Grant Oberlin
Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 23
2 Corinthians 4:16-5:9
John 14:1-6
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
In our Book of Common Prayer (pg. 819), there is a prayer for Church Musicians and Artists. We started all our music classes in seminary with that prayer, and we begin all our choir rehearsals with it here at St. Timothy’s. The text of that prayer is this:
O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Three things stand out to me about that prayer. First, that artists work toward perfecting our praises of God. I think this is true even for artists who don’t believe in God. Because—since God is the creator of all that is—any work of art or music gives glory to God. The created, giving back to the Creator, whether they know it or not.
Secondly, glimpses of God’s beauty. When we see beautiful things in the natural world, we are witnessing God’s creative power, and—dare I say—God’s creativity. Would it have occurred to human beings to make trees, or elephants, or even color? Maybe, but probably not. When artists witness God’s creativity, they are inspired to make creations of their own. It is in the nature of artists and musicians to make beautiful things, and also challenging things. Grant had the ability to see beauty where others didn’t think to look, and I am convinced that such recognition is a gift from God. And not everyone has it. Some people look at a painting and can only see a monetary investment or an insurance liability. Others can look at a discarded piece of junk and see its beauty where others can’t. People are wired differently, but thankfully we have those who can recognize beauty and can point us toward it.
And then thirdly, the phrase, "worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore." In this world, we see glimpses of God’s beauty, and artists strive to show us more than we can already see, and the prayer asks that one day, they will be deemed worthy by God to see beauty in its entirety. All the beautiful things, just as God intends them to be seen.
In the reading we just heard, from the gospel according to John, Jesus says, “In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.” Since we have fairly fixed ideas of what a house is, we might picture a massive mansion somewhere, maybe with marble floors and Viking appliances. And, for many people, the best part about that image is that it is plural—places, or rooms—meaning we don’t ever have to run into the people we don’t like.
But there’s an interesting connection between the word interpreted as “dwelling places” and a temporary stopping point. Some scholars say this word monai is something like a place set up to receive visitors traveling through. Not a private place to kick back and live out your eternal retirement, but a public place, to be welcomed after a long journey, with good food and a place to rest. When we go where Jesus is waiting, we don’t put out our hand to receive our personal room keys. Instead, Jesus stretches out his arms to receive us. A welcome to the party, if you will.
And I am convinced that that very public space will reveal those glimpses of God’s beauty unveiled for evermore. Spectacular artwork covering all the walls. Gorgeous music filling the air. And furniture that no one ever thought to make. And over in one corner we’ll see Grant Oberlin with a screwdriver in one hand and buckets of paint around his feet, delighting in seeing God’s beauty, finally unveiled in its entirety. The beauty Grant had glimpses of all his life, and sought to perfect through the gifts and talents God had given him. And I bet there’s probably a very funny joke he’s waiting to tell us.
But in the meantime, listen to that prayer again:
O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in
heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through
art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on
earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty,
and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for
evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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