Get Excited about the Ordinary

Christmas is over.  What's next?

We've celebrated Epiphany and the Baptism of our Lord so we're done with Christmas until next time.  Now everyone is talking about Lent.  Everywhere I look I see Lent this and Lent that, but my thoughts are on what’s actually next because I think it’s pretty great.  But it's not Lent.  And no, it's not Mardi Gras or Carnival season either (for all of you already whipping up your King Cake).

I’m excited about….drumroll ... Ordinary Time!  

I know, you're thinking, "Seriously?  Ordinary Time is great?"  

Yes!  It is! 

Ordinary time is not at all "ordinary."  You’re saying, but Lisa – ordinary is normal, not special. Yes! Ordinary time is when we get to know Jesus during his public ministry.  It is normal for us to have time to grow in relationship with Him. We just celebrated his birth and now we have a few precious weeks of Ordinary Time before Lent to get a taste of who He grows to become.  We get a preview for the months of ordinary green in the church that will come in summer and fall.

Look at what we have right now; four weeks of readings filled with God Calling Us!  I took the time to read through the Sunday Mass readings for these weeks and discovered we will spend the next month hearing God call His disciples and each one of us to be loved by Him.  This weekend we start with God calling to Samuel and then Jesus calling his disciples by name.  What could be better after Christmas season than God calling us by name to follow him into the Lenten season?

Ordinary time allows us to hear Jesus call us, to watch Him maybe cautiously, maybe eagerly.  Having normal time is what makes the special celebrations meaningful.

This year, don’t rush straight from Christmas into Lent. Use this time to understand what it means to be called to relationship with Jesus.  Will you hear God's call and answer as Samuel?  "Speak, for your servant is listening." 1 Samuel 3:10