The Liturgical Season Of Ordinary Time Year A

Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.   John 4:35 NIV

Christ has ascended, and until He returns…

The rest of the year following Epiphany and Pentecost is known as Ordinary Time. Rather than meaning “common” or “mundane,” this term comes from the word “ordinal,” which simply means counted time (First Sunday after Trinity, etc.), which is probably a better way to think of this time of the year. In Common Worship, the first section of Ordinary Time starts on the day after Candlemass ( February 2nd) and ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent. Ordinary Time resumes after Pentecost and always begins with Trinity Sunday and ends with Christ the King Sunday (last Sunday before the beginning of Advent). The season of The Sundays after Trinity usually focuses on the evangelical mission of the church to the world and its responsibility in carrying out that mission of proclamation. The Liturgical colour for Ordinary Time is dark green, although other shades of green are commonly used. Green has traditionally been associated with new life and growth.

Readings

Season after Pentecost Year A	First* reading and Psalm	Alternate* First reading and Psalm	Second reading	Gospel
Trinity Sunday June 4, 2023 First Sunday after Pentecost ART — PRAYER	Genesis 1:1-2:4a Psalm 8		2 Corinthians 13:11-13	Matthew 28:16-20
Proper 5 (10) Second Sunday after Pentecost June 11, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 12:1-9 Psalm 33:1-12	Hosea 5:15-6:6 Psalm 50:7-15	Romans 4:13-25	Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
Proper 6 (11) Third Sunday after Pentecost June 18, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7) Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19	Exodus 19:2-8a Psalm 100	Romans 5:1-8	Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
Proper 7 (12) Fourth Sunday after Pentecost June 25, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 21:8-21 Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17	Jeremiah 20:7-13 Psalm 69:7-10, (11-15), 16-18	Romans 6:1b-11	Matthew 10:24-39
Proper 8 (13) Fifth Sunday after Pentecost July 2, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 22:1-14 Psalm 13	Jeremiah 28:5-9 Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18	Romans 6:12-23	Matthew 10:40-42
Proper 9 (14) Sixth Sunday after Pentecost July 9, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 Psalm 45:10-17 or Song of Solomon 2:8-13	Zechariah 9:9-12 Psalm 145:8-14	Romans 7:15-25a	Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Proper 10 (15) Seventh Sunday after Pentecost July 16, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 25:19-34 Psalm 119:105-112	Isaiah 55:10-13 Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13	Romans 8:1-11	Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Proper 11 (16) Eighth Sunday after Pentecost July 23, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 28:10-19a Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24	Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19 or Isaiah 44:6-8 Psalm 86:11-17	Romans 8:12-25	Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Proper 12 (17) Ninth Sunday after Pentecost July 30, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 29:15-28 Psalm 105:1-11, 45b or Psalm 128	1 Kings 3:5-12 Psalm 119:129-136	Romans 8:26-39	Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Proper 13 (18) Tenth Sunday after Pentecost August 6, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 32:22-31 Psalm 17:1-7, 15	Isaiah 55:1-5 Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21	Romans 9:1-5	Matthew 14:13-21
Proper 14 (19) Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost August 13, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b	1 Kings 19:9-18 Psalm 85:8-13	Romans 10:5-15	Matthew 14:22-33
Proper 15 (20) Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost August 20, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Genesis 45:1-15 Psalm 133	Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 Psalm 67	Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32	Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Proper 16 (21) Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost August 27, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 1:8-2:10 Psalm 124	Isaiah 51:1-6 Psalm 138	Romans 12:1-8	Matthew 16:13-20
Proper 17 (22) Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 3, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 3:1-15 Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b	Jeremiah 15:15-21 Psalm 26:1-8	Romans 12:9-21	Matthew 16:21-28
Proper 18 (23) Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 10, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 12:1-14 Psalm 149	Ezekiel 33:7-11 Psalm 119:33-40	Romans 13:8-14	Matthew 18:15-20
Holy Cross September 14, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Numbers 21:4b-9 Psalm 98:1-5 or Psalm 78:1-2, 34-38		1 Corinthians 1:18-24	John 3:13-17
Proper 19 (24) Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 17, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 14:19-31 Psalm 114 or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21	Genesis 50:15-21 Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13	Romans 14:1-12	Matthew 18:21-35
Proper 20 (25) Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost September 24, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 16:2-15 Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45	Jonah 3:10-4:11 Psalm 145:1-8	Philippians 1:21-30	Matthew 20:1-16
Proper 21 (26) Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost October 1, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16	Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 Psalm 25:1-9	Philippians 2:1-13	Matthew 21:23-32
Proper 22 (27) Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost October 8, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 Psalm 19	Isaiah 5:1-7 Psalm 80:7-15	Philippians 3:4b-14	Matthew 21:33-46
Canadian Thanksgiving Day October 9, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Deuteronomy 8:7-18 Psalm 65		2 Corinthians 9:6-15	Luke 17:11-19
Proper 23 (28) Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost October 15, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 32:1-14 Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23	Isaiah 25:1-9 Psalm 23	Philippians 4:1-9	Matthew 22:1-14
Proper 24 (29) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost October 22, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm 99	Isaiah 45:1-7 Psalm 96:1-9, (10-13)	1 Thessalonians 1:1-10	Matthew 22:15-22
Proper 25 (30) Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost October 29, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17	Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18 Psalm 1	1 Thessalonians 2:1-8	Matthew 22:34-46
All Saints Day November 1, 2023 (Sometimes observed on first Sunday in November) ART — PRAYER	Revelation 7:9-17 Psalm 34:1-10, 22		1 John 3:1-3	Matthew 5:1-12
Proper 26 (31) Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost November 5, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Joshua 3:7-17 Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37	Micah 3:5-12 Psalm 43	1 Thessalonians 2:9-13	Matthew 23:1-12
Proper 27 (32) Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost November 12, 2023 (If All Saints not observed on this day) ART — PRAYER	Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Psalm 78:1-7	Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-16 or Amos 5:18-24 Wisdom of Solomon 6:17-20 or Psalm 70	1 Thessalonians 4:13-18	Matthew 25:1-13
Proper 28 (33) Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost November 19, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Judges 4:1-7 Psalm 123	Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 Psalm 90:1-8, (9-11), 12	1 Thessalonians 5:1-11	Matthew 25:14-30
Thanksgiving Day, USA November 23, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Deuteronomy 8:7-18 Psalm 65		2 Corinthians 9:6-15	Luke 17:11-19
Reign of Christ – Proper 29 (34) Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost November 26, 2023 ART — PRAYER	Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Psalm 100	Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Psalm 95:1-7a	Ephesians 1:15-23	Matthew 25:31-46
Proper 3 (8) Not Observed This Year ART — PRAYER	Isaiah 49:8-16a Psalm 131		1 Corinthians 4:1-5	Matthew 6:24-34
Proper 4 (9) Not Observed This Year ART — PRAYER	Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19 Psalm 46	Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28 Psalm 31:1-5, 19-24	Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28, (29-31)	Matthew 7:21-29
	* “First” OT readings, read semi-continuously, follow major stories/themes, beginning in Year A with Genesis and ending in Year C with the later prophets. Italicized readings may be used with, or in place of it.	* “Alternate First” OT readings follow the complementary historical tradition of thematically pairing the OT reading with the Gospel reading. Italicized readings may be used with, or in place of it.
	** In a very few instances in the Lectionary, no Psalm reading is offered for reasons relating to the thematic nature of the Day.

Sources

• By Dako99 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
• Photo: http://www.elmwood-church.org
• Lectionary from The Vanderbilt Divinity Library
• Anglican Church Twente