Creativity is a gift from God. But sometimes all of us lose sight of the purpose of the Way–the goal, the direction: becoming saints.
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
Psalm 1:3
Losing Sight of the Vision
As human beings, we are creative in many ways–it’s one of the gifts God has given us. And we seek to do all sorts of things with the gift of creativity–indeed many many things.
In this orientation to the creative life, it’s easy to lose sight of what the goal or objective of our lives actually is.
Back to the Bible, back to tradition, back, for instance to Thomas Merton–our calling is to become saints.
Everyday Saints
One of my favourite books is about the Pskov Monastery in Russia and the monks who live there, entitled Everyday Saints and Other Stories.
There are many inspiring and hilarious stories in this book. But one story, a simple story, really struck me as it relates to creativity and the, at times, incessant craving for creating more.
The monk writing the book, Archimandrite Tikhon, reflects on a time when he was assigned to vigil prayer from eleven o’clock until midnight. After his shift, a schema monk named Father Superior Melchizedek would relieve him and read the Psalter until two o’clock in the morning.
“Taking the monastic schema vows in the Russian Orthodox Church involves the very highest degree of ascetic withdrawal from the world. The monk who does this foregoes all other services and tasks except for prayer.”
Just before Father Melchizedek’s shift, he “would always appear beneath the vaults of the small and dimly lit Church of St. Lazarus, the place the Psalms were always read aloud unceasingly.” He would stand at the Royal Doors and slowly bow three times as Father Tikhon would approach.
Father Tikhon was taken aback by Father Melchizedek even though the latter never said an actual word to him. “I … understood how extraordinarily lucky I was to be able to simply see this remarkable ascetic every night–even if all I could do was simply look at him, but not speak to him.
Words Spoken in the Dark
Finally, Father Tikhon mustered up the courage to speak to Father Melchizedek–to finally ask him the one question that all the other novices and young monks of the monastery could only dream of asking …
Before Father Melchizedek had taken the great monastic schema, he was named Father Michael, and he was a great carpenter. He made icon frames, lecterns, chairs, tables, chests of drawers, and all kinds of furniture. He worked with great focus from dawn to dusk.
One day he accepted a commission to make a very large and important piece for the monastery. he worked so hard that when he completed the work, he collapsed and died.
Some of the monks rushed in to help him–Father Michael showed no signs of life. But one of the elder monks prayed over Father Michael and suddenly the latter opened his eyes and was revived. When Father Michael had been revived more fully, he asked the monks to summon the abbot to him. When the abbot arrived, Father Michael begged him to take the vows to enter the great monastic schema.
The question Father Tikhon asked the now Father Melchizedek was why did he leave behind his carpentry, and become a completely different person. What happened when he died?
“Upon hearing this question, Father Melchizedek stood silently for a long time by the Royal Gates of the alter with his head cast down … [Finally] in a voice that was weak from hardly speaking, he began to reply …”
Encountering Saint Mary
He was standing in the midst of a giant green field. then he had walked on through this field, continuing straight but not knowing where he was going until his path was blocked by a gigantic moat. There, amidst thick mud and clumps of earth he saw a multitude of icon frames, church lecterns, and metal overlays for icons. There also he saw crooked tables, broken chairs, and strange wardrobes.
As he looked them, he recognized his own carpentry work.
Suddenly he had the feeling that somebody was standing over his shoulder …
He lifted up his eyes and saw that it was the Mother of God. She gazed with melancholy at all his work of many years.
And then she spoke:
‘You’re a monk … And all we wanted from you was just one thing, the main thing: repentance and prayer. Instead of that, you gave us wood work.’
The vision disappeared. The dead man opened his eyes and was once again back at the monastery.
Father Tikhon wraps up the story for us …
“After this event, Father Melchizedek was a completely changed man. the main focus of his life became exactly what the Holy Mother of God had mentioned to him–repentance and prayer.
The Fruits of Repentance and Prayer
“The fruits of his now exclusively spiritual labors were not delayed, revealing themselves in his deepest humility, his weeping over his past sins, his sincere love for all, and his complete and utter withdrawal from all affairs of this world …”
In essence, Father Melchizedek was on his way to becoming a saint.
What’s left to say? …
Lord have mercy on us …
