Sudden Joy

AM Psalm 61, 62 • PM Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36
Job 40:1,41:1-11 • Acts 16:6-15 • John 12:9-19

I am reading a book called Mozart’s Starling in which one day Mozart walking on a street was startled by a whistled tune. The tune was beautiful and familiar. It led to a bird vendor’s open shop door. There Mozart saw a caged starling. The bird responded to him and then amazingly sang, almost correctly, the tune from an allegretto in Mozart’s new concerto. 

The starling made a few minor modifications but in this version of the story Mozart and the bird whistled phrases back and forth and then Mozart purchased the bird. He named it Star. 

In today’s reading no one could understand either, not even the disciples, why Jesus on Palm Sunday “found a young ass and sat upon it; as it is written:”  

Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold thy king is coming,
sitting on an ass’s colt!

The disciples did not understand; but when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 

We can savor with all our senses Mozart’s experience in the pet shop, the bird’s delight with music and the sudden joy of the people when Jesus rode into Bethlehem on a colt. As the scripture says: The crowd, that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. They went to meet their King with palm branches. This was a time of companionship, consolation and joy. 

Written by Rebecca Newth

Rebecca Newth is a member of St. Paul’s and sings in the choir.