“Throughout the world sounds one long cry from the heart of the artist: Give me the chance to do my very best.”
The holiday season always feels like the perfect time to watch one of my favorite foreign films: Babette’s Feast. Not only does the film’s culinary culmination fit with the feasting of Thanksgiving and Christmas, but its themes of Eucharist, sacrifice, and reconciliation are a beautiful foundation for the start of the new liturgical year. This year, as I re-watched Babette’s Feast, a new theme stood out to me. I realized that this film also delivers a powerful message about vocation.
As the title suggests, the pinnacle event in the film surrounds a mouthwatering masterpiece created by Babette, a French refugee in a small austere Danish community. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot for those who haven’t yet seen the movie, but Babette is an artist and her medium is food. Circumstances prevented her from freely practicing her art for many years, but when given the opportunity to generously share her talent and passion for cooking, we witness the transformative effect of breaking bread. Although the community was initially resistant to receiving Babette’s gift, she stayed true to her vocation and brought peace and joy to both herself and to those around the table.
We may not all see ourselves as artists, but we all have talents and passions that God has endowed us with to bring beauty, joy, healing, and transformation to the world. As long as you nurture and utilize these gifts, doing your very best, then God rejoices. As St. Elizabeth Ann Seton said, “Our least action, when done for God, is precious to Him.”
So what would you say are your talents? What are you passionate about? How do these things bring peace and joy to you and others? Likewise, are you receptive to and nurturing of the talents and passions of those around you?
