Pentecost 1 2014

The renewed stretch of Ordinary Time which marks the last portion of the Liturgical Year is no longer misperceived as ordinary in the sense of uninteresting, but ordinary in the sense of a regular motion of the weeks and months by which we measure our progress toward the goal and the Gift we have received.
- Dr. Jeff Mirus

When I was younger during the summer months, I remember the church bulletins each week noting that we were commemorating the Nth Sunday in “Ordinary Time.” This denotation always seemed to point to the fact that this extended period had neither the joy of the months before and after Christmas nor the penitence/celebration of the months before and after Easter. Now that I am an Episcopalian, and while I am thankful that we mark the time as successive weeks as “Sundays after Pentecost.” While not pushing the “ordinary” or “typical” feel to the weeks, there is a sense that this is not really a season at all, but rather a time of normality.

Dr. Mirus invites us to be sure not to miss the gift of normality we experience during our summer and autumn cycles. Our Sundays may not have the power distinctions which correspond to the major events in the Gospels, but they do have the very wonderful teachings and incidents in the life of Christ. We enjoy the intimate and inspiring parables and teachings on the Kingdom of Heaven, a kingdom that is especially near since Jesus’ incarnation. We have a special treat in Paul’s teachings from the Letter to the Romans. Depending on tracks used, we are reminded of stories from the Torah, or witnesses from the prophets.

There is nothing simple about ordinary time. In fact, in its separation from the Christmas and Easter cycles, our Sunday worship actually focuses not on narratives but on faith, on practice, on living the life of a disciplined Christian. How we believe is how we pray; how we pray guides what we believe. Sundays spent in thoughtful reflection of all of our religious texts and sharing of the Holy Communion in community are even more special during this ordinary time.

Many churches, including ours, see declining attendance during the warmer summer months, as we find ourselves vacationing, engaging in many more activities, or even just relaxing after a very busy and productive winter and spring. Hopefully, you will also find time to spend an hour with your faith family at St. Mary’s, sharing smiles, fellowship, and Good News, all of which remind us that this ordinary time after Pentecost is anything but ordinary!

Peace,

Fr. Shawn