The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

Not the Least Lash Lost: On-Going Catechesis for the Older Person

Authored by Rolf Heming in Issue #33.3 of The Sower
‘See; not a hair is, not an eyelash, not the least lash lost; every hair is, hair of head numbered.’ So often I find I can turn for inspiration for my catechesis to Gerard Manley Hopkins! The wonderful words quoted above are taken from a much-loved catechet ical poem entitled The Golden Echo. Here we see mirrored the words from the Gospel of St. Luke, with Jesus reminding us to trust in the Father’s providence, and reassuring us that the Father will never forget us: ‘Why every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.’ (Lk.12:6-7) The psalms also we can draw upon as an inspiration for catechesis. The psalms embrace the whole of creation. To pray the psalms is not only to recall the saving events of the past, but also to reach out far into the future, even as far as the end of time (cf CCC 2586). The psalms reflect God’s great deeds and also human experience in both sickness and health. Through our study of the psalms, we can find resources for a catechesis on the relationship that God has with the sick and elderly.

The rest of this online article is available for current subscribers.

Start your subscription today!


This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Editor's Reflections— The Gift of the Jubilee Year
By Dr. James Pauley
Free It was a predictably hot August day. We stood, tightly packed and shoulder-to-shoulder, in the blazing afternoon sun in the square outside the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican City. It was the Great Jubilee year 2000, and I had helped lead a group of young people to World Youth Day. It was the largest gathering ever in St. Peter’s Square, which... Read more
Jesus and the Jubilee: Reflections for the Jubilee Year 2025
By Dr. John Bergsma
Free On May 9, 2024, Pope Francis announced to the world that the following year, 2025, would be a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church worldwide. The Jubilee Year would begin on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, and last until Epiphany, January 6, 2026. This holy year would be marked by special liturgical celebrations, greater availability of the... Read more
Pilgrims of Hope
By Joan Watson
One of the hallmarks of a Jubilee Year is a pilgrimage to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome. But what is a pilgrimage? It is harder to define than one might think. Throughout history, men, women, and children have traveled for a variety of reasons, often for motivations other than simple relocation or practical needs. We can see a type of... Read more

Pages