No Ordinary Time
During the past several weeks we have passed through the seasons of Advent and Christmas, This has been an extraordinarily rich time during which we have celebrated and meditated upon (1) our hope for the coming of Christ, (2) his wondrous incarnation and birth, and (3) his manifestation as the Savior of the world. In a few more weeks, we will be entering into another rich Liturgical Season, the time of Lent and Easter. But before we enter that rich liturgical season, we briefly return to what the Church calls her “Ordinary Time,” that period during which we reflect upon the life and ministry of the Lord.
Although the church calls this time “Ordinary Time,” there is nothing ordinary about it. For, during the period we meditate and reflect upon the ministry of Jesus who proclaims the kingdom of God in word and deed. During this “Ordinary time” we reflect upon the extraordinary life of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God. We hear him proclaim that the kingdom of God is making its appearance in his ministry. We witness the extraordinary deeds he performs by curing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. We see Jesus call sinners to repentance and preach good news to the poor.
No, there is nothing ordinary about “Ordinary Time.” Indeed, this “Ordinary Time” teaches us that the ordinary time of our own lives is always extraordinary if we are aware of God’s grace. The ordinary events of our life are filled with the extraordinary grace of God if we have eyes to see and ears to ear. For example, is there anything ordinary about the birth of a child? Is there anything ordinary about the love of spouses for each other? Is there anything ordinary in our deep and abiding friendships? Is there anything ordinary in our life together in Christ? No, our life is always filled with the extraordinary gifts of God’s grace and love if we open our hearts to God’s presence.
This is why the Church’s Ordinary Time is so important for us. It reminds us that our lives are filled with the extraordinary gifts of God’s grace. It reminds us that the Savior came to change and transform our lives so that we might live in the community of the redeemed. Ordinary Time reminds us that we are always living in the extraordinary time of God’s grace and love.
During this coming year, we will be reading from the Gospel of Luke throughout the period of Ordinary Time. St. Luke’s Gospel is, in many ways, the most accessible of the Four Gospels. It is a Gospel that describes God’s love for those who have gone astray. It is a Gospel that describes the nature of discipleship. It is a Gospel that contains some of Jesus’ most beloved parables such as the parables of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. After the Easter Season, I will dedicate several of my columns to the Gospel of Luke. For the moment, however, enjoy this brief interlude between Christmas and Easter, this Ordinary Time, which is filled with God’s extraordinary grace.
Father Matera
My columns and homilies can be found on line: www.stmarysimsbury.org