Ordinary Time

“An extra-ordinary season”

“Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 4:19

Mr. Pablo Cuadra

Religion Class
 Scripture
Matthew 11:4-6
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Go and tell John what you
hear and see: the blind
regain their sight, the lame
walk, lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are
raised, and the poor have
the good news proclaimed
to them. And blessed is
the one who takes no
offense at me."
 What is Ordinary Time?
• Ordinary time is the longest
liturgical season in the
Church’s cycle or year.

• The liturgical cycle is

composed of five seasons:
Advent, Christmas, Ordinary
time, Lent and Easter.
 Did you know?
• Ordinary time is the
result of the liturgical
reforms brought about
by Vatican II.
• The new liturgical
cycle consisting of
five seasons took
effect on the first
Sunday of Advent in
1969.
 Why is Ordinary Time called
Ordinary?
• The word ordinary is derived
from the word ordinal which
means “counted time”.

• During Ordinary time Sundays

and weeks are counted in a
quasi sequential order.

• There is no first Sunday of

Ordinary time. Ordinary time
begins on a weekday.

• Hence, The first week of

Ordinary Time begins with the
first Monday of ordinary time.
 How is Ordinary Time structured?
• Ordinary time is structured in two
sections of 34 Weeks total.
• The first section of Ordinary time
begins after the Feast of the
Baptism of the Lord which is the
feast that marks the end of the
Holy Season of Christmas and the
beginning of ordinary time.
• The first section of Ordinary time
continues until Ash Wednesday
which is the celebration that marks
the beginning of Lent.
• The second section of Ordinary
time begins the Monday after
the feast of Pentecost. The
celebration of Pentecost marks
the end of the season of
Easter.
• The second section of ordinary
time continues until the
Solemnity of Christ the King
which is the Sunday that
concludes the Liturgical cycle
of the Church.
 Did you know?
• All years in which
January 1 begins on a
Sunday or Monday and
leap years which begin
on a Saturday will have
34 weeks. All other
years will contain 33
weeks.

• This means that the

liturgical year will have
33 ordinary weeks
approximately 68 per
cent of the time.
 What is the liturgical color of
Ordinary time?
• The liturgical color for
ordinary time is green.
• Green is a symbol for
hope, growth and new
life.
• In Christian tradition,
green came to symbolize
the life of the church
following Pentecost, as
well as symbolizing the
hope of new life in the
resurrection.
 The symbol for Ordinary Time
• The Chi- Rho is a Christian
symbol usually associated with
the liturgical season of
ordinary Time.
• It consists of the first two
letters of the Greek word for
Christ or Christos (anointed
one). The Hebrew equivalent
is Messiah.
• The letters that make up the
Chi-Rho are: Chi =X and the
letter Rho =P
• The fusion of these two letters
into an abbreviation became a
symbol for Christ also known
as labarum or monogram of
Constantine.
• This symbol was adopted as
an emblem by Constantine.
Misconceptions about Ordinary
time
• The word ordinary in the
liturgical sense does not
mean “average” or
mundane.
• Another misconception
about Ordinary time is
that is a season without a
theme.
• On the contrary, the
Church celebrates the
mystery of Christ in all its
aspects during this
liturgical season.
 Did you know?
• During ordinary time the Gospels of
Matthew (year A), Mark (year B), and
Luke (year C) present in a semi-
continuous manner the public ministry
of Jesus beginning with the third
Sunday of ordinary time.

• During Ordinary time, the letters of

Paul and James are read in a
chronological order.

• The Gospel of John is read on the

Second Sunday of each year and also
from the Seventeenth to the Twenty-
first Sunday of Year B. On these five
Sundays, we hear our Lord's discourse
on "The Bread of Life" from chapter 6
of John's Gospel.
 Solemnities of Ordinary time
• Ordinary time is comprised of
several solemnities.

• Solemnities are special feasts

honoring the memory of Christ,
The blessed mother of God
(Theotokos), the Saints, or the
Holy Trinity.

• Among some of the solemnities

commemorated during
Ordinary time are: Trinity
Sunday, Corpus Christi,
Assumption of the Virgin Mary,
St. Peter and Paul, All Saints’
day, Christ the King.
 Did you know?
• When a solemnity falls on a Sunday during Ordinary time. The feast in
question will pre-empt (replace) the numbered Sunday for that particular
Week.

• Did you know? Ordinary time always emerges on a weekday. Sometimes

the second section of ordinary time starts a little higher than when we left
off.

• For instance, we may stop the first section of ordinary time on the fourth
Sunday and re-start ordinary time on the ninth week. As it is the case this
year (2008). This is done to ensure the solemnity of Christ the King always
falls on the 34th Sunday of Ordinary time.

• This is how it works: Ordinary weeks count forward from The Baptism of the
Lord. After the Day of Pentecost, however, they are checked backwards
from the last week of the Church’s Year which is always the 34th week of
Ordinary Time. So sometimes a week is dropped out.
 Announcing the Kingdom of God
• During Ordinary Time the
Church highlights Jesus’
public ministry and his saving
actions:
• His preaching – his message
about the Kingdom of God.
• His works– i.e. “Feeding the
hungry”
• His healings– i.e. “Curing the
sick”
• His ministry – i.e. “instructing
his disciples”
 Announcing the Kingdom of God
• Ordinary Time is a great opportunity
for Evangelization.

• Every baptized Christian is called to

spread the “Good News” of Jesus
Christ to all the corners of earth.

• St. Francis of Assisi once said,

“Preach the Gospel. And if necessary,
use words”.

• As Christians we continue the ministry

of Jesus, and his saving actions
among the men and women of today.
Hence, that the Church, the people of
God, is called the Sacrament of Christ.

• We continue, as an extension of
Christ’s body, to proclaim the reality of
the Kingdom of God, by word and
deeds, with the same intensity and
urgency as that of Christ our savior.
 Announcing the Kingdom
• During ordinary time we can do •
several things that can help us
spread the Good News and grow in
faith and charity. Here are some •
suggestions:
• Volunteering at a local soup kitchen •
or mentoring at a crisis shelter like
Covenant House, or building houses
with Habitat for Humanity.
• Joining your parish CCD or RCIA
programs, parishes are always in •
need of volunteers.
• Becoming a lector or Eucharistic •
minister. Helping your pastor by •
bringing holy communion to the sick
or homebound.
Visiting the elderly at a nursing
home, or joining your parish
bereavement ministry.
Spending time each day
becoming acquainted with the
Gospels.
Joining the local chapter of the
Knights of Columbus, this
Catholic organization, is very
active promoting family and
Catholic values and helping the
Church’s mission.
Asking your priest about what
ministries in your parish may be
more suitable for you.
Joining the choir
Finding out about the different
prayer or bible groups in your
parish. Joining these groups is a
great opportunity for fellowship
besides Sunday Mass.
 Ordinary Time
An extra-ordinary season
• Ordinary Time is an open
invitation to walk with the Lord.
He comes to the shores of our
daily lives, intercept us in the
midst our busy and hectic
schedules and invites us, like
he did with the early disciples,
to come and follow him to
know the life that never ends,
the Kingdom that never
perishes and the treasure that
never looses its value.
 The Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land.
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be
comforted.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice : for
they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called
the children of God.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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The End