Unfinished symphony

 

Karl Rahner once said: “In the torment of the insufficiency of everything attainable, we finally learn that here in this life all symphonies must remain unfinished.”

 

Pause and hold the profound and prayerfulness of that quote.  Part of what Rahner is shining a light on is the gap in life between where we are (here) and where we want to be (there).  Of course, who said you had to be there?  Who said that there was worth your time, talent, and treasure?  Where is there?  Is there about stuff in your life?  Is there experiences (that destination vacation to an exotic location)?  Is there relationships?  Is there some utopia or where the color commentary in your mind keeps telling you that you should be by now?  What about here, can you describe and define where you are right now?  You know that can mean emotionally, spiritually, physically, relationally, and communally.  There is an “insufficiency” of life that causes the symphony of you and me and we to be forever unfinished.

 

This week, I want you to listen to the symphony of your life.  Is it in a minor or major key right now?  Are the instruments that are playing in your soul on the same page, or does it sound like those moments when everyone in the orchestra is warming up, just doing their own thing, and it is chaotic?  Is the music of your soul loud or soft, in tune or screeching like a cat that just had its tail stepped on?  Or is it all the above?  Because my soul can feel chaotic even as I try box breathing (breathe in four counts, hold four counts, slowly exhale four counts, pause four counts).  My soul can be frantically spinning like a hamster on a wheel ~ but going nowhere, while my mind keeps rationally saying, “All shall be well.” 

 

Today, think about the music of your life right now, the symphony of your soul, the holy hum of your heartbeat.  Listen, write down what you are hearing, and remember that the One who is the Conductor and Composer of your life is longing for you to wake up and pay attention to the baton to be in touch and in tune with the Holy here ~ even when “here” is tragically beautiful and insufficiently holy imperfect.  Amen.