Welcome to Ordinary Time, my brothers and sisters.

As you and I start Ordinary Time, please allow me to begin with a fair warning: It’s going to be a long one. The Feast of Pentecost on 5 June begins Ordinary Time, and the season ends with the First Sunday of Advent on Sunday, 27 November. Obviously then, Ordinary Time is the Church’s longest season.

For my first theme in Ordinary Time, I chose an exploration into a noise that creeps into a lot of the beginnings on our sanctification journeys with God through ordinary life. That noise is the noise of the future.

The noise of the future tempts us to a mistaken self-reliance on our sanctification journeys. At the start of Ordinary Time, a long road stretches before us. Now, God provides for our journey along that road, comforts us at our stumbling blocks, and guides us each step of the way. Yet, we might perceive that this long road is on our shoulders.

Throughout my exploration of the Church year so far, the Church’s seasons focus on the actions of Jesus. We have seen God’s work for our salvation, so temptation might call us to believe that God’s grace is all in the past. This noise would lead us to believe that our sanctification journeys are now up to us. We must figure out how to use the grace given to us and complete this long road by our own means. Such a temptation comes from the noise of the future.

So, at the start of Ordinary Time, I want to spend a little time with this noise. May God show you and me how this noise invades our sanctification journeys with Him through our ordinary lives.

A Picture from Ordinary Life

Now, I figure most of the beginnings on our sanctification journeys could serve as a picture for the noise of the future. However, God presents me with an outstandingly ‘convenient’ moment for June’s picture. I change day-jobs to start this June.

For the past six plus years, I worked in a small pipe & tobacco shop. I sold carved pieces of wood for prices that would amaze some people, and people bought tobacco blends of shocking combinations.

Then on Mardi Gras, Jessica [my wife] suggests a move to real estate. Most of the crazy ideas in our relationship come from me, so I could only respond one way to my wife: “Well, I guess I know what we’ll be discerning this Lent.” By Easter, we both could hear God exclaim: “Plot twist!”

So, I look down the long road of a day-job change with the whole future before me. The discernment, which lead to this moment, lies behind me. God’s provision, comfort, and guidance through eighteen years of employment is in the past too. Also, Jessica and I have five years of working together to raise our family. So, all those experiences led to this place.

This is where the noise comes in, right? At this point, only one thing remains: I simply need to go out and do this. I can get plenty of training; I will have to find the clients, and then I can sell or list a house. Yep, I just have to walk the path in front of me. Yeah, I can do this.

Do you see my problem? Go back and look at my description of the past. I show lots of help from both God and Jessica, yet my description of the future involves a lot of “I”. This is the noise of the future. The noise of the future tempts me to a self-reliance that defies my journey to this point. In this way, the noise of the future distracts me from my going with God on my sanctification journey. 

My Faithful Connection

At this point, I’d like to share some comfort: You and I are not alone in listening to this noise. In fact, the Apostles [that’s Jesus’ inner circle] knew this noise too. I am specifically reminded of Jesus’ words in the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” [Matthew 28:19]

The Great Commission is among Jesus’ last words to His Apostles. I can easily see the Apostles hearing the noise of the future in this moment. Peter comes to mind first: “Yeah! I got it this time, Jesus.” Or maybe Thomas has the assertive response this time: “Sure, Jesus, I’m past that little doubting moment. I will take care of this.” Perhaps, Andrew could show a bit of restraint while completely listening to the noise of the future: “Alright, Jesus, if You say so.”

Moreover, the Apostles might have an easier time listening to the noise because they know Jesus is physically going away. Jesus’ return to the Father approaches quickly, so the Apostles know they will not have God physically beside them. They must move forward themselves, or so it may look to them. As a result, the noise of the future might tempt them to self-reliance with greater ease. 

So, you and I are not the first to experience the noise of the future. The temptation to self-reliance distracts even the Apostles on their sanctification journeys with God through their ordinary lives. Prayerfully then, you and I can draw some comfort in knowing that we are not alone in our struggles with the noise of the future on our sanctification journeys. 

Story Time

I’d like to end my exploration at the start of Ordinary Time with a story. Sit back and relax as you read this tale. May God open our eyes to this temptation in our own lives through a little story. Then, let us go into our future with God vigilant for this temptation to self-reliance on our sanctification journeys through our ordinary lives.

June’s Story: “Cruising Together”