By Father Joseph Chan Wing-chiu
Every year, World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly brings to mind the older people in our lives: grandparents, parents, elderly friends in the parish, and even those in care homes who receive no visitors. This year, Pope Leo XIV took his theme from the Prophet Isaiah: “I will never forget you” [Isaiah 49:15]. This is not just a comforting word from God; it is a vital reminder for society today.
When we are young, the world feels like ours. Busy with work, family, studies, and various plans, life seems to constantly rush forward. Yet, old age comes to us all eventually. When it does, what people fear most isn’t necessarily illness or frailty, but being forgotten.
The pope points out that the greatest pain for many older people is feeling unneeded. At home, they might be treated as a burden or in care homes, reduced to a bed number or a medical file. Society prizes efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness, making it easy to overlook those who can no longer “create value.” This gives rise to the cry deep within so many elderly hearts: “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me” [Isaiah 49:14].
Yet, God’s reply is resolute: “I will never forget you.”
This line reminds me that every wrinkle on an older person’s face is the gospel written by time, and every grandparent’s story is proof of God’s presence. They have lived through war, hardship, and illness, as well as marriage, raising children, and life’s ups and downs. They might not walk as fast as they used to, but their lives are a rich book of faith.
All too often, we search for success in crowds and seek approval from society, forgetting the life wisdom of the grandmother sitting in the corner of the living room. We forget the old man silently praying the Rosary in church every day, who may well understand faith, hope, and love far better than we do.
Jesus once said: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” [Matthew 25:40]. Today, the “least of these” may well be lonely older people. When we visit our grandparents, spend time with our elderly parents, or step into a care home to comfort a stranger, we are doing more than fulfilling a family duty—we are meeting Christ himself.
The pope specifically reminds us not to fear our own vulnerability, which is another crucial lesson older people offer us. Those who spend a lifetime striving for strength and success must eventually accept physical limitations in their later years, often relying on others for care. From a worldly perspective, this might look like failure; from a perspective of faith, it is a path to God. It is only when we admit our limits that we truly see our need for him.
This brings to mind Jesus, born in a manger and died on the cross. God did not show himself through power and status, but revealed his love through vulnerability. Therefore, the frailty of the elderly is not worthless. On the contrary, it teaches us humility and reliance on God.
In an era full of war, division, and anxiety, the pope also invites older people to be guardians of peace. Many grandparents pray the Rosary daily, quietly offering up prayers for their families, the Church, and the world. They may no longer be on the front lines, but their prayers sustain the faith of countless people. On the surface, they seem to have stepped back, but spiritually, they are the most steadfast of all.
For this year’s World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, perhaps we could focus less on formal celebrations and more on genuine companionship. A visit, a phone call, a simple greeting, or a shared dinner can turn the words of Isaiah into concrete action: “I will never forget you.”
When we choose to remember our elders, we are responding to the God who remembered us first. In the end, we will find that in the kindly smiles of our grandparents, in their wrinkled hands, and in their silent prayers for future generations, the Lord we are looking for has been there all along, softly saying to each of us:
“I will never forget you.”
