For one of the ancient teachers of the faith humility is the hallmark of the Christian life. Our capacity to own nothing and, at the end of our lives, to lay down everything that we have been given is indicative of how seriously we take the tenets of our faith. All we possess, we possess thanks to the grace of God and, at the end of life, the evidence of how deeply we believe that is the case is reflected in the way that we age and die.
Or, at least, that is what I took from a line or two that I read recently. The observation has me asking questions, which we can fruitfully explore with one another:
Is that experience of coming face to face with our convictions what old age, dotage, and death become for the Christian?
For the person of faith is it an encounter with our frailty, with our dust-ness (if I can put it that way)?
Is aging grace-fully in Christian terms the ability to say with this ancient teacher, “What I have does not belong to me and when it pleases God, I will return it freely, trusting it to the Giver.”
Are the aches and pains, the diminished strength, the failing memory, the endless indignities transformed by seeing them in that light?
In seeing those experiences as a matter of giving back to the Giver the gifts we were given at birth an adventure in trust?
In the midst of that adventure, do we find mystery in the misery?
Does our journey through that troublesome part of life become not a sad, slow diminishment, but a courageous march into the light where everything we possess is at once lost and overwhelmed in even greater light?
It does, it seems to me, if we trust in God and in the power of the Resurrection. In their absence, death is (as John’s Gospel puts it) the last enemy.
I prefer to think of death as the final challenge, with resurrection as the victory. Dealing with physical frailty as I age is another challenge, one I endure daily. It’s just another part of the process we call aging, and it’s also another part of the process (and joy!) we call life. A gift from the Creator!!
Since I belong to the senior group I, however, cannot speak for all seniors as we differ as much as the galaxy, I think. So just for myself it seems to me that my challenges are greater today and my resources are more limited such as strength for example. I have been charged with the responsibility of taking care of my grandson since his birth. He is now 4 1/2 years old. He is very active and curious. In other words, not a quiet little fellow. But the joy that comes from daily interacting with him keeps me in “juice.” He has changed everything. I was a clean up person where everything had to be in its place, etc., but now there just isn’t hardly time to wipe any dust off. My old habits still seem good to me but they can’t exist with my new reality.
Three years ago my husband, my sweet heart, my best friend died. He died from a disease he didn’t deserve since he never smoked or worked around harmful substances. He met his death with courage unlike anyone I have witnessed and I have had the honor of being with quite a few people in the final months. Bill was a gentle person and gentleman always. Our life together completed me and did the same for him. Although I rejoice that he lives in heaven now I will miss him everyday until we are reunited. His faith was the substance of his life and thus ours that we shared. We were still “in love” until the very end – and I believe we still are. Whether in airports or grocery stores people often commented that we were still holding hands or that my husband had his arm around me. He was my everything. Everyone that knew him could find nothing ugly to say about him. He worked at the same company 51 years – a record that is almost unheard of these days. He was very handsome, generous, and did not take himself too serious. Bill made me who I am because the Lord brought us together and knew I needed him and he needed me. Such a person not being physically present in my life has presented the most difficult pressures I have ever faced yet God has given me the ability to find purpose. I have rediscovered laughter which I always enjoyed. I know Bill is with me at all times in the Spirit but it is not the same as the life we once knew. And Bill’s death came to us in our senior years.
And, of course, there are many other obstacles I could share but I’m sure so could everyone else at all ages. The Lord is sweeter than ever in my life and my faith as many more opportunities to grow.
The old hymn seems applicable for seniors to remember – you know the one about Counting Our Blessings and naming them one by one. Well, the truth is we can’t ever conquer that demand because Jesus far surpases all we know or will ever know!
Carol Lawson