This evening, I read the following words written by a gifted and truly insightful brother-in-the-faith, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick:

From this saint's life we understand that language is truly a gift from God, passed to us primarily in tradition through our parents but also sometimes more directly from our Maker. In the ancient English literary tradition, poets came to be understood in two sense: as blessed and as makers. Their blessedness is a result of God's gift to them, not only in terms of His common gift of language to all mankind but also in terms of a particular gift of eloquence that He has given to certain people. As a maker, each poet is called upon to be a shaper of words, with his incarnate being to work out the sense of his blessing into words fit for their subjects. Therefore, the Orthodox Christian writer must understand himself both as one who seeks the blessing of God for his work and also as a diligent craftsman who perfects what he is given.

The whole passage is absolutely beautiful. In thinking about the Church, I found the singular source of inspiration for me to be rooted in the fantastic notion that each of us, as members of the Body of Christ, are called to, "to be a shaper of words," with every single one of us as, "...incarnate being[s] to work out the sense of his blessing into words fit for their subjects."

To paraphrase the great contemporary songwriter & author Nick Cave, language is a means to access the divine imagination; and in doing so, we are in communion with God. In others words, though language, we are able to abide in Him; opening ourselves to be dispensers and conduits of the Holy Spirit in the culture we happen to find ourselves in. Additionally, it is through this outpouring of the Spirit that we access God directing His words, power and purpose toward the target of His perfect will and pleasure.

Although I risk stating the obvious, the spoken or written word are not the only means of "communicating" available to us as human beings and as Christians, to be sure. All thoughts are inevitably "transliterated" into a language of body, music, literature or other avenue with the final end of "manifesting" a belief, attitude, feeling, worldview or motivation.

What does this mean for each of us?

First, have you taken inventory in the manifold ways which God has blessed you?

Ask yourself:

How has God equipped you as a person, worker, member of your community and ultimately, as a member of the Body of Christ?

Have you ever seen yourself as being equipped to be employed by God is the unfolding and unveiling of His divine purpose and plan?

Second,

Are you ready, as a member of Church, to work out the sense of the talents, gifts and graces which Our Lord has invested and deposited in you for the purpose of "manifesting" His intentions before all humanity in the corner of the Kingdom you happen to currently be sojourning through?

If the answers to these questions exhibit longing to serve Him with gladness and singleness of heart . . . If the results of your reflection reveal heartfelt obedience and anticipation of being used by God in the aforementioned ways, then you are ready to be a poet of the Logos, a wordsmith for the Kingdom. As a picture is usually greater than the description of the episode, event or thing we witness with are eyes, our actions are greater that a picture. They are the animated icons of the everliving Word ever-present in our lives. Therefore, proclaim His great works before the assembly and before all the nations.

Now and Always -

Daniel