THE WEARING OF THE GREEN

 
At the end of November I took all of our “Ordinary Time” vestments to be cleaned, knowing that with the purple of Advent and the white/gold of Christmas they wouldn’t be needed for a while.  But beginning this Monday, it’s the default color of choice for a few weeks, until Lent begins on 3 March.
 
Why green for the bulk of our liturgical year?  Let’s examine the symbolic significance of this color, beginning with fertility.  Green brings to mind the image of plants coming back to life after winter; grass turns green from the brown of winter, daffodils bloom.  It’s the color most associated with spring—re-birth, new life, joy.  It is, then, the color that best represents hope—hope for the future, hope for renewal, hope for life.
 
This is especially appropriate this year, the Holy Year of 2025, with Pope Francis’ declared theme “The Jubilee of Hope.”  It is a theme central to our Christian faith.
 
St Paul reminds us (Romans 5:5 and 8:24) that hope in Christ does not (and cannot) disappoint; that we are saved in hope.  Going back further, the message of the prophet Jeremiah, finally, was one of “hope for the future” (Jeremiah 31:10-14, 16-17).  
 
Pope Benedict XVI wrote powerfully about this virtue (I Corinthians 13:13) in his encyclical Spe Salvi (Saving Hope).  Pope St John Paul II spoke eloquently about crossing the threshold of hope when we were approaching the great Jubilee of the new millennium in 2000.  But this is different from our ordinary use of the word.  Too often, when we say “I hope so,” we really mean “I want it to be so, but I’m doubtful.” No— this hope is firm—as firm as the reality of the Resurrection.  We don’t hope in any fanciful way; our hope is anchored (Hebrews 6:17-20) in Jesus Christ.
 
St Paul talks often (Romans 8:18) about “glory” to be experienced, but for myself, I don’t really need or want glory—it will be more than enough for me simply to be in the presence of glory (= the Blessed Trinity), united with the ultimate and perfect Mystical Body of Christ—ALL its members.  To use an image from theatre: no doubt it would be great to have a starring role; or even the chorus.  It would be great to have a front-row seat for the production.  But I’ll be happy enough to be in the balcony, watching and cheering and loving.  It is a small hope, perhaps, but it’s worth every drop of joy, and it’s plenty reason now for putting on the green.
                                                                                              Fr. David