杏MAP导航

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

杏MAP导航 Francis on Tuesday released a message for the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly ahead of the date of the celebration which is scheduled for 25 July. The theme chosen by the 杏MAP导航 for the inaugural commemoration is 鈥淚 am with you always鈥� (Mt 28: 30).

The Holy Father addressed the theme from the Gospel of Matthew to all Grandparents and the elderly, reminding them that this is the promise the Lord made to his disciples before he ascended into heaven.

鈥淭he whole Church is close to you 鈥� to us 鈥� and cares about you, loves you and does not want to leave you alone!鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, identifying with the elderly, as one of them.

Comfort amid the pandemic

The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 message comes amid the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected everyone, especially elderly people. Many, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted, 鈥渇ell ill, others died or experienced the death of spouses or loved ones, while others found themselves isolated and alone for long periods.鈥�

鈥淭he Lord is aware of all that we have been through in this time,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥淗e is close to those who felt isolated and alone, feelings that became more acute during the pandemic.鈥� Illustrating this, he recounted the story of St. Joachim, the grandfather of Jesus, who, according to tradition, was consoled by a messenger of the Lord when he felt estranged from those around him.

The Lord sends angels, messengers through His words

Even at the darkest moments, the Lord continues to send angels to console our loneliness and to remind us that He is with us always, the 杏MAP导航 assured.

These angels, he continued, will at times have the face of our grandchildren, while at other times, 鈥渢he face of family members, lifelong friends or those we have come to know during these trying times, when we have learned how important hugs and visits are for each of us.鈥�

At the same time, the Lord also 鈥渟ends us messengers through his words, which are always at hand鈥� the 杏MAP导航 noted, inviting the elderly to 鈥渢ry to read a page of the Gospel every day, to pray with the psalms, to read the prophets.鈥� He added that 鈥渢he Scriptures will also help us to understand what the Lord is asking of our lives today. For at every hour of the day, and in every season of life, he continues to send labourers into his vineyard.鈥�

The vocation of the elderly

The Holy Father went to recall the words of Jesus to the disciples when he asked them to 鈥淕o therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you鈥� (Mt 28:19-20)

Addressing these words to the elderly, he highlighted that this helps them better understand that they have the vocation 鈥渢o preserve our roots, to pass on the faith to the young, and to care for the little ones鈥� irrespective of their age, if they are alone or have a family, if they work or not or if they are grandparents or not. The 杏MAP导航 underlined that there is no retirement age from the work of proclaiming the Gospel and handing down traditions to grandchildren.

Further encouraging the elderly to 鈥渟et out and undertake something new鈥� in spite of the doubts and questions they might have, he reminded them that Jesus himself heard a similar question when Nicodemus asked him 鈥渉ow can a man be born when he is old鈥� (Jn 3:4)

It can happen, 鈥渋f we open our hearts to the working of the Holy Spirit, who blows where he wills.  The Holy Spirit whose freedom is such that goes wherever, and does whatever he wills,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said.

Emerging from the crisis

Reflecting on collective efforts to put an end to the pandemic, 杏MAP导航 Francis stressed that we will not emerge from the present crises as we were before, but either better and worse. He noted that 鈥渘o one is saved alone鈥� and we are all indebted to one another because 鈥渨e are all brothers and sisters.鈥�

In this regard, he went on to insist that the elderly 鈥渁re needed in order to help build, in fraternity and social friendship, the world of tomorrow鈥� where, together with their children and grandchildren, 鈥渨ill live once the storm has subsided.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 insisted that all of us must 鈥渢ake an active part in renewing and supporting our troubled societies鈥� and the elderly, better than anyone else, can help to set up three of the pillars that support 鈥渢his new edifice,鈥� which include dreams, memory and prayer.

Dreams, memory and prayer

Recalling the words of Prophet Joel, 鈥淵our old men shall dream dreams, and your young men will have visions鈥� (Joel 3:1), 杏MAP导航 Francis said that the future of the world depends on the covenant between young and old because 鈥渨ho, if not the young, can take the dreams of the elderly and make them come true?鈥�

For this to happen, 鈥渋t is necessary that we continue to dream,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淥ur dreams of justice, of peace, of solidarity, can make it possible for our young people to have new visions; in this way, together, we can build the future.鈥�

Explaining further, the 杏MAP导航 said that 鈥渄reams are intertwined with memory.鈥� The 杏MAP导航 then turned his thoughts to the painful memory of war and the importance of helping the young to learn the value of peace. He stressed that those among the elderly that experienced the suffering of war must pass on the message because keeping memory alive and sharing it with others is a true mission for every elderly person.

鈥淲ithout memory, however, we will never be able to build; without a foundation, we can never build a house. Never. And the foundation of life is memory,鈥� he said.

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis spoke on prayer, recalling 杏MAP导航 Benedict XVI鈥檚 words: 鈥渢he prayer of the elderly can protect the world, helping it perhaps more effectively than the frenetic activity of many others.鈥�

He reminded the elderly that their prayer is 鈥渁 very precious resource; a deep breath that the Church and the world urgently need鈥� that 鈥渋nspires in everyone the serene trust that we will soon come to shore鈥� especially in these times 鈥渁s we continue to sail in the same boat across the stormy sea of the pandemic.鈥�

Concluding, the Holy Father held up the example of Blessed Charles de Foucauld to the elderly, explaining that the story of his life 鈥渟hows how it is possible, even in the solitude of one鈥� s own desert, to intercede for the poor of the whole world and to become, in truth, a universal brother or sister.鈥� He, therefore, asked the Lord that through his example, 鈥渁ll of us may open our hearts in sensitivity to the sufferings of the poor and intercede for their needs.鈥�

鈥淢ay each of us learn to repeat to all, and especially to the young, the words of consolation we have heard spoken to us today: 鈥淚 am with you always鈥�! keep moving forward! May the Lord grant you his blessing,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said.