Icons of the Wisdom of Old Age

by Fr. Roger J. Landry - February 22, 2008

Every other November, on Tuesday of the 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, daily Mass goers hear one of the most dramatic and inspiring passages of the entire Bible. It contains unforgettable lessons about fidelity, courage, and the importance of setting good example, but I think the greatest lesson concerns the lifestyle, responsibility and perseverance of seniors.

It tells the story of Eleazar, a nonagenarian Jew whom the Greeks in 142 BC were trying to force to eat pork in violation of the Mosaic Law. They opened up his mouth and jammed it with the meat, but he spat it out, knowing that the penalty for doing so was death.

I'll let the author of the Second Book of Maccabees take it from there:

"Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately… and urged him to bring meat of his own providing… and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king; in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him.

"But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God: 'At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion. Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws.'

"Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness. When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned and said: 'The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him.' This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation" (2 Macc 6:18-31).

This passage not only illustrates Eleazar's courage but shows how much his— and we could say the Bible's —understanding of an exemplary elder contrasts with the modern notion.

Today so many Americans look at their senior years as a "second childhood" focused on playing games and having a good time on the golf course or at the casino. The most valuable treasure that many well-meaning elders seek to pass on is a generous inheritance of money or property.

The Biblical notion — which we see in the case of Eleazar — is that the older one gets, the holier one should be, since the greatest of all wisdom is how to do right before the Lord. As one ages, lesser responsibilities (like work) are increasingly passed to newer generations so that greater responsibilities (like one's duties before God) can be better fulfilled, allowing true wisdom to be passed onto the newer generations as their most valuable bequeathal. We see such models of holiness in seniors in Simeon and Anna in the temple at the time of Jesus' presentation. They viewed "retirement" as the privileged time to "rest" in the Lord — to be about his business, to live in loving union with him, and to persevere in covenantal fidelity to him.

Tomorrow the Church celebrates another icon of a true elder, St. Polycarp of Smyrna. As a young boy, he learned the Gospel in Asia Minor (southwestern Turkey) from the elderly and intrepid St. John the Evangelist. While still young he was made a bishop, and became, over the course of the next several decades, one of the most famous leaders of the early Church, revered by popes and faithful alike.

In the year 155, a ferocious anti-Christian persecution broke out in Smyrna. Several Christians were martyred, but the frezied and bloodthirsty mobs demanded more. They clamored for the death of Polycarp, who at 86 years old was universally acknowledged to be the "father of the Christians" in the region. When the police arrived to arrest him, he said "God's will be done," met them at the door and had a nice dinner prepared for them, so that he could have two hours to pray for his flock.

When Polycarp was finally brought into the feverish amphitheater, the proconsul — with threats of death by wild beasts and incineration — exhorted him to remember his age, swear allegiance to Caesar and revile Christ. Polycarp unflinchingly replied, "For 86 years I have served Christ and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior? If you require of me to swear by the genius of Caesar, as you call it, hear my free confession: I am a Christian."

The proconsul condemned him to be burned alive.

After the wood had been prepared and set ablaze, and Polycarp had been bound, he courageously and faithfully gave his Eucharistic valedictory: "I bless you, Lord, for having been pleased to bring me to this hour, that I may receive a portion among your martyrs and partake of the cup of Christ… Grant me to be received today as a pleasing sacrifice, such as you yourself have prepared, O true and faithful God."

Like the wise Eleazar, Polycarp is a "model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue" not just for the old or the young, but for us all.

Father Roger J. Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in New Bedford, MA and Executive Editor of The Anchor, the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River.