• More about Vernon Caston

Musings and Observations by Vernon Caston

Musings and Observations                 by Vernon Caston

Tag Archives: I’m through with hammers

Thirty Years Later – Mary and Jesus the Singer – by Calvin Miller

29 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by stertin in Aesthetics - Beauty, Biblical personages / passage, Change, Pointing beyond the common and natural, Stories, Theology - God

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

"and then you'll leave?, "Calvin Miller", but hungered for its music, he knew he must lay bare his soul, I love the Father-Spirit, I'm through with hammers, Mary the mother of Jesus, The Singer, The Star-Song

Calvin Miller portrays Jesus in his trilogy comprised of The Singer, The Song, and The Finale as a troubadour. In the first book, we find the following section, which is an imagined conversation between Jesus and his mother, Mary. Miller’s imagery left a large lump in my throat, too much so to keep it to myself.

For days, he walked. The dust flew up around his feet as he walked home. At length, he passed the village signpost and there by odd coincidence, his mother at that very time stood by the well. They met. He reached to carry her stone jar.

“It’s not traditional,” she said. He took it anyway.

Her cares had made her fifty years seen even more.

“You broke your hammer on the vise,” she said. “I had it mended for you.”

“I’m through with hammers, anyway,” he said. “I’ve just come home to board the shop.”

“And then you’ll leave?”

“I will,” he said.

“Where will you go?” She studied paving stones as on they walked. He moved the heavy jar to ride upon his other shoulder.

“Wherever there are crowds of many people.”

“The Great Walled City of the Ancients?”

“Yes, I suppose.”

He feared to talk to her. Yet he must tell her of the River Singer and all about the Star-Song he had so lately sung. He seemed afraid that she would think him mad. He could not bear to hurt her. For, besides the Father-Spirit, he loved her most of all. At length he knew he must lay bare his heart.

“You seem so troubled, son,” she said.

“Not for myself,” he said. Then with the hand that was not needed in balancing the jar, he took her hand and smiled.

“I hate for you to board the shop and leave.”

“Am I the tradesman that my father was, while still he was alive,” he asked.

“You both were good, but somehow wood is never kind to your great hands. Your father’s hands never paid the pain it cost you, just to love his trade.”

She looked down at the gentle, suffering hand that held her own. Somewhere in her swimming recollection, she remembered the same hand with infant fingers that had clutched the ringlets of her hair and reached to feel the leathered face of Eastern Kings. But he could not remember that.
They walked still further without speaking.

“MOTHER, I AM THE SINGER!” He blurted out at once.

“I know,” she said.

“I love the Father-Spirit more than life. He has sent me to the crowded ways to sing the Ancient Star-Song.”

“I know,” she said again. “I heard the ancient Star-Song only once. I’ve known that you would come to board the shop someday. Can you sing the Star-Song yet?”

“I can,” he answered back.

They neared a house and entered. They shared a simple meal and sat in silence. And the song, which they alone of all the world did know, was lingering all around them in the air.

She had not heard its strains for thirty years but hungered for its music.

He had not sung it for an afternoon but longed to have its fluid meaning coursing through his soul.
Of course, the song began.

(From The Singer by Calvin Miller. InterVarsity Press, 1978. pp 132-135.)

 

COMMENTS ARE WELCOME

Categories

  • Advice along the way
  • Aesthetics – Beauty
  • Biblical personages / passage
  • Change
  • Clear and logical thinking
  • Music related
  • Other authors
  • Pain – Evil – Suffering
  • Pointing beyond the common and natural
  • Prayer
  • Proverbs
  • Proverbs, Sayings, Quotes, Refrains
  • Quotes
  • Refrains
  • Sayings
  • Stories
  • Theology – God
  • Uncategorized
  • Unforgettables

Recent Posts

  • Today’s thoughts
  • Did you know Merv?
  • While In the Post Office
  • (no title)
  • Have you ever promised a friend with . . . ???

Archives

  • November 2019
  • April 2019
  • October 2017
  • December 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Tag Cloud

"Abraham Lincoln" "ad absurdum argument" "Calvin Miller" "Christianity Today" "critical thinking" "CS Lewis" "false dilemma" "G K Chesterton" "God's sensitivity" "God and evil" "J B Phillips" "John Stuart Mill" "John Wesley" "Kenny Rogers" "losing perspective" "Messianic expectation" "My God My God - why have you abandoned me" "needing God" "quid pro quo" "Scott Peck" "spiritual growth" "unintended consequences" 2nd Chapter of Acts alone analogies Aristotle balance causation Celine Dion Celtic Thunder Christmas conditions cross C S Lewis death expectations faith fear forgiveness freedom further from God" generosity God's will grace gratefulness humility Jr love Mark Twain marriage mind miracles Mr Im music Neil Diamond Nietzsche Onesimus options Paul Egertson Philemon Philip Yancey pointers politics power prayer pride proverbs the Apostle Paul The Book of Jesus - Calvin Miller the exercise of power theodicy time truth why? Winston Churchill

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy