Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/052512.cfm

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go."

The psalmist says the fortunate man will see seventy years, “or eighty if he is strong.” Old age was not unheard of in biblical times, but it was unusual. They never used the expression “life expectancy” but it wasn’t much more than forty years. Nestor, the old man of Homer's Iliad, was still young enough to wield sword and shield on the Trojan plain, and to kick around the younger Greeks. The ancient world had ancient people, but not many.

When Jesus addressed Peter about his growing old the Evangelist supposed he was speaking of martyrdom; “He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.” Only since the mid-twentieth century have we begun to address the wide-spread phenomenon of old age, and to shape spirituality for our latter years.

In my Franciscan community we often speak of such matters: When does a friar retire, if ever? When does he hand in his car keys? Can we provide for him in the friary or must we place him in a nursing home?  Who should tell him his habits have become slovenly? Will he want to study, travel, or engage with other seniors? Can he find something useful to do? Is it okay if he sleeps for hours in front of the television and wanders the house all night? Every individual is different; there are no standard answers, and even the questions vary from one individual to another. It seems impossible to develop a “policy for aging friars.”

If Jesus’ words to Peter prepared him for martyrdom, they can prepare us also for witnessing in our latter years, which is what martyrdom means. I don’t look forward to moving to a nursing home; I cannot imagine myself being so dependent or needy; but if that’s where I am sent I hope I will go with the same willingness that I have brought to every other assignment.

Witness is the first and the last thing Jesus asked of his disciples. You’ll recall that Simon Peter was the third disciple to follow the Lord, according to the Gospel of Saint John. He asked the first two, “What are you looking for?” They replied, “Rabbi, where do you live?” and he answered, “Come and see.” Come and witness. 

To witness is both to see and to give testimony about what has been seen. I often think of the old man Eleazar, who would not give scandal to the young of his Jewish community by pretending to eat pork. He chose to die a painful martyr’s death, and thus to set an example for the young. (2 Maccabees 6:18ff)

Witness is not work; the witness never retires. We witness by everything we do, say and think. It is there in our feelings, attitudes and decisions. We cannot try to give witness to Christ. Neither do we try to be good or try to do the right thing. Rather, we give witness by acting out our true nature, that nature which has been ontologically changed by Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation and our entire way of life. 

Even when three of you drive to the nursing home and two return without you – when someone else dresses you and leads you where you do not want to go – your peaceful spirit will testify the love of God. “He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.”