I recently attended an anointing Mass for the elderly. My pastor said I could attend because I have a medical condition. Even so, in just a few years I’d be old enough to attend just based on my age.
I thought I might be a little depressed or sad. I remember being a boy scout. A my son (who is a boy scout) was going to help serve the Thanksgiving dinner that followed the Mass. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was a youth singing Christmas carols to shut-ins (my Methodist church youth group did that each year). And now I qualify to be included with the elderly.
Before the start of the anointing Mass, I was inwardly reminded of St. Lawrence the Deacon (treasurer). He was asked by the Roman authorities to bring the treasures of the Church. St. Lawrence returned and presented the treasures of the Church … the poor, blind, aged and crippled. The angry Romans took St. Lawrence away to be executed – roasted alive.
So instead of being sad at the gathering of the elderly, I felt humbled. That I must accept a great honor of becoming one of the treasures of the Church.
“See those spots on the back of your hand? They are age spots. You’ve earned them.” A little more than a year ago, this is what it seemed to me that Mary was inaudibly saying. I hadn’t realized it before, but it was true. They were age spots and I had them.
I am a convert. And one of the things that always impressed me (before I converted) was how much respect and love the Church had for Pope John Paul II even though he seemed rather old and somewhat disabled. My wife was saying “he’s old and should step aside.” But I thought this is such a testimony of the Church’s respect of life and dignity of life at every stage.
My mother has Parkinson’s and a few years ago I told her she was in very good company. God has given that cross to the Pope (John Paul II) and to Billy Graham. It seems to be a cross for very special people so I hoped that she would not fear.
jmm08
