The term “Ordinary Time” is misleading as our faith is anything but ordinary. As we begin Ordinary Time, our scripture readings focus on God’s call in our lives. Interestingly, the call of the disciples in John’s gospel differs from the other gospels. Jesus does not invite the disciples to follow him, others do. John the Baptist encouraged Andrew and another disciple to follow Jesus and later Andrew invited Peter. Each of the disciples are invited by someone other than Jesus.
In our own lives, we see that dynamic play out. I was introduced to the Christian faith by my family as a young child, as was the case for most of us. Nearly every one of us was invited to follow Jesus by the example or at the invitation of others. In turn, a good question to ask ourselves is how we lead others to Christ in our daily lives not only with our words, but more importantly, with our actions and behaviors.
As we celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr., we pause to reflect on the tremendous contribution he left for us. He shared with us a dream where all people could live in harmony, celebrating diversity. His dream inspired others to work for justice, inclusion, and peace, even when it was difficult. We pause to give thanks for his life, for his words and dreams, and for the peaceful movement that inspires us yet today.
May this short season of Ordinary Time help inspire us to reach beyond the ordinary as we continue to follow Jesus.
May God bless you and your loved ones today, tomorrow, and forevermore.