Instruments

A couple of weeks ago while in Nashville, Tennessee we took a tour of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown. It is an incredible facility beautifully adorned with architectural details gleaned from many of the finest concert halls from across Europe.

While on the tour, the guide told us about the "petting zoo" that was a part of the Schermerhorn. I was interested by her description and immediately my mind began to think about animals. My thoughts were interrupted by the guides words, "the petting zoo was on the lower floor of the symphony hall and was destroyed by the most recent flooding in Nashville."

I was having difficulty reconciling the idea of animals on the lower level of a concert hall. I was trying to figure out why a beautiful facility like this would need animals.

My mind was jolted back to the tour. The guide went on to describe the "petting zoo." She was referring to a large group of  musical instruments that are taken to public schools so children can be introduced to them. They refer to these instruments as the "petting zoo." Kids can actually touch, hold, play and experiment with the sounds of each instrument. The hope is that children will take an interest in music and eventually end up on the stage of the Schermerhorn.

Imagine the instruments in the hands of little children. Imagine when the teacher says "we are going to be having a petting zoo on Thursday of next week," and instead of animals, instruments show up. I guess I wasn't to far off in my expectations when I heard the tour guides description.

St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote a Latin phrase that has my attention this morning....instrumentum conjunctum cum Deo. Translated it means..."an instrument shaped to the contours of the hand of God."

I want to be an "instrument" that is formed and fashioned by the shape of His hands. To many times I try to shape God's hand into an instrument that I can use to find and get my way in this world.

A "petting zoo."  What would happen if the world saw me and you today as "an instrument shaped to the contours of the hand of God?" 

Do you think that peace would have a better chance?  Could it be that those who are hungry might be fed? What is the possibility that angst in our communities would subside?" I am just wondering...

By the way the Nashville floods destroyed a "petting zoo" of about thirty musical instruments. Since the flood, the community has responded and now the Schermerhorn has over a thousand in their "petting zoo." Think of it...instruments waiting to be used to bring music and harmony to the world. That's what I want to be about today...