The Letter to the Elderly Pope John Paul II From the Vatican, 1 October 1999.

 
What is the good of getting old?
What good is to be found in the illnesses and disabilities of old age?
What special graces are granted to the old?
Are old people useful to society?
How should the elderly look upon the approach of death?
With what attitude should the elderly look upon the present world?
What does the Bible say about aging?
What is the proper attitude towards the elderly?

COMPLETE TEXT

What is the good of getting old?

Old age is the fulfillment of man's maturation in preparation for the kingdom of heaven. It is a time when we are better able to reflect on life's meaning and, with the perspective of years, to understand and gain wisdom from the experiences of our lives. It “is the final stage of human maturity and a sign of God's blessing.”

What good is to be found in the illnesses and disabilities of old age?

They are good because they break down our pride and sense of independence, thus helping us to prepare for eternal life, and they release us from being pressed into more materially productive work which provides little time for the reflection and recollection. They are also “a summons to the mutual dependence and indispensable solidarity which link the different generations, inasmuch as every person needs others and draws enrichment from the gifts and charisms of all.”

What special graces are granted to the old?

There is a quieting of the passions, a ripening of wisdom, and an ability to see and understand the past with more reflective eyes. It is a time of greater leisure in which a variety of interests can, and should, be pursued, and in which the life of prayer has the time and silence to deepen in preparation for death.

Are old people useful to society?

Of course. “Elderly people help us to see human affairs with greater wisdom, because life's vicissitudes have brought them knowledge and maturity. They are the guardians of our collective memory, and thus the privileged interpreters of that body of ideals and common values which support and guide life in society...Precisely because of their mature experience, the elderly are able to offer young people precious advice and guidance.”

How should the elderly look upon the approach of death?

In the words of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, a man "will not grow old in spirit, but will accept dissolution as the moment fixed for the freedom which must come. Gently he will cross into the beyond, where there is neither youth nor old age, but where all are perfect in spiritual maturity.” The Pope points out that we are unable to look at death as something natural, but that the fact of death forces us to confront questions of eternal destiny. The example of Christ, who has already destroyed the forces of death and crossed its threshold into eternal life, provides us with hope. We are thus encouraged to spend our final years in fervent prayer and abandonment to God from which arises serenity both towards the process of aging and the inevitable fact of death.

With what attitude should the elderly look upon the present world?

With hope and thanksgiving. In the events of the past century, and the circumstances of the present, the Pope sees great hope for peace and for progress in the reconciliation of the divided churches. He sees advances in the movement towards universal human rights, in understanding the dignity of women, and in undermining totalitarian systems of government. While he acknowledges and comments upon the great wars and injustices that wracked the 20^th century, he derives from them not a pessimism towards the future, but a conviction that "Tribulations not only do not destroy hope; they are its foundation."

What does the Bible say about aging?

“Scripture maintains a very positive vision of the value of life. Man remains for ever made "in the image of God" (cf. Gen 1:26), and each stage of life has its own beauty and its own tasks. Indeed, in the word of God, old age is so highly esteemed that long life is seen as a sign of divine favour (cf. Gen 11:10-32).” There are numerous biblical examples of a fruitful old age, numerous times when God brings the hopes of youth to fulfillment in the old, or calls upon the old to do work to which their greater experience and wisdom especially suit them. Abraham, Moses, Tobit, Eleazar, Elizabeth and Zechariah are all excellent examples of God's plan working through and in the lives of the elderly (cf. Gen 17-25, Exodus, Tobit, 2 Macc 6, and Lk 1:5-25, 39-79, respectively) These examples remind us that God has a purpose and a plan for every human life, at every stage of development.

What is the proper attitude towards the elderly?

Respect and reverence due to their experience and wisdom. We cannot reduce people merely to their capacities for material productivity, for in doing so we throw contempt upon the older years of human life, and leave the aging with a sense of burdensomeness and purposelessness. Indeed, the commandment to “Love they father and they mother” calls us to reverence and respect all of those who have gone before us, both to our ancestors and to our living elders. The elderly must be welcomed, helped, and encouraged to make the best use of the potentials and abilities which they uniquely possess, so that both the final years of human life, and the greater good of society, may be enriched by their presence and participation.

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