Holy Interruptions: Finding Jesus in the Detours of Ordinary Life
Ordinary Time Is Where Life Happens
When we hear the phrase "Ordinary Time," it is easy to think of it as the less exciting season of the church year. The celebrations of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost are behind us, and now we settle into the long green season.
But ordinary does not mean unimportant.
Ordinary Time is where most of life happens. It is found in workplaces, doctor's offices, grocery stores, family dinners, and unexpected crises. It is in these everyday moments that we often encounter God.
Matthew 9 reminds us that Jesus frequently shows up in the middle of ordinary life, especially when our plans are interrupted.
Jesus Meets People Where They Are
The chapter begins with Jesus calling Matthew, a tax collector whom most people considered beyond redemption. Jesus does not ask Matthew to clean up his life first. He simply says, "Follow me."
Soon afterward, Jesus shares a meal with tax collectors and sinners, prompting criticism from the religious leaders. His response is simple: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice."
Again and again, Jesus demonstrates that God's grace is not reserved for the perfect. He meets people where they are and invites them into a new life.
Grace in the Delays
As Jesus travels to help a grieving father whose daughter has died, another interruption occurs. A woman who has suffered for twelve years reaches out and touches his garment. Jesus stops, sees her, and restores not only her health but also her dignity and belonging.
Meanwhile, the father waits.
It would have been easy for him to think Jesus was taking too long. Yet when Jesus finally arrives, he brings life where everyone else saw only an ending.
Many of us know what it feels like to wait on God. We pray, hope, and wonder why answers seem delayed. Matthew's Gospel reminds us that delayed grace is still grace. God's timing may not be our timing, but God's work is never absent.
Finding God in the Interruptions
I was reminded of this recently at a rest area in Johnston County. A young woman's truck would not start. What began as a simple stop turned into an unexpected moment of community as several strangers came together to help her.
None of us had planned for it. All of us were interrupted.
Yet as we worked together, I realized something: no one asked where she came from, who she voted for, or whether she deserved help. There was a need, and people simply responded.
Perhaps that is what Matthew 9 is teaching us. Jesus often shows up in the interruptions: in the detours, delays, and unexpected encounters that disrupt our schedules.
The miracle of Ordinary Time is discovering that there really are no ordinary places when Christ is present. Wherever mercy is shown, wherever people are welcomed, and wherever hope is restored, God is already at work.
The next time your plans are interrupted, pause for a moment. What if that interruption is not getting in the way of God's work?
What if it is the very place where God's work is happening?
