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Write a short letter (about a page) to one of the four evangelists (Mark, Matthew, Luke or John) thanking him for his Gospel and telling him what it is that you really like about it.

Dear Luke,

Thanks for your Gospel. Here’s what I really like about it:

You don’t waffle and keep on repeating things for effect the way Matthew does, and although he’s doing it for dramatic effect and it could be said that he’s using wonderful literary style and clever devices, sometimes he makes me feel that he must think I am stupid. You don’t do that, and I appreciate your estimation of my intellect. Clear communication of information is a huge help to me.

Your telling of the story is quite pragmatic and although you do include stern warnings, you write them in such a matter-of-fact way that the reader’s focus doesn’t dwell in the dark but shifts effortlessly into the light. The way you structure your information leads your reader quite effectively to a place of hope and trust. You don’t deny the darkness – in fact you’re quite scary in how much you talk about Satan and the very real power of darkness compared to any of the other Gospel writers – but you never let us feel like darkness will have the last word, you always shift us into a position of hope and faith in God’s power and goodness.

Thanks for keeping your telling of the Beatitudes on the level. The mountaintop experiences where we catch a glimpse of who Jesus really is, are amazing and give us food for the journey. But the reality is that the bulk of our lives are lived on the floor of our existence: in our domestic relationships, our earning a crust, our ministry, our play, and all of the unscheduled crises that go on around us on a daily basis. Giving us Jesus’ amazing teachings in this context helps me to feel less guilty about living a life on the ground, amongst the people and their noise and bustle. You don’t make me feel like I need to escape my life in order to encounter Jesus and hear him speak to me.

I also really appreciate your sense of liturgy as a living thing: so much of your Gospel lends itself to daily communal prayer in the midst of all of the busyness; it is real and alive and present and calling out for simple participation. Awesome stuff, and so very beautiful.

Oh, and I love that you include the bit about Jesus calling Herod a fox! Haha! Classic!!

I could write twenty more pages, but nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow: I’m preparing for a youth camp with 40 hooligan kids from Tafelsig. And the third day? Well, I wish I was finishing my course, but there’s a bit more to go yet! In the meantime it cannot be that a student should perish away from her books; I’ll catch you on the flipside.

With loads of love and grateful appreciation,
Sister Christian

P.S. I also like that your Gospel’s traditional symbol is an ox. One of my other heroes was distinguished for referring to himself as a “dumb ox” – and it’s clear that in both of your cases “the ox knows its owner”. I can only hope that someday Isaiah’s text might apply to me too: “the ass knows its master’s crib”. I am most grateful to you because I think your Gospel might be of some assistance in that regard! (Please excuse the asinine pun, it was from top to bottom accidental, and certainly no matter of substance).

P.P.S. I was only bold enough to include that last parenthetical attempt at comedy because I know from your Gospel that you have a wry sense of humour and would be able to handle my chutzpah!

P.P.P.S Yes, I know, after lambasting him in my intro, I’m being a bit Matthean now myself. Sorry!!