PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

November 19, 2023

ROUTINE AND THE UNEXPECTED

Monday night, November 6, 2023, 7’4’’ Zack Edey jumped center versus 5’8” Dallas Granziani to start the Purdue University versus Samford Bulldogs basketball game.  The contrast of height between the two players was epic.  Samford had made the decision not even to contest the tip but placed their emphasis on calculating where Edey might tip the ball so that they might get it.  The Purdue players were not quite sure what to do.  Samford was doing something unexpected. Before the referee threw up the ball there was great deal of jockeying for position.  This was by no means a routine tip-off.

As the game unfolded the Bulldogs continued to think outside the box, especially on defense.  They picked Purdue up all over the court, applying constant pressure.  This produced some results.  Unfortunately, Samford’s offense did not measure up to their defense.  The result was they lost by 50 points.  However, for those watching it was anything but a routine game.

                One of the techniques that Jesus used in telling parables was disrupting his audience’s routine expectations of the way things are.  In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Jesus’ audience would have expected either the priest or the Levite to be the hero of the story.  But no!  It is a Samaritan, who normally would have been considered at most a second-class person.  In the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) it is an unjust judge who does the right thing for the wrong reasons.  In the Parable of the Dishonest Manager (Luke16:1-13) Jesus commends the man for his shrewd actions when he was faced with the consequences of his squandering a rich man’s property.

When I took my seat Saturday night, November 11, for the South Bend Symphony Orchestra I noticed there were two aisles in the midst of where the orchestra sits.  When the musicians were taking their places, the second violins and violas were not in their usual spots.  About a third of the way through the first number, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture,” the orchestra was joined on stage by members of Shakespeare at Notre Dame who interspersed in the number readings from Shakespeare “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The person who was playing the part of Puck would provide her own orchestral direction when she was on stage and not speaking.  Once the director, Alastair Willis, caught her in the act and gave her a quizzical look.  At another point Alastair let Puck have his baton to actually direct the orchestra for a few bars.  Alastair came on stage staggering and wearing a nautical cap to direct the second half presentation, “The Tempest: Prelude & Suite No. 1”.

I have been attending band and orchestra concerts for almost 70 years.  They have followed a general format with adaptions for theme, setting, and particular concerns.  The concert on November 7^th did not conform to this general format.  I think it was the first time I have ever been to a concert that featured a blend of orchestra and Shakespeare.  Even though the program was somewhat unexpected, it still was routine for the group.  Ever since Alastair Willis became the Music Director for the orchestra, I have come to expect the unexpected.  Those who came to hear Jesus, in part, came to see what Jesus might do.  They had learned to expect the unexpected.

I attended another Purdue men’s basketball game on Friday, November 10.  Was I expecting another opening jump between someone 7’4’’ and someone 5’8”?  No! The game began with a routine jump.  I doubt if unexpected jumps will ever become the norm.  However, if they should then once again the unexpected would become the expected routine!

(Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)