crooked lines

Dec 24, 2024

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One of the most significant lines I’ve ever read in theology books is perhaps also one of the simplest and one of the most humorous:

God writes straight with crooked lines.

This little phrase came to mind throughout the day yesterday as your Christmas inspirations flooded in following my morning invitation. Have a look at this link – and if you haven’t contributed take a moment to add your reflection. I’ll publish the encouragements again tomorrow as a Christmas Day reflection.

It’s been a recurring theme of the retreats I have guided throughout the year, not just the fact that God works with our crookedness, but that the mess and complexities and ups and downs of our lives is the place where God prefers to work.

While in the past we saw priests and bishops as the best of the leaders and the pick of the teachers in the Church, we now appreciate (helped by Pope Francis’ emphasis on Synodality (sincerely and openly listening to every member of the People of God) that every person who is seeking to live fully is a faith-educator, and every baptised person is commissioned for this mission of transmitting that which is essential in life.

As I write (Monday afternoon) almost forty people have already contributed a Christmas reflection to the FFF Your Turn page.

Take a moment to ponder that in these comments we have not simply a few dozen encouraging sentences, but heart-felt and considered communications from disciples who have lived through every complexity of human existence.

I love that.

Life is the teacher and our classroom of learning is the world.

Think of the learning, the richness, the depth and breadth of human adventure in these crooked-lined lives, together (even in just 40 contributions) the richness of thousands of years of engagement between the human and the divine – and now the fruit shared with us in a brief phrase.

Crooked-lined lives. Yes. This is the point: God delights in the crooked lines of our lives.

A few years ago a young friend commented to me, ‘John, you know the problem with Sunday Mass?’ After a brief pause he answered himself: ‘there are not enough sinners in church.’

I knew what he meant. Perhaps the church has become more a respectable and organised institution than a messy and hungry community of pilgrims as in the first three centuries of Christianity.

But here’s the good news.

While half a century ago the people around our Christmas Dinner table would likely be families with friends of similar thinking and religions practice this is certainly not the case today. I like that. I like the honesty and visibility of the crooked lines and I’m much more at home among the complex shapes into which the families of most of us have evolved. Yes it is complex, and often painful with evident differences and even tensions…

…but this is a sign of faith maturation in progress.

Perhaps each person revealing a different aspect of the divine prism.

So over these Christmas days let’s delight in the diversity both evident and hidden in our family and friends, remembering that the most intimate friends of Jesus were those who also struggled to fit within cultural and institutional boxes.

In this positive approach the presence and action of Jesus will emerge and will surprise and delight you – all evidence that the Word of God became flesh, and is dwelling among us.

Here’s an inclusive grace you might like to use at your Christmas meal this year.

A Grace before Christmas Dinner

One of the more senior people
at the dinner begins saying:

Before we share this Christmas meal together,
Let us take a moment of silent prayer
to give God thanks
for all the blessings we have received this year
and for the burdens we bear, shared and personal.

A moment of silent reflection follows
Then the leader continues

Let us remember those
we have shared Christmas with in past years,
those who have died,
and also those who are not able to be with us today.
Let us now share aloud
the names of those we especially wish to remember.

Those at table take a moment
to share the names of those
they wish to remember.

When the names have been shared
a candle is lit in the centre of the table
(perhaps by one of the children).
Then the leader prays

May the light of this candle
lead us to the One
who overcomes every darkness.

And for what we receive in this meal,
the food, drink, and family and friendship,
let us be deeply grateful.

Amen

5 Comments

  1. I will be using this Christmas Grace while delighting in the diversity around me! Thank you.

    Reply
    • I helped my daughter move to Chch last week from Dunedin.She is a teacher, so almost a full time job, as many passionate teachers will know. I thought the task huge to clean, pack and move her however talking with God, His grace was upon us to complete the task with strength and encouragement. My daughter gave a lot away for free to people in the Dunedin community including, food, bedding and precious items, the humility and gratitude of the people who came to collect the items was just heartfelt and very moving with their kind, warm messages of thanks.
      This is where I truly witnessed Christ’s light and love.
      Wishing all NZ a very special Christ centered Christmas

      Reply
      • Lovely reflection on where we find Jesus in our lives, in these small human interactions! I do also believe in the activity of the Holy Spirit, for me that’s the unexpected things that happen in a day or week that keep my hope – and joy, alive.
        Alleluia, alleluia

        Reply
  2. Fr John and
    Wishing you a happy & Holy Christmas, Taking of humorous sayings’ God writes straight with crooked lines.’ I don’t know where I heard this one but ‘ When God created humans he must have been joking!’

    Reply
  3. Thank you John for all your inspiring and comforting words, and reminders that we need to be looking in the here and now for that one true source.

    Merry Christmas!

    Reply

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