A walk in the time of Ordinary

 Well, after the six weeks of Lent and the fifty days of the Easter season which in a sense stretched to include two Sunday's of reflection on a central mystery of our Christian faith in the Holy Trinity and last Sunday's celebration of the Eucharist on "Corpus Christi" Sunday, we are now fully in the long season of green as we journey with the Lord and contemplate what it means to be disciples of Jesus.  That long meandering will take us through the summer months, into the fall season nearly to the end of November when we begin again the peaceful time of Advent and the color purple is striking in those days.  

This liturgical calendar of the Church is structured to unfold for us, albiet each year, the mysteries of our Lord on earth and the promise of eternal life in heaven as the benefit of his death and resurrection.  As familiar as this time of year may seem, it is rich in material.  Having the benefit of a three year rotation of readings for Sunday's, the scriptures in this year's cycle will present to us what we heard back in 2018.  We will now hear them again. But, be honest, do you remember much from 2018 in the Sunday to Sunday readings?  Likely not so with our often shortsighted memory, it is good that we hear them again.  

As our Gospel from Mark this Sunday presents the theme of growth using the parable of the mustard seed, so too our lives grow, change, develop overtime.  Since 2018 we've gone through a debilitating pandemic and with some light now at the end of the tunnel, we have a new sense of hope from the miracle of medical science.  Yet, we well know that many countries in the world are not as fortunate as we seem to be here so we must keep them in prayer.  

The point is that we are not the same as we were three years ago so the scriptures, now in 2021 will be received with that in mind.  How have you changed over the last three years?  Our lives have all been effected by this virus and brought us to a new "normal."  Where has your faith been since 2018?  Are you prepared with a new heart and mind to hear the sacred texts again?  

Such things may help as we begin our journey learning once again how to be more faithful and zealous disciples who must never tire of the mission Jesus has entrusted to all of us.  

God's peace.