Ordinary. What comes to mind meaning in our lives today. when you think of that word? Plain, typical, maybe even boring?In the Church, ordinary is anything but common.

Encompassing over 30 Sundays, Ordinary Time is the largest season of the Catholic liturgical year. The name comes from the Latin word ordinalis, meaning a series of numbers.

Ordinary Time is celebrated following the baptism of the Lord in January until Ash Wednesday, and again after Pentecost until the start of Advent. The Church designates these weeks to meditate on Christ’s life and delve into his teachings and works. Green is the predominant color for vestments worn by priests and deacons and church decor for these weeks, representing hope and growth.

The liturgical calendar also acknowledges the role of Mary and the saints by designating various feast days and celebrations to commemorate their contributions to the faith. After Pentecost, the calendar has several weeks of Ordinary Time, designed for reflection on Christ’s works and their meaning in our lives today. Each Sunday and special day throughout the year has three sets of readings assigned to it. These readings are part of a liturgical cycle (A, B or C). These cycles are a result of the Second Vatican Council’s desire for Catholics to become more familiar with the Bible.

Each cycle is built around readings from the Gospels that tell the story of Christ’s life: Matthew (A), Mark (B) or Luke (C). We are in year A until Advent, which is the first season of the liturgical year because it is designated as a time to prepare for the birth of Jesus.

Want to get familiar with what you hear at Mass? An easy way is to visit bible.usccb.org. The Catholic bishops’ website includes a calendar, complete books of the Bible and a link tosign up for emails that deliver daily readings to your inbox.

So change your definition of ordinary. Lean into the hope and promise of our faith by reflecting on Christ’s example as a source of inspiration for you this summer and beyond.

Pictured: Deacon Randy Ory and Father Joe Aquino wear their green vestments at a June Mass.