Back to Ordinary Time

Well, we have made it through the heart of the Church Year, and are liturgically now in Ordinary Time. I have to admit it: once Ordinary Time progresses into the late summer, I get a little tired of the season. I am ready for a change of color and a change of season. I yearn for the penitence of Lent, the magic of Christmas, or the joy of Easter.

But then again, I am ready for Ordinary Time now. I know it sounds weird, but I am glad we are in Ordinary Time. I have enjoyed using the beginning material in the Liturgy of the Hours for Lent, Easter, etc, but I am also excited about just getting back to the basic antiphons, prayers, and responsories of Ordinary Time for awhile (this may not make sense to those unfamiliar with the Liturgy of the Hours).

Of course, Ordinary Time is not meant to be a break from the Church Year. I remember growing up people would often take a summer vacation from church. Church attendance would thin out as people did other things on Sunday morning. We must resist this, because summer Ordinary Time is not meant to be a vacation from the mysteries of Christ’s life. Rather, the Church views Ordinary Time as “devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its aspects.” Many feasts and holy days fall within Ordinary Time, so there are still many chances to experience the things that make other seasons of the liturgical year so memorable.

So I wish everyone a blessed Ordinary Time!

This entry was posted on May 13, 2008 at 8:39 am and is filed under Liturgical Year. Tagged: , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “Back to Ordinary Time”

  1. C.O. Says:
    May 13, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    And also to you!

  2. Jeannette Says:
    May 13, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    I like that there aren’t any special rules to remember, until August 15 (go to Mass). Sorry; I need simplicity.

  3. Anonymous Says:
    May 15, 2008 at 12:56 am

    What’s so ” ordinary” about any part of the Church’s liturgical year?

    Silly Novus Ordo … tricks are for kids…

  4. Bosco Peters Says:
    May 19, 2008 at 1:48 am

    To “Anonymous”: It is called “Ordinary Time” from ordinal or counting numbers - not because it is “ordinary” :-)
    Cool blog.
    Hope you’ll visit mine: “Liturgy”
    http://www.liturgy.co.nz
    and link. Let me know so I link back.

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