21/07/25 [담화] 2021년 제1차 세계 조부모와 노인의 날(가칭) 교황 담화-“내가 언제나 너희와 함께 있겠다”

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프란치스코 교황 성하의 

2021년 제1차 세계 조부모와 노인의 날 담화

(2021년 7월 25일)

 
“내가 언제나 너희와 함께 있겠다”

 
 
사랑하는 할아버지 할머니, 
사랑하는 벗인 노인 여러분,
 
“내가 언제나 너희와 함께 있겠다”(마태 28,20). 이 말씀은 주님께서 승천하시기 전에 당신 제자들에게 하신 약속입니다. 주님께서는 사랑하는 조부모와 노인 여러분에게 오늘 이 말씀을 다시 한번 건네고 계십니다. “내가 언제나 너희와 함께 있겠다.”라는 말씀은 제1차 세계 조부모와 노인의 날을 맞이하여 로마 주교이자 여러분처럼 노인인 제가 여러분에게 드리고 싶은 말씀이기도 합니다. 온 교회는 여러분 곁에, 우리 곁에 있으며 여러분에게 마음을 쓰고 있고 여러분을 사랑하며 여러분을 혼자 내버려 두지 않으려 합니다!
 
감염병의 세계적 유행이 예측하지 못한 맹렬한 풍랑처럼 우리를 휩쓴 어려운 시기에 여러분에게 이 담화가 전달될 것을 저는 잘 알고 있습니다. 이는 우리 모두에게, 특히 우리 노인들에게 어려운 시기입니다. 우리 가운데 많은 이들이 병들고, 또 어떤 이들은 세상을 떠나거나 배우자나 사랑하는 이들을 잃었고, 또 다른 이들은 오랜 시간 고립되어 홀로 있어야 했습니다. 
 
주님께서는 우리가 이 시기에 겪고 있는 모든 고난을 알고 계십니다. 그분께서는 고립되어 홀로 있다고 느끼는 이들 곁에, 감염병의 세계적 유행 시기에 그러한 감정들을 극심히 느끼는 이들 곁에 계십니다. 전승에 따르면 예수님의 외조부인 요아킴 성인은 자녀가 없어서 주변 사람들에게서 소외감을 느꼈습니다. 그의 삶은 아내인 안나의 삶과 마찬가지로 무익하다고 여겨졌습니다. 그래서 주님께서는 그에게 천사를 보내시어 위로하셨습니다. 요아킴 성인이 성문 밖에 앉아 슬픈 마음으로 생각에 잠겨 있을 때 주님의 전령이 그에게 나타나 말했습니다. “요아킴아, 요아킴아! 주님께서 너의 끈질긴 기도를 들어주셨다.”1) 화가 조토(Giotto)는 그의 유명한 프레스코화 작품2)의 배경을 한밤중으로, 우리 대부분에게 익숙한 기억과 걱정과 바람으로 채워진 그 잠 못 드는 수많은 밤 중에 하나로 설정한 듯합니다. 
 
감염병의 세계적 유행과 같은 가장 어두운 순간조차도 주님께서는 계속 천사들을 보내시어 우리의 외로움을 위로하시며 우리에게 거듭 이렇게 말씀해 주십니다. “내가 언제나 너희와 함께 있겠다.” 주님께서는 여러분에게 그리고 저에게 이렇게 말씀하십니다. 이것이 바로 장기간의 고립이 끝나고 사회생활이 서서히 재개되는 이 특별한 해에 제가 제1차 세계 조부모와 노인의 날을 기념하고자 했던 뜻입니다. 모든 할아버지 할머니가, 그리고 모든 노인이, 특히 우리 가운데 가장 외로운 이들이 천사의 방문을 받기를 바랍니다!
 
때때로 그 천사들은 우리 손주들의 얼굴을 할 것이고 때로는 가족 가운데 한 사람이나 오랜 벗의 얼굴을 할 것이며, 우리가 서로를 얼싸안아주고 방문하는 것이 얼마나 중요한지 깨닫게 된 때인 이 어려운 시기에 알게 된 사람의 얼굴을 할 것입니다. 어떤 곳에서는 아직도 이러한 일이 불가능하다는 사실이 저를 얼마나 슬프게 하는지 모릅니다!
 
그러나 주님께서는 언제나 우리 곁에 있는 당신의 말씀을 통하여 우리에게도 당신의 전령을 보내십니다. 날마다 복음을 읽고 시편 기도를 바치며 예언서를 읽도록 노력합시다! 주님의 신실하심으로 우리는 위안을 얻을 것입니다. 성경은 또한 주님께서 오늘날 우리의 삶에 요청하고 계시는 것이 무엇인지 이해하도록 도와줄 것입니다. 주님께서는 하루의 모든 시간마다(마태 20,1-16 참조), 삶의 모든 계절마다 당신의 포도밭으로 계속해서 일꾼들을 보내십니다. 제가 로마의 주교로 부름받았을 때, 사실 말하자면 퇴임할 나이였고, 그 어떤 새로운 일을 하게 되리라고 생각하지 못했던 때였습니다. 주님께서는 언제나, 참으로 언제나 우리 곁에 계십니다. 그분께서는 새로운 가능성과 새로운 생각과 새로운 위로로 우리 곁에 계시며 한결같이 우리 곁에 계십니다. 여러분이 아시다시피 주님께서는 영원하시고 결코 일에서 물러나는 법이 없으십니다.
 
마태오 복음서에서 예수님께서는 사도들에게 이렇게 말씀하십니다. “그러므로 너희는 가서 모든 민족들을 제자로 삼아, 아버지와 아들과 성령의 이름으로 세례를 주고, 내가 너희에게 명령한 모든 것을 가르쳐 지키게 하여라”(마태 28,19-20). 예수님의 이 말씀은 오늘날 우리에게도 전해집니다. 이 말씀에 힘입어 우리의 소명이 우리 자신의 뿌리를 지키고 젊은이들에게 신앙을 전수하며 작은 이들을 돌보는 것임을 우리는 더욱 잘 이해하게 됩니다. 다음과 같은 질문에 귀 기울여 봅시다. 지금 우리 나이에 우리의 소명은 무엇입니까? 뿌리를 지키는 것, 젊은이들에게 신앙을 전수하는 것, 작은 이들을 돌보는 것입니다. 이를 결코 잊지 마십시오.
 
여러분의 나이가 몇인지, 일하고 있는지 아닌지, 혼자인지 가족이 있는지, 젊은 나이에 또는 나이 들어서 조부모가 되었는지, 아니면 여전히 자립하는지 도움이 필요한지는 중요하지 않습니다. 복음을 선포하고 손주들에게 전통을 전하는 과업에서 물러나는 나이란 없기 때문입니다. 길을 나서야 합니다. 그 무엇보다도 자기 자신 밖으로 나가 무엇인가 새로운 것을 시작할 필요가 있습니다. 
 
그렇기에 역사적으로 이 결정적인 시기에 여러분에게는 새로운 소명이 주어집니다. 여러분은 이렇게 궁금해할지 모릅니다. ‘이 소명이 어떻게 가능할 수 있을까? 나는 기력이 떨어지고 있고 많은 일을 할 수 있다고 생각하지 않아. 일상생활의 대부분이 몸에 익었는데 어떻게 내가 다르게 행동해볼 수 있겠어? 이미 가족에 대한 생각만으로도 복잡한데 어떻게 내가 더 가난한 이들에게 헌신할 수 있겠어? 살고 있는 곳을 떠날 수 없는데 어떻게 내가 시야를 넓힐 수 있겠어? 이미 나는 내 고독으로도 충분히 버겁지 않은가?’ 여러분 중에서 얼마나 많은 사람이 바로 이 질문을 하고 있습니까? ‘이미 나는 내 고독으로도 충분히 버겁지 않은가?’ 예수님께서는 몸소 이와 비슷한 질문을 니코데모에게서 들으셨습니다. 그는 이렇게 물었습니다 “이미 늙은 사람이 어떻게 또 태어날 수 있겠습니까?”(요한 3,4) 주님께서는, 불고 싶은 데로 부시는 성령의 활동에 우리가 마음을 연다면 일어날 수 있는 일이라고 응답하십니다. 성령께서는 자유로운 분으로 바라시는 곳 어디로든 가시며 바라시는 일 무엇이든 이루십니다.
 
제가 이미 여러 차례 이야기했듯이, 우리는 현재의 위기에서 벗어나 예전대로 될 수 없을 것입니다. 더 좋아질 수도 더 나빠질 수도 있습니다. “부디 더 이상 …… 우리가 아무것도 배울 수 없던 또 하나의 되풀이된 심각한 역사적 사건이 아니었기를 바랍니다. …… 인공호흡기 부족으로 세상을 떠난 노인들을 우리가 잊지 않기를 바랍니다. 이처럼 큰 슬픔을 헛되지 않게 하고, 우리가 새로운 생활 방식을 향하여 도약하게 해 주기를 바랍니다. 또한 우리가 서로 빚지고 있다는 것을 발견하기를 바랍니다. 그리하여 …… 인류 가족이 재탄생할 수 있습니다”(「모든 형제들」[Fratelli Tutti], 35항). 그 누구도 혼자서는 구원받을 수 없습니다. 우리는 서로 빚지고 있습니다. 우리는 모두 형제자매입니다.     
 
이러한 점을 고려할 때, 내일의 세상, 곧 풍랑이 잠잠해지고 난 다음 우리의 자녀들과 손주들과 함께 살아갈 세상을 형제애와 사회적 우애를 통하여 만들어가는 데에 여러분들이 필요하다고 말씀드리고 싶습니다. 우리는 모두 “상처 입은 사회를 되살리고 지원하는 데에 적극 참여해야 합니다”(「모든 형제들」, 77항). 이 새로운 체계를 지탱해 주는 기둥들이 있습니다. 이 가운데 세 기둥을 세우는 데에 여러분들이 다른 누구보다도 더욱 큰 도움을 줄 수 있습니다. 세 가지 기둥은 꿈, 기억, 기도입니다. 주님께서 가까이 계신다는 사실은 모든 이에게, 심지어 우리 가운데 가장 약한 이들에게도, 꿈과 기억과 기도의 길을 따라 새로운 여정을 시작하는 데에 필요한 힘을 줄 것입니다.
 
요엘 예언자는 이렇게 약속하였습니다. “노인들은 꿈을 꾸며 젊은이들은 환시를 보리라”(요엘 3,1). 세상의 미래는 젊은이와 노인이 함께하는 이러한 약속에 달려 있습니다. 젊은이들이 아니라면, 누가 노인들의 꿈을 이어받아 실현할 수 있겠습니까? 그러나 이러한 일이 가능하게 하려면 우리는 계속 꿈을 꾸어야 합니다. 정의라는 우리의 꿈, 평화라는 우리의 꿈, 연대라는 우리의 꿈은 우리 젊은이들이 새로운 전망을 가질 수 있도록 합니다. 이렇게 우리는 함께 미래를 건설할 수 있습니다. 고난에서 벗어나 새롭게 시작할 수 있다는 것을 여러분들도 보여 주어야 합니다. 저는 분명 여러분들이 한 번쯤 이러한 경험을 했으리라 생각합니다. 여러분들은 살아오면서 어려움들을 수없이 겪었지만, 다 헤쳐 나갔습니다. 지금의 어려움을 이겨내는 방법을 배우는 데에 이러한 경험을 살려 봅시다.
 
그래서 꿈은 기억과 한데 엮여 있습니다. 저는 전쟁의 아픈 기억과, 그 기억의 중요성이 젊은이들에게 평화의 가치를 배울 수 있도록 해 준다고 생각합니다. 여러분들 가운데 전쟁의 고통을 겪은 분들이 이러한 메시지를 전하고 있는 것입니다. 기억을 생생하게 간직하는 것은 나이 든 모든 이의 참된 사명입니다. 바로 기억을 생생하게 간직하고 그 기억을 다른 이들과 공유하는 것입니다. 유다인 학살에서 살아남은 에디트 브루츠크(Edith Bruck)는 이렇게 말했습니다. “단지 자그마한 양심에도 빛을 비추는 일조차도 이미 벌어진 일을 생생히 기억해야 하는 노고를 들이고 그에 따른 고통을 감내할 만한 가치가 있습니다.” 덧붙여 이렇게 말했습니다. “저에게 기억은 삶입니다.”3) 미래에 대한 희망으로 저는, 오늘날도 계속해서 많은 이들이 이주하고 있는 것처럼, 저의 조부모님 그리고 여러분 가운데 이주해야 하였고 모든 것을 남겨둔 채 떠나는 것이 얼마나 어려운지를 알고 있는 분들을 생각합니다. 이러한 이들이 지금도 우리 곁에 있으며 우리를 돌보아 주고 있습니다. 이러한 기억들은 더욱 인간적이고 환대하는 세상을 만드는 데에 도움을 줄 수 있습니다. 그러나 기억이 없다면 결코 만들 수 없는 세상입니다. 이는 마치 토대가 없으면 집을 지을 수 없는 것과 같습니다. 그것은 절대 불가능한 일입니다. 삶의 토대는 기억입니다.
 
마지막으로 기도입니다. 깊은 신앙심을 가지신 어른으로 교회를 위해서 끊임없이 기도하시고 일하시는 저의 전임자이신 베네딕토 16세 교황님께서는 이렇게 말씀하셨습니다. “노인들의 기도는 세상을 보호할 수 있고, 다른 많은 이들의 노고보다 어쩌면 더 통찰력 있게 세상을 도울 수 있습니다.”4) 베네딕토 교황님께서는 교황 직무를 거의 정리하시던 2012년에 이러한 말씀을 하셨습니다. 이 말씀에는 아름다운 것이 담겨 있습니다. 여러분의 기도는 매우 소중한 자원입니다. 곧 여러분의 기도는 빼앗겨서는 안 되는 교회와 세상의 허파입니다(「복음의 기쁨」, 262항 참조). 특히 우리 인류 가족에게 시련을 주는 이 시기에, 감염병의 세계적 유행이라는 풍랑이 몰아치는 바다에서 우리가 같은 배를 타고 항해를 하는 동안 세상과 교회를 위한 여러분의 전구는 큰 가치를 지닙니다. 여러분의 전구는 우리가 곧 정박할 수 있다는 흔들림 없는 믿음을 모든 이에게 불어 넣어 줍니다.
 
사랑하는 할머니, 사랑하는 할아버지, 사랑하는 벗인 노인 여러분, 이 담화를 마무리하면서 저는 곧 성인이 될 샤를 드 푸코 복자 이야기를 하고자 합니다. 샤를 드 푸코 복자는 알제리에서 은수자로 살아가며 “모든 인간을 형제로 느끼고 싶은 자신의 열망”(「모든 형제들」, 287항)을 증언했습니다. 복자의 생애에는 자기 자신의 광야에서는 고독할지라도, 이 세상의 가난한 이를 위하여 기도하고, 참으로 모든 이의 형제자매가 될 수 있다는 것을 보여 줍니다.
 
복자의 모범을 통해서도 우리가 모두 마음을 열어 가난한 이들의 아픔을 세심하게 헤아리며 그들이 필요한 것을 위하여 전구할 수 있기를 저는 주님께 청합니다. 오늘 우리가 들은 위로의 말을 우리 저마다가 모든 이, 특히 젊은이들에게 다시 말해 줄 수 있는 법을 배우기를 바랍니다. “내가 언제나 너희와 함께 있겠다!” 계속 앞으로 나아가십시오! 주님께서 여러분에게 강복하시기를 빕니다. 
 

로마 성 요한 라테라노 대성전에서 
2021년 5월 31일
복되신 동정 마리아의 방문 축일
 
프란치스코

1) 야고보 원복음서의 이야기.
2) 세계 조부모와 노인의 날 로고로 선정된 그림.
3) 에디트 브루츠크, “기억은 삶이고, 글을 쓰는 것은 숨을 쉬는 것이다”(La memoria é vita, la scrittura é respiro)., 『로세르바토레 로마노』(L’Osservatore Romano), 2021.1.26.
4) 베네딕토 16세, 성 에지디오 공동체가 운영하는 노인의 집 공동체 방문에서 하신 말씀, 2012.11.2.

<원문: Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, “I Am With You Always”, 영어와 이탈리아어>
 
영어: 
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/nonni/documents/20210531-messaggio-nonni-anziani.html
 

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
 FOR THE FIRST WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY

(25 July 2021)

[Multimedia]
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“I am with you always”

Dear Grandfathers and Grandmothers,

Dear Elderly Friends,

“I am with you always” (Mt 28:20): this is the promise the Lord made to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. They are the words that he repeats to you today, dear grandfathers and grandmothers, dear elderly friends.  “I am with you always” are also the words that I, as Bishop of Rome and an elderly person like yourselves, would like to address to you on this first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. The whole Church is close to you – to us – and cares about you, loves you and does not want to leave you alone!

I am well aware that this Message comes to you at a difficult time: the pandemic swept down on us like an unexpected and furious storm; it has been a time of trial for everyone, but especially for us elderly persons. Many of us fell ill, others died or experienced the death of spouses or loved ones, while others found themselves isolated and alone for long periods.

The Lord is aware of all that we have been through in this time. He is close to those who felt isolated and alone, feelings that became more acute during the pandemic. Tradition has it that Saint Joachim, the grandfather of Jesus, felt estranged from those around him because he had no children; his life, like that of his wife Anne, was considered useless. So the Lord sent an angel to console him. While he mused sadly outside the city gates, a messenger from the Lord appeared to him and said, “Joachim, Joachim! The Lord has heard your insistent prayer”. [1] Giotto, in one of his celebrated frescoes, [2] seems to set the scene at night, one of those many sleepless nights, filled with memories, worries and longings to which many of us have come to be accustomed.

Even at the darkest moments, as in these months of pandemic, the Lord continues to send angels to console our loneliness and to remind us: “I am with you always”. He says this to you, and he says it to me. That is the meaning of this Day, which I wanted to celebrate for the first time in this particular year, as a long period of isolation ends and social life slowly resumes. May every grandfather, every grandmother, every older person, especially those among us who are most alone, receive the visit of an angel!

At times those angels will have the face of our grandchildren, at others, the face of family members, lifelong friends or those we have come to know during these trying times, when we have learned how important hugs and visits are for each of us. How sad it makes me that in some places these are still not possible!

The Lord, however, also sends us messengers through his words, which are always at hand. Let us try to read a page of the Gospel every day, to pray with the psalms, to read the prophets! We will be comforted by the Lord's faithfulness.  The Scriptures will also help us to understand what the Lord is asking of our lives today. For at every hour of the day (cf. Mt 20:1-16) and in every season of life, he continues to send labourers into his vineyard. I was called to become the Bishop of Rome when I had reached, so to speak, retirement age and thought I would not be doing anything new. The Lord is always – always – close to us. He is close to us with new possibilities, new ideas, new consolations, but always close to us. You know that the Lord is eternal; he never, ever goes into retirement.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells the Apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (28:19-20). These words are also addressed to us today. They help us better understand that our vocation is to preserve our roots, to pass on the faith to the young, and to care for the little ones. Think about it: what is our vocation today, at our age? To preserve our roots, to pass on the faith to the young and to care for the little ones. Never forget this.

It makes no difference how old you are, whether you still work or not, whether you are alone or have a family, whether you became a grandmother or grandfather at a young age or later, whether you are still independent or need assistance. Because there is no retirement age from the work of proclaiming the Gospel and handing down traditions to your grandchildren. You just need to set out and undertake something new.

At this crucial moment in history, you have a renewed vocation. You may wonder: How this can be possible? My energy is running out and I don’t think I can do much. How can I begin to act differently when habit is so much a part of my life? How can I devote myself to those who are poor when I am already so concerned about my family? How can I broaden my vision when I can’t even leave the residence where I live? Isn’t my solitude already a sufficiently heavy burden? How many of you are asking just that question: isn’t my solitude already a sufficiently heavy burden? Jesus himself heard a similar question from Nicodemus, who asked, “How can a man be born when he is old?” (Jn 3:4). It can happen, the Lord replies, if we open our hearts to the working of the Holy Spirit, who blows where he wills. The Holy Spirit whose freedom is such that goes wherever, and does whatever, he wills.

As I have often observed, we will not emerge from the present crisis as we were before, but either better or worse. And “God willing… this may prove not to be just another tragedy of history from which we learned nothing… If only we might keep in mind all those elderly persons who died for lack of respirators... If only this immense sorrow may not prove useless, but enable us to take a step forward towards a new style of life. If only we might discover once for all that we need one another, and that in this way our human frailty can experience a rebirth” (Fratelli Tutti, 35). No one is saved alone. We are all indebted to one another. We are all brothers and sisters.

Given this, I want to tell you that you are needed in order to help build, in fraternity and social friendship, the world of tomorrow: the world in which we, together with our children and grandchildren, will live once the storm has subsided. All of us must “take an active part in renewing and supporting our troubled societies” (ibid., 77). Among the pillars that support this new edifice, there are three that you, better than anyone else, can help to set up.  Those three pillars are dreams, memory and prayer. The Lord’s closeness will grant to all, even the frailest among us, the strength needed to embark on a new journey along the path of dreams, memory and prayer.

The prophet Joel once promised: “Your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men will have visions” (3:1). The future of the world depends on this covenant between young and old. Who, if not the young, can take the dreams of the elderly and make them come true? Yet for this to happen, it is necessary that we continue to dream. Our dreams of justice, of peace, of solidarity can make it possible for our young people to have new visions; in this way, together, we can build the future. You need to show that it is possible to emerge renewed from an experience of hardship. I am sure that you have had more than one such experience: in your life you have faced any number of troubles and yet were able to pull through. Use those experiences to learn how to pull through now.

Dreams are thus intertwined with memory. I think of the painful memory of war, and its importance for helping the young to learn the value of peace. Those among you who experienced the suffering of war must pass on this message.  Keeping memory alive is a true mission for every elderly person: keeping memory alive and sharing it with others. Edith Bruck, who survived the horror of the Shoah, has said that “even illuminating a single conscience is worth the effort and pain of keeping alive the memory of what has been.” She went on to say: “For me, memory is life.” [3] I also think of my own grandparents, and those among you who had to emigrate and know how hard it is to leave everything behind, as so many people continue to do today, in hope of a future. Some of those people may even now be at our side, caring for us. These kinds of memory can help to build a more humane and welcoming world. Without memory, however, we will never be able to build; without a foundation, we can never build a house. Never. And the foundation of life is memory.

Finally, prayer. As my predecessor, Pope Benedict, himself a saintly elderly person who continues to pray and work for the Church, once said: “the prayer of the elderly can protect the world, helping it perhaps more effectively than the frenetic activity of many others.” [4] He spoke those words in 2012, towards the end of his pontificate. There is something beautiful here. Your prayer is a very precious resource: a deep breath that the Church and the world urgently need (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 262). Especially in these difficult times for our human family, as we continue to sail in the same boat across the stormy sea of the pandemic, your intercession for the world and for the Church has great value: it inspires in everyone the serene trust that we will soon come to shore.

Dear grandmother, dear grandfather, dear elderly friends, in concluding this Message to you, I would also like to mention the example of Blessed (and soon Saint) Charles de Foucauld. He lived as a hermit in Algeria and there testified to “his desire to feel himself a brother to all” (Fratelli Tutti, 287). The story of his life shows how it is possible, even in the solitude of one’ s own desert, to intercede for the poor of the whole world and to become, in truth, a universal brother or sister.

I ask the Lord that, also through his example, all of us may open our hearts in sensitivity to the sufferings of the poor and intercede for their needs. May each of us learn to repeat to all, and especially to the young, the words of consolation we have heard spoken to us today: “I am with you always”! Keep moving forward! May the Lord grant you his blessing.

Rome, Saint John Lateran, 31 May 2021, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

FRANCIS

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[1] The episode is narrated in the Protoevangelium of James.

[2] This image has been chosen as the logo for the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly.

[3] Memory is life, writing is breath. L’Osservatore Romano, January 26, 2021.

[4]  Visit to the Group Home “Viva gli Anziani”, 2 November 2012.

이탈리아어: 
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/messages/nonni/documents/20210531-messaggio-nonni-anziani.html