In today's fast-paced world, much emphasis is placed on young people, as they provide the most immediate benefit to global economic interests. They are the future, and businesses are focused on catering to their needs and desires.
The elderly, on the other hand, are typically discarded by society, as they are seen as individuals who do not produce anything worthwhile.
This is an erroneous point of view, one that all the recent popes, from St. John Paul II to Pope Leo XVI, have commented on.
A wealth of value
St. John Paul II spoke on this on a number of occasions, such as during an Angelus message in 1999. He first explains how the modern world views grandparents:
In industrially and technologically advanced societies, the condition of the elderly is ambivalent: on the one hand, they are less and less integrated into the fabric of the family and society; but on the other, their role is becoming ever more important, especially for the care and education of grandchildren.
He adds, "Young couples, in fact, find grandparents to be an indispensable help. In one way, then, the elderly are marginalized and, on the other, they are sought after. All this reveals the typical imbalance of a social model dominated by economics and profit, which tends to penalize 'non-productive' groups, considering persons more for their usefulness than for themselves."
Instead of seeing them in this light, St. John Paul II urged modern society to value their contributions, especially as a source of wisdom:
The so-called "third age" is first of all a value in itself by the very fact that life is prolonged and life is a gift of God. It also brings some special "talents" due to the wealth of experience, knowledge and teaching which the elderly possess. This is why in all cultures old age is synonymous with wisdom and common sense.
The elderly are human persons, and have inherent value by the fact that they are children of God. Furthermore, their wealth of years can provide keen insights that the next generation can learn from.
As Catholics, it is vital that we hold-up the dignity of grandparents and support them in their old age. Even if society is ready to discard them, we need to honor them and treasure their lives.
