January—Thoughts About How We Dey Grow Old

January 1

As we dey grow old, we get “history”—we don live plenty years. This one mean say we get plenty things to thank God for, but e also mean say we don gather some sins, some mistakes, and some wrong turns along the way.

One temptation wey dey come as we dey grow old na to dey think back on those feelings and experiences, almost to the point wey we no fit leave them alone. But the very memory of our past mistakes suppose lead us to depend completely on God mercy, and to know well-well say na only God fit save us. God dey call us to trust Am completely, instead of ourselves, as we know say na only Him fit bring us reach Heaven.

Saint Anthony of the Desert talk am like this: “No put your trust for your own righteousness, and no dey worry about things wey you don do for past.”

January 2

Every stage of life get im blessings, and our “old age” no different. Which blessings dey for growing old? Dem plenty! See some of them: to understand better wetin matter and wetin no matter; peace for inside our heart; trust for God plan; to fit laugh at ourselves (and get more chances to do so!); to value more the beauty of creation, people for every stage of life (especially children), and every moment of life wey God give us.

January 3

Plenty saints dey proclaim say “Everything na grace.” Na true. Everything na grace. Even though e no good to sin, God fit use even our sins help us enter new life. Na new year be this. Everything dey new. Hand this new year over to God for the holy purposes wey E get for your life.

January 4

As I dey grow up, the old farmers wey live near us dey talk say, “As I dey grow old, I dey discover say I fit enjoy my own company.” Big truth dey inside that talk. As we dey grow old, we get more quiet time and more time to stay alone. Instead of this one to be curse, e fit be big blessing—more time to stay quiet, to pray, to reflect, and to know ourselves more deeply.

January 5

I just learn say sometimes people dey connect the three Magi with the three stages of human life: childhood/youth; mature adulthood; old age. In other words, every stage of human life go find im true meaning as we dey with Jesus.

January 6

Epiphany dey put us for the mood to give gifts. Which gift God want from you this year? Na you E want. No be only Saint Peter E dey ask, “You love Me?” E also dey ask each one of us that same question every day. Make that one be our Epiphany gift to Jesus throughout this year—the gift of our love.

January 7

As we dey grow old, other people pain dey pierce our hearts. We dey see people wey dey make terrible mistakes and follow roads wey no lead anywhere, and our hearts dey pain for them. We join Our Lord to feel sonjo for those wey no love Am. We dey pray for them and double our effort to love God in their place.

January 8

One joy wey dey for growing old well na to allow other people shine, and give them chance make people notice them. Ask other people questions, praise the good wey dem do often, and allow them be the ones wey everybody dey pay attention to. True-true, joy dey for doing so!

January 9

“The Duty of This Moment” na the royal road to holiness. Na God will for us. E fit be something very simple—to bring plates comot from dishwasher, cook food, call one friend, drive carefully, or take extra time pray. Na to accept and do any duty wey we get for that moment. Most times, e no go be something wey really dey “flashy,” but na God will for us! Na this way Saint Thérèse follow reach great holiness. The duty of the moment dey bring our lives in line with God plan for our lives, and na exactly there we want dey.

January 10

See one thought wey fit make you think: “Yes, you don retire, but which new thing God dey call you to do?” Carry that question go prayer and see where e go lead you.

January 11

One big opportunity wey dey come as we dey grow old na to stay silent for prayer. Off the radio, phone and TV, and place yourself for God presence. Spend time with Am. Rest and enjoy the love wey dey for the way E dey look you—E dey look you like that all the time. E dey love you always.

January 12

One thing wey we need watch as we dey grow old na watching too much TV news. Almost every time, na bad news and quarrel full am. Tests dey show say people wey dey watch plenty of am (and now wey we don retire, we get more time for am) get higher levels of depression and fear say people wan harm them. That one no be good news! If na so e be for you, reduce the TV news wey you dey watch, and look forward to more peace for your heart.

January 13

The “work” of retirement and the last stage of our lives na to prepare for our death. Preparation from afar dey, wey we dey do right now, and preparation when death don near dey, when we know say death fit come any moment. God dey call us to make decisions now in conspectu eternitas (“with eternity for our sight”). In other words, I no go live forever, and I want begin prepare even now.

January 14

One beautiful phrase dey for Scripture wey describe Jesus after Mary and Joseph find Am for Temple. E talk say, “As E dey grow for age, E dey grow for grace and wisdom before God and people.” “To dey grow old with grace”—how that one go be? Surely, e go include say bitterness no dey our hearts and say we forgive anybody wey we never forgive.

January 15

You know say if we gather all the words wey Jesus talk for the Gospels together, Forgiveness na the third matter wey E talk about pass? E clear say forgiveness dey very important to Jesus, and of course, e dey very important for our lives too. Forgiveness simply mean to hand over any resentment wey dey our hearts to our Lord.

Dey pray the “Our Father for Forgiveness” often. When you reach the words “…as we dey forgive those wey sin against us…,” stop. Tell our Lord say you know say you need His help to fit forgive as E dey call you to do.

January 16

Even though, sadly, dem don change the meaning, the word “euthanasia” get good meaning from the beginning. “Eu” na Greek word wey mean “good.” “Thanasia” mean “death.” And good death dey—na holy death be that. Saint Joseph na the patron saint of happy death. Dey pray to am often for that grace for you and the people wey you love.

January 17

To help your family, tell dem wetin you want concerning your last days and your death. Dem want know your wishes so that dem fit respect dem. E important to talk about matters like your legal will, the space for your grave, the stone wey go mark your grave, the funeral home, the legal authority wey you give somebody to make healthcare decisions for you, Scripture readings and songs for your funeral, and your instructions concerning extraordinary medical means when serious sickness come.

Anointing of the Sick na powerful Sacrament, and e surely dey give plenty grace for your last days. One practical thing: dem dey encourage you to ask for this Sacrament, if possible, while you still dey conscious, so that you fit pray and join your priest and family take part for the Sacrament.

January 18

When you retire, e clear say you get more free time wey you fit use. How you go use am na very important question. Some holy things wey you fit choose include to attend Misa every day, spend more time every day for prayer and Scripture, do Eucharistic Adoration, volunteer to help people wey dey in need, share your wisdom with your children, grandchildren and generations wey dey come, and show interest for other people and their lives. Bring dem into conversation. When elderly people ask people wey young pass dem questions, na special grace: e dey give the young people wisdom and give the elderly people the joy wey dey come from helping others.

January 19

Saint John Paul II write one beautiful Letter to Elderly People for 1999. Inside am, e explain say, “I be one of una; I too don old.” E talk about how e need to dey closer to other people wey be im age mates and wey get life experience like im own. I think say na need wey all of us fit understand.

January 20

Saint John Paul II, for im Letter to Elderly People, point out say as time dey pass, we fit understand our past experiences more clearly, and time dey reduce the pain wey dey inside dem. Amen! Truth dey for that old song wey talk say, “So na the laughter we go remember whenever we remember how we be before.” E be like say our Lord dey make our memories “gentler” as we dey grow old. Surely, this na one of His most beautiful gifts to us.

January 21

All of us dey experience how time dey pass with speed wey hard to believe. “Time dey fly.” Amen to that! Thank God say our souls go continue to live after death. In fact, dem go live forever. As Saint John Paul II talk, the future wey dey ahead of us no get end. Our lives dey stretch towards life wey no go ever end.

January 22

Saint John Paul II still point out the duties wey society get towards elderly people. E talk say we dey honour elderly people for three ways: 1) to welcome dem; 2) to help dem; 3) and to make good use of their good qualities. E quote Cicero: “The burden of old age dey lighter for people wey feel say young people respect and love dem.” We fit need to gently teach younger generations those virtues. ? I get the blessing say my family and my fellow priests dey “pamper” me. So I personally know say wetin Saint John Paul II talk na true.

January 23

Saint John Paul II point out say even as our bodies dey grow old, the human spirit fit remain young always if e dey constantly turn towards eternity. E talk about “youthfulness wey dey last” until we cross enter the life beyond death, “where youth or old age no dey, but where everybody don reach perfect spiritual maturity.”

January 24

Grandparents get wonderful opportunity to teach their grandchildren the faith, and this opportunity dey grow. Many times, na only una go dey do am.

January 25

Many times, sickness, loneliness or other sufferings dey come with old age, but we believe say God go give us the grace to join our sufferings with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and through this, become important part of God’s plan of salvation.

January 26

E dey natural make we wonder about our death, and make we feel some sadness and fear as we dey think about am. But, as Saint John Paul II point out, Christ don cross the boundary of death and show us the life wey dey beyond am for that “part of eternity wey nobody don map out.” Christ na the First Witness of eternal life. Na our faith dey “make the mystery of death clear and bring peace of mind for old age.”

January 27

As we dey grow old, the desire for eternity dey grow inside us. We don say goodbye to many people wey we love. Simeon talk am well as e carry the Child Jesus, “Now, Master, You fit let Your servant go in peace, as Your word talk, because my eyes don see Your salvation” (Luke 2:29).

January 28

Christian hope na virtue wey person really need as e dey grow old. E dey help us put our future for God hand, make E care for us with love. Make we truly enjoy every season of our life as gift wey God give us. And when the last moment of our life reach, make our gracious God help us face am with peace of mind and without regret for wetin we dey leave behind. After we don seek God for so long, we go now see our Beloved Lord face to face.

January 29

As we dey grow older and think about how our life don go, we dey realise say we no fit reach Heaven through our own merit. We dey realise say na only through the love and mercy of our God we go reach there, and to live with this understanding na very good way to live.

January 30

The Book of Revelation talk about “plenty people wey nobody fit count…from every nation, race, people, and language” (Revelation 7:9). This mean say, for Heaven, we go belong to one great multitude, one great people. Apart from the wonderful Beatific Vision of our Lord, we go also know say plenty people dey with us, dey adore Am. We dey journey go the Heavenly Jerusalem, our true home.

January 31

Just as every season of the year get the joy wey e dey bring, na so every season of our life be too. And yes, the season wey we dey grow old join too. Wetin dey give you joy for this season of your life?

List of Wetin Dey Inside

February