What makes a musician truly great?
As an organist, I have always found it interesting how much I’ve had to develop over the years as I honed my skill on the organ. To be clear, there is a certain amount of skill that is expected to develop. You have to learn how to practice. You have to learn how to play the keyboards and the pedals, and register the organ. You have to learn technique, and then you have to learn a tremendous amount of repertoire to boot. Yet, there is one fundamental thing that you have to learn in the midst of all of the other skills- you have to learn confidence. Certainly, this isn’t something that is developed overnight. It is something that takes days, weeks, and even years. But, if you do this, you may be able to finally attain that benchmark of what some may refer to as “greatness.”
Greatness exists in so many forms today, and yet, today we are given a brief moment in considering how we may be able to gain the truest and best sense of greatness that we can have on this earth. This isn’t something a musician or an academic can gain, nor is it anything that can be bought or purchased. Rather it is something that only a life of faith can give. That said, how do we get to this greatness that a life of faith can offer? How do we gain confidence enough in ourselves and our life of faith so that we might become truly great?
The series of readings that we are given for this evening / this morning largely parallel the same structure that we have been utilizing for the past few weeks, and yet, there is a continuous development on what the themes are and how they connect with each other. The first reading, continuing in the same trajectory is taken from the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Instead of Peter speaking out on behalf of the entire group of Twelve this week, we are hearing about how they are encountering growth within the Church, and what they are seeking to do with that growth. There is concern at this point that there is neglect, especially because the Church has been growing so quickly. Therefore, they are trying to figure out what will be best to do to engage with that growth. Therefore, they choose even men, who they appoint to help them in their work- as the first deacons, and they are given gifts of the Holy Spirit to engage with that ministry.
As we continue the reading, it is evident that the work of the Holy Spirit is largely being done- and that we are told that the word of God is continuing to spread and there is an ever-increasing number of disciples coming into the faith- and even priests were coming into the fold from the Jews as well. So, in this moment, we are continuing to see the Church thriving in those very early moments, and even in the midst of the problems and what is going on, they are being given opportunities to continue to engage and to grow with the people and to nourish faith even at that early time.
As we continue the readings, we are lead to the first letter of Peter again, and he focuses on this image of a cornerstone this week. He invites the audience to “come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God- and like living stones- be built into a spiritual house. What this looks like is beginning a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. This is an important image because when Scripture speaks of the cornerstone, it speaks in no small way about Jesus Christ Himself. He is the cornerstone that is above every other stone- and He is the one that sets the entire foundation- even though he was the one that was rejected. He became the rock that was important and vital- and this changes the perspective of those in the Church. They are called to be a chosen race on their own- a royal priesthood- and a nation of people. The same one who has become the cornerstone- Jesus Christ Himself- looks to each and every one of us to join with Him in being that people that are selected- not by the builders- or of worldly powers- but by God Himself to be that holy nation.
Finally, we arrive at the Gospel. This one, though there seems to be several different movements of dialogue, is largely centered in the context of developing faith. Jesus begins with very tender words- “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” This at the very outset gives a sort of framework for the rest of the Gospel. He continues to give reasons for faith- that there is a place in heaven for each of them- and that He will be going to this place. However, in the midst of this exposition on Heaven, we find Thomas having a sort of crisis with Jesus: Master we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?
Jesus responds to Thomas reminding him that He is the “way the truth and the life” and that they will go to the Father through Him. Philip also chimes in at this point- Master, if you just show us the Father, that will be enough!” Yet, there is a problem here- Jesus and the Father are so intimately connected, that they have already seen the Father through that bond! So there is a level of confusion here, but Jesus works to reestablish the connection that He share with the Father- and that the works that He does are the works of the Father, and vice versa. Then Jesus closes out this entire Gospel with this simple encouragement “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.” Truly, if we realize what He is saying, this is almost astonishing- if we but believe in Jesus, we can truly do some incredible and monumental things- perhaps even greater than what He has worked in His own time.
Yet, are we convinced that we can attain that greatness? Are we confident that we are called to live out such greatness in our day and in our time? My brothers and sisters, we live in a time that often feels as if it is devoid of greatness. We look around and we don’t necessarily see the same things going on as in the Church back in the time of the Apostles. Sometimes we can be confronted by decreasing numbers, perhaps shrinking congregations, and even the culture at large becoming very hostile to the faith. Perhaps we ourselves feel that we cannot truly be great, because we are not in a place where our faith is strong, or we are grappling or struggling to see what the end of our faith may truly be or how we can be inspired enough to grasp after this great vision of what it looks like to be truly great. What gives us confidence in our ability to truly live out our faith in a great way?
First, we have to have the gift of the spirit. We have to realize that we are being chosen and sent by the Holy Spirit, and not in a way that is impersonal, but in a way that recognizes our unique gifts and talents to go forward and bring about the kingdom of God. The Spirit chose seven men in the first reading, but the extension of that is that we are all chosen as well and given the gifts of the Spirit that we need. The second thing that should give us condience is the gift of faith. Jesus, when He is speaking to His disciples, speaks to them of that needed gift of faith- the way that they manifest belief in God and Him also. This is not something to be taken lightly, but it is something that, if we grow in it, makes us truly great. Finally, we are all given confidence in the way that we are each chosen. We are not forgotten by our God. We don’t live on the periphery of His own perception, but we are in fact called into unity with Him, and He deliberately chooses each one of us to go forward and to preach and teach the Gospel in a unique way that only we can do. We can preach to a specific group of people that no one else can do. We can speak in a way that no one else can. The reality is- we are chosen- and then we are sent out, not to do a mediocre job, but to truly attain for greatness- a greatness that begins in this life, and then lasts and carries us into the life to come.
One of the realities that a musician must face is how they are going to become truly great. There are a lot of elements at play in this reality, but they must fundamentally grow in confidence in their own ability and their skill as well. May we, as we recognize the Spirit, the gift of faith, and the call that we have received, be confident in our own ability to further the kingdom of God, so that we too may be truly great.
