A Primer on Seasons + Ordinary Time + Summah Practices

Each year, Christ-followers hike through a circle of memory and expectation to open  themselves to the presence of God. This circle is made up of special days and seasons. These special days and seasons are a means to shape sacred time, a structure in which to define what it means to be Christian and to call God’s people to respond to God’s loving, faithful presence. Keeping seasons of time with the Christian calendar helps us remember and re-tell the story of Christ’s redemption year after year.

What is the Season of Ordinary Time?

Ordinary Time is the longest season in the Church’s year. Comprising thirty-three weeks, it is divided into two sections; one short and the other very long. The weeks between the Christmas and Lenten seasons are the shorter part of Ordinary Time while the weeks between Pentecost and the Advent season form the long stretch. The word ‘ordinary’ comes from the word ordinal which means ‘counted’. Each week is known by a number, e.g. the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The use of the term Ordinary Time in our liturgical calendar distinguishes it from the other seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter—which focus on particular aspects of Christ’s life: his birth, suffering, death and resurrection. Ordinary Time celebrates Jesus’ teaching and ministry. It gives us time to reflect on how we live as Christians. We have thirty-three weeks to examine and ‘order’ our lives.

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