SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2008

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER

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Dear Friends in Our Lord Jesus:

His name was Fritz Kreisler. And he was arguably the greatest violinist of the last 150 years. He was born in Vienna in 1875, made his first violin from a cigar box at age 3, began performing at age 4, and entered the Vienna Conservatory at age 7. To this day, Austrians consider him a national hero.

A poignant story is told about Maestro Kreisler -- a story that dates from the early 1900’s. A story that raises an interesting question for Christians.

It seems that Kreisler was preparing to leave Hamburg, Germany, for a concert in London, and he had an hour’s wait before his boat sailed. During those idle moments, Kreisler wandered into a music shop carrying his violin case. The owner of the store asked if he could look at the violin. Kreisler nodded and handed the case to the businessman, who opened it, gazed carefully at the instrument, and then disappeared into the office.

Several minutes later, the businessman returned with two policemen. The officers promptly announced that the musician was being placed under arrest. “What is the charge?” Kreisler asked. “You are in possession of Fritz Kreisler’s violin,” one of the officers said.

“But I AM Fritz Kreisler,” the musician protested. “No, you’re not. Come along with us,” the officer said sternly.

Sensing that he was about to miss his boat for London, and that a trip to jail would only complicate matters, the great violinist opened his case, took out his violin, and began playing hauntingly intricate runs, scales, and snippets of famous works. “Now do you understand who I am?” he asked.

The officers apologized profusely and let him go. In point of fact, Kreisler demonstrated who he was by doing what only he could do.

And that is precisely what we, as Christians, should be prepared to do at all times: Showing the world our FAITH in the Lord by the way we LIVE.

-- The Very Rev. Dr. Steve Sellers +