Green is a colour that naturally re-
minds us of hope and growth. In the
Roman Rite of the Catholic Church,
the colour green is frequently seen
on Sundays (and weekends) through-
out the year. It is reserved for the
season called ‘Ordinary Time, ’but
it’s symbolism is far from ordinary.
d for the season called “Ordinary
Time,” but it’s symbolism is far
from ordinary. First of all, green is
primarily associated with growth
and reflects the season of Spring and
Summer in the natural world.
Nicholas Gihr in his book, The
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass brings to
mind the images of a tree and garden
to explain its symbolism
“Green is in harmony with the
very nature of the Church – she
is a mighty tree, which lifts its top
majestically towards heaven, spread
its shady branches and leaves in
benediction over the earth, re-
splendent with the richest blossoms
bringing forth choice fruits of grace
and virtue in abundance. She is the
watered garden of the Lord; Christ,
the good shepherd leads his sheep
to ever green pastures. The Church
clothes herself in green vestments
to express her joyous, lively hope of
the ever lovely and eternally verdant
meadows of the heavenly paradise, of
the incorruptible inheritance and the
unfading crown of glory in Heaven.
In this way the colour green urges
us to grow in our spiritual life that
we may be led into the Promised
Land of Heaven
It is further said in The Ecclesiasti-
cal Review that the shade of green to
be used for vestments was originally
meant to bring to mind the ‘sight of
sunlit meadow and shady wood-
land all of which indicates the sense
of hope and peace or of tranquil
gladness.’
Next to growth, green awakens
in us a sense of hope for the future.
Writer John Walsh in The Mass and
Vestments of the Catholic Church,
explains,‘ Green bespeaks hope.
As pilgrims and soldiers we walk
through a weary life, struggling as we
walk, and we should
Not faint on the way because we
are sustained by Our Lord, who in
person hath visited us, and by grace
of His Holy Spirit, and therefore,
like the living branch whose life is
renewed, we should Journey with an
indestructible hope towards our true
country.”
Green is a beautiful colour, one that
should alert us to many profound
spiritual truths that we can meditate
on during the season of Ordinary
Time.
