Hey Advent Family,
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; three are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
The Landowner is very persistent. Even when I looked for a nook in which to hide or wandered down a path that led slightly outside the vineyard, the invitation was still there.
Once again, the invitation came through music, but this time it was different. I was being invited to use my gifts to help others encounter Christ. What I didn’t realize was that, through this experience, I would also find myself drawing closer to Him.
A friend invited me to participate in Journey, Cross and Crucifixion, a dramatic prayer service that uses narration, music, and liturgical dance to bring the Passion of Christ to life. During Lent, four troupes traveled to churches throughout Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, inviting people to experience the familiar story of Good Friday in a deeply personal way.
I began as a member of the crowd. After a few years, I was asked to portray Veronica, the woman who stepped forward to wipe the face of Jesus as He carried His cross.
Then one Friday, I received a panicked phone call from the director. The woman portraying Mary in Sunday’s service was sick, and they needed someone to take her place. Could I do it?
Of course, I agreed to do it just once. (You may remember that I’ve agreed to do things “just once” before!) The following year, I was asked to portray Mary for my troupe.
I had heard the Passion proclaimed every Palm Sunday and Good Friday for as long as I could remember. But Journey brought me into that familiar story in a way I had never experienced before. Somewhere along the way, I began to understand that this invitation wasn’t only about what I could contribute. It was also about what God was doing in my own heart.
As Mary, I held the battered, bloodied body of “Jesus” in my arms and sang a song entitled Pietà. Its opening words were an invitation: “Come and See.”
I remember the people who embraced me at the end of the service as though I truly were the mother who had just lost her son. I remember the fresh tears on the cheeks of the parish priest. And I remember a child who ran up to one of the Roman soldiers, kicking him and crying, “You killed my Jesus!”
They weren’t simply watching a performance. They were being invited to experience Christ’s sacrifice in an immediate and deeply personal way.
And I now realize that I was being given the same invitation.
The Landowner had so much more to show me in His vineyard. I thought I had come to share my gifts and do my part in His work. But I was also being invited to help others “Come and See.”
I wonder how often we accept an invitation without realizing what God might have in store for us. Perhaps it’s an opportunity to share a gift, offer a kindness, or simply be present for someone who needs us. We may think we’re the ones doing the giving, only to discover that we have received something ourselves.
Perhaps finding our place in God’s vineyard isn’t just about the work we’re called to do, but about being open to what God wants to show us along the way.
To Ponder:
Where might God be inviting me to share my gifts today, and am I open to what He might teach me through the people I encounter?
Let’s Pray, “Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given me and the opportunities to share them. Open my eyes to recognize Your presence in the people I meet, and help me invite others to come and see Your love. Amen.”
Still listening, still learning, still answering His call,
Cecilia Carroll
Advent Square Director