Presbyterians don't talk much about the liturgical calendar. That's not a bad thing. Our Puritan forefathers thought special days or seasons could easily lead to distraction. Our focus would be on rituals instead of God. In fact, many Puritans jettisoned Christmas and Easter along with the rest of the calendar in the name of faithfulness.We don't go so far. Instead, we seek compromise. We keep the seasons and the holidays (holy‐days), but we remain completely unaware of the overall drama told by the calendar. Every year the Church rehearses the birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, continual presence, and the eventual return of Jesus Christ.
Even with this outline, there remain times in the calendar which are unclaimed. The Church
has traditionally named these misfit days and seasons, "Ordinary Time." Here in August between Pentecost and Advent, we are in the middle of Ordinary Time.
Personally, I like Ordinary Time. It may not have the bustle of Holy Week or Christmas Eve. Still, I like to know that God is at work even in the ordinary. Cutting the lawn, commuting to work, or enjoying a quiet lunch with my wife are times that Jesus has redeemed. When nothing is written on the day‐planner, a Sunday is always the Lord's Day, and the Church will always be gathering for worship.
Ordinarily we must deal with the stuff of life, and our salvation means that God is with us even there.
