During my wanderings over the years, I had the opportunity to visit a vase factory in Deruta, Italy, near Assisi, as well as the Belleek factory in Ireland. In both places, it was fascinating watching artists take a clump of clay, place it on a spinning platform and begin shaping the clay into a masterpiece. When you watch this, it is almost as if the clay has a mind of its own while the artists use their fingers and thumbs to carefully shape it into artwork. The artists would periodically pour water on the clay so that it would remain supple and moist, as nothing much can be done with dried-out clay. After the artwork is completed, it is then placed in a hot oven for a long time prior to being painted and finished.
The problem with this analogy, of course, is that a clump of clay has no say in the matter. We are different in that, because of free will, we can fight the Divine Artist’s work on our souls or we can cooperate with his grace at work in our lives. Which will it be? How many times in our lives have we felt God’s hands working on the clay of our souls, giving us shape? How many times have we fought the Divine Artist’s efforts? How many times have we felt like we are in that oven being tested by fire?
We are in the opening months of experiencing our parish families finally taking shape with Partners in the Gospel. Many of us are adjusting to new Mass times and leadership styles. It reminds me of the joke, “How many Catholics does it take to change a light bulb?” The humorous answer is the objection, “Change? Change?!” Change can sometimes be welcome, and sometimes change can be hard. However, embracing change is also necessary at times as a people of faith. Ask the Hebrews as they journeyed through the desert to the Promised Land. Ask the Apostles after Jesus ascended into heaven with the command to make disciples of all nations. Isaiah’s prayer comes to mind: “Lord, you are our father; we are the clay and you our potter: we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64:7).
As Partners in the Gospel unfolds in the coming months and years, if we continue to embrace Pope Francis’ philosophy of synodality, of truly listening to each other, I have faith we will look back and see how the Holy Spirit’s fingers were at work with the clay of our lives — especially if we do not forget to be charitable with the people around us, and not forget the poor and marginalized in our communities.
My friends, God has already seen the future of what our lumps of clay can look like, and he has seen a masterpiece. All that is required on our part is to welcome the Divine Artist’s fingers into our hearts to shape the clay of our lives.
This article appeared in the August/September 2024 issue of Northwest Catholic magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.