Chapter 37: Care for the elderly and the young
Human nature itself is drawn to tender concern for those in the two extremes of age and youth, but the authority of the Rule should reinforce this natural instinct. (From Ch. 37 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
Tender concern for the two extremes of age and youth is not, it seems to me, a hallmark of our contemporary culture. Listening to the mantra has helped me become more alert to the call of frailty.
Tender concern for the two extremes of age and youth is not, it seems to me, a hallmark of our contemporary culture. Listening to the mantra has helped me become more alert to the call of frailty.
Laurence Freeman tells of the surprising answer John Main gave to the question: what is the best way to prepare for meditation. Fr John responded: the best preparation for meditation is to “perform simple acts of kindness.” Taking a moment to hug my aging wife of forty years and telling her she’s beautiful and getting my aging bones down on the floor to play with my three year old grandson: who would have thought as these simple acts as my best preparation for meditation!?
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