Harry's Theology 101

Have been working on some writing.  Looking at the "Soiled and Sacred Saints" from my Ministry Journey....Here's one of them.

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

                I first met Harry as I was leaving from a “homebound” visitation at the subsidized senior apartment complex in Danbury, CT.  “Have a joyous day young man!”  The words were spoken in a proper Boston accent.  Turning to see where this pleasant greeting came from my eyes landed upon a seasoned citizen sitting on a green wooden bench in front of the apartment complex.  Attired in a white opened collar shirt and brown pants held in place by cordovan-colored suspenders  Harry Green sat with a smile on his face.  His arm-clasped crutches leaning on the bench announced the fact of what I was to learn later that he had polio as a child.  “Come join me.  You look like you’re rushing and need some bench sitting time” was his invitation.  In spite of a full schedule I accepted his offer of a little bench time.  I learned that Harry was a Massachusetts’ Yankee to the core.  He spoke fondly, yet sorrowfully, of the love of his life, his wife, Martha who had died several years earlier.  His face lit up when he regaled me with his “work” history.  “I was a piano player and entertainer.  I spent much of my life in vaudeville.  My claim to fame is that I know over 2,500 songs by memory.”  “Never made much money, never had anything all that fancy…….. but Martha and I were happy being together and I loved my music and the interesting souls I met along the way.”  After finding out that I was clergy, he offered his basic theology 101 truth which he had learned from growing up in “his” New England Congregational Church.  “Bob, I have had everything I need – I am one of those birds of the air you talk about.”

                His theology lesson made me feel a little uneasy, because in spite of all the words that I spoke about God providing for my every need, I too often had bought the prevailing belief of most people “Don’t be satisfied!  You need MORE if you want to find a fulfilling life.”  While I felt blessed to have many of the creature comforts that the world offered, there was  still a yearning for wanting more.  Harry reminded me again that my “wants” exceeded my “needs.”  The love of his wife; the companionship of friends he made from all walks of life; the shelter of a small subsidized apartment; and, oh yes, his music….from the melodic to the bawdy – Harry had “all that he needed.”  This Congregationalist vaudeville entertainer entertained God with his thankful heart.  Today let us go and do likewise!  Even if we don’t have everything that we think we want, God has given us everything that we need.

God, Composer of the melodies of the Spirit, instill in us the wisdom to know what we really need and to sing our praises to you because we have been blest.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.