Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!
According to the calendar, summer officially starts June 21st. Unofficially after Memorial Day. For most of us, its really whenever the outside temperature starts to feel “hot”.
Summer is also the time when kids are out of school, making it the one season that is fundamentally different than the others. We have normal routines and then summer ones.
In the church, however, we are again in Ordinary Time. This is the time between Trinity Sunday (last week) and Advent (the four Sundays before Christmas). For us, ordinary is about half of the year and covers summer and fall.
So yes, the church’s ordinary time is the least ordinary time in our year. This is actually a useful paradox. Because it reminds us of the calendar that should govern our thoughts. And the fact that graduations and vacations are not our ordinary, we can use these as reminders of our ordinary Christian lives.
That, yes, these things are ordinary, after all. And the ordinary teachings of Jesus may always feel extraordinary.
Because we all need to remember the Sabbath. Love our neighbors. And serve others with generous hearts. Even on summer vacation.
With love,
Drew