It Makes Me Think
I recently wrote about graduation as one of life’s milestones (“Milestones-Graduation”). This summer I experienced what could have been a milestone in my life.
I received a letter from AARP that said “Happy Birthday” on the envelope. No, the letter is not the milestone. Why would AARP send me a letter and put “Happy Birthday” on the envelope? This is what they do when you reach your 55th birthday.
For some, reaching their 55th birthday means nothing more than being eligible for senior citizen discounts. (My mother never liked to admit her age except when it came to senior citizen discounts. Of course, she accepted the discounts.)
For me, reaching 55 is something of a milestone. If I was still working for New York State as an engineer. I would now be eligible for retirement. I’m not saying I would retire but it would now be an option. I could be free to make some changes in life.
As a priest in the Diocese of Rochester, the present normal age for retirement is 75. I have 20 years to go.
The fact that I would now be eligible for retirement if I was still working for the state provides an opportunity for thought. Do I want to undo the change I made 24 years ago when I resigned from the state DOT to enter seminary? No. It was the right thing to do. Being a priest is what I am called to do. When I say Mass and hear confessions, I know I am doing what I am supposed to be doing.
Are there parts of the job like administration that I would like to be freed from? Of course! I suspect that most people have some part of their job they would like to be freed from.
Do I feel like I am getting older? Yes. Does that mean I want to retire now? No. I want to say Mass. I want to hear confessions. I want to teach the truth of our faith.
My body is getting older. The top of my head has less and less hair on it. Occasionally I see a grey hair. The knees do not like to genuflect but I like to think I am a long way from not being able to work. Taking John 21:18 literally, I think I am a long way from needing someone to dress me.
Aging is a reality of life on the outside and on the inside. As I grow older, it doesn’t change the core of who I am even if it does have an effect on what I can do physically. As a penny grows older, it may not be as bright, but its value remains the same.
We all matter to God. He knows us so well that He knows even the number of hairs on our head. God notices everything in a sparrow’s life and He is present with us in every moment of our lives (see Matthew 10:26-33).
God always loves us.
God’s love for us is not dependent on what we can or cannot do. God’s love for us does not diminish as we grow older and can’t take care of ourselves.
God does not love us because of what we can do. We have value because we are loved by God.
We are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). That makes us special. Each and every person has a special dignity and rights given to them by God. Nothing can take that away. Even when we sin, God does not abandon us. He allows us to suffer the consequences of our sin but He does not abandon us. Even after Cain killed his brother Abel, God placed a mark on Cain so that no one would kill him (see Genesis 4:15). God knows we are not perfect. That’s why He sent Jesus. As we read in Romans 5:8, “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
Some people see retirement as freeing them to enjoy life while others lose their purpose in life when they no longer have a job to go to. Retirement doesn’t have to be a loss of purpose. If you struggle with retirement and finding purpose, you should see it not as a loss of purpose. Rather, it can be an opportunity to find new purpose. How might God be calling to use your gifts in a new way to help make the world a better place?
For everyone reading this, whether you work, are a student still learning before starting a career, or are retired, ask yourself how your life is going. Are you doing what God wants you to be doing? Are you being a faithful disciple of Jesus?
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Fr. Jeff, I am glad you made the decision to become a Catholic Priest and are located at our parish. While I have not always agreed with you on some issues, I prefer to focus on the Eucharist and how my belief in that transcends our differences. You are also a good teacher of Catholic thought and practice that has added to my thinking on various religious and spiritual issues especially as I have some more time in retirement to do so myself. Stay Healthy and I hope and pray that some of the staffing difficulties at our parish get resolved.