BEGINNING AGAIN THE UNFINISHED SYMPHONY - PART III
How do we begin again the unfinished symphony? We not only keep ourselves open for inspiration and submit to the authority of God as composer-conductor, we try to “make music” for someone else. In other words, our lives this new year should not be lived just for ourselves, but also for others.
Perhaps one of the most admired women of the world was Nobel Peace Prize winner, Mother Theresa. In 1946, Mother Theresa left a comfortable teaching position to work in one of India’s worst slums. Ministering to the sick, the starving and dying, washing out their maggot-infested sores, she and her fellow-workers were, in fact, the hands of Christ to thousands.
Indeed, Malcolm Muggeridge, one time author, editor and agnostic curmudgeon, converted to Christianity and went to see Mother Theresa. People said the light of God seemed to shine through her. The one-time skeptic, Muggeridge, agreed. After leaving her he said, “I felt as though I were leaving behind me all the beauty and all the joy in the universe.” Muggeridge then added. “Something of God’s love has rubbed off on Mother Theresa.”
If you look you can see the splendor of Christ on a thousand faces. Whenever you find people devoted to a cause larger than themselves, whenever you come across people serving others and working to make a better church or community, whenever you observe people thinking more of great tasks and noble visions to help humankind – wherever you see that, you are likely to behold the radiance of Christ and to hear the sounds of angel voices filling the air.
Some years ago, the great concert pianist, Claudio Arrau, was interviewed by a national magazine. “What is the secret of your great success?” asked the reporter. Arrau told how his early career was problematic and less than brilliant. It never seemed really to take off. His piano playing lacked the luster and electricity he wished it had but that he was not able to give.
But then after hours of psychotherapy, it came to him, said Arrau. It occurred to him that over all those years he had been concerned to make himself the center of attention. He was wanting world-wide acclaim for himself. He wanted to be known as the world’s greatest pianist.
“From then on,” said Arrau, “I worked to make the music the center, not myself. I reached back into the soul of Mozart and Beethoven to convey the soul of the composer to the souls of the people. I then became an agent for great musical experiences and my career skyrocketed as a result. When I decided to serve music and others, everything took on a new life.” said Arrau.
It is likely most of us will not be a Claudio Arrau. However, each of us has something unique, great or small, something only we can give to help others in family or church or community. Or perhaps our gift is to take an ethical stand in business or profession. Or perhaps our gift is to convey the soul of Christ to others to give their life joy and zest and resolution.
It is a new year, a time to begin again our life’s story, our unfinished symphony. We can do it because, as Paul says, “All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” ( Romans 8:28)
