How to crochet a piece of cloth: Begin with a loop or two. Pass a hook through and loop another thread through the first loop. Then loop through that loop and keep going. You can loop one thread through two or three or more loops to create a pattern. Regardless of how many you loop, the pattern will eventually make a cloth of any size. That cloth will look like a web. And it will grow. It will be strong as long as the threads and loops remain strong. If a thread breaks or wears out, another one can be added to loop the remaining threads back together.
Why am I thinking of a crocheted piece of cloth? This morning at our prayer circle, I became aware (the Holy Spirit’s speaking to me, I suppose) that our prayer circle is a manifestation of the table of God, that place where we gather as Christians to share life with Jesus and each other. It is the place of shared Holy Eucharist, food, and feasts, and a place of sharing our joys and burdens. It is the place where we can name and share our losses and our grief.
Thanksgiving, followed by the Advent anticipation of Christmas and celebrating the birth of the Christ Child, can bring both joy and sorrow to our hearts and minds. As we mark the visitation of the Magi at Epiphany, I often feel a sense of let-down, recognizing that it’s time to hunker down to the new year’s chores and resolutions.
What sustains me during these times of joy and challenge to come is the connection with others who trust in God’s love for their lives and relationships. What gives me hope through these challenging times is not the agreement with politics or lifestyle or judgment of how "things should be done." Rather, I am sustained by the unconditional love that God brings me through others who are willing to loop me into the fabric of faith that brings God’s presence into my experience. I find God’s presence through others who listen with their hearts as we share the prayers of our hopes and dreams with one another.
A simple crocheted cloth of sustained relationships that are ultimately held together by God’s Spirit of love and kindness keeps me going. Knowing that Jesus is in the center of such a web of threads enables me to understand this cloth as a holy altar cloth, dedicated to the purpose of God, that all will find love and peace through Jesus’ love shared unconditionally.
The Rev. Para Drake, M.Div., Th.M., BCC, BCPCC