There are hinge moments in our lives where everything can shift into a new direction...

It happens in history: Lincoln at Gettsburg...

Washington at the Delaware,

Or more recently, the moment the fire alarm bells in New York City sounded., The moment they rang on 9/11.

From thay dramatic moment , so many lives were changed forever.

It is so in today's Gospel. Peter and Andrew experience a hinge moment in their lives. And their lives will never be the SAME AGAIN.

The "HINGE" comes in these words of Jesus:

"This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand!"

And they thought it was just going to be another ordinary day for fishing.

But the hinges swung, and we are told "they abandoned their nets and followed him!"

"The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Repent and believe in the Good News!"

This is our challenge too, and it can lead us into swinging into a new direction.

It can be our hinge.

But we are in ordinary times, as were the apostles. Yet the Gospel is meant to have an urgency in our .lives. But to do so it mist break through the din of ordinary sounds that woulf drown out all else.

The ever present repetitive drone of advertising, the boom and clatter of "breaking news," the mumbling of trivial gossip, the profanity of over taxed strivers, the hum of traffic, all of these sounds tell us what is really real is all around us and what is farfetched and out of range are ancient words springing from long ago texts.

No wonder the Apostle Paul in today's second reading enjoins us:

"I tell you brothers and sisters, time is running out!...the world in its present form is passing away!"

Like the fire bells ringing on 9/11 the Gospel is urgent. It is to be heard above all the clatter of our passing world.

And so we pray:

O God let the hinges of my life course

swing your way.

They are rusty. They creak.

But if they do not move,

my heart remains locked up,

burdened with the cares of ordinary days.

This day is special.

Every day is unique.

Open my ears to hear your urgent call:

To "Repent and believe the Good News!

Amen