I began my morning with the music of the harp. What a privileged and blessed person I am! To be in the presence of someone playing the harp is a profoundly deep experience. The physical beauty of the instrument itself is, for one thing, a sight to behold. So many curves and turns. So many strings. Sitting in chapel as I allowed this intricate and yet simple sound wash over me, it was quite clear to me why many pieces of art show angels playing the harp. What other creature in all Creation might be more suited for the job?

Most cultures have some form of the harp. There are small hand harps from places in Africa. There are shapely harps strummed by musicians across South and Central America. The harp that comes from the Celtic people across Great Britain and Ireland creates music so sweet and tender, it makes me cry. And then there are the various classical harps in numerous sizes that often grow as the harpist grows in both stature and skill. Perhaps it is the desire across cultures to make this music of the angels.

The Psalmists speak of praising God with the harp:
Praise God!
Praise God with trumpet sound;
Praise God with lute and harp !
And in the first book of Chronicles, David is said to have ‘commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their kindred as the singers to play on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise loud sounds of joy.’ And in one of the great psalms of lament, Psalm 137, the people were in such despair that’ there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps.’ Their hearts were so broken even music could not save them.

The harp is indeed a powerful instrument that can inspire and bring about great emotion. It can also create a calm and peace that is palpable. Which is what I experienced this morning and what caused me to consider the idea of how the world might be different if everyone had the blessing of harp music to begin their morning. I thought of our elected officials at the Minnesota Capitol right now pulling out one another’s hair and slinging vile and angry words at one another. What if their morning began with them being told to “Please sit down and listen to the harpist before we begin our work together.”? What about our world leaders who find it impossible to understand our shared humanity and often resort to war and conflict? I can imagine them all gathered around their conference tables, eyes cast down to the important papers before them. A harpist moves to their instrument and begins one of those flowing, mind-bending arpeggios up and down the strings until the thought of arguing and bickering drifts right out the window.

I think of all the children around the world who could be soothed and nurtured by a few choruses of ‘All Through the Night’ played gently on the harp. Or the parent who is worried about so many things……rent, the next meal, a job, the health of their child…..being surrounded by the strong chords of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ played confidently on the harp strings.

These are only flights of fancy, I know. But they flow out of my sacred experience of being blessed by music that has carried me throughout the day. And for this I offer my gratitude to both the harpist and the Universe that could imagine such an instrument, such a sound.