How often do you find yourself praying to be relieved of your pains and infirmities? Perhaps it would be better to pray to have the strength, courage and patience to bear your infirmities. This prayer becomes increasingly important as we age, since our bodies eventually wear out. As the saying goes, “Old age is not for sissies,” at least in part because the elderly almost invariably have their share of chronic aches and pains. As the writer Philip Roth remarked, “Old age isn’t a battle, old age is a massacre.” But it is also worth remembering that certain infirmities actually contribute to our character, making us better people by reining in certain untoward desires or tendencies. So how do we develop the necessary strength of spirit to bear our pains and infirmities? One way is to get in the habit of doing small things every day which are difficult, painful, or just plain boring. This practice will help you to develop fortitude and strength of spirit for the more difficult and painful episodes, which are bound to come. And remember that in your suffering, you are in some ways sharing in the suffering of our Lord, who suffered greatly in his time here on earth.
