No Ordinary Time

By Brad Henderson

On the Monday after Pentecost Sunday, we began what is known in the liturgical calendar as Ordinary Time. Unlike other seasons such as Advent, Easter, and Christmas, Ordinary Time begins on a Monday, not a Sunday. Its color is green... and stays green for a looooong time, all the way to Advent. Being the longest season of the liturgical year, it is also the season in which pastors and congregations alike get really tired of green.

But what IS Ordinary Time? Contrary to its name, it is not “ordinary” in the sense of “routine” or “regular. ” It is “ordinary” because it is “ordered” and its weeks numbered.

“The Latin word ordinalis, which refers to numbers in a series, stems from the Latin word ordo, from which we get the English word order. ” (catholicism.about.com)

Ordinary Time is when we move away from the spectacular beginning, end... and beginning-again of Jesusʼ life that we observe at Christmas and Easter, while moving into the events both spectacular and mundane of his earthly life. It is the time of year when our own Christian life strives to live in the embodiment of his compassion, love, and commitment to the direction of God. As far as I am aware, none of us had angels and traveling stars attending our birth, and it is not yet time for our resurrection, so this is the time for us to engage the challenge of daily transformation. Whereas Lent and Advent are times for us to take stock of our lives and how they do or do not reflect Godʼs desires for us, Ordinary Time is when we do something about it. It is when we take our staff and journey to the places to which we might not venture on our own, and spend time with the people with whom we might not otherwise spend time, doing the things of God that we might not do of our own volition without Godʼs nudge.

And doing these things in Ordinary Time opens the door to do and experience life at its most extraordinary.