Staff Reflections

The Christmas decorations are down and put away for another year (most of them, anyway), and the carols are gone from the stores and radio stations. Preparations are in full force for Valentine’s Day, at least in the stores and online. And Easter will be right on its heels.

And at Church, we put back the green altar cloths and bring out the green vestments once again as we begin what is known as “Ordinary Time”. In the Church Calendar, Ordinary Time is made up of the weeks between Christmas and Lent, and again from after Pentecost until Advent. It ties together two of the greatest feasts for Christians everywhere and helps round out the days of the year.

But what is Ordinary Time? Is it just hitting the “pause” button on Church celebrations for a bit so we can all catch our breath before moving on to the next thing?

Masses during Ordinary Time use the Gospel stories of the miracles and parables of Jesus and of times he spent with his apostles, teaching them and preparing them for their ministry. Here we get to look inside their relationship and think about what being with Jesus and learning directly from him might have been like if we had been there. We have the time to connect the events of his life from his birth to his death and resurrection and see how they are connected in Scripture and in life. It’s a time to step back a bit from the more dramatic stories of angels and shepherds and soldiers and blood and to see the very human and very divine Savior giving food to the hungry, healing the sick, bringing people closer to God by his words and actions.

There are also many saints whose feast days are celebrated during Ordinary Time, again giving us examples of how to live more Christlike in the world.

Ordinary time also comes during Spring and Fall of each year, times of planting and harvesting. The green color reminds us of our connection with nature and our need to renew ourselves as well (https://www.catechist.com/catholics-know-ordinary-time/.

And the name? Is it really “ordinary”: nothing special, not exciting, etc.? The word “Ordinary” can mean those things, but it also means “ordered” or “numbered” (https://www.catholicculture.org/ culture/library/view.cfm?id=12022). These weeks are referred to by their place in the calendar, such as the Second Week or Third Week of Ordinary Time, giving rise to the designation.

So, make that second cup of coffee and go out and enjoy this year’s Ordinary Time! No yawning allowed!

Mary K. Foy, Director of Children’s Faith Formation