This reflection is Hymn #2185 For One Great Peace. You are invited to first read the words of this hymn.
Often in our churches (and in our consciences) the "real" work of the church, the "real" vocation for a Christian is not what we consider to be our own calling, our true vocation. Wise and good friends will try to reassure us, "Writing is a Christian vocation" - or sculpture, or carpentry (we have a good model for that one), or dancing or gardening or homemaking. We listen gratefully, and we know they are right, but often the anxiety returns: Shouldn't I be out feeding the hungry, gather petitions, tending to the needs of the poor?
But perhaps ours are different gifts. Someone has said, "Why is it that because we enjoy doing something, it isn't Christian work?" We see the folly in that, but it is easy to think that the really committed Christians spend their time primarily visiting prisons or working with those who are poor and in need.
This hymn reminds us that there are many ways to serve God, and some of them don't involve wearing a preacher's robe, or carrying a placard, or collecting voter registrations or signatures on a petition. Instead, it can be someone wearing the casual clothing of a young mother; an architect tending to the intricate design details of a building; a writer struggling at a desk.
The story is told that, in the famous picture by Durer of two hands raised in prayer, the model was friend of Durer's who spent his life at manual labor so that Durer could pursue his art. A Christian society needs its artists as it needs it social workers, its preachers - and its choir members.