The Tribune

By Rev Angela C Bosfield Palacious

As more of us age gracefully and live longer, as families are more stressed and time and resources less available, this becomes a silent question in the hearts of many of our senior population: Will you love me when I am old? Will our families love and care for us? Will our churches love and remember us? Will our nation continue to provide for us?

There are several passages in the Bible which speak to the subject of aging and elder care:

• Ecclesiastes 12: 1-3 NRSV

Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”…and those who look through the windows see dimly.

• Matthew 15: 3-7 NRSV

He (Jesus) answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said,[a] ‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’ But you say that whoever tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,’[b] then that person need not honour the father. So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you.

• Leviticus 19:32 NRSV 32

You shall rise before the aged, and defer to the old; and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.

As a Church we need to engage ourselves in more of the following:

1. Prayer and study on family relationships and changing levels of communication

2. Provision of opportunities for sharing of personal experiences by elderly persons

3. Visits to homes for the elderly, to older persons, and the sick and shut-in

4. Seminars on aging, elder care, various illnesses associated with aging

5. Support groups for the elderly and for care-givers

6. Church-sponsored homes for the elderly and assisted living facilities

7. More education on preparation for retirement including financial planning, good nutrition, exercise, alternative activities and ministries

As individuals we need to peacefully resolve our own issues: How do I feel about growing older myself? What preparations am I making, if any?

For those of us who are older, how do we relate to the following Psalm: “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone…As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all.

“I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds. Even when I am old and grey, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. 19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honour and comfort me once more. (Psalm 71:9, 14-21 NIV)

Unless we die young or the Lord comes very soon, we all will grow old. Hopefully, we are loving others as we hope one day to be loved ourselves.

• Rev Angela Palacious, a motivational speaker and author of several devotional books, is an Anglican priest. She may be contacted at 393-9000 or by e-mail at angelapalacious@gmail.com.