By Sister Allyn Marie Horton, SSND
Have you ever observed, during a funeral, what people tend to remember about the one who has passed away? We often recount tales of sporting events, projects, vacations, and cherished moments spent together.
We hear about the deceased person's gentleness, sense of humor, kindness, or presence. Rarely mentioned are their degrees, jobs, or professional accolades.
It is the common experiences that linger in memory and storytelling. These ordinary, everyday moments reveal so much about the individual!
Take a moment to look around. There are countless individuals presently engaged in their ordinary lives on Earth. We are fortunate to be part of this.
Each distinctive life is both ordinary and remarkable, filled with beauty, wonder, transformation, and growth.
As I contemplate my own everyday existence, I recognize the ways in which beauty, wonder, transformation, and development have shaped it.
My formative years, like many other SSNDs, involved active ministry in education. I was deeply engaged in the community, parish, or school where I served.
My prayer also concentrated on the daily actions and experiences of Jesus. What did Jesus do? What was my calling in his footsteps? My prayers and ministry seemed to mirror each other.
As I grow older and my physical capabilities decline, my activities diminish, and my ministry transitions from doing to being.
My prayers, too, evolve.
Who was Jesus in relation to each person he encountered in his daily life?
What was the nature of the relationship between Jesus and God that underpinned his ministry?
And what kind of relationship am I invited to share with Jesus now?
How can I let that relationship shape who I am, and how I live my ordinary, daily life?
We are now in Ordinary Time in our liturgical calendar. This season serves as a reminder from the Church about the teachings and ministry of Christ. It is through these ordinary and remarkable activities that we start to understand who Jesus was.
As we move through this year’s Ordinary Time in the Church, may we deepen our relationship with Jesus and God, and allow our existence and actions to stem from that connection.
