God's Time

The Church has its own way of measuring time. Yesterday we celebrated Pentecost: the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit upon his people. It brought to a climax the six months of special seasons teaching us about Christ’s time of earth. We started in December with Advent, followed by Christmas, Epiphany, then, after a short gap, by Lent, Holy Week and Easter.

But today, Monday 9th, the Church tells us we are In Ordinary Time. It doesn’t mean, of course, that we don’t have more special occasions. Next Sunday is Trinity Sunday and, rather like family birthdays, we will have lots of saints to remember in our summer and autumn months. But it is still something of a shock, even an anti-climax, to face weeks of ‘ordinary time’.

Perhaps though there is a special gift in them. All time belongs to God. He shares it with us, inviting us to make best use of our quiet times, as well as our special celebrations. We can enjoy ‘the sacrament of the present moment’ with God wherever we are, whatever we are doing. We need only to pause, to remember, perhaps offer a few special words (prayer) and allow God to do the rest.

We have a particular name for this gift of God. Jesus taught us to call it ‘eternal life’. It lies, not in tearing off the pages of a calendar, measuring age, or in any other human calculation, but in our relationship with the One who made us and sustains us. Perhaps ‘ordinary time’ is just what we need to follow Jesus into God; and to allow their Holy Spirit to bless each and every present moment.

Eternal God,

Thank you for the Holy Spirit, poured out anew.

Help us to enjoy all the time you give us

and to find you in all that we are, and in all that we do.

In the name of Jesus.

Amen