Marc Mailloux's Blog

OF MOZART AND MANGOES

“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”Philippians 4:8

Dear friends,                                                                                                                                                                                        

       While a student at seminary, I remember reading somewhere that the famous 2oth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth once referred to the above verse (perhaps tongue-in-cheek) as evidence that God must certainly approve of the music of Mozart.  Though I tend to agree with Barth on that, the anecdote surely says more about aesthetics than theology.    Likewise Aline is convinced that heaven’s sound system will surely include—in addition to Handel’s “Messiah”—a number of Mozart’s arias sung by Maria Callas or Barbara Hendricks.  Indeed, how many have been elevated to the heights of aesthetic ecstasy through such sublime sounds?  I’m reminded of Christine M., an old agnostic friend in Paris who once confessed to me:  “If there is a God, He’s the God of Bach as I hear his voice in the music.”  Surely she was on the right track…  

           Paul wrote that “God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived…in the things that have been made…” (Rom. 1:20). Having said that, not everyone is equally sensitive to the different sensorial evidences of God’s goodness and greatness.  Some, with more visual sensitivity, see His awesome grandeur in the overwhelming beauty of the heavens.  Have you seen the recent photos from the newly refurbished Hubble telescope?  They leave one aghast and breathtakingly aware, like the psalmist, of how the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament his handiwork (Ps.19:1).                                        

        We’re attempting to exploit this angle of the visual wonders of creation (both microscopic and macroscopic) showing a series of apologetic films (on creationism, in French) to a mostly Haitian audience on Saturday nights at Coral Ridge PCA.  Attendance has been enthusiastic.  None of the folks in attendance have ever been exposed to any creationist instruction, especially in French, necessary for teaching the older ones whose often minimal schooling was done in that language.  Even their pastors, with their limited and often pre-enlightenment education, are generally clueless, alas, about the Darwinian theory now presented to their children in American high schools as scientific fact and wreaking havoc with their erstwhile evangelical faith.  A Haitian pastor who phoned me after hearing a Haitian radio announcement for our program, urged me to speak about the issues with his youth group.   Pray that their faith would be strengthened as they consider the cosmic wonders of His universe, the “theatre of His glory,” in Calvin’s words.

        Getting back to the subject of man’s sensorial sensitivity to God:  others—more Frenchmen than Americans I think—taste the presence of God through their palates. Indeed, as a student in Paris, I remember reading works of 16^th century French poets who waxed lyrical about fruits and vegetables, with ecstatic literary reflections on the marvels of a melon!  One even wrote an “Ode to a cantaloupe…” “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” is surely a good verse for evangelism amongst the French.  

Then there are other well-know sensorial delights which speak of the Lord’s goodness. What husband hasn’t been taken to the heights of earthly transcendence in the arms of his spouse, a vision of total delight, yea a preview of paradise (cf. “Song of Songs”).  In every case, the beauties of things we experience with our senses (hearing, sight, taste, smell etc.) should lead us to see the glory of the Lord who created them all and provide us with a foretaste of the goodness He has in store for His elect.  

     Though I personally tend to gravitate towards the visual evidences of the Lord’s grandeur (those photos from the Hubble telescope!), Aline and I grew again this summer in the olfactory and gustatory appreciation of His munificence through the “ministry” of our backyard mango tree which produced a bumper crop of that succulent fruit—surely one of the finer things the Lord has put upon our planet.     For those of you in climates unsuitable to that tropical delight, know that it’s one of the few things we can grow here in the sandy soil of S. Florida and, like most fruit, has nothing to do with the insipid store-bought version from your local supermarket picked long before it was ripe.  

         After all these years, I have finally understood what an old Dutch hippie (“wise old Art” cf. Discovery on the Katmandu Trail)  was telling me back in 1973 in Goa, India when I announced to the old sage of the of “Chopra beach” in early February, that I planned to leave India to go trekking in Nepal.  “What? You would leave India before the mango season”! he exclaimed incredulously. “Are you mad?”  I had much to learn.  Here I was searching for the meaning of life, and he’s telling me about some fruit in which he’d apparently found his own little transcendence.  At the time, it seemed ridiculous to me.  Our recent experience with mangoes has taught us otherwise.  Taste indeed, and see, that the Lord is good.  

In His service,

 PRAISE: 1- For the way the Lord is opening doors for us, providing numerous opportunities in the S. Florida Haitian community to contribute to the edification of this largely uneducated people which includes many believers. We’ve been given over an hour and a half/week of free air time, by the station director (a student in our Bible school) who interviews me each Sunday afternoon on a variety of  predetermined subjects (evolutionism, Islam, the Jews, UFO’s, faith vs. the law, etc.)                                                                                                                                                                       

  2-For a new contract with “Radio Floride” making possible, again, the evangelization of the Quebecois snow birds etc. starting in November. Thanks to those of you who make this effort possible!                                                 

3- For the start of a new academic year at the ever-struggling Haitian Bible school where I continue to teach twice/week.

PRAY: 1- For the spiritual and professional welfare of our older son Calix, down and out in Marseille; Justin, teaching fourth grade in the Dominican Republic; and Anaïs, working and studying in Los Angeles. 

2-For our next teaching trip to St. Martin Oct.3-10 and the future of our programs in the French West Indies. 

3-For the Lord’s provision for new support. We’ve lost three supporting churches and as many individuals this past year.                                                                                                            

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