Ordinary Time

For a person like me, a priest in a large and busy parish, there is a lot going on all year long. Still, the beginning of ordinary time signals a new pace. The program year is ended or winding down, some groups go on hiatus for the summer or meet less frequently, vacations (for both staff and parishioners) just naturally slow things down.

What this means for me is that I can work on things that require longer periods of deeper concentration. Looking at big picture ideas, thinking through the startup of new programs, getting some writing and reading done, delving into areas that are not front and center during the "school" year.

I'm looking forward to this time. I had one of the busiest springs ever this year, and I am ready to slow down and go deeper. My heart is still very full from the wonderful family events of the spring, but now that the celebrations are over, I am ready to settle into a slightly more stately pace.

And indeed, life goes on. We have four new baby ducks at the pond (I hope new photos will follow very soon!). I am, after all my travel, trying to embark on a more disciplined exercise and healthy eating regimen. I have to remember how to work "cleaning the condo" back into a regular rotation. Summer beach days beckon even as big fat novels tempt me and a file folder full of new ideas calls to me from my desk.

Ordinary time is here. Ordinary time is not just a bridge between seasons but a season in itself.  And so it is time to take stock as the season changes. It is time to adjust the lens to take in the longer view. It is time to consider new routines and swim in deeper theological waters and be thankful to God for the extraordinary grace that abounds as I try to follow Jesus.

Does ordinary time usher in a different kind of life for you, too?