Deacon’s Corner
This is my favorite time of year. I like the warm sunny days, the smell of a freshly cut lawn, and the freedom of leaving the house without the need of a jacket for warmth. But most of all, after a long dreary winter, I love seeing things green up, starting in springtime until nature provides a full palette of various shades of green during the summer months. The color green is the color of growth and new life.
Now that Easter season has passed, the church returns to Ordinary Time. In the liturgical calendar, Ordinary Time is the period outside the major seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. It is a time focused on celebrating the mystery of Christ in its fullness, with a particular emphasis on his teaching and ministry. Ordinary Time is the longest season, typically lasting 33 or 34 weeks, and is represented by the color green, symbolizing life, hope, and anticipation, and you see the priests and deacons wearing green vestments.
Ordinary Time is a time for growth and maturation, a time in which the mystery of Christ is called to penetrate ever more deeply into history until all things are finally caught up in Christ. The goal, toward which all of history is directed, is represented by the final Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
So why do we call it Ordinary time? While we may think the term ‘ordinary’ refers to something being plain, unimpressive, or unexciting, this understanding does not reflect the true meaning of the season. Ordinary, in this context, comes from the Latin term ordinalis, meaning ‘numbered’ or ‘ruled’. This title simply refers to the ongoing and rhythmical nature of the season. Just like everyday life, there is a rhythm to the days and the weeks. We have holidays and special occasions we look forward to that change the pace, just like we have holy days and feasts in the Church year. But those special occasions are not the whole picture, just like there is more to the life of Christ than what we celebrate in other liturgical seasons.
When do we celebrate Ordinary time? Technically, Ordinary Time has two parts, but it remains one season. The first part begins right after the feast of the Epiphany and runs until Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday (when Lent begins).
The second part begins the Monday after Pentecost and runs until the First Sunday of Advent. This part is about twice the length of the first. Ordinary Time typically contains 33 or 34 weeks, depending on how other Catholic Church feast days fall.
What are we supposed to do? Like all liturgical seasons, Ordinary Time is meant to be lived! We are not passive receptors of the liturgy – or at least we should not be. We are called to be active participants! Participating in Ordinary Time means participating in the everyday life of Jesus.
Here is a short list of ways you can fully embrace this liturgical season and get caught up in Christ:
Examine your habits. Your day-to-day life is typically just a series of habits played out one after the other. If you want your life to change, the first place to look is your habits. A great new habit to start: reading the daily Gospel.
Gratitude. Joy always finds its root in gratitude. Try starting each day by thanking God for five ordinary, everyday things. If you have a family, try going around the table at dinner time and list off things together.
Use your imagination to reflect on the daily life of Jesus. Imagine Jesus doing the simple things. Eating, walking, joking with his friends. Praying. Make yourself a bystander to the Gospel stories in your imagination.
May you have an extraordinary Ordinary Time!
Blessings,
Dcn. Mike