Our obligations re: using our talents

[CarrieH]

Hello, CAF friends,

Suppose someone has been blessed with a special talent, but as time goes on, they no longer enjoy using that talent, even to the point of almost hating it. Do you think they have an obligation to God to use their talent anyway, and should just buck up and try to get over their distaste for it (or offer it up)? At what point does it become OK to quit? This question came to mind recently after a conversation with an organist friend who is a fairly good musician. However, she is growing weary of giving up a big chunk of every weekend in order to play for Mass, and is getting tired of having to practice every day (she says that she is not good enough get away with less practicing). She has another part-time job during the week as well in order to put food on the table. She is single, so this doesn’t take time away from any family obligations. I think she would really like to quit the organ, but she knows that there is a shortage of organists and that her talents are needed, and she would feel guilty if she did quit. I didn’t know what to say, except to pray that God will either give her the desire in her heart to continue playing, or that He will lead her away from that into another direction in life. Any thoughts, anyone?

 

[cheeto1]

Can she do the mass every other weekend?

I see often that talented people are imposed upon too much
to the point that they quit to keep their sanity. Without our
mind, we have nothing.

As a parishoner, if I had to choose between every other mass with the organist, or no mass with the organist, I would choose every other mass.

The world does not come to an end without the organist, as
some organists like to think. God has inspired the voice of the
faithful to be truly pleasing to Him many times.

One of the most beautiful songs ever would have never come to
be if not for a broken organ on Christmas Eve, Silent Night.
There are lots of songs we all know, organ or not, that are
beautiful.

The Bible says, “let every man do what he can do”.
No one should feel forced to do more than they actually can.
Jesus never demanded more loaves and fishes than the
little boy had.
:bible1:

 

[puzzleannie]

well another take on this might be related, sometimes I might fall in the trap of thinking I am the only one who can do this particular thing properly, that it will not get done of I quit. If I really feel the need to rethink my schedule and priorities, to pursue a new interest, to drop a current activity, I should do so based on my prudential judgement and not try to predict the outcome or effect on other people. It may be, particularly if it is a certain ministry or apostolate, that the Holy Spirit is already preparing someone else to step in that place, and also has something new in mind for me. I would apply the same process of discernment and guidance in the Holy Spirit as I would to any other decision.

 

[dang71]

this person is probably growing to hate it because she feels forced into it. i agree with a previous poster about doing every other week, or even once a month. and this might just be the chance someone else was looking for to grow into the position of church organist.

 

[CarrieH]

Thanks for your replies. It wouldn’t kill them to do without the organ for awhile (or every other week, if they would agree to that) – they can just think of it as “Low Mass.” And it is true that the Holy Spirit might be preparing the way for someone else to serve – I hadn’t thought of that before, and I’ll bring that up to her. Just because there isn’t anyone else to play for Mass today doesn’t mean that this will be true tomorrow.

 

[puzzleannie]

Thanks for your replies. It wouldn’t kill them to do without the organ for awhile (or every other week, if they would agree to that) – they can just think of it as “Low Mass.” .

that is true, and brings up another idea, just because a job–ministry or otherwise–won’t get done, does not mean it absolutely has to get done, or at least not at this time. I fumed and fretted because I could not start RCIA in Spanish because I had no catechist, and cannot do it myself, for several years. the few inquirers I had were sent to the deacon and ended up in other parishes. Now, in God’s time, everything is coming together: catechists, resources, place to meet, support and most of all inquirers and candidates. My mistake was in thinking it had to be done immediately. When God brought the people to inquire, He sent the people to answer.

 

[jc-servant]

The lady in question surely has more than one talent to offer back to God. There is no requirement that she always play the organ merely because she is not aware of another organist or because her parish does not want to pay someone to play in her stead.

I can sing well enough to cantor, but I was not even in the parish choir for the first several years that I lived here. I offered my time and talent in doing a number of other things for awhile at the parish like volunteering with teens, sponsoring in RCIA, helping with the fine arts group and planning the annual carnival. Now for the last few years, I have enjoyed singing once again. It turned out to be good timing since several of the former cantors left. Therefore, I offer that gift at mass and I do less in other areas.

Especially when it involves something like music that requires an (name removed by moderator)ut from your emotions, you simply cannot force it indefinitely if you don’t feel it inside. I hope that this lady is not made to feel badly if she needs to take a break from playing (even for years if need be).