When I first started my journey of faith, I always found this season a little strange. We don’t have the great celebrations of Christmas or Easter. The excitement of those great festivals has passed, the summer months begin to appear, and life becomes busy with family, friends, holidays, gardening, and long evenings filled with activity. At first, Ordinary Time felt quieter somehow — almost as though nothing much was happening. Yet over the years, I have come to realise that this season may actually hold some of the most important moments in our faith. It is during these ordinary weeks that we learn how to walk daily with God. Not through grand celebrations or special occasions, but through the steady rhythm of worship, prayer, community, and simple acts of love. Faith is formed not only in the extraordinary moments, but in the ordinary ones too. This time of year, also brings a particular beauty to our churches and communities. Our churchyards begin to bloom, flowers brighten our windows and altars, and the warm summer light pours gently through stained glass. Here on our island, even the air itself feels different — carrying the scent of flowers, sea breeze, and sunshine. There is something deeply comforting about these familiar signs of summer and the quiet peace they can bring. Ordinary Time reminds us that God is present not only in the great celebrations of Christmas joy or Easter triumph, but also in the everyday moments of life. In conversations shared over coffee, in checking in on a neighbour, in laughter among friends, in prayers whispered quietly at the end of the day, and in gathering faithfully week by week, God is still at work among us. Sometimes we can overlook these moments because they seem small or routine. Yet the Gospel repeatedly shows us that Jesus often revealed the Kingdom of God through ordinary people, ordinary places, and ordinary acts of compassion. A shared meal, a walk along the road, a conversation by the sea — these became holy moments because God was present within them. Perhaps June gently reminds us that faith is not only about the mountaintop experiences, but about learning to recognise God in the steady, beautiful rhythm of everyday life. And maybe that is why Ordinary Time matters so much — because it teaches us that grace quietly grows all around us, often when we least expect it.
Loving God, in the quiet rhythm of Ordinary Time, help us to see Your presence in everyday moments. May we find You in simple acts of kindness, in shared laughter, in peaceful prayers, and in the beauty all around us. Teach us to walk faithfully with You each day, trusting that Your grace is always at work in our lives. Amen.
Ashley
