The Time after Pentecost
The Sundays after Pentecost (like the Sundays after Epiphany) are sometimes called Ordinary Time - not because they are routine or mundane, but because their primary rhythm has to do with following the Sundays "in order." Indeed, each Sunday is a celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week, and it is this holy mystery that animates, renews, and transforms our life of faith.
There are certain notable features of this period of time in the Christian year. First, these Sundays are bracketed by festivals that concern key theological affirmation of the church: Trinity Sunday and Christ the King / Reign of Christ; the former celebrates the mystery of God's triune being, while the latter extols the sovereignty of God in Jesus Christ. Second, the Revised Common Lectionary readings for the time after Pentecost cover large sections of the biblical story - major narratives of the Hebrew scriptures; the writings of the apostles to the earliest Christian communities; and the Gospel accounts of Jesus' ministry of teaching, healing, feeding, and welcoming. Note that two tracks of Old Testament readings (and psalms) are provided: (1) a semicontinuous track of sequential readings, independent of the Gospel; and (2) a complementary track of readings, thematically matched with the Gospel. Third, this is a flexible period of time: it may include from twenty-three to twenty-eight Sundays, due to the variable date of Easter.
COLOR: green, except for Trinity Sunday (white), All Saints' Day (white), and Christ the King / Reign of Christ (white)
- from the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship (2018)
There are certain notable features of this period of time in the Christian year. First, these Sundays are bracketed by festivals that concern key theological affirmation of the church: Trinity Sunday and Christ the King / Reign of Christ; the former celebrates the mystery of God's triune being, while the latter extols the sovereignty of God in Jesus Christ. Second, the Revised Common Lectionary readings for the time after Pentecost cover large sections of the biblical story - major narratives of the Hebrew scriptures; the writings of the apostles to the earliest Christian communities; and the Gospel accounts of Jesus' ministry of teaching, healing, feeding, and welcoming. Note that two tracks of Old Testament readings (and psalms) are provided: (1) a semicontinuous track of sequential readings, independent of the Gospel; and (2) a complementary track of readings, thematically matched with the Gospel. Third, this is a flexible period of time: it may include from twenty-three to twenty-eight Sundays, due to the variable date of Easter.
COLOR: green, except for Trinity Sunday (white), All Saints' Day (white), and Christ the King / Reign of Christ (white)
- from the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship (2018)