Jiggety Jig

Let’s talk about jigs.

Not the lively dance with leaping movements, but rather the device for guiding a tool or for holding machine work in place. 

The older I get, the more I appreciate that the Church has liturgical seasons. I’ve come to think of them as jigs that keep us on track spiritually.

And this world has no shortage of opportunities to veer off track, am I right?

We start the liturgical year with Advent, which means “coming.” It’s a season that encourages us to slow down and be still as we await with hope the coming of Christ at Christmas. If ever there was a time to slow down and be still, it’s the whirlwind that rushes through life right around Thanksgiving.

Its cousin is the season of Lent, as we prepare for the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Here the Church orients the jig toward self-reflection, repentance, and fasting so that we can more fully understand and appreciate Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. It’s a chance to consider the direction of our lives and take stock of our shortcomings. It’s important to have opportunities to remind ourselves that we aren’t always as awesome as our social media feeds portray us to be.

Then there’s “Ordinary Time,” which was perfectly named, probably by a practical-minded person who drives a Toyota Camry and whose favorite kind of bagel is plain. Ordinary Time makes the other seasons feel more special but also does its job to keep us connected to God in the everyday ordinary moments of our lives, which is…most of the time. It helps teach us how faith fits into the highs and lows of everyday life. 

Each liturgical season is a jig, holding us near to God and guiding us along on our path of holiness, toward our Heavenly home.

Of course, Christmas and Easter get their own seasons as well, not limited to measly one day set aside on our modern calendar. There is a time and place for everything, and as important as self-reflection, repentance, and fasting are, the Church understands the importance of celebrating and enjoying God’s goodness.  

So it sets aside a chunk of time to party.

Which is a perfect time to dance a jig.