FATHER MICHAEL’S DIARY
26 JULY 2024
GIVING UP GRACIOUSLY
The world breathed a great sigh of relief when Joe Biden announced that he would no longer run for the Presidency of the USA. His disastrous performance at the debate with Donald Trump and various lapses since revealed what must have been carefully concealed for some time that Joe Biden is now a frail old man. I can say that because I am older than he is! But nevertheless it cannot have been easy for him to throw in the towel. I am not a fan of fixed retirement ages which compelled me to leave the Civil Service and the Church’s stipendiary ministry on specific dates. But the absence of such provision places a responsibility on the individual concerned to make an informed decision when they should move on and make way for a new and younger person.
Such a decision has to take into account not only the person’s perception of their ability to do the job in question but also ( and perhaps more importantly) the perceptions of others as well as the needs of the community or organization they are serving. Almost inevitably a person will think they are capable of more than they are and it will be difficult to attain the required degree of objectivity. All of which make Joe Biden’s decision all the more heroic. After what I am sure was something of a struggle he managed to put the needs of the nation before his own.
But there is another dimension to such decisions and that concerns our perception of old age. Everybody ages, and loses some of the strength and agility (physical and mental) that they enjoyed in their prime. But we all age at different rates, determined by our constitution and our life history. It is that that makes fixed retirement ages so problematic. One person’s 60 is another person’s 80. In the Bible old age is respected for its wisdom and insight. Not surprisingly, as it was rare for people to survive into old age. Although old age is a lot more common today we shouldn’t devalue the contribution that elderly people can make to the life of our community, we seem to age a lot more slowly today.
There is also another factor which we should take into account in thinking about giving up graciously and that is what in his rule for monks St Benedict calls stabilitas. St Benedict thought it unwise for monks to move about from place to place, he exhorted them to find a place for themselves and then stick there through thick and thin. So there is virtue in doing a job year in and year out, that way you gain valuable experience, which benefits the whole community. So giving up graciously is not an easy thing to do - congratulations to Joe Biden!
READINGS AND PRAYERS
28 JULY – NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY – John 6.1-21 – the feeding of the 5,000 – thanksgiving for the Eucharist
29 JULY - Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Companions of our Lord – John 12.1-8 – the dinner at Bethany – the ministry of hospitality
30 JULY – William Wilberforce, Olaudah Equiano and Thomas Clarkson, Social Reformers 1833, 1797 and 1846, Social Reformers – Job 31.16-23 – Job protests his innocence – modern slaves and those seeking to help them
31 JULY – Ignatius of Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus, 1556 – 1 Corinthians 10.31 -11.1 – Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God – retreat conductors and spiritual directors
1 AUGUST – Thursday – Jeremiah 18.1-6 – the parable of the potter – for grace to seek the will of God
2 AUGUST – Friday – Matthew 13.54-end – prophets are not without honour except in their own country – all contemporary prophets
3 AUGUST -Saturday – Jeremiah 26.11-16, 24 – Jeremiah escapes the wrath of the people – all who suffer for the faith today