Ordinary Time: Without Sunday, We Are Not Christians
Having celebrated Advent and Christmas, we enter the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. Well, this season is not as ordinary as we might think. This season has an apex every week that is marked by Sunday. Sunday in ordinary time, is the day that distinguishes us. It is the day of identity and manifestation. The real Christian tries to live Sunday in full during this season. How we live Sunday speaks volumes to the rest of the world about redeemed time and the beauty of leisure.
"By defending Sunday, one defends human freedom," the freedom that allows us to worship, live, and celebrate what we believe. These words of Pope Benedict XVI profess a reality we should all work on. Sunday has been a day of freedom for Christians since the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the new day given to us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To celebrate and live this day is to accept the liberation that Jesus gave us by his passion, death, and resurrection. The gospel speaks of Jesus’ zeal when he cleansed the temple. "Zeal for your house has consumed me" Psalm 69. Jesus poured out his heart and was consumed by anger because the house of God was not being used for what it was intended for. We must allow Jesus to offer us his love by our obedience to the commandments, especially the commandment to worship God.
"Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God" (Ex 20:8–9). This is what Ordinary time allows us to do. When we look at Sunday as the fruit of our week, and the fruit of our week as the result of our Sunday, then we begin to transform our time. By turning Sunday into a priority and a focal point of our lives, we redeem our time and live in the joy of the children of God.
“Sine dominico non possumus!” Without the gift of the Lord, without the Lord’s Day, we cannot live. That was the answer given in the year 304 by Christians from Abitene in present-day Tunisia, when they were caught celebrating the forbidden Sunday Eucharist and brought before the judge. Without Sunday we cannot be Christians. I invite you to pray about your Sunday. To make it a priority. Also, join me in developing more ways of making our Sunday Assembly rich, engaging, and fruitful. I am hoping we can propose and introduce some Sunday opportunities that will continue to lead us into deeper encounter with the zealous Jesus, who wants his Father’s house to be called “a house of prayer”.
Jesus thy kingdom come! In my heart through Mary! ~Fr. Gabriel