Not all are called to be artists in the specific sense of the term. Yet as Genesis has it, all men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece. – St. John Paul II, Letter to Artists
We each come into the world with a certain set of genes and circumstances. We are not blank slates. God provides the raw material for our lives. He is the potter who has shaped our clay. Yet, we are invited to do the best that we can with what we have been given, to work with God to become a finished product.
God has made us to be original works of art. There will never be another person exactly like us. Through each choice we make, we add to the beauty of our lives or we destroy ourselves in ways big or small. We will all face challenges and difficult circumstances in our lives. Those hard times are like the fire of a kiln. They can either refine us and bring out a splendor that was hidden or they can cause us to shatter. Yet even those who shatter are not beyond repair. God is the Master Craftsman who can always help us to seal the cracks and heal. There will be scars, yes, but the scars can become part of the beauty of the final creation.
When we are going through life, we often don’t feel like a masterpiece. Life feels messy and uncomfortable. We see our flaws. The voices in our head tell us that we are not enough, that we will never be enough. In the midst of the mess, we need to trust in the process. Creation is often a messy business. When an artist is working, it can be hard to see what the finished product might be like. One can get glimpses of beauty, but the true magnificence isn’t visible until the work is finished. We are all still works in progress, working with God to become the masterpieces He created us to be.
Prayer
Master Craftsman, help me to work with You to become the masterpiece you made me to be. Help me to make good choices to add beauty to my life, and when I feel broken, help me to trust in Your ability to heal my wounds.
Action
Contemplate what it means to craft your life. Look over the past week. What have you done that has added beauty to who you are as a person? What has detracted from that beauty? If you have sinned and are in need of healing, make a plan to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. God always wants to help us heal.
This is an excerpt from The Work of Our Hands. (Amazon affiliate link)
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