From the Pulpit: Find harmony in music and in life

I love all types of music, from classical to classic rock to modern pop and hip-hop music. But choral music has a special place in my heart; I love to hear the various voices harmonize and blend together into a beautiful sound that transcends the sum of its parts.

If you’ve been in a choir, or are a fan of music, you’ve probably heard that word - “harmony” – before. “Harmony” is a 14th Century French word meaning “combination of tones pleasing to the ear.” Beyond its musical connotations, there are plenty of times we use the word to describe things that are different and exist together in a positive way.

One example of this comes from the South Dakota Faith in Public Life Board. The board consists of faith leaders from three religions and seven Christian denominations who are convinced dialogue and our religious traditions call us to work together for the common good. Every meeting begins with a time of board members sharing a time when we have witnessed or experienced an expression of shared values or common ground. The stories of harmony that fill our meetings are phenomenal.

I also recently experienced the harmony of shared values and common ground at World Refugee Day this year. In the basement of First Lutheran Church, children who have come to the U.S. as refugees led groups through a simulation of the refugee experience. First, my group had to decide what provisions to take as we left our home. Then in the refugee camp, we experienced the stress of what it is like to be unable to get basic supplies. At times instructions were spoken in English, and at other times they were spoken in other languages. The simulation drove home the point that wherever one comes from, people need fundamental things like safety, food, education, and health care. To see these refugee children help open the eyes of people like me who haven’t experienced the trauma of the refugee life was humbling, and the experience helped us find greater harmony with one another.

Experiences like these, where people from different experiences and backgrounds take time to find common ground around shared values and basic human needs, are extremely powerful. In a time where there is so much discord and disagreement, I am grateful for those times when I can find the beautiful sound of voices working together in harmony.

Chris Matson is associate pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.