All my life I've been taught how to die, but no one ever taught me how to grow old. - Billy GrahamI recently came across this telling quote by Billy Graham. I think it may say a lot about those of us who believe in an afterlife, but still have to live in today's world with all its challenges. As one's abilities fade with age, it is difficult to continue to feel like a "contributing" member of society. And why is that so important, really, in the long-term scheme of things?
Not knowing a lot about Graham's particular theology, I can't help but wonder if he has any sense of the efficacy of suffering. That peculiarly Catholic idea of "offering up" the crosses that are given to us in this life, for the good of ourselves and others, can go a long way towards alleviating the "why" of that inevitability.
It's so great to be able to offer up any disappoint, pain, etc and unite ourselves with the Cross.
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2100 Outward sacrifice, to be genuine, must be the expression of spiritual sacrifice: "The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit. . . . "17 The prophets of the Old Covenant often denounced sacrifices that were not from the heart or not coupled with love of neighbor.18 Jesus recalls the words of the prophet Hosea: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice."19 The only perfect sacrifice is the one that Christ offered on the cross as a total offering to the Father's love and for our salvation.20 By uniting ourselves with his sacrifice we can make our lives a sacrifice to God.
Thanks for the quote, Moneybags. Its very pertanent.
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