Ordinary Time is not simply “down time.” But a season of becoming.
After Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, and the great solemnities, Ordinary Time can feel like the Church’s vacation season. I speak with many people who often say something like; “I’m so glad we are through the Easter season and Ordinary Time is here. We can relax now until it all starts up again at Advent.” But the apostles never took a vacation from their journey of becoming more, of following Christ and discovering God’s presence in the ordinary times of life.
The Book of Acts is largely a story of ordinary days filled with travel, prayer, conversations, setbacks, friendships, and quiet acts of courage. The extraordinary moments came, but they were woven into lives that were mostly ordinary. Perhaps that’s why the Church calls this season Ordinary Time, not because it’s unimportant, but because holiness is forged in ordinary days.
Summer as a Spiritual Season
Summer has its own spirituality. There is more daylight. More time outdoors. Family gatherings. Vacations. Longer evenings on the porch. We tend to slow down a bit. Rather than seeing this as a season to “take a break” from faith, perhaps we can see it as an opportunity to practice faith differently:
- Pray outside early in the morning.
- Read a Gospel slowly over the summer.
- Take walks without headphones and simply notice God’s presence.
- Invite a friend to coffee, and check in about how his/her spiritual life is going.
- Spend ten minutes each evening reflecting: Where did I notice grace today?
- Read the Acts of the Apostles as a travel story of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes it easy for us to become dependent on our church calendar and next event as a way of feeding our faith. Faith for the Apostles wasn’t primarily an event. It was a way of traveling through life. We don’t need another mountaintop experience every week. Sometimes God meets us while mowing the lawn, sitting on a dock, grilling dinner, or watching grandchildren at play.
Ordinary Time invites us to ask:
Am I willing to let ordinary moments become holy moments?
