Aging Spiritually: Emptied and Filled
“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
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One of the spiritual themes of aging is to find meaning and purpose in your life as you grow older. You find meaning in life by receiving God’s love and accepting that you are loved by God, not for what you do, but for who you are. You find purpose in life through the love you show toward others, allowing God’s love that you have received and accepted, to flow through you to others.
Consistently throughout the Bible, God’s love is shown by God’s presence with us. “Do not be afraid, I am with you,” God says to you, over and over. Presence with you in every situation you face is the greatest promise of God. God is with you in the most important and critical times, especially when you are suffering.
Finding purpose in life does not have to be a great endeavor. Mother Teresa said, “Do small things with great love.” Being with another person in their suffering may seem small, but in doing so you are being the presence of God’s love for that person.
Suffering is something that will happen in life. We all will suffer, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. People cannot avoid suffering, but they do not have to suffer alone.
The word compassion comes from the Latin words, “com” and “pati,” which mean “to suffer with.” When you have compassion, you suffer with another person through your acts of presence and love. As you enter their suffering and allow yourself to “feel their pain,” you are showing compassion for them.
Through his own suffering, Jesus had compassion for others who suffer. In the midst of suffering on the cross, Jesus had compassion for others who were suffering.
In Luke 23:34 Jesus prayed for those who crucified him, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus had compassion for those who put him there, offering forgiveness for their actions to harm him.
In Luke 23:43 Jesus said to the thief beside him, “today you will be with me in Paradise.” Jesus had compassion for this man who trusted in him.
In John 19:26-27 Jesus had compassion for those who loved him and were with him at the cross. “He said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’” In his compassion he wanted them to be cared for by each other.
One of the most important ways you can follow Jesus is to let his compassion flow through you to others. Have compassion as he had compassion. That is also an important way you can find purpose in your life as you are aging. As you receive God’s love, allowing God to work in you, your life becomes more like Jesus. As you show compassion for others, God’s love flows through you to another person, suffering with them.
Who do you know that is suffering? Perhaps they are suffering from loneliness, or maybe they have a chronic illness that will not be cured. How can you be the presence of God’s love with them? How can you show them compassion, to suffer with them?
Accept that God loves you. Allow God’s love to fill you and flow through you. Find purpose in your life as you show compassion, as you suffer with, another person.
What does Love ask you to do in compassion today?
Practice
Our practice this week is spiritual reading. Read Luke 22 and 23 throughout the week, each day selecting a section of a few verses of the story. As you read each section slowly, the first time through listen for the word or phrase in the text God brings to your mind. As you read the text the second time, contemplate what God is saying to you through that word or phrase. As you read the third time, offer your response to God. As you read the fourth time, rest in the presence of God with you.
During this Holy Week, as you contemplate the final days of Jesus, consider how his suffering love will change you to live with compassion.
Greg Smith
Legacy Ministry for Older Adults