Peace be with you, my friends.
Socrates lived during the 5th century BC. One of his most famous quotes is:
“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”
I love this quote. If we were just to leave that quote as is and ask who wrote it, most people would likely claim it had to have been someone who currently lived in modern times. The quote is universal in that nature. Every generation has a tendency to complain about the “newer” generation. My great grandparents probably complained about my grandparents, disliking the music of the 20’s, the advent of automobiles, and the era of change for women’s sexuality and rights in this country. My grandparents probably complained about my parents, disliking the music of Elvis, the advent of television, and the change in fashion. My parents complained about my generation (Gen X), disliking “rap music,” the advent of video games, and the change to parental expectations of how to raise children. Even I, from time to time, complain about my kids generation, disliking their music, their over indulgence on social media (even though statistics show that Boomers spend more time on it than Gen Z), and the changes to the school system. And when my children become parents, they will most likely complain about something of their children.
The point is that every generation has echoed the words of Socrates in one way or another. The reason for this, I believe, is because all of us long for Eden. Eden represents perfection. A time of innocence, where sin and evil did not exist and where we enjoyed fellowship with God and each other. It was a Utopia like no other. Moreover, we are told in Revelation that Jesus will come back and return us to that Edenic state, within the New Creation. This utopia is embedded into our very being. As a result, every generation has a tendency to give an Edenic status to the times of their youth and young adulthood because in our hearts and souls, we long to return to Eden. However, since we have never experienced Eden, we do not know what to do with that longing, and therefore, attach its meaning and presence to our own times and lives. When this happens, we paint the times of our youth and young adulthood with illusions of perfection and innocence.
This, beloved, can be considered as the spiritual essence, being, and nature of “Nostalgia.” In modern times, nostalgia is described as something good. The Bible, however, challenges that notion, teaching us that nostalgia, and engaging in it, ultimately leads us to idolatry and hinders us from following God. In a very real sense, we become the Israelites who bemoaned the Promise Land in favor of returning to Egypt.
And if we want to live for God, every day, then we must combat and resist the intoxication of nostalgia.
You can prepare for this service, July 9, 2023, by reading Numbers 13 and 14.
Naples Trinity Federated Church is located at 123 N. Main Street, Naples, NY, 14512;
And you can live stream the service at 9am, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064568507595
Dansville United Methodist Church is located at 5 Chestnut Ave., Dansville, NY, 14437;
And you can live stream the service at 11am,
OR DUMC website @ www.dansvilleumc.org
