A View from the Towers: between feast and Fast, the church dwells in green

By Julie A. Ferraro | FāVS News Columnist

In this “between time” observed by the Catholic Church — the weeks between the end of the Christmas season, which concluded with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 11, and the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday on Feb. 18 — there’s a lot of green to be seen.

Green, for the Church, is the color of “Ordinary Time.”

But, is there any such thing as ordinary time?

When it comes to liturgical vestments, white is traditionally a symbol of the purity of saints celebrated on their respective feast days, like St. Scholastica on Feb. 10, or St. Thomas Aquinas on Jan. 28, who are consecrated religious, or have been given the special designation Doctors of the Church for their deep spiritual and wise teachings and writings.

Red represents the blood shed by martyrs, such as St. Agnes on Jan. 21 or St. Blasé on Feb. 3.

Purple is worn in the weeks before Christmas for the Advent season (in some places, replaced by blue) and Lent, the 40 days prior to Easter, with the symbolism ranging from the royalty of Jesus — of the House of King David and King of the Universe — to penitence.

Why green, though, for Ordinary Time?

Various sources note green as the sign of life, and surely life is seen all around us, every day, throughout the year. The leaves that burst forth from dormant tree branches each spring unfold to form a blanket of green that provides shade from the sun and protection for birds and other small animals from predators.

Pausing to reflect on this idea can bring comfort to the soul after the brightly colored decorations of Christmas and New Year’s have been boxed up and put into storage. Green is a restful color, soothing in the wake of all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, as we ease back into the daily routine.

In a prayerful sense — especially for the Center for Benedictine Life community at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho, seasonal antiphons that serve as a type of refrain accompanying the psalms are gone as the regular cycle of the Liturgy of the Hours, “the prayer of the whole people of God,” resumes. 

There’s not as much flipping of pages in the books used when gathered in the chapel throughout the day or a need to arrange so many ribbons as bookmarks among the sections.

On a spiritual level, though, are these weeks a “break” from the journey made in service of others, or growing closer in relationship to God? St. Benedict emphasizes in his Rule that it’s definitely not! The only changes he notes among the instructions contained in those 73 chapters involve the amount of time spent in manual labor or contemplative reading, and the hours when prayer should begin — depending on when the sun rises and sets, since the sixth century didn’t have the advantage of electric lights.

Yes, Lent focuses on more intense activity on the spiritual plane, with St. Benedict advising that each monk should be given a suitable spiritual book to read. The tradition of giving up something for those 40 days — like dessert, smoking or other habits — continues to be practiced. Although St. Benedict preferred moderation, and even modern admonitions suggest positive actions, like volunteering time to help the homeless or donating to charity.

Still, in these weeks where green takes the fore, we can take that reminder of how blessed we are to see life wherever we look, in many forms, and share our gifts with generous hearts by making those we meet welcome, if only with a smile or a cheery, “Good morning!” 

We can be green ourselves by recycling, or picking up any litter we might encounter on our daily rounds, to help gradually restore creation to how God intended it.

Kermit the Frog once sang, “It’s not easy being green.” Green is kind of taken for granted. It may become commonplace as the weeks of Ordinary Time pass because we see so much of it.

Let us be glad and rejoice in the green, be thankful for each day gifted to us and the numerous opportunities to share God’s love with all people.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.

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