On July 25, 2021, the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated. Established by Pope Francis, it aims to highlight the importance of those who preserve our roots, pass on the faith to young people, and care for the little ones. In addition to dedicating a day to grandparents and the elderly, the Holy Father grants a Plenary Indulgence to those who participate in the day’s celebrations and visit elderly people in difficulty.
Among the most beautiful passages of the Message he wrote, we read: “I would like every grandfather, every elderly person, every grandmother, every elderly woman - especially those among us who are most alone - to receive a visit from an angel!” And again: “Even when everything seems dark, as during these months of the pandemic, the Lord continues to send angels to comfort our loneliness and repeat to us: ‘I am with you every day.’” The angels will sometimes “have the faces of our grandchildren, at other times those of family members, lifelong friends, or people we have met precisely during this difficult time.”
Francis’s tenderness is expressed in simple words capable of touching the heart; he wants grandparents and the elderly to feel that the Church is close to them. He understands that the pandemic was an extremely difficult ordeal to endure and wishes to reach them with all the affection of the entire people of God; some fell ill, others did not make it: “Many have passed away, or have watched their spouses or loved ones die; too many have been forced into loneliness for a very long time, isolated,” and so, with the proper precautions, the time has come again for visits and embraces, because the elderly need them, and we too need them and need to express the love we feel.
Let us thank Pope Francis because he continues to remind us what truly matters: being affectionate and tender, not being afraid to show the tenderness in our hearts, and becoming ever more humanly Christian.
Let’s make grandparents and the elderly feel important: it’s good for them and good for us!
