At his general audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis discussed growing older and preparing for death.
He remembered the faith Christians have in the physical resurrection of their own bodies at the end of time as he thought of the Virgin Mary’s Assumption into heaven.
“We just commemorated the Mother of Jesus’ ascension to heaven.
This mystery exposes both our journey and the accomplishment of the grace that fashioned Mary’s fate, he stated on August 24 at the Vatican. “Heaven is where we are going.”
The pope said that this would be his last catechesis on the subject of old age at his weekly public audience in the Paul VI auditorium.
The 85-year-old pope, who has been having trouble walking, was wheeled onto the stage of the theatre. He stayed sat the whole hour-long activity.
Reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8:22–24 opened the discussion for the audience: We are aware that the whole cosmos is still in labour pains.
In addition, because we are the firstfruits of the Spirit, we too experience internal labour pains as we wait to be adopted and have our bodies redeemed.
Since we were spared by hope. Now, self-evident hope is not true hope. Who believes what they see?
Francis said that it is not by chance that the apostle Paul mentions labour pangs.
After death, we are born into heaven, into God’s realm, and we are still ourselves, the people who have walked this planet, he added, “just as, at the instant we emerge out of our mother’s womb, we are still ourselves, the same human being who was in the womb.”
Prior to leaving this world, Jesus made the following promise to his disciples: “And if I leave and make a way for you, I will come back and take you to myself, that where I am, you may also be” (John 14:3). Pope Francis spoke to this promise.
He said, “The Risen One lives in God’s realm, where there is a place for everyone, where a new earth is developing and the heavenly city, man’s last home, is being constructed. We are certain that it will preserve our faces’ recognizability and enable us to stay human in God’s paradise, even if we cannot fathom this transfiguration of our mortal corporeality.
We shall be able to directly experience the countless adventures of God’s creative act, allowing us to engage in it with profound feeling.
Pope Francis encouraged everyone to take seriously what Jesus said about the Kingdom of God, bearing in mind the eternal “destination” of their earthly life. Francis stated that when Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God, he compares it to a wedding feast, as well as a party with friends.
The significance of the many “details” of which life is built — a caress, a smile, a gesture, an appreciated effort, an unexpected surprise, a welcome cheerfulness, a devoted relationship — becomes more vivid in our old age, my dear contemporaries (I’m referring to the elderly men and women) he added.
As we get closer to saying goodbye, the things that are most important to us in life become undeniably evident to us.
He stated to the aged, “The greatest of life is yet to come.”
“Our whole existence seems to be like a seed that must be buried in order for its blossom and its fruit to be produced. It will give birth just like the rest of the globe,” he said. Not without suffering throughout labour, but the baby will be delivered.
And the life in the bodily resurrection will be a hundred thousand times more alive than what we have experienced on earth.