Orchestras – what can they teach us?

Aug 5, 2018

As we started the prelude to our Orchestral Mass last Sunday and the orchestra played the opening strains of ‘Our Lady of the Southern Cross’ not only did it bring back memories of World Youth Day 2008, but it dawned on me how each of these instruments occupies a specific place in the orchestra and plays a specific part – the collective whole would be impoverished without it and it’s addition enriches the collective whole.

Consider all the various instruments: violins, cellos, clarinets, timpani…some instruments have quite difficult passage work and some play only a few notes in an entire piece – but each has its special place and plays a part which no other instrument can play.

It’s almost reminiscent of St Paul when he talks about the various parts of the body and their distinctive roles and qualities – but all belonging to the one body and each part in its perfect place – with Christ as its head: ‘God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be’ (1 Cor 12: 18)

So, what can an orchestra teach us? Perhaps it can teach us about our own special role we play in the orchestra of our life as especially designed by the Divine Creator: we work hard to make sure our part is well played – correct notes, good tone, good tuning…so that the composition comes to life just as the composer in his mind conceived it – just like the Divine Composer…who has in his mind and heart the very special part we each play in His Divine composition…

All the earth worships you and sings praises to you, they sing praises to your name (Ps 66:4); …the heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows forth the work of his hands (Ps 18:1)

Jacinta