Francis recalled that the elderly have never been so numerous in the history of humanity; however, the risk of being discarded is even more commonplace.
Vatican City (23/02/2022 9:15 PM, Gaudium Press) on Wednesday 23rd Pope Francis begun a new cycle of catechesis. The theme is the meaning and value of old age. The Holy Father recalled that the elderly have never been so numerous in the history of humanity. However, the risk of being discarded is systematic: “the elderly are often seen as a burden.”
The Pontiff stressed that “we live in a present where children, young people, adults and elderly people live together. However, the proportion has changed: longevity has become mass and, in large parts of the world, childhood is distributed in small doses. We are also talking about demographic winter. An imbalance that has many consequences”.
The elderly and the culture of the “disposable”
Francis also warned against “the dominant culture has as its sole model the young adult, i.e. a self-made individual who always remains young.” Instead, “there are – at times – care plans, but not projects of existence. Care plans, yes; but not plans to live them to the full,” the Pontiff noted. “And this is a void of thought, imagination and creativity. Underneath this thinking, what makes a vacuum is that the elderly, the elderly are waste material: in this culture of waste, the elderly are like waste material.“
He then assured that “the alliance between generations, which restores all ages of life to the human, is our lost gift and we have to get it back. It must be found, in this culture of waste and in this culture of productivity. The old have resources of life already lived that they can call upon at any moment. Old age is a gift for all stages of life. It is a gift of maturity, of wisdom.”
The transmission of wisdom in humanity
For the Holy Father, the dialogue of young people with the elderly and the elderly with the young is essential, because “this bridge will be the transmission of wisdom in humanity. I hope that these reflections will be of use to all of us, to carry forward this reality that the prophet Joel said, that in the dialogue between young and old, the old can provide dreams and the young can receive them and carry them forward. Let us not forget that in both family and social culture, the elderly are like the roots of the tree: they have all the history there, and the young are like the flowers and the fruit.”
Finally, the Pope concluded by stating that “If the juice does not come, if this ‘drip’ – let’s say – does not come from the roots, they will never be able to flourish.. Everything beautiful that a society has is related to the roots of the elderly. the elderly person is not a waste material: he/she is a blessing for society.” (EPC)
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
