So Now What?

Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. During the Christmas season, we celebrate not only his birth, but his early life as a child and the beginning of his public ministry (his Baptism and the Wedding Feast at Cana). So now what? Advent and Christmas have come and gone. The shopping, present giving, Christmas parties and festivities are completed. Almost all of us are worn out come mid-January and happy to slide back into our ‘ordinary’ lives. Work, school, sporting events, laundry and household chores, all the humdrum things that take up 99% of our lives are welcomed back into our life.

The Church is settling back into our ‘ordinary’ life as well, Ordinary Time that is. But by Ordinary, we don’t mean humdrum or the same old thing. So what is Ordinary Time and why should we pay attention? Ordinary Time is the time of the Liturgical year outside Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. During this time, we hear in the Gospel reading the stories of Jesus life and work. We see how Jesus acts and follows the will of his Father. He shows us that he has taken on the ordinary life of man for our salvation: he prays, he teaches, he observes feast day, he eats with friends, and he weeps. We see the growth and development of his followers as they progress from a few questioning men to multitudes of people seeking him.

Ordinary time can be the time for us to grow and develop as his followers as well. The liturgical color we use is green. It is a symbol of hope. But green can also remind you to continue to grow in your faith as your ordinary life marches forward. As we move into Ordinary Time here are a few practical suggestions for you and your family to help you continue to grow as disciples.

Mass: Almost everyone likes or is excited to go to Church at Christmas, but Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist at each and every Mass. So bring that Christmas anticipation with you to every Mass you attend. Sunday is a day of obligation (not a day of optional) so make sure to attend. If the St. Pius Mass times don’t fit your weekend schedule, there is another parish in the Metro that will (including on Sunday night). Trying to grow in your faith without Mass is like trying to swim without water, to breathe without air!

Prayer: If you and your family took up any special Advent or Christmas prayers, why stop now? Use the habit to continue to gather as a family and bring your needs to Jesus. Prayer is conversation with God. If you didn’t talk to someone, would you ever be friends? Relationships take time, including our relationship with Christ.

Gift Giving: Generosity at Christmas really can’t be outdone. We work hard to make sure that everyone has something. The average family spends about $2500 on Christmas gifts. During Ordinary Time, give “Ordinary Gifts”: shoveling a neighbor’s driveway or mowing their lawn , visiting an elderly friend or relative at the nursing home, volunteering for an hour or two for an organization caring for the poor, babysitting for free, donating food to the food shelf. The needs in our world our endless, so be the Light of Christ for someone throughout the year not just a Christmas.

Thankfulness: We are so thankful for the material things and hospitality we received at Christmas. We may have even remembered to thank God for the gift of his Son. Ordinary Time is also a great time to remember to thank God for your daily blessings as well. It’s all too easy to ask God for stuff (myself included) and forget to thank him for the things he’s already given us. (And if you happen to have children who can’t possibly think of anything to be thankful for ask them if they are thankful for the cell phone, Wii, Playstation, etc.) Once a day, remember to thank God for something ordinary in your life.

What an extraordinary time Ordinary Time can be!




+ Shawn Gutowski, St. Pius X Director of Religious Education +