On Wednesday, June 22, the last public audience led by the Pope took place before the summer recess. In the catechetical cycle of old age, he spoke of the importance of cultivating the faith and giving a Christian testimony even when physical exhaustion is imminent.
Jānis Evertovskis – Vatican
This time Francis relied on the conversation of the resurrected Jesus with the apostle Peter described at the end of John’s gospel, where Jesus asked him three times: Simon, son of John, do you love me? (cf. Jn 21: 17-18). The Holy Father stated that this conversation between Jesus and Peter was “gentle, but not sweet.” It is “direct, strong, free and open”. It is a “relationship that really happens”. In this context, the Pope called for a rethink of our relationship with Jesus. Can we maintain this atmosphere of Jesus’ relationship with the disciples and conform to His style, which is so open, so direct, so humanly real? He asked. On the other hand, aren’t we very often tempted to put the testimony of the gospel in a “sweetened” revelation cocoon and add our worship according to circumstances?
Such an attitude, which seems worthy, actually distances us from the true Jesus and even leads us to a very abstract and worldly faith that is not the way of Jesus, Francis explained. He added that Jesus is the Word of God made of Man, and He treats us as a man, He speaks to us as a man, as a God-man – gentle, friendly. He is with us.
In the Gospels we read that Jesus warns Peter, “When you were young, you were girded and went where you wanted. But when thou art old, thou shalt stretch forth thine hands, and others shall compass thee, and lead thee whither thou wilt. As if to say, “When you are old, you will no longer be the lord of your life as you used to be.” Along with age, various diseases also occur – the pope admitted. We no longer have the power of youth, and we must accept that. In addition, this weakness will accompany our testimony. Here Francis emphasized that we must also witness Jesus in weakness and sickness. We must always follow Jesus, both in health and in sickness, by walking, running, walking slowly, or in a wheelchair.
This conversation between Jesus and Peter contains a valuable lesson for all Christians, including the elderly, Francis continued. Learn from our fragility to faithfully testify to our lives in new circumstances as we become dependent on others. With illness and age, we become more and more dependent on others, we are no longer as self-sufficient as we used to be, but even then we can grow in faith, it can mature more and more, even then Jesus is with us. The Pope reminded us that even at this stage of our lives, we must ask ourselves how to remain faithful and continue to follow the Lord, how to remain faithful to love, and how to continue to seek justice as we have done so far. He acknowledged that it was not easy to accept that we could no longer be the “masters” of our lives.
This new time is certainly a time of trials, starting with the purely human temptation to still want to be at the forefront. However, by no longer being able to be at the forefront, we have the opportunity to express ourselves in other ways in the family, in society or with friends. When Peter curiously asks Jesus what will happen to His beloved disciple, Jesus makes it clear that this is not his business. Peter does not have to worship others. We do not have to “put our noses in others’ lives,” the pope said. Jesus answers, “What is your part? You follow me ”(cf. Jn 21: 20-22). In this way, He invites us to take care of our lives, to think about our current situation, and not to distract others. “You’re following me.” It is important. Follow Jesus, living and dying, in health and sickness, in success and in trials.
In this regard, Francis emphasized that older people should not be jealous of young people taking their place and taking the lead. They must be able to resign. That is wisdom. What the new generations can admire in them is their faith in love, their faith, the fact that they remained faithful, lived their lives, kept their faith. Beautiful when an old man can say, “I have lived my life, this is my family; I have lived my life as a sinner, but I have done good. ” Peace radiates from such a person.
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