"Ordinary time" is hardly much of a title. It can seem lackluster after the joy of the Christmas season and its feasts. But the word, properly understood, can help us to grasp the intention of this season. This is the time in the church's calendar that orients us -- "orders" us -- to our mission. Diocesan bishops are called "ordinaries" not as a reflection on their talents but as a description of their task: to order the people of God for our common work. Similarly, "ordinary time" helps us to organize our thoughts and intentions and common commitments toward the work Christ gives us. Isaiah says it clearly: "I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth". What light can you shed on your call and task through these texts? How will you "call them to order" in this season for the sake of the gospel work?OLQP church bulletin, January 20, 2008
I was struck when I read this today, even though I'm not sure what it means. It's certainly an interpretation of "ordinary time" that I never heard before. And I suspect it's probably wrong.
The interpretation I've always heard is:
This time is called "ordinary" because it is, well, ordinary, that is, not part of any special liturgical season.
As for why bishops are called "ordinaries," the (old) Catholic Encyclopedia says
An Ordinary in ecclesiastical language, denotes any person possessing or exercising ordinary jurisdiction, i.e., jurisdiction connected permanently or at least in a stable way with an office, whether this connexion arises from Divine law, as in the case of popes and bishops, or from positive church law, as in the case mentioned below. Ordinary jurisdiction is contrasted with delegated jurisdiction, a temporary communication of power made by a superior to an inferior; thus we speak of a delegated judge and an ordinary judge.
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