Our Placement On The Canvas Of Life

23 Aug

“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone’s task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it.” ~ Viktor E. Frankl

I remember when Bishop Norbert F. Gaughan came to the Diocese of Gary as our second bishop.  At his Mass of Installation, he gave a homily about pointillism.  According to the Oxford Dictionary, pointillism is “a technique of neo-impressionist painting using tiny dots of various pure colors, which become blended in the viewer’s eye. It was developed by Georges Seurat with the aim of producing a greater degree of luminosity and brilliance of color.”  In short, a picture is created, not by broad brush strokes, but by individual dots of pure color.

After describing the technique, Bishop Gaughan stated that each of us are one of God’s dots of pure color and that God was placing each and every one of us on a canvas of life.  Only if we allowed ourselves to be placed on that canvas would the picture be complete.  Without our own unique dot placed, the picture would be incomplete.

It gave a great sense of importance to everyone listening.  It made them feel special.  But, in order to be that dot of pure color, we must accept who and what we are as well as what God wants of us.  We may be a “red” dot and not necessarily wish to be placed next to a “yellow” or a “green”.  We say that only because we judge the dot next to us.  We do not have the opportunity to see the complete picture because we are only a part of that picture.

So, what is vocation?  Many times, people hear the word “vocation” and they think, “Oh, Lord.  Here comes a talk about being a priest or nun.”  That is not the case.  Vocation comes from the Latin “to be called”.  We are all called to a unique walk of life.  Yes, some as priests, sisters, brothers, or deacons.  But, also, some as doctors or lawyers or teachers or nurses.  Some as laborers, taxi drivers, or bus drivers.  Some as law enforcement or military personnel.  Each of us, if we respond to the call that God has in store for us, will shine with that particular brilliance with which God has created us.

If we refuse to accept that call, that is tantamount to having our colored dot placed on the wrong area of the canvas.  We make the picture incomplete or blurred.

You are unique.  You have been called to a specific purpose.  You have only to respond.  What will your answer to the Lord be this day?

FAITH ACTION:  Pray that all people identify and accept the vocation to which they are being called.