Our faith has an ancient tradition of acknowledging that time itself plays an essential part in sanctification. The very first chapter of Genesis puts forth the creation of the universe as an ordered succession of days that culminate in God Himself resting on the Sabbath. The precept of the Church to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation fulfills the promise of the first Sabbath by obligating us to hold our celebration of the Day of Resurrection as an essential expression of our Catholic faith.

he yearly liturgical calendar is the temporal mosaic of faith through which we worship God and build community. Read chapter 25 of the Book of Leviticus to get a sense of the centrality of Jubilee for the people of Israel and the origin of our Catholic tradition of jubilee.

By now we are well-acquainted with the popes’ penchant of providing themes for every year of the Church in addition to the normal jubilees, hence the years of St. Paul, of Mercy,  and this Year of Saint Joseph. Additionally the Church has added to the our calendars special days of remembrance, celebration, or recognition. So there is a World Day for Vocations, a World Day of the Sick, a World Day for Consecrated Life, and a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. These days of prayer and engagement might be a challenge to keep up with, but they are wonderful invitations to depart from our habitual circles of care and concern and acknowledge the special graces God provides to all peoples, at all times, and in all places.

On Sunday, July 25—the day before the Commemoration of Saints Joachim and Anne—the Church will celebrate the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. In his beautiful letter introducing the day, Pope Francis uses the trials of the grandfather of Jesus, Saint Joachim, as a path to guide us to attend to the grandparents and elderly among us. The Day should remind us of the special burdens that the elderly carry,  especially the outsized effect of the pandemic on their health and social bonds.

he pastoral notes that accompany the promotion of the Day challenge us all to learn from our experiences of these past eighteen months. We have all become more aware of the problem of isolation and neglect in our communities. This Day can be the path to reintegration and outreach, making our communities greater centers of charity and compassion.

The tagline for the event is #IAMWITHYOUALWAYS. This powerful Scripture verse (Matthew 28:20) can help us in our own response to the Holy Father’s invitation to prayer, engagement, and celebration with our grandparents and all the elderly. You can find more information at the Vatican website (http://www.laityfamilylife.va/content/laityfamilylife/en/amoris-laetitia/pastoral-resources-world-day-for-grandparents-and-the-elderly21.html) for the Dicastery for the Laity and Family Life, especially in the section on Amoris Laetitia which marks the fifth anniversary of the publication of Amoris Laetitia. 

With so little time to prepare an adequate local celebration, we might be constrained in providing a parish-wide response. At a minimum though we will provide a prayer card for the congregation to say together at Mass this coming weekend of July 24/25.

 also invite you to bring a picture of your own grandparents, living or deceased, and/or of the special elderly people in your own life. Tables and shelves will be provided in the left niche where the statue of the Blessed Virgin normally resides. We will have platforms set up to hold the pictures. At St. Rose you may place your pictures on the communion rails. Come any time during this week to place the pictures so that they can assist us in commemorating this special day of grace. Finally, I hope that each of us can take time on that day to make a personal visit to a grandparent or an elderly person and share the grace of the day.