By Judith Hanlon

A Homiletics project at Andover Newton Theological Seminary in 1997

Intended to portray a universal message.

Based  on events in the life of Daniel, our friend.  You know a Daniel.  He/she is in the pew next to you.

...And they asked the Master, "Tell us Lord, which liturgy shall we use, shall

we sing gospel or high church? Which of the instruments of the Psalms most

edify you-do the drums distract, do the guitars attract, does our clapping

detract. Tell us Lord, which songs shall we sing?

And He spoke a parable unto them saying. 'There was a boy named Daniel. He

lived in a place where all the houses looked the same. One summer in his

youth, he noticed for the first time a building with a steeple across the

street. This summer he noticed many kids heading to its doors and he joined

them in the building with the steeple.

The leaders at the steeple place provided so many things to do. There was

basketball, cooking, arts and crafts, sewing and tennis. Daniel didn't like

any of them. One leader finally asked Daniel what he liked to do. Daniel

said, "I love music. I love to sing songs."

What kind of music do you like?

I don't know-any kind.

The leader tried hard to find a tape for the boom box that struck Daniel's

fancy. Nothing did. Finally, the leader took Daniel into a large storage

closet where a huge grand piano was covered with the debris of a gymnasium

She closed the doors to the noise of the teeny bop music and a ferocious

basketball game. . The leader held Daniel's awkward adolescence hands and

guided them gently over the keys.

"Here, Daniel, let me teach you a song. "Jesus loves me this I know for the

Bible tells me so." Add C chord, G chord and F chord." The leader went back

to the noise and to her responsibilities.

She forgot about Daniel until it was time to close the steeple place. She

opened the doors to the storage closet and heard a beautiful gentle melody.

"Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible

tells me so." Daniel was playing-the chords were broken and full-the right

hand melody was embellished and harmonious.

For two years, Daniel returned every time the steeple place opened. He

learned every chord the leader knew and went from page 1 to the end of every

hymn book in the church. He developed his own style. His soul came alive in

the rhythm and cadence of lyric and melody.

The steeple place no longer offered programs to the children from houses that

all looked the same. They still played their grand and beautiful organ on

Sunday mornings. And trained voices sang glorious songs in four part harmony

complete with the descants of angels.

Thirteen years later, the leader received a phone call from the boy Daniel

who had become a man. Here is what he said.

"Leader, I am very sick. I have traveled many places, but need to come home.

I am dying of Aids. I don't expect that any one from the steeple place would

want me to come there on Sundays, but I wonder if you still have the piano in

the storage closet. You see, many years ago, when you taught me to play the

piano, I came there because my step-father was abusing me. He sometimes made

me eat my supper from the dog dish. He told me that I had to learn to be

tough and not cry so easily. He beat me until I learned not to cry to make

the beatings stop. I never told you that. But, I was safe in that closet.

You never knew. To this day, I still cannot cry, but music cries for me."

The leader brought Daniel to the steeple place and rolled the piano into the

beautiful sanctuary. All of Daniel's steeple friends came to listen to an

amazing concert of gospel, jazz rock. They gathered around and gently sang,

Great is thy faithfulness, Day By Day, What a Friend, and Amazing Grace.

Daniel knew all the verses.

When Daniel died three years later, the leader was there. She held Daniel in

her arms and rocked the skinny, 6 foot man into the arms of Jesus who loved

him so.

She remembered a time when the heart of the steeple place was a storage

closet and a forgotten piano where an abused outcast found refuge and beauty.

She remembered the sweet melody that resurrected Daniel's soul. She was

glad that Daniel had finally played in the great Sanctuary, worthy of his

gift.

And the Master said unto them, "Oh you of great voice, I ask you, who hears

your melody? For whom does your organ peel and your voices blend. Take heed

that you do not thy liturgies for thine own indulgences and churchiness. For

the voice of the closet has been heard in the halls of my heaven."

Verily, verily I say unto you-it is not which songs that you should sing-for

everything that hath breath can praise my name.

Sing to offer safety-not judgment

Sing to bring hope not despair

Sing all that you sing-that doors will be open not closed

Verily, verily, I say unto you-sing songs that welcome people Home. Amen.

  The Parable Of Daniel 

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