When we refer to this time in the liturgical calendar, it is spoken of as the long, boring session in which nothing happens.  But if you look at what happens during this time, you will see that the Scripture and scheme of the lessons want it to be something much more than ordinary and boring.

The colour for Odinary time is green-a colour associated with new life and growth.  This is sometimes referred to as the “green growing season”.  It is the green growing season not only because of the liturgical colour or because it begins in the summer months when things are growing and thriving.  It is the green growing season because this is the season that gives us room to breathe, to explore, to learn more about Jesus and his teachings and to find where they intersect with our own lives.  This season after Pentecost focuses on the mission of the church in the world and its responsibility in carrying on the work that Jesus gave us to do.

We have a great set of lessons to start off this time of growth, new life, new perspectives and change.  The readings for today only come around every so often because of how the liturgical calendar works and I believe that they have a lot to offer us as we begin this journey into ordinary time; into the green, growing time.

Our Baptismal Convenant reminds us time and again that we are to live as Jesus did, that we are to be a people of God to everyone around us.  It doesn’t matter if we can’t raise people from the dead like he and Elijah did, because we can do other things in this world that are just as important.  We are called to be vehicles of God’s grace, love, and peace in the world around us.  As we are reminded in our Baptismal Covenant we are to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers, we are to persevere in resisting evil, and whenever we fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord, we are to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, we are to seek and serve all persons, loving your neighbour as yourself, we are to strive for justice and peace amount all people and respect the dignity of every human being.

In this ordinary time, as we continue to explore where God is calling us to grow, where God is calling us to serve in the world, know that it may be in the everyday, it may simply be in our actions and in our words that we will best serve God.  Keep the words of the Baptismal Covenant in mind as a directive and know that God is with you all that you do.
                                                                                                                   (From: Sermon that Works)