reunite with her husband. It's all about bringing healing so that we are ready for union with another, with the community, with God. Sometimes, none of these conditions is there, but the soul seems askew, wandering, or troubled, and the healing waters of the mikvah help the worshiper to re-find a center, and to recover a state of "shalom," of inner peace,wholeness and health. The mikvah is the bath of conversion to Judaism, as the confusion of polytheism's din of gods is put behind one, and one places himself or herself into the Hands of the One. Still waters for most restorations, flowing waters for leprous things. Different waters for different pain.
John the Baptist turned the entire Jordan River into a giant Mikvah and asked people to put behind them the taint, the leprosy of greed, violence, and dishonesty, as they recommitted themselves to the holy path, the way to the One.
It is into this bath, these healing waters that Jesus stepped. The Great Physician, Himself, entering the pool of peacefulness. John senses that the One before him has a deeper Calm than he, himself, but re-assured, the rites continued. And Christ, waist deep in the ancient waters filled with symbolism of Israel's past, submerged Himself, only to rise to Hear the Voice.
This is what today's Mass celebrates and recalls. So, let's examine it for a minute, then go to brunch. The symbolism of the Jordan is poignant. It marked the very boundary of the nation. Beyond the Jordan was paganism, confusion, doubt, and distress. Enemies came from beyond the Jordan–those who wish to kill us. Yet, it is here, that Christ must come. John, too, senses that all peacefulness must begin here...at the line between "us and them." That "line," today, has shifted to the other side of the nation, and is represented by the "Wall" being built by Israel to protect itself from terrorist bombs. Walls, it is true, can wall out some kinds of trouble, but they also wall out all sorts of kinds of goodness. I'm not going to comment on what Israel and Palestinians should do to achieve peace. Only they can work that out for themselves.
I want to suggest to you that the wisdom of the reading is that for "peace" to come, it has to start there, at the boundary. That's why Christ is waist-deep in the Jordan as we open the reading, today. He is entering the ancient pool of restoration and peace. He does so at the boundary, in the no-man's land–the wilderness–far from the capitals of either side–far from the market places and news centers of either side. He moves to the place of anonymity, unnoticed, and unannounced, and there, in the rites of restoration and healing, he hears the Voice of the One who once Voiced "let there be light," in all creation. BOTH Israel and Palestine will have to EACH find that same place of anonymity, of smallness, and each will have to enter its rites of restoration and healing so that they will be ready to unite with each other in peace...........but, let's not talk of Israel and Palestine.
Let's talk of us. We, too, know boundaries.....we've all been excluded by someone or something. We've felt the pain of "walls" and "fences" and doors closed to us. We carry that pain and it's memory burns deep, like a fire. And the waters of Our Lord's Baptismal Day are here to cool that burn, and put out that flame before it ignites the world in anger. Peace begins inside us. It begins here. It's geography is not in Israel at the dividing wall that creates Israel/Palestine. The geography of war and peace is in our hearts. When we are peaceful, we empower peacefulness everywhere. This is what Christ meant when He asked us not to be bothered about the speck in our brother's eye, but to worry about the board that is blinding our own eyesight!
Who do you need to forgive, today? Where is your anger? Your hatred? Your fear? Your disappointment? THIS is what you are asked to heal on the Feast of the Entrance of Jesus into the Pools of Peace, the Waters of Restoration. Does that mean we shouldn't sign petitions for a cease fire in the Middle East? Oh, for Heaven's sake, no! Of course we can, and SHOULD promote peace EVERYWHERE....but, we have such little influence there, and so MUCH here where the divisions are personal and up close and ever so healable, if we will only work at them!
Christ came out of the waters of restoration–what we call His "baptism" committed to working for the dignity and the healing of all people. He connected healing with forgiveness, and taught us that if we would be healed, we should be a forgiving people. He taught peace, and praised peaceful people wherever He found them–whether they were Roman centurions, lepers or Samaritans. He led by example, and said, "Greater things than these, you will do!"
So, on this feast of Baptisms....thinking of our own...the day we were held up and bathed in the Waters of Grace, and our souls restored........let us pray that as we receive the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, that we will receive His Divine Wisdom, Courage and Strength to lead, too, by example, and to make of our lives benedictions of goodness, profound kindness and peace in a world that needs those gifts so desperately. And may God bless you all.+
John the Baptist turned the entire Jordan River into a giant Mikvah and asked people to put behind them the taint, the leprosy of greed, violence, and dishonesty, as they recommitted themselves to the holy path, the way to the One.
It is into this bath, these healing waters that Jesus stepped. The Great Physician, Himself, entering the pool of peacefulness. John senses that the One before him has a deeper Calm than he, himself, but re-assured, the rites continued. And Christ, waist deep in the ancient waters filled with symbolism of Israel's past, submerged Himself, only to rise to Hear the Voice.
This is what today's Mass celebrates and recalls. So, let's examine it for a minute, then go to brunch. The symbolism of the Jordan is poignant. It marked the very boundary of the nation. Beyond the Jordan was paganism, confusion, doubt, and distress. Enemies came from beyond the Jordan–those who wish to kill us. Yet, it is here, that Christ must come. John, too, senses that all peacefulness must begin here...at the line between "us and them." That "line," today, has shifted to the other side of the nation, and is represented by the "Wall" being built by Israel to protect itself from terrorist bombs. Walls, it is true, can wall out some kinds of trouble, but they also wall out all sorts of kinds of goodness. I'm not going to comment on what Israel and Palestinians should do to achieve peace. Only they can work that out for themselves.
I want to suggest to you that the wisdom of the reading is that for "peace" to come, it has to start there, at the boundary. That's why Christ is waist-deep in the Jordan as we open the reading, today. He is entering the ancient pool of restoration and peace. He does so at the boundary, in the no-man's land–the wilderness–far from the capitals of either side–far from the market places and news centers of either side. He moves to the place of anonymity, unnoticed, and unannounced, and there, in the rites of restoration and healing, he hears the Voice of the One who once Voiced "let there be light," in all creation. BOTH Israel and Palestine will have to EACH find that same place of anonymity, of smallness, and each will have to enter its rites of restoration and healing so that they will be ready to unite with each other in peace...........but, let's not talk of Israel and Palestine.
Let's talk of us. We, too, know boundaries.....we've all been excluded by someone or something. We've felt the pain of "walls" and "fences" and doors closed to us. We carry that pain and it's memory burns deep, like a fire. And the waters of Our Lord's Baptismal Day are here to cool that burn, and put out that flame before it ignites the world in anger. Peace begins inside us. It begins here. It's geography is not in Israel at the dividing wall that creates Israel/Palestine. The geography of war and peace is in our hearts. When we are peaceful, we empower peacefulness everywhere. This is what Christ meant when He asked us not to be bothered about the speck in our brother's eye, but to worry about the board that is blinding our own eyesight!
Who do you need to forgive, today? Where is your anger? Your hatred? Your fear? Your disappointment? THIS is what you are asked to heal on the Feast of the Entrance of Jesus into the Pools of Peace, the Waters of Restoration. Does that mean we shouldn't sign petitions for a cease fire in the Middle East? Oh, for Heaven's sake, no! Of course we can, and SHOULD promote peace EVERYWHERE....but, we have such little influence there, and so MUCH here where the divisions are personal and up close and ever so healable, if we will only work at them!
Christ came out of the waters of restoration–what we call His "baptism" committed to working for the dignity and the healing of all people. He connected healing with forgiveness, and taught us that if we would be healed, we should be a forgiving people. He taught peace, and praised peaceful people wherever He found them–whether they were Roman centurions, lepers or Samaritans. He led by example, and said, "Greater things than these, you will do!"
So, on this feast of Baptisms....thinking of our own...the day we were held up and bathed in the Waters of Grace, and our souls restored........let us pray that as we receive the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, that we will receive His Divine Wisdom, Courage and Strength to lead, too, by example, and to make of our lives benedictions of goodness, profound kindness and peace in a world that needs those gifts so desperately. And may God bless you all.+
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