Page 46 - Amarrilo Senior Link Magazine Spring 2019- Online Magazine
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HONORING SENIORS


                                ELDERS AMONG US

























                                                                                                     by David Eppler



                                     hen Odysseus         men and women who play        we truly are. And somehow,
            Inspiration
                                     was preparing to     an equally important role in   this act of naming can confer
                            Wdepart on his epic           the community, yet whose      a blessing that has the power
                            twenty-year journey, which    authority is not conferred by   to heal our brokenness and
                            is recounted in that classic   any institution. Instead, the   release the life that has been
                            tale, The Odyssey, he had the   Holy Spirit seems to speak   lying dormant within.
                            foresight to see that his young   to the hearts of the people
                            son, Telemachus, would need   themselves, revealing this    Most people who read these
                            someone to serve as father in   particular man or this woman   lines will never become
                            his stead. He entrusted the   as one who carries a unique   ordained elders, and
                            raising of the boy to an older   charisma, the gift to love and   many might think they are
                            and trusted friend named      guide and encourage, and      unqualified to serve in the
                            Mentor. Odysseus empowered    perhaps even to help heal the   capacity of “elder” in their
                            this older man to train and   hearts of others.             community, empowered to
                            teach his son and to act as                                 give guidance to the next
                            counselor and guide as the    The relationships provided    generation and to heal the
                            young boy grew. And so, the   by this kind of community     brokenhearted. Yet, each of us
                            word mentor has become        elder are as varied as the    can choose to see ourselves as
                            common in our culture         people themselves, from       a unique expression of God, a
                            today. It was no mistake that   occasional encouragement    re-presentation of His likeness
                            Odysseus chose an older man   or support through a crisis,   to the world, and one who is
                            for this most important role.   to more regular contact. Yet,   willing both to recognize and
                                                          the time they spend with us   reaffirm the best there is in the
                            The Greek term for old man    is seldom focused on codes of   others they encounter each
                            is the word geron, and in the   behavior or rules of conduct.   day. There is an unmeasured
                            Eastern Orthodox tradition    What they offer to us is a    power in this simple, loving
                            the role of geron, or elder, is   personal relationship and   act, and yet it is a power that
                            one of primary importance.    their presence. When we are   can change the way we see
                            In the Eastern Church that    with them, they see in us what   ourselves and others. It is
                            role is often held by a priest   we may not be able to see   a power that allows God’s
                            or confessor and is recognized   ourselves. They see the unique   likeness to show through us.
                            by official appointment and   self-expression of God that   It is the power to truly become
                            ordination. However, there    lies in the deepest part of our   the children of God we were
                            are other elders among us,    heart, and they tell us who   made to be.




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