Elder Brother Helps Pope 'Accept Weight' of Old Age
Once in a while it's nice to get a little perspective on things. I mean, we are all aging every day, but at some point you also need to take stock and look inward. This little news clip really got me, most especially the words "serenity, humility and courage." These are not merely idol words, but, at least to me, goals worth achieving. Take a minute. Take stock of your own life. Be serene. Be humble. Be courageous.
(From Associated Press)
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI said he is living out his old age with courage, thanks to the help of his elder brother, Vatican Radio reported yesterday.
Benedict, 81, mused aloud about growing old at a ceremony Thursday to make his brother, Georg Ratzinger, an honorary citizen of Castel Gandolfo, the lakeside town near Rome that hosts the papal summer residence. Georg, a priest in Germany, is 84.
"We have reached the last stage of our life, old age," the pope said. "The days to live are progressively growing fewer. But even in this stage, my brother helps me to accept the weight of every day with serenity, humility and with courage."
The brothers recently vacationed together in the Italian Alps. Georg is a former choirmaster who is now nearly blind.
