We often hear this period after the Feast of Pentecost referred to as "Ordinary Time." I believe this label, though technically accurate, does the season - and the Church - a huge injustice. The term "ordinary" comes from the same root as "ordinal" which refers to "counting," in fact traditionally this period, as well as the weeks which follow the Feast of the Epiphany, is called an "Ordinal Time" because these are the "counting weeks" after Pentecost, before Advent (and Epiphany, before Lent). There are several very important feast days which take place during ordinal or counting time...
- Trinity Sunday (June 7, this year - varies due to date of Easter)
- June 24 - Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
- June 29 - Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
- August 15 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a holy day of obligation!)
- November 1 - All Saints Day (a holy day of obligation)
- November 2 - The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day)
- November 25 - Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Christ the King)
To call this period "Ordinary Time" makes it sound so "plain" or "boring" as the common use of "ordinary" implies. So will you join me in this movement to return to calling this "Ordinal Time?" If enough of us do so, perhaps the bishops will join us in seeing the wisdom of the more precise terminology. Feel free to use the image in this post and copy it to your blog and/or Facebook cover - or make your own! Please use one of the "share" buttons below this posting to share with others!
