“The eternal God is not often in a hurry. He typically works slowly but steadily to show us His gracious will so that we might fulfill it. But once we discern that something new has appeared on the horizon, we should prepare ourselves for Him to disclose His good purpose for the next phase of our lives. Yet, in all the circumstances and stages of our lives, we should remain steadfast in our hope in Christ.” (Fr. Basil)
“Life-stages and their changes, can hit us like St. Paul’s encounter on the road to Damascus. St. Paul gives us a pattern to follow. We set about, like he did, to find and embrace who God wants us to be. For St. Paul had to not only give up his purpose but also his identity. For us, when encountering a new life stage, it can feel very similar, especially when reaching the “empty nest” or retirement. We may need to take some time, like St. Paul did during his time in Arabia, and come to terms with letting go of how our life was for so long and embracing our next calling. Truly, what happened to St. Paul on the road to Damascus happens to us over a lifetime. It’s all about coming to terms with and letting go, just like St. Paul did. We should take heart and not be too hard on ourselves. God is patient and merciful. He allowed St. Paul those three years just as He allowed Elijah in the wilderness time to find his bearings and come to terms with what was happening in his life.” (Fr. Joshua Makoul)
“…people are brought to Christ in different ways. Some come in “lightning bolt” conversion moments. There are people who can tell you that there was one specific moment when they knew Christ and knew they wanted to follow Him. Others do learn in more subtle ways. They listen to preaching, they are taught, they do read and research. For most, conversion comes over time, in gradual stages. At different ages and stages of life, they come to know Christ on a deeper level.” (Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis)
“We are all one family in Christ—regardless of one’s age or stage in life. God fashioned humanity so that it would exist through relationship. After creating Adam, He declared, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18). We were made by God to live in communion with one another. We need connections with others to survive.” (Melissa K. Tsongranis)
“We learn from the elderly a good deal about what it means to be human. At every stage of the aging process, whether someone is in ideal health, or is at the most advanced stage of dementia, we encounter a living, breathing person, wholly in the image of God, and fully able to share a relationship with God and man. By seeing the person beneath the disease, we can learn to nurture a relationship which brings joy and healing. Lastly, the elderly ought to have a true presence in our lives. It is only then, when every stage of human life is woven into the fabric of the Church, that we will truly be one.” (Peter Kavanaugh)
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