Honoring the elders

FIRST READING | 1 Jn 2:12-17

I am writing to you, children,

because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.

I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,

because you have conquered the evil one.

I write to you, children,

because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

because you are strong and the word of God remains in you,

and you have conquered the Evil One.

Do not love the world or the things of the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world,

sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,

is not from the Father but is from the world.

Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.

But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM | Ps 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10

R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Give to the LORD, you families of nations,

give to the LORD glory and praise;

give to the LORD the glory due his name.

Bring gifts, and enter his courts;

worship the LORD in holy attire.

Tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.

He has made the world firm, not to be moved;

he governs the peoples with equity

GOSPEL | Lk 2:36-40

There was a prophetess, Anna,

the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was advanced in years,

having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple,

but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

And coming forward at that very time,

she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child

to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions

of the law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee,

to their own town of Nazareth.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favor of God was upon him.

---

HOMILY

Growing up as a young boy, I found delight being with my grandparents and was entertained by the many stories they shared. My maternal grandfather would tell me stories about his childhood and his first-hand experience of the war. My Grandmother would tell me how hard life was after the war and how simple the family life in Vigan was during the reeling period. She brought me to prayer sessions and to the Church when we had time.

My grandmother was a good cook. I enjoyed eating her delicacies specially during Christmas season, my most favorite of which are ube and bibinka. We spent Christmas Eve back in the days when Vigan as we know it today was not yet a city, back when everything was so simple.

I remember my Grandfather teaching me who the characters in the Nativity scene are. My grandmother’s sister who lived nearby taught me how to sing and raise interest on the faith and in music.

My paternal grandparents also shared entertaining stories of the war and how their family back then struggled after our town in Bantay was devastated. Back in the time when everyone was reeling from the war and in a time when education was deprived from women, my paternal grandmother beat the odds. Her stories of struggles and triumphs equally became an interesting story for me.

My grandparents played very important roles in my growing up years and -I would dare say- in my vocation as a priest.

Sisters and Brothers, I am sure that all of us here have rich, heartwarming, enriching, and defining memories with our grandparents and our elders in our society and in our community.

Today, I would like us to remember the elders, our grandparents, our ancestors, our mentors and our senior confreres, our grandparents; those who are still here with us and those who can no longer be with us. Let us remember them in this Mass.

Let the prophetess Anna (as well as Simeon) who were advanced in age, remind us of the priceless value of our elderlies because of their stories and the wisdom they could impart on us. Anna’s wisdom and life’s purpose became apparent in today’s Gospel. Having been widowed and having been living all her life at the temple, she recognized hope right there and then. Only people who have stories to share and have the dedication can recognize hope (can recognize Jesus) and lead everyone else to wisdom.

There is an old Romanian Proverb which goes: “The house that does not have an old person in it must buy one.”

We remember our elderly, our seniors, our grandparents not only because they have given us so much love and so much care but we also we delight in the wisdom that they impart; -wisdom which comes from their struggles, their falls and triumphs, their lights and shadows, and from their dedication from which we must all ought to learn.

In the first reading, John addresses the Children and the young men to remind them of the teachings of the faith and how the younger generation could live in holiness.

The elder is meant to guide the younger ones to the right path. Our Christian life is about listening to our elders. How many times did St. Peter referred to himself as elder which meant to refer to his role as someone who oversees, preserves and protects the apostolic foundation. Yet, an elder does not oversteps. Instead, he or she provides good counsel.

We are then invited to be inspired by the presence and the wisdom of our elders, our seniors, our mentors, our grandparents. They are the gifts who continuously give. Let us value the presence of those who are still with us, and the memories of those who can no longer be with us.

Let us honor their memories by treasuring the wisdom that they have imparted so that like the child Jesus, we may grow strong and full of wisdom. Amen.

(Pictures from Disney Christmas Video 2020)