Precious art

Earlier this year, I was visiting Los Angeles and for the first time was able to spend some time at the Getty Museum. This museum holds the vast art collection of the late Paul Getty who made his fortune in the oil business. It is amazing to see the vast grounds and several separate buildings that are necessary to house all of the works of art that he collected in his lifetime. In recalling that visit to the Getty, I was reminded of an anonymous "Easter Parable" I had shared with you in a Visit several years ago. Given the tenor of the times in which we are living, I believe it bears repeating. Let me share it with you this Easter:

A billionaire and his only son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from rare Egyptian vases to Raphaels and works by modern masters, including Picasso and Monet. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was duly notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art."

The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this." The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man whose life his son had saved. The father was deeply moved and thanked the young man for the painting. When he offered to pay for the picture, the young man said, "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father proudly hung the painting on the mantle and would show visitors to the house this painting of his son before he would let them see any of the great works he had collected. The old man died a few months later.

After his will was read, there was to be a great auction of his entire collection of master paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited about seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their own collections. On the platform sat the crude but soulful painting of the old man's son.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for the picture?" There was first silence, then loud complaints from those who had gathered for an opportunity to own one of the famous paintings. But the auctioneer persisted and finally a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the old man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting," he said quietly. Being a poor man, it was all he could afford." "We have $10!" the auctioneer bellowed. "Who will bid $20?"  "Give it to him for $10!" screamed out a rich man in the audience. "Let's see the masters!"

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, going twice - SOLD for $10!" Immediately, a man sitting in the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the real collection." But the auctioneer laid down his gavel.

"I'm sorry, but the auction is over," he said. "When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret codicil in the will. According to the will, only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate at $2.3 billion, including the properties in Europe, the South Pacific, the ranch lands in Montana - and of course all of the paintings. "The man who took the son gets everything!"

Much like the auctioneer, God's message at Easter is, "The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?"

The secret codicil in God's will, you see, is the same: Whoever takes the Son inherits everything.

A happy and blessed Easter to all. Alleluia!