Gratitude and Contentment Resist Idolatry
When I saw Herbie Hancock at 83 years old
What’s good everyone,
I intentionally saved this post for the day after I saw Herbie Hancock in-person on his US 2024 tour. (There’re still tickets for the other stops, by the way!) I have been anticipating this show for 6-7 months, both because Herbie’s been such a musical superhero of mine, and because he’s 83.
The show, of course, was breathtaking. The whole crew was just so tight and so free. It was a gift to see these 6 Black men with exceptional facility communicating with each other at such a high level and having so much fun doing it. Having just finished Herbie’s memoir Possibilities earlier that day, I felt even closer to the life of the music - a priceless gift.
But I was surprised by my internal idolatry of Herbie welling up throughout the night. You can tell you are idolizing something when you cannot let it rest, and I didn’t want Herbie to rest. I didn’t want his solos to end, and was dismayed when I felt he cut them short. I didn’t want the night to end, even though the cats played 2 hours straight and it felt like 10 minutes. I didn’t want Herbie to stop touring, even though he’s 83 and has been touring for 60 years.
Last week at Notes of Rest in Atlanta at Immanuel Anglican, one participant said that my teaching was helping him see the need to practice contentment. At the time, that struck me as so helpful for my own work, because I hadn’t heard that before, and I suspected many others needed it too in my Notes work. Contentment pushes against greed and over-exertion.
But last night showed me the extent to which I needed that admonition too. Maybe this would be Herbie’s last tour, or my last chance to see him, and that should be okay. Be grateful for what you have seen, Julian. Maybe he just wanted to rest and not play super extended solos because the music didn’t call for it, and that should be okay too. Be grateful for what you have heard, Julian.
When does deep adoration become idolatry for you? Who can’t you let rest?
What a gift of a lesson to learn during Lent, this liturgical season in which I’m especially mindful of my own mortality. Two days before Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Jesus’ last week of life, I am thankful for this insight into my capacity to idolize. More than marveling at Herbie’s prowess, I want to live in the deepest gratitude for this brotha’s contribution to music and to the world. Gratitude keeps my focus on the Lord of heaven and earth who empowers Herbie in the first place. God has come to give Herbie, me, and everybody else in that auditorium rest for our souls and bodies. Such a declaration is an invitation to practice contentment.
I don’t find it a coincidence that celebrity is on the rise and church attendance on the decline. To me it speaks of the spiritual reality that we’re all worshiping someone somewhere. To that end, for as much as Herbie’s playing was speechless, I pray I can ultimately just give God thanks for making and keeping this dear brotha.
Thank you, Herbie. Thank you, God.
abundantly,
Julian
What’s Next
Mar 23 Winter’s Jazz Club with Denise Thimes (Chicago, IL)
Mar 25 and Apr 8 Notes of Rest at Dominican University
Mar 28-31 Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few at Black Cat (San Francisco, CA)
Apr 2 Notes of Rest at McCormick Theological Seminary (Chicago, IL)
Apr 10 Notes of Rest at Endicott College (Beverly, MA)
Apr 11 Notes of Rest at Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium (Boston, MA)
Apr 27 Notes of Rest at Princeton Theological Seminary’s Center for Contemplative Leadership (virtual)
Apr 27 Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few (Los Angeles, CA)
Other Happenings in the Contemplative World
Really excellent presentation on Christian African mysticism and Very Rev. Michael Battle. If you haven’t sat under his teaching yet I strongly recommend! This Saturday 9a-3p Mountain Time, put on by Contemplative Outreach Colorado. Sign up here.
I’m one of the faculty teachers for the Academy of Spiritual Formation hybrid model, an 18-month spiritual formation journey held here in Mundelein, IL. My module will be on Spirituality and Creativity. I invite you to sign up today!