Ordinary Time

SUNDAY AUGUST 25, 2013 21TH SUNDAY IN <b>ORDINARY</b> <b>TIME</b>
The day after Pentecost (May 15) begins Ordinary Time in the Catholic Church calendar. After a plethora of Alleluias during the Easter season, we pare down to one or two in our liturgies. Following on the big feasts of Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost, we hear simple stories of common people such as the Canaanite woman, the bent-over woman, the Samaritan woman, the widow and the unjust judge, (lots of women!), the prodigal son, and the laborers in the vineyard. Jesus told a lot of parables of ordinary people to teach a lesson.

We live most of our lives in ordinary time, working, talking, eating, playing -- with a few celebrations thrown in. These times are meant to deepen our relationship with God and with each other. They give us opportunities to become more attentive to our neighbors, our families, our friends, and even our enemies. It is a time to reflect on our lives, to reap the fruit of our labors, to check up on how we are doing. Ordinary Time lasts until Advent, so it is a lengthy period to fill in the gaps, breathe more slowly, enjoy more unscheduled hours. It is a blessed time to discover how God "makes all things new" each day just for us to enjoy.


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