Pastoral Reflections: The Revelation of the Meaning of Suffering and the Preparation for Eternal life
Pastoral Reflections: The Revelation of the Meaning of Suffering and the Preparation for Eternal life

Summary/Abstract: The pastoral care for the elderly is one aspect of the missionary activity in whichthe priest is not allowed to have hesitations. His presence is eagerly awaited for, hisintervention that springs from love must be comforting and hope giving. Together with theelderly, he must decipher the mystery of suffering, bring Christ into the soul of the lonely,develop the awareness of the ephemeral, a state of continual awakening and expectationof the heavenly Groom. Reconciliation with one’s self, with people and with God, throughconfession and communion, strengthening communion, increasing love and peace are partof man's spiritual preparation to experience a different kind of knowledge of the worldand of himself, but especially of God. Even if the priest cannot always heal, he can, in anycircumstance, take care of and envelop each of his fellows in the garment of love andforgiveness.In this context, we intended to draw attention to some particularities of the pastoralcare for the elderly, an activity that always places us in the position of providing direct,uplifting, enlightening and reassuring answers to fundamental questions of the spirituallife.In the first part of this research paper, we shall formulate some generalconsiderations regarding the pastoral care for the elderly, while in the second part weshall discuss two important aspects of their pastoral care: the revelation of the meaningof suffering and the preparation for eternal life, both ways of responding to the emotionalburden and to the spiritual turmoil of many elderly people. This emotional burden of oldage and the spiritual uncertainties that the prospect of illness, suffering and end of the lifegenerate often escape the attention and, implicitly, the pastoral care of the priest whilealso making the elderly difficult to be understood by those close to him. On the other hand,the emotional support and peace of mind provided by the discovery of the meaning of lifeand death, of the liberating suffering and the hope of meeting God and communion withthe righteous, are invaluable gifts that the priest can offer to the elderly.

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