By John Edgar
Rediscovering Music, Vocation, and God’s Continuing Call
There comes a time in life when we begin to look backward more often than forward. We
reflect upon the years that have passed, the goals we have pursued, and the
accomplishments that have shaped our lives. We may even begin to believe that our most
meaningful contributions are behind us.
But what if God has something else in mind?
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. It was a gift I recognized early,
bringing joy, creativity, and a sense of personal expression. Yet as the years passed, the
responsibilities and ambitions of building a professional career gradually took precedence.
Somewhere along the way, I lost touch with something that had once been an important
part of my life.
I did not consciously abandon music. Life simply moved in other directions.
Only recently have I begun to recognize that what I thought I had lost was waiting to be
rediscovered. More importantly, I have come to believe that God was inviting me to
understand this familiar gift in an entirely new way.
An Unexpected Beginning
The turning point came through my involvement with our Secular Franciscan fraternity.
I had proposed introducing a period of meditation into our monthly meetings, combining
thoughtfully chosen spiritual readings with music to provide a meaningful opportunity for
prayer.
My intention was simple: to offer my Franciscan brothers and sisters something that might
touch their spiritual lives.
As I observed heads bowed in quiet reflection, I sensed that something meaningful was
taking place. The fraternity embraced the practice, and meditation became the starting
point for our monthly gatherings.
But something unexpected was happening within me as well.
In seeking to serve others, I began to discover a renewed sense of spiritual purpose.
From Accomplishment to Offering
Earlier in life, much of our energy is understandably directed toward establishing careers,
meeting responsibilities, and achieving goals. These pursuits can be meaningful and
necessary, yet they can also shape how we measure our own worth.
Later in life, another question may begin to emerge.
Not simply, What have I accomplished? but What can I still give?
For me, music has become part of that answer.
The Franciscan Commitment to Contemplative Living
I am less concerned today with what my musical abilities might accomplish professionally
and more interested in how they might serve others. The satisfaction comes not merely
from creating something beautiful, but from knowing that the work may bring someone
comfort, reflection, or a moment of spiritual connection.
This change in perspective has helped me recognize the difference between possessing a
gift and understanding its purpose.
A Calling Without an Expiration Date
Franciscan spirituality reminds us that conversion is a continuing journey. Our willingness
to respond to God’s invitation need not diminish with age.
Indeed, the later chapters of life may offer opportunities that were difficult to recognize
when our days were occupied with professional ambitions and responsibilities.
I have come to appreciate that a spiritual calling need not announce itself through some
extraordinary event. Sometimes it emerges quietly, through an opportunity to serve, a
familiar talent rediscovered, or a growing awareness that God may still have something
meaningful for us to do.
My own experience has shown me that service can become a source of spiritual growth.
What began as an effort to enrich the prayer lives of others has also enriched my own.
The Gift Still Unfolding
I cannot say where this renewed musical journey will ultimately lead. Nor do I believe that
every gift must result in something visible or measurable.
What matters increasingly is the willingness to remain open to God’s invitation and to
recognize that our capacity to contribute does not end when our professional lives begin to
recede.
Perhaps the gift that arrives late is not always something new. It may be something we have
carried within us for years, waiting for circumstances that allow us to understand its deeper
meaning.
I once believed that I had lost touch with music while pursuing the demands of a career.
Today, I see that familiar gift becoming part of a new spiritual calling.
Perhaps the gift did not arrive late after all. Perhaps the calling did.