A Stradivarius Must Be Played

Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dt 11:18, 26-28, 32 / Ps 31:2-3, 3-4, 17, 25 / Rom 3:21-25, 28 / Mt 7:21-27
A violin by the 18th century Italian luthier (maker of stringed instruments) Antonio Stradivari was once purchased by an investor. The man placed the instrument in an airtight vault and kept it there for 10 years expecting its value to dramatically increase during that time.
On the day of the auction, the violin was taken out of the vault and handed to the world’s greatest violinist to demonstrate its authenticity. The Stradivarius was tuned and the auction house became hushed to hear the notes of one of the finest violins in the world. But what came from the instrument was worse than the music from a cheap, beat up, children’s violin. The story has it that a Stradivarius will only reach its potential if it is played regularly and not simply kept hidden in a safe.
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In Sunday’s gospel, Jesus is calling us to do more with the precious gift of God given to us in the Sacraments.
Jesus explained to us the will of his Father in heaven. The Bible is dedicated to it. We have heard it in every Mass. The Church tries to clarify it for us in the Catechism. And God calls us to live it every day.
Unfortunately, not everyone is going to actually follow the directions. Much like what our parents and teachers tried to teach us, we can not just pick and choose which directions we have been given.
We have to understand that doing the will of God is more than just having an episode where we “get saved.” We have to hear what Jesus tells us and then act on it.
There is nothing wrong with the message those football fans regularly write on signs. But John 3:16 is part of Jesus’ point. You can declare that Christ is your Lord and Savior but if you fail to heed Jesus’ message in Matthew 7:21-27, you have not followed ALL the directions.
The very first Bible lesson I was ever taught was on building on rock or sand. Even at that young age, I clearly understood what Jesus was saying. Go and build at sand castle at the beach and you will quickly become an expert on Jesus’ message.
Jesus has given us some very clear directions on how to live. And it does not take an architect to understand his point. Each of us must do the will of the Father. Not some of his will. Not the parts of his we that are easy or popular or socially acceptable. This is an all or nothing statement.
And we can not hear the will of God and decide that if we stick it in the vault of our heart, it will not increase in value with time. Follow the directions daily and Jesus will not declare you to be an evildoer or a fool.
Amen.

May 31st, 2008 by Fr. Stephen Anam