We are Back to the Ordinary Season after celebrating four Sundays of Christmas!

Christmas Season is always a meaningful and joyful time for most, if not all, of us.  It has always been attached to festivities, celebrations, gatherings, giving, and renewal. This past Christmas, we were blessed here in our parish with dedicated volunteers who prepared our church for the season in terms of physical and spiritual preparations.  Our decorations and live trees created a spark of a cheerful atmosphere, making our church a spiritual home for many. Our liturgies and services genuinely moved us to become connected to our faith in Jesus. 

The Christmas season ended this past Monday, the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord. Now, we are back to the Ordinary Time of our Church’s calendar.

The term “Ordinary Time” may be misleading. In the context of the liturgical year, the word “ordinary” does not mean “usual or average.” Ordinary here means “not seasonal.” Ordinary Time is that part of the Liturgical Year that lies outside the seasons of Lent-Easter and Advent-Christmas. There is no ordinary time for Christians! The green color that symbolizes the Ordinary Time does not give us the go signal to do whatever we want. It’s still a season for growth and renewal.

 Let us always make our journey new. And you know what makes something new? It is our faith. It is our faith that sustains us. Faith gives us a broader perspective, so we won’t easily be discouraged by what comes along the way. It is the faith that gives and enriches our sense of purpose and direction in life.  Although we might have already kept our decorations away and family members went back to their homes after the Christmas holidays, our faith remains.  Our faith brings healing, newness, and joy to our pursuits.

God makes everything new; God does not only create things, but he also recreates them. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Col 5:17).

Let us bring the best as we return to the ordinary season and continue to find something new that nourishes and sustains.  Let us invite Jesus to be central in all our endeavors, circumstances, and occasions in our lives.