From Woodstock Nation to a Holy Nation

Fifty years ago, I along with countless others made the trek through Bethel, New York to Max Yasgur’s 600-acre dairy farm in White Lake, a subdivision of Bethel, to attend what was billed as an “Aquarian Exposition: Three Days of Peace and Music.” Close to 500,000 arrived to experience some of the era’s best bands, including a West Coast contingent that made for one of the greatest Saturday nights — continuing well past Sunday sunrise — of the rock era: the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone and Jefferson Airplane, with an explosive set by the Who. It lived up to that “peace and music” billing to gather an unexpectedly large, unexpectedly amiable community; it envisioned pleasure as an answer, not merely an escape. “Woodstock Nation,” despite Abbie Hoffman’s hopes when he coined the term, turned out to be a weekend happening rather than a political force.

When Woodstock Nation disbanded late Monday morning, I returned to my home in Upstate New York to continue my summer routines and prepare to return to Bowling Green University for my sophomore year of college. Eighteen months later, three young men came to visit my school and shared a message about a person who wanted to change my life and bring me into a whole new existence. Having been brought up in a strong, Irish-Catholic home, I had wandered away not only from my Catholic faith but from the Lord of all, Jesus Christ. These young men each shared their stories of how they had found a whole new life they never imagined existed. When I was at Woodstock, I was looking to fill a void in my life. I was searching for peace and love that can only be found in Jesus. That night I went to my room and called out to the One these fellows had proclaimed and whose stories roused my soul. The Lord came upon me and swept me into His kingdom. I was transformed, and suddenly, the void that led me to Woodstock was filled by the love of God poured out by the Holy Spirit.

Those three young men were used by God to change the trajectory of my entire existence. Just as the Lord used them in my life, so He wants to use us to reach others. They did not share a complicated theology nor a sophisticated three-point outline. They simply told their personal story of what great things the Lord Jesus had done for them. As they shared with me, my heart burned within me, and I turned my life over to the Lord. Each one of us can have the privilege and opportunity those three men had that night. God used them to lead me out of “Woodstock Nation” and into the Holy Nation spoken of by our first pope, St Peter. You, my friend, are called to do the same!

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).