[Pearls Ep 154: Aswering atheism Tuesday.]
We’re finishing our reflection on Ordinary Time.
We’ve been looking at how Ordinary Time is really a time to deepen our rhythm of life, make small adjustments based on the graces received (in this case) during Christmas.
There’s an important distinction to be made between this approach to patterning our Life, and the common idea of “life hacks.” Most any definition you might pull up for “life hacks” focusses on making life more productive or efficient. Presumably there is also some idea of happiness that goes along with that… if you make your life more efficient there’s more time for tik tack, or something like that.
We have nothing against life hacks – it’s revolutionary to realize you can turn your dress shirts inside out to easily iron over the buttons…
But it’s no coincidence that “life hack” grew out of the general term of “hack” used by computer geeks for any short cuts for otherwise complex computer tasks.
The distinction between humans and computers in the productivity-crazed secular world becomes grayer and grayer.
The virtue of a rhythm of life, is that it brings our life more and more into the pattern of Christ’s life. As we’ve returned to Ordinary Time, the daily Gospel readings are now from Mark, starting at the beginning of Jesus ministry, and each day we walk along with Him.
That is the spiritual focus of Ordinary Time, walking with Jesus on His “day to day” journey, as we walk along our journey.
The spiritual gifts we receive at Christmas, the small inspirations for new ways to live out our daily life aren’t “life hacks” – yes they will make us happier, but not because we’re more efficient, but because they show us a new way to draw closer to the One who loves us best.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: The Green Growth of Ordinary Time
The liturgical color for Ordinary Time is green. The colors for seasons and feasts, like all things Catholic, have deep symbolism. Red for Christ’s passion and the blood of martyrs. White for the glory and light of Easter and Christmas. And so on. One of the traditional interpretations of green for Ordinary Time is to signify the time of great growth of the Church following the first Easter and Pentecost.
Building on this analogy many Church fathers have used the analogy of the growth of a tree. The roots are our relationship with Christ, and the foliage is our spiritual life – as our roots deepen, we grow greener and fuller. Christmas and Easter are times for deepening our roots (receiving specific graces from God). And then, in Ordinary Time, we find new growth in our spiritual life.
One final observation comes from the beloved Psalm 23:
The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me.
Ordinary Time is a time when we grow in following Christ in our day-to-day lives. And where does He lead us? To green pastures…