Readings (Year C):
Wisdom 18:6 – 9
Psalm 33:1, 12, 18 – 19, 20 – 22
Hebrews 11:1 – 2, 8 – 19
Luke 12:32 – 48
Reflection: Creativity is how we spread God’s word
My fiancée, Natasha Lake, recently acted in a Trinbagonian romcom called Dats Extravagant News. She played the role of the “vibes woman,” Christine, who experiences a revelatory moment when she screams, “What [sic] in the dark, comes to the light!” This creative line channels the wisdom of Hebrews, which speaks of faith as the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of faith, our ancestors were well attested—just as we have the responsibility to be evidence of faith at this fragile point of Western civilization.
How can you fulfill this responsibility? I’d like to suggest that one way is through your creativity. According to Brené Brown, creativity comes from courageous vulnerability to be yourself in a society that tells you suppress yourself. The narrative Christ offers says to fear no more: you belong as you are.
Christ was creative. He used symbols and parables to reach God’s people. He approached his life with wisdom. We appreciate Jesus’ story through the creativity of gospel writers, who approached his story with wisdom. You are made in the Imago Dei (the image and likeness of God) and are sacramentally transformed into Christ in your daily life. I’m sure you recognize it: your life is Christ’s story—a story that, once you enter into it, is best approached with wisdom.
What does wisdom look like? I’ll paint a picture with another story.
In late 2021, I was asked by our local archbishop to produce a chart to visualize integral human development as per Acts 2:42. The fruits of my contemplation uncovered the image of the steelpan, a symbol of God’s wisdom made visible in the Trinbagonian people’s creativity. This bold musical instrument emerged after decades of drums and other instruments being suppressed during colonial times. What colonialists saw as disposable items, like old oil drums and biscuit tins, oppressed peoples recognized as life-giving, musical instruments.
This motif is typical of a creative and wise God who befriends a couple as good as dead and promises descendants like sand and stars; one who enters death and experiences resurrection. In God, we find courage to flourish with creativity and wisdom that sound like a sweet song on the pan.
After contributing to the archbishop’s vision, which became a pastoral letter, I have been convinced that wisdom looks like practicing creativity.
Creativity helps us spread God’s prophetic wisdom to a world in need of justice and peace. Some of the most important global figures have graced the United Nations. How many of them do we quote in the mainstream? Not many. Yet, since the words of His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I, were put into song by Bob Marley and the Wailers in 1976, calls for peace and universal human rights have continued to live on the tongues of millions.
We may fear our creativity and repeat traumatic words of our past: you’re so stupid, you don’t belong, you’re not enough. But the Holy Spirit helps us realize, like water from a well, that human wisdom draws from divine wisdom. With God’s wisdom, you overcome and know you are not stupid. You are enough. You do belong. God relies on your creativity, your bravery, and your vulnerability to make you evidence of faith. What’s hiding in the dark of your soul? “Bring it into d’ light!”
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