Harmony

25 Aug

“It is the harmony of the diverse parts, their symmetry, their happy balance; in a word it is all that introduces order, all that gives unity, that permits us to see clearly and to comprehend at once both the ensemble and the details.”  ~ Henri Poincare

I may be a priest; however, I also have the heart of a musician.  Music was my early love in life.  I began playing an instrument in grade school and played it all through high school.  I was in pep bands and pit orchestras and really enjoyed it.  I also sang in choirs in college and grad school.  Music can soothe me, it can excite me, it can unnerve me, it can put me through a whole host of emotions, all of which were planned by a composer.

When I am listening to soothing music, especially, there are times that I play close attention to the various instruments or vocals.  Not only do I listen to the whole piece, I listen to the workings of the individuals as well. There are times that I appreciate a piece even more because of the work of a select number of individuals.  Their talent is wonderful and the way they join one another harmoniously make for a moving experience.

There are so many times that we insist upon “unity” but our definition does not allow for differences.  For some people, unity means “everybody has to be like me.”  That is not unity.  That is some kind of forced reality.  Unity means that all people join together as one, each contributing from their uniqueness and each making the whole that much greater or stronger because of their differences.

Imagine how boring on uninspiring our world would be if God made everybody the same and everything the same.  What if every person, place, and thing all looked like the sun?  We would have nothing but sun.  What if every person, place, and thing looked like an earthworm?  We would have nothing but earthworms.  We are all created richly diverse and then summoned to work together and live together, enhancing the whole by our differences.

That may not be an easy proposition; however, the end result is wonderful.  If all I ever listened to were flute parts or oboe parts or trumpet parts, the musical composition would be bland and lifeless.  However, putting all the instruments together in a harmonious whole, the music produced can move the mind and stir the soul.

God put us together for a reason.  Let us work together to move our minds and stir our souls, all to the greater honor and glory of God.

FAITH ACTION:  Make sure that you appreciate the different gifts and talents at work in all the people you encounter today.