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Harris, Potter & Better than Magic

by Rev. Alan R. Wolcott

Kids have just completed a history test...Hermione, Ron and Harris. Ron is called “Potter”—there was an incident for which he was named.

Hermione:

What exactly were you doing with your pencil back there, Potter? I saw you waving that thing like you thought you were Leonard Bernstein or someone. It’s a good thing you didn’t poke Harris in the eye and that old Dingledorf didn’t notice.

Ron:

At least it would match the scar on the other side. Besides, it’s something I saw in a movie, once: “Swish and flick.” “Swish and flick.” I hoped maybe the table would ignite, we’d call 911 and have the whole thing suspended. Besides, you should have seen Harris’ strategy...he had his hands folded, was looking at the ceiling and mumbling something.

Hermione:

(quizzically) Harris? What were you up to?

Harris:

What’s it to you, Hermi-one?

Ron:

Oh, don’t be such a pee-wee, Harris. Just answer the question. And what’s with the “Hermi-one”?

Hermione:

Yeah. “Hermi-one?” My name isn’t that hard to pronounce, “Her-my-o-knee, Her-my-o-knee, Hermione.”

Harris:

(mimicking Ron) “It’s something I saw in a movie, once: ‘Obi-one’, ‘Obi-one’”. Which reminds me, is there an Obi-two or Hermi-two?

Hermione:

Cute. That was “Obi-wan”, bright boy. And you’re still ducking. What were you doing?

Harris:

If you must know, I was praying.

Ron:

Praying?! Praying for what? I didn’t think you believed in God.

Harris:

Well, Potter, when the subject is the Salem Witch Trials, I thought it might help to have a little divine insight.

Hermione:

(laughing) Let’s see if I have this straight. Potter, you tried magic to change the subject. And you, Harris, tried to get God to give you a peek at the answers. Is that right? Both of you were hoping that the “force” would be with you.

Ron:

(defensively). Yeah, so. What did you do, Hermi-one?

Hermione:

“Her-my-o-knee”, to you, too, Ron. Well I started by praying...

Harris:

Aha! I wasn’t the only one trying to make a deal with God.

Hermione:

Not exactly. This isn’t Star Wars you know. That’s a pure myth, and actually, I think what you and Potter did, Harris, are nearly the same thing.

Ron:

You do? How’s that? I didn’t notice him doing anything more than sitting there staring into space and mumbling. Say, what was that you were mumbling, Harris? Something about Dumbledarth Vader?

Harris:

None of your business, Potter. But, I don’t get it, Hermi-one. How can you say that his magic and my praying are alike?

Hermione:

Well, both of you were trying to change your circumstances by manipulating spiritual forces. Right? Potter, you tried to solve the Witch Trials with magic. Harris, you tried to get God to do what you wanted, too—get the “force” to help.

Ron:

I’ll bet you were saying something like, “Now I take me up my pen, I pray O Lord that once again, you’ll guide my fingers as they write, and grant my tired brain, insight.”

Harris:

Ha, ha. So Hermione, what was different about what you did?

Hermione:

Well, in the first place, I studied. So when I prayed, I asked God to help me remember what I had prepared and to be able to express it accurately. It wasn’t so much trying to change the circumstances as asking God to be with me in the circumstances. I think that’s what prayer is really about.

Ron:

I don’t know. I wouldn’t have minded if the “flick and swish” had worked.

Hermione:

At least with prayer you can be sure, Potter.

Harris:

Wait a minute. Are you saying you’re sure God heard you, Hermione? Man, I prayed five minutes and never got anything.

Ron:

Did you study?

Hermione:

Yes, that’s the point. We can only be sure that God hears us when we pray in line with his way of doing things. We can ask God for miracles, but we probably shouldn’t ask him to suspend his normal way of doing things just for our private benefit. God loves us enough to be with a diligent student and prompt her memory and thinking but his usual way to help students requires that we at least study.

Harris:

So how can you be sure you’re praying in line with what God wants?

Hermione:

Only by getting to know him and learning how he does things, visiting with him regularly. You know, kind of the way we found out what it was like to be a potter, by going on that field trip.

Ron:

I can guess where this is headed. How did I know that when he asked me if I wanted to “throw a pot yourself” I wasn’t to take it literally?

Harris:

You should have seen the look on his face, Potter, when you heaved that vase against the wall.

Hermione:

To say nothing of Ms. Dingledorf—for a moment she did look like Vader. But my point is that you get to know what someone does and why he does it by being with them. It’s just like that with God.

Ron:

And how is it that you spend time with God, Hermi-one?

Hermione:

That’s easy. That’s what devotions is about—reading the Bible to hear what he says, talking with people who know him, making friends with his friends, doing the things that he says he wants people to do. By getting to know God better, I have more confidence when I talk to him about things, when I pray.

Harris:

So, would you like to pray for me, tomorrow. I think it’s Geometry...

Hermione:

Are you going to study?

Ron:

I guess I’d better work harder on my “swish & flick.”

Harris:

Potter, what did you say the words to that prayer were? Yours sounded better than “Now I lay me down....”

Hermione:

(mildly exasperated) God help us!