These last few years, Florence and I have been involved in pastoral care for the elderly. It is very disheartening to see so many persons living their last years, lonely, confused, many without motivation or completely "lost." Many seniors live these precious "last days" sleeping, eating and looking at the four walls.
Regretfully, I have seen others who do not know who they are, nor their names, or what is happening to them, who their children are and so on. This chapter in their lives is lived in confusion, and more often than not, in complete oblivion. Days, nights, meals, and so on simply have no meaning.
After having spent a lifetime in God's creation, after receiving His countless blessings, after having raised families and fruitful employment, this part of their lives should blossom in prayer. Prayer with, in and through Jesus. Prayer in adoration. Prayer in praise and thanksgiving. Prayer for deceased relatives. Prayer for children and grandchildren. Prayer for brothers and sisters suffering illness, loneliness, abuse, war, famine, torture and so on. It seems to me that this part of their blessed lives should be in union with Jesus our King, as they prepare to complete their pilgrimage here on earth.
It appears to me that elderly persons who have a deep faith in our dear Lord, whose "earlier lives" have been spiritual and nourished with prayer and the sacraments, do live their senior years with a beauty and a lucidity that other elderly persons do not have. Those persons whose entire lives have been lived as "God's child" understand and cope with everything including death, as natural, necessary and often, a "happy" conclusion to their exile here on earth. Truly, God does not abandon those who place their trust in Him.
My observations were confirmed when I read the Ottawa Citizen on November 17 1999, an article titled, "Faith heals more than soul." It quotes from Dr. Harold Koening's new book, The Healing Power of Faith." One particular reference struck me: "The doctors say, attending a few church services or spending 20 minutes a day in meditation isn't enough to improve health. Spiritual or religious practices must be a major part of a person's life and must be connected to faith to make a difference."
Parents who love their children, will, by their example and their teachings, raise these hearts to minister to God every day, 24 hours a day. In their senior years, they will continue in His Presence, in His Peace, in His Security, in His Life.
Our dear Lord tells us time and time again... "“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (Matthew 18:2.) This is one more of the many reasons, why our journey through this life should be with the Lord our God. There is no reason for any of us to be alone, lost, confused or filled with a sense of helplessness. dialogue with our Creator (prayer), with His Son our King and the Lord Holy Spirit is our eternal heritage, here now and forever and ever. Amen.
Sharing our King's Gethsemane. As Jesus prepared for His death, He reflected on all He had done for God's children, He knew many would not receive His love. He saw that in spite of the "Light" coming into the world, many prefer to remain in the darkness. He saw that many would turn their backs to Him and thus, preferred death to life. He saw that many chose to live in a kingdom of lies instead of knowing God's Truth. This broke His heart so much, in anguish, He sweated blood.
Such is also the lot of many parents and seniors. They spent a lifetime loving, caring and guiding their children, yet, many have decided they "know better." These young vulnerable hearts set out on roads completely alien to their physical and spiritual health and well being. Many choose paths completely foreign to what they were taught. And so, parents and seniors, in, with and through Jesus, have a Gethsemane, a blessed time to pray and a blessed time for suffering for those we love, before we leave this world. Imagine, praying with Jesus in your own Garden of Olives.