The textbook definition for “Ordinary Time” in the Roman Catholic Church is “a time for growth and maturation, (and) a time in which the mystery of Christ is called to penetrate ever more deeply into history until all things are finally caught up in Christ.”
In other words, when not celebrating the miracle birth of the Son of The Lord at Christmas, or His passing and resurrection to Heaven during the Easter weekend, the devout are to live the life of Jesus Christ. But these days, while living in today’s American society where hustle and bustle has become the norm, finding the focus can be a difficult task.
“For me, this can be as simple as saying a decade of the rosary while sitting in traffic or taking time to pray with my daughter for God’s blessings on the day during the drive to school. Oftentimes, my golf foursome will catch me murmuring in prayer while walking down the fairway,” explained Tim Bishop, communications director of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. “But our faith is more than prayer. Taking time to help a neighbor, deliver food to the less fortunate, or simply speak to someone in a kind way are all ways in which we live our faith.”
“Paying it forward” is a popular social media campaign, and so is purchasing meals for first responders, but Bishop reminds Roman Catholics that setting time aside on Sundays for the celebration of Mass offers him a chance for spiritual balance.
“Going to Mass on Sunday with my family not only keeps me centered and recharges me for the week ahead,” he said, “but it ensures that my faith is being passed on to my children, which is one of my biggest jobs as a parent.
The Most Rev. Mark Brennan, Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, agrees, and also he stresses the importance of prayer leading up to the season of Advent that begins on Sunday, November 27.
How have you stressed the goals of Ordinary Time to members of your statewide congregation?
While I haven’t offered specific goals, I have stressed the “ordinary time” is when we live most of our life. We have special seasons in our Church life – Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter – but they are to help us live our faith in “ordinary time.” So, preaching, in the light of Christ’s victory over sin and death, on the need for faith, prayer, worship, service to those in need helps us live our Christian lives with integrity during the times that are not special.
Please explain how you have combatted the excuse about it being a busy world, that everyone is too busy all the time.
I encourage people to take some time every day to pray and to be faithful in participating in Sunday Mass with their brothers and sisters in the faith. That may seem a waste of time to people without faith but in fact it helps us center our lives on what is most important: God, love of neighbor, personal integrity. We need to retreat into ourselves from time to time to find God (prayer, meditation) and engage with others in a non-utilitarian way (worship) in order to advance and sort out what things we should be busy about and what things we should not be busy about.
Have you encouraged the Catholics of West Virginia to ‘slow down for the Lord?’ How was that message delivered?
In my homilies at parishes, especially Confirmations, and Catholic school Masses, I have encouraged daily prayer and worship, also in some personal conversations. Overall, I think people accept the message. Some just find it hard to break old habits of neglect of their spiritual life.
How do you plan to prepare parishioners for late November when the Advent season begins?
All Saints Day, All Souls Day (November 1 and 2) and the Sundays immediately leading up to Advent focus on “the last things:” death, judgment, heaven and hell. Those liturgical celebrations prepare the minds of the faithful to share ancient Israel’s hope for a Messiah to set things aright and the joy of knowing that God heard that call.
Do you feel because the pandemic has eased that this Christmas season will be a little more special than the last two or three? Why or why not?
Since more people have been vaccinated, compared to last year and the year before, I hope people feel reasonably safe in returning to Christmas Masses and parish events. I would be disappointed if there was a resurgence of a new variant of the COVID virus but we can only wait and see.
