Not Just Ordinary (Time)

When we hear the word ordinary, we often think of terms like typical, routine, or even boring. So why would the Church set aside an entire season called Ordinary Time?

In the context of the church’s Liturgical Year, ordinary doesn't imply dullness or lack of significance. Instead, it comes from the word ordinal, meaning numbered or sequential. That’s why we hear references such as the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, and so on. (Interestingly, there’s no First Sunday in Ordinary Time—it's replaced by the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.) Ordinary Time isn’t about ranking importance but simply refers to the sequence of Sundays that fall outside the Church’s major liturgical seasons: Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter.

The season of Ordinary Time, though it is split into two parts, is still just one single season. It begins on the Monday following the Sunday after January 6 and continues until the beginning of Lent, and then it begins again on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday and ends on the Saturday before the First Sunday of Advent.

It’s easy to mistakenly believe that the liturgical year is primarily about marking or sanctifying time. In reality, its true purpose is to deepen our relationship with Christ Jesus. The beauty of Ordinary Time lies in the chance to encounter Christ more personally amid the rhythms of daily life. The gospel readings during this season reveal Jesus’ teachings, healings, and mission, helping us come to know the God who chose to become one of us.

Through these stories, we discover that Christ embodies humility over pride and vulnerability over power. We see Him reach out to the marginalized, share meals with social and religious outcasts, healing afflictions, and forgiving sin—something only possible through genuine relationship.

Ordinary Time, then, is far from dull. It is a season of transformation, a sacred journey in which we grow into the people we are meant to be by following the example of Christ’s lived experience. This season is a rich and meaningful one that encourages us to find holiness in the everyday. It challenges the faithful to live with intentionality, recognizing that every moment is an opportunity to grow closer to God. While it may lack the grandeur of Christmas or Easter, Ordinary Time is a vital part of the Church’s liturgical year, calling believers to a steady and faithful pursuit of holiness. As the Church moves through this “ordinary” season, may we be reminded that in Christ, every moment is extraordinary, and every day is a chance to live out our faith more fully.