Word to the Wise
Friday, June 2, 2017 - 7th Week of Easter - Fri
[Acts 25:13b-21 and John 21:15-19]"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." [John]
The lectionary abruptly shifts from the Last Supper to the last chapter of the Gospel According to John, which scripture scholars call "the Johannine Appendix," because it appears to have been added by someone in the early stages of composition and circulation of the gospel. In any case, this chapter is a poignant scene in which Jesus challenges Peter for his (Peter's) triple denial of Jesus earlier in the gospel. The message is a simple one. If we love Jesus, we will love and care for those who believe in him. We have the example of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples at the Last Supper to recall. (Ch. 13).
The quotation this morning comes right after Peter's affirmation of love and has caught my attention more and more over the last several years as I move more deeply into my 70's! The spirituality of aging is more than "growing old gracefully." It involves a mixture of memory, gratitude, regret and hope as health changes and mobility decreases. There is a contest of acceptance and resistance. In the last couple of years, I have had the privilege of preaching retreats for retired sisters in the nursing facilities of their congregations. Their stories have inspired me. Perhaps we might all pay greater attention to this great resource of wisdom among us. And those of us who are "growing older" have our stories to tell, even as we stretch out our hands to be lead in a direction that is not always of our choosing. Jesus will be our companion. AMEN
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