A Sin-Phonic Reflection

Consider an orchestra.

Many instruments. Some loud. Some soft. Some played throughout each piece. Some coming in at just the right time, to add just the right effect.

The orchestra plays day after day, trying to inspire souls with the beauty of the compositions.

The Composer is always there, listening to how the musicians interpret His scores. The conductor and his staff are there to make sure that the musicians follow the scores - playing the right notes at the right tempo at the right volume at the right moment, making sure all the instruments, all the voices, are working together. The scores allow for some creativity, but that creativity must fit in with the overall intentions of the compositions. The Conductor will sometimes consult with the Composer to make sure that the orchestra is following what He wanted.

All must work together for the music to most effectively touch those listening souls - and maybe to draw in those who at first were not listening.

But sometimes musicians make mistakes. Sometimes as they play day after day they get careless or sloppy. And some of the musicians decide that the tempo needs to be different, that a different note would be better at a particular point, that a particular note should be played louder or softer or longer or shorter than indicated.

As a result of these variations, the compositions sometimes don't work. They have moments of beauty, but the have moments of disharmony. Sometimes they move listeners, sometimes they turn the listeners off.

The Conductor tries to get the orchestra back on task. He calls for practice. He takes the repeat offenders aside. He may even publicly call them out. And if the offenders persist, he might tell them they should not play with the orchestra until they are willing to follow the score.

The Composer sometimes cries as He listens to what has been done to His creations. If only they would follow the score. It's all laid out for them.

I thought of this as I debated how to respond to some comments about sin. One argument is that some sins are lesser than others. True. But even small sins can affect the whole, even as a few wrong notes can affect an entire composition. The Pope and the hierarchy try to keep the faithful in tune to the score handed them by the Composer of all.

And the Composer weeps when we fail to follow the guidelines He gave us.

Pax et bonum