PrayingWithMyFingers

Dear God,

The daily devotion today reminds me that it is the twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  I know that Ordinary Time has a particular meaning for the church but I find it interesting to think about time as “ordinary.”  Ordinary Time is a season of the Christian (especially the Catholic) liturgical calendar. The English name is intended to translate the Latin term Tempus per annum (literally “time through the year”). Ordinary Time comprises the two periods which do not fall under the “strong seasons” of Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter.  It even has a color assigned to it – green.

I think our culture has become so perverted that we have a problem with “ordinary” time.  We, Americans want everything to be extraordinary and if we are faced with a bit of boredom or a taste of life being bland, we immediately look to discover what is “wrong.”  The advent of “instantness” afforded us by the electronic age only exacerbate the problem.

This need for being constantly in a state of excitement, busyness and activity is reflected throughout the culture – in our work and our addiction to cell phones, iphones, computers and instant access to all things – in our food – everyday is a feast day – our Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts have had to become even bigger to stand out as anything special since we eat in excess most every day of the week – in our need to be entertained by television and 250 channels when we can only watch one – maybe two or three – at one time and the plethora of movies, sporting events, theater, and tourist attractions like Disney that cater to over-the-top amusements.

I love today’s devotion that takes me back to the idea of how God dazzles us – and what I want to focus on instead of what the culture tells me I should want:  “How does God dazzle us?  Truthfully, anything can be a door to divine bedazzling:  the scent of pine, the hooting of an owl, the sweetness of a peach, the laughter of a child, the kindness of a stranger, the embrace of a friend, a line from Scripture, the brightness of the stars at night.”  Loving God, help me to be more open to all the ways You wish to dazzle me with your love today.         Sr. Melannie Svoboda, S.N.D.