– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
The Italian composer Giacomo Puccini wrote, among other operas, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly and Tosca. It was during his battle with terminal cancer in 1922 that he began to write Turandot, which many now consider his best work. He worked on the score day and night, despite his friends’ advice to rest, and to save his energy.
When his sickness worsened, Puccini said to his disciples, “If I don’t finish Turandot, I want you to finish it.”
He died in 1924, leaving the work unfinished. His disciples gathered all that was written of Turandot, studied it in great detail, and then proceeded to write the remainder of the opera. The world premier was performed in La Scala Opera House in Milan in 1926, and Toscanini, Puccini’s favorite student, conducted it.
The opera went beautifully, until Toscanini came to the end of the part written by Puccini. He stopped the music, put down the baton, turned to the audience, and announced, “Thus far the master wrote, but he died.” There was a long pause; no one moved. Then Toscanini picked up the baton, looked at the audience and, with tears in his eyes, announced, “But his disciples finished his work…”
The opera closed to thunderous applause and to a permanent place in the annals of great works.
Jesus instructs us in His Ascension message to finish His work of saving mankind by proclaiming His Good News by words and deeds.
Jesus brought to the world an enormous project. The project of Jesus sent by his Father was to build the Kingdom of God.
The Father didn’t send His Son to the world to build the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is just an instrument to build the Kingdom of God. But He didn’t finish his job. Now, like Puccini’s disciples, it’s up to us to continue His job. To build the Kingdom of His Father.
Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
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