“our work is shaped by our love for God”
Late Vocations
Each one of has has been given a unique combination of gifts, talents and abilities that no one else has. There is something that every person can do in a way that no one else can. These gifts are given to us to help build God’s kingdom, to bring people back to Him. But He does not reveal all of these gifts to us at once. Some gifts only make themselves known when we need them or are ready to receive them.
Anna Mary Robertson was born in 1860. Her life on a farm left her little time to pursue any creative interests beyond what she could do around the house as a wife and mother. At the age of 78, eleven years after she was widowed, she took up painting in earnest. Now the entire world knows the work of Grandma Moses.
Rita Rudner is one of the funniest comedians working today. Since 2001 she has performed almost exclusively in Las Vegas, selling over two million tickets and becoming the longest running solo comedy act in Las Vegas. This has led to stints as a writer and an actor, garnering many awards and honors over the years. But she did not start out as a stand up comic.
Rudner’s passion in her early years was dancing. She danced on broadway until she was 25. But as she tells it, her feet began to hurt and she decided she better learn how to talk. She noticed that most dancers retire in their 20s and those that continue into their 30s are often plagued with lifelong problems in their feet and legs.
But her gift as a comic unfolded slowly and she spent long hours studying her favorite comedy talents. She began her standup career in the late 1970s and made her television debut (arguably her “big break”) in 1982 on Late Night With David Letterman.
In an interview she was asked if she would advise young people to follow their passion, her answer was surprising. “Don’t follow your dream, follow what’s possible. Look around and see where your talents lie, and go towards something that’s logical, rather than some ‘pie in the sky’ thing.”
Using our Gifts
All of us are given unique gifts, and there are no small gifts. Saint Paul tells us, “To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” 1Corinthians 12:7. These gifts are given to us for the common good, to build up the Body of Christ. Since these are supernatural gifts we can trust in their capacity to work spiritual wonders even if they seem outwardly mundane.
Often we are misled by the many things we can do and the many interests we have. But if all of our gifts are given to us to build up the Body of Christ, then it is our responsibility to discern how our gifts and talents line up with that mission.
It is our part to do all we can with the gifts we have been given. Raw talent is not enough, we must learn and develop and sharpen our skills. Then we can present them to the Lord and allow Him to change them into something greater than they were, as the water at Cana was turned into wine.
There are three “epiphanies” or manifestations of Christ to the Gentiles, recognized by the Church. The first epiphany is the visit of the Magi, when the Christ child is honored by foreign dignitaries. The second manifestation is the Baptism of Jesus. The heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends, and the voice of God is heard. The third event is the miracle of water turned to wine at the wedding in Cana. It is marked by the last words of Mary that are recorded in scripture. “Do whatever he tells you.” With those words Mary leaves everything to Jesus and at the same time instructs the servants.
Her words are for us as well. Just as the servants could not have provided another 25 gallons of wine on their own, we cannot give our lives meaning, purpose and joy by our own efforts. However we still need to do as much as we are able to, as the servants needed to fill the jars with water, so that God can work miracles with what we give Him.
When we dedicate our gifts and talents to God, giving back to him the fruit of the gifts He has given us, our work is shaped by our love for God. Nothing done for love is ever trivial or wasted. Even the smallest part of our work may be used for the benefit of others in ways that we may never fully realize. All that matters is that we do what we do, for love of others.
It really is as simple as that. If all our creative output, all the movies, stories, art, drama, songs, poems and books were created for the benefit of the common good, which is another way of saying for the love of God, imagine the impact we would have on the world.
God speaks to us through our gifts. We may never fully know the good we do But it is for us to listen, and do as He tells us. We may have many false starts in our lives as we find our purpose, but God will unfold His gifts to us as we need them, and as we are ready to receive them. Like the Wedding at Cana, God often serves the best wine last.
Pax Vobiscum
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time