School Chaplain
Fr Gift Makwasha
St George's Anglican Grammar School
Music and God in harmony
Two weeks ago, many students participated in Battle of the Bands, which was a great time. There were categories for vocalists, bands and House choirs. Due to a silly misunderstanding about stage locations on my part, I missed the vocal performances (which I heard were excellent!) but as a result I managed to catch all the bands.
That was probably for the best because what those bands gave me was a hefty dose of nostalgia. I was treated to songs by The Living End, Green Day, Blink-182, Radiohead and Muse, among others. I have never felt older than when I found myself trying to explain to students, “All the music you listen to was the music I listened to.” That was the entirety of my observation, and the poor students could do little more than smile and nod politely.
Yet hearing the songs of my youth, and feeling that little reminder of age, also brought to mind the words of Scripture:
“Our days are like grass; we flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone” (Psalm 103).
At first glance, that sounds rather bleak. The years pass quickly. The music that once felt edgy and rebellious becomes “classic rock”. Even we ourselves change more quickly than we realise.
But the psalm is not about how fleeting we are. It is about how enduring God is. Immediately after reminding us that human life passes like grass, the psalm declares that
“from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him.”
This fear, I think, is best understood as recognising that God alone gives and sustains life. It is the awe we feel when confronted with the greatness of God.
The passing of time can make us feel unstable, but it can also remind us of something quite comforting.
While fashions, trends and generations come and go, God remains faithful. The same God who was present in our childhood is present today and will remain present long after today's songs have become tomorrow's nostalgia. The same God that carries the eldest among us carries the youngest too.
So perhaps growing older is not simply a reminder that life is short. It is also a reminder that God is constant. That is very good news!
Fr Rhys Roberts-Brown
School Chaplain