CREATING A SYMPHONY OF FAITH

A British weekly magazine has conducted a psychological survey of players in symphony orchestras. This shows that brass and string players usually have bad opinions of each other. Woodwind players, especially oboists, are considered as neurotics by their colleagues in the orchestra. Violin and viola players have uneasy, mutually deprecatory attitudes.

The wonder is that people who tend to be mutually hostile to each other can produce an effect of order and harmony. The moment the conductor lifts his baton, all these emotions are set apart. At that moment, only one thing counts: the success of the concert.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:12, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” Each of us is unique, with our own opinions, our own skills, our own quirks. Sometimes, even in the family of faith, in our parishes, we don’t always see eye to eye. We may not always agree with the priest or the bishop. We may be like the brass, bold and loud, or like the strings, passionate and a little sensitive. Or maybe, like the oboist, we’re a bit high-strung, doing our best but sometimes misunderstood.

And that’s okay. God didn’t make us all the same. He isn’t asking us to change who we are or to erase our unique qualities. But He is asking us to be willing to follow His lead, to look up to Him as our divine Conductor. When we’re following His direction, something incredible happens. We’re no longer focused on who’s getting the solo or whose part is the most important. We’re not competing; we’re collaborating. Under God’s guidance, all our differences come together, and together, we create something that none of us could achieve alone—a symphony of His grace and love.

So, friends, in our parishes and across our Diocese, let’s commit to being part of God’s symphony, to letting go of our agendas, and allowing His Spirit to guide us and our community. Because when we do, we’ll experience the power, the beauty, and the harmony of life lived in tune with Him. And just like an orchestra, we’ll find that together, we can create a masterpiece that brings glory to our God!

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
October 30, 2024