In the church throughout the year we follow the liturgical seasons of which there are seven Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and ordinary time or ‘after Trinity’. There is a reasonably new mini season called the kingdom season which occupies the four weeks of November. Its not a full season though is sometimes treated as such and it’s a time where we think about the kingship of Christ and the Kingdom of God.
Each liturgical season has its own colour which the altar is dressed in and clergy will wear Advent is purple or Sarum blue (and in some churches you may see black on certain days), Christmas is white or gold, Epiphany is white or gold, lent is purple (or Sarum blue), Easter is white or gold, Pentecost is red, ordinary time is green, and kingdom is red.
Easter, Christmas, Epiphany, Pentecost, and kingdom are all self-evident. They are periods when we remember specific things and hold specific events and celebrations. Advent and Lent are both periods of looking forward and journeying. Then there is ordinary time the season we are now well in to and it is by far the longest comprising of thirty-three weeks.
Frankly it can seem long and dull and the way we refer to it doesn’t help. ‘Ordinary’ or ‘after trinity’ we either call it something rather dull or are counting forward the days from the last time we had an important event, Trinity. But the season of ordinary time is actually an extremely important one and a time in which we can deepen our faith and continue our journey with Christ just as much as the others.
The liturgical Callander is quite top heavy and intense. We go from Advent, to Christmas, to Epiphany, to Lent, to Easter, to Pentecost, and it’s only after then after Trinity Sunday that we actually slow down. The gift of ordinary time is that it is a time to be still, to reflect on the seasons we have just journey through and get ready for the next journey of kingdom and Advent which are just around the corner.
It’s in this season we celebrate our harvest festivals, rogation, and celebrate the land, agriculture, and those who provide for us. It is a time to pause and give thanks for Gods creation the world which we inhabit. It’s a time to rejoice, celebrate, and just be with one and other in community as God calls us to be.
This period is one that is given to us by the lectionary to embrace and celebrate creation, community, and one and other. To pause, reflect, and get ready for the journey of the lectionary we will soon embark on again.
So really there is nothing ‘ordinary’ about it at all it is just a special and unique as every other liturgical season. So in the special season let us embrace Gods creation as we enter Autumn and Harvest, give thanks for those who provide for us, and reflect and get ready for the journey towards the birth of our saviour which we will soon begin once again.
Rev Miles
