Homily: 7th Week of Ordinary Time - Monday - Hope and New Growth

After five weeks of Lent, Holy Week, the Paschal Triduum, and seven weeks of Easter, it always seems strange putting on green vestments for ordinary time again (especially with the Red Pentecost decorations still up).  Ordinary time is one liturgical season, divided into two periods: the first period between the Christmas Season and Lent, and then the second period, after the Feast of Pentecost.  This second period of Ordinary Time is much longer than the first, and will last all the way to the beginning of Advent in late November.

The color green of ordinary time is associated with the theological virtue hope.  We hope that this time of the liturgical year will help us prepare our souls for eternity.  Hope is the virtue that makes the Christian hunger and thirst for heaven.

The Christian who hungers and thirsts for heaven has put his life in order; he does not let secondary things get in the way his pursuit of the one thing that really matters—communion with God.

The green of ordinary time is also associated with growth.  We are to seek to grow in holiness and grace during these weeks and months of the liturgical year—growing in our prayer life, growing in our engagement in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Today would be a good day to, with the help of prayer and the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, to try to identify one thing, perhaps one of the works of mercy, or something specific about my prayer life, where I need growth.  But if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

It is a long time until next Advent, and one of the dangers of any lengthy amount of time to become grow complacent and comfortable—not wanting to be challenged, not wanting to grow, just being satisfied with the familiar.  The vibrant green of ordinary time can easily fade into a drab and dying brown, like the color of our lawns after a number of days without rain. 

So today is a good soul searching day, to identify where I need to grow, what supports I need for that growth.

The Gospel reading today concerning Jesus casting out the spirit of muteness sets a good tone for ordinary time.  The power of Christ is greater than the powers of darkness.  When we surrender to Him, he can grant us new life, he can cure our muteness, our paralysis, our blindnesses, we do well to place our hope in Him for the glory of God and salvation of souls.