Sometimes the Saints discourage me.
It’s not like they’re not doing it on purpose. It’s just that the more I learn about people like St. Francis and St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Teresa of Calcutta, the more I see how far I have to go in my own quest to join their ranks.
But then I think about this: I’m pretty sure none of the saints I just mentioned could paint as well as me.
I know that might sound prideful at first glance, but as another great saint, Teresa of Avila, said, “Humility is truth.”
It’s true that I’m probably a better artist than they were. Just as it’s also true that they are undoubtedly holier, humbler, and especially in the case of St. Thomas, much, much smarter than me.
Too often, we become more focused on what we’re not instead of what we are: an incredibly unique child of God created for the particular time and place in which we find ourselves.
We should be inspired to imitate the way the saints pursued holiness, but we need not beat ourselves up for being given different gifts.
The real danger comes when we compare ourselves to the great saints, find ourselves lacking in some particular area, and determine that becoming a saint is out of our grasp.
Wrong.
Don’t be fooled. As an artist, I know a thing or two about creativity. And possibly my favorite trait about God is His creativity. He is, after all, the Divine Artist, the Creator of Heaven and Earth and…YOU.
Take a closer look at any saint, and you’ll find that each of them has their own unique mix of experiences, talents, and personality traits.
Sometimes the gifts we have to share don’t feel very “saintly.”
Sometimes our calling is camouflaged in our weirdness.
My kids recently introduced me to a weird priest.
Fr. Sandesh Manuel describes himself as “out of the box.” He is a Franciscan Catholic priest, musician, and rapper from India who resides in Vienna, Austria.
None of those things, in and of themselves, is particularly weird. But I think we can agree that the combination of them most definitely is.
Check out this music video he made about one of our newest saints, Carlo Acutis. It may not be your usual listening fare, but I guarantee that the refrain will be ringing in your head the rest of the day (you’re welcome):
Fr. Manuel is a magnificent example of someone who is using his unique gifts to serve God, pursue holiness, and help others to do the same.
Your job is not to serve God the same way Fr. Manuel, or St. Francis, St. Thomas, or either of the St. Teresas have. God didn’t create you to be a second rate St. Francis. He created you to be the best version of you.
As St. Catherine of Siena said, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”
So…what do you love doing? What are you good at? What makes you weird?
Use it, all of it, in the service of Christ.
The combination is what makes it magical.
Apparently, God needed a guy from India with a flair for rapping to join the Franciscans and serve him in Austria. That wouldn’t have been on my bingo card, but then again, I’m not nearly as creative as God.
How exciting to think about what He has in mind for you!
Is there something about you that seems weird, unusual, or out of place?
It might be a calling in camouflage.
P.S. Here’s another one. (Hail Holy Queen with a Twist)
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