God, the Music Lover

"Teacher," said the disciple, "today, while walking on the road, I passed a Buddhist monk who was singing a hymn. It was most beautiful and inspiring, so I asked him about the words and to whom was he singing. Sadly, Teacher, he said the words of the hymn were those of the Lord Buddha, and it was he whom the monk was praising. I told him he should be praising only the Lord Jesus Christ. I tried to convert him to the truth, but he only went off down the road singing his song."

"You say you found the melody of his song to be beautiful and inspiring?" asked the teacher.

"Yes," replied the student, "but . . ."

"Good," inserted the teacher, "then, listen only to the melody, not the words. As for whom is being praised – Buddha or Jesus, Shiva or Mohammed – are they not all one in the Great Mystery?"

"All one?" gasped the student.

"Yes, so also are you and that Buddhist monk. 'We being many,' as Paul said to the Corinthians, 'are one body.' Paul could have said: We, being many instruments, are one symphony. Each of us is one of God's unique instruments. So, let not the violins try to convert the trumpets into becoming violins. Rather, follow the baton of the Spirit who is the conductor of the symphony, and play the melody on your instrument with the greatest passion and love."

– Anonymous

October 8, 2006