Today’s prelude is a favorite of mine, when it comes to the joy of epiphany. We’ll be in the season of epiphany for a while, so let’s enjoy what things can dawn upon us. Who knows what’s in store? Life is like a box of chocolates. It’s just a delicacy, so let’s enjoy.

Flor Peeters was a Belgian composer, organist, and teacher. He had an extensive and prolific career. His achievements are impressive, among them he is the author of the largest published chorale work ever undertaken. It’s his opus 100 Hymn Preludes for the Liturgical Year (1959-1964); it contains no less than 213 chorale preludes on ecumenical church hymns. Today, you’re hearing one of them.

This work begins with a sparkly, beboppy accompaniment. (I just made up that word – beboppy – it just “dawned on” me, and I’m going with it). Anyway, soon thereafter, the hymn tune, Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, is heard in the pedal on the trumpet stop. Towards the end, you’ll hear our lovely “spinning star” or zimbelstern, which is a set of tiny bells that when activated, rotate the star atop the organ case. It’s complete frivolity. A delicacy. A toy. A comedy.  

In many ways, life is exactly this – a toy, and we’re all spoiled rotten. My friend Wes says, “It’s all gravy.” After basic needs, what more is there? Even basic needs are questionable. To me, the epiphany is about realizing life sparkles. We’ve got so many toys; we can’t remember what’s basic, what’s essential, what’s fundamental. Could it just be love?

When I retired from UT, I had resigned in my mind well before I left physically. I shaped up before shipping out, shaping into a lame duck for 9 months. I took a “laissez faire” attitude, meaning “let them do it.” I still did my job but realized what was not my job. The best epiphany is learning what’s not your job; what’s none of your business; and just how toy-like life is. We are completely dispensable. What a feeling! Nobody needs me. I’m off the hook. That’s the light of epiphany. Freedom.

I was still department chair in my last year at UT. I held meetings, taught classes, met with prospective students, did reports, and gave concerts. Best year of my career – I was “outta there.” I learned a laissez faire work ethic. I found levity and said, “Oh well, that’s not my concern, I’m outta here.” What rapture! I no longer had battles to choose. I could toy, I could play, I could smile. I became slick, like Teflon. It was no longer “my” problem, and it never had been.

We need to be slicker, not sticklers, to learn the secret of letting go. I’m not talking about dropping the ball, although balls are toys too. I’m talking about dropping the pretense of indispensability. When you see that star spinning, remember, it’s just a toy. Minimize exertion and “importance,” and life becomes joyful when you outsource. That requires trust. Work, but not like a dog, but like a happy, lame rubber duckie, easily floating down the stream. Duck out of picking battles. Why work like a dog? No, let them do it. What an epiphany it would be if we all realized the bliss of dispensability and the so-called secret of childlike trust. Meanwhile, I’ll be at the organ bench bebopping to some Flor Peeters if you “need” me. But I seriously doubt that. The most dispensable part of this whole operation is yours truly.  Soli Deo Gloria.