The Broken Handle Still in Use
Updated: Sep 3
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench.”Matthew 12:20
It has cracked, but not completely. You have wrapped it, or learned the careful grip that keeps it serviceable.
A better handle could be fitted. Yet the old one continues.
Jesus spoke of new wine and old wineskins, of what can still be used and what must in time be replaced. He also worked with imperfect wood, as every carpenter does. He did not snap off what was only bruised. He did not treat the first crack as the end of the story.
Some tools outlast their first strength through patience and care. They become familiar in their brokenness. The hand knows where the weakness is. The work still gets done.
You do not have to pretend it is perfect. You do not have to throw it away the moment the first crack appears.
As long as it still serves without danger, it can remain in the hand.
This is close to the way Christ treats us at Mass. We do not arrive uncracked. We come with old habits, tired faith, and repairs that are only temporary. He does not wait for a perfect handle before he uses a life. He also does not ask us to ignore what is unsafe. Some things must be mended. Some things must be replaced. Until then, he can work with what is still willing to serve.
There is a quiet dignity in continued usefulness.