The Passing of the Torch

What a wonderful precedent -- a world leader recognizing his time to move on.

I hope a lot of others who have overstayed their time will take this example to heart -- and resign and retire to let more able and willing people to take civilization further.  That's what is sorely needed in the world today -- for a new generation to take the torch into a new century, of challenges never even imagined in the previous century.

That requires those wholly born into the "new world" -- and not just people carrying on the old, as though nothing else is possible.  I don't think that is what Jesus meant when he proclaimed that one must "die to the old and be reborn in the new," as His ministry and message to the world.

So I think with Pope Benedict's resignation -- he has advanced this very important theme of end, resurrection and renewal -- as probably his greatest lesson to contemporary civilization.  It is now possible for life to be prolonged to great ages -- and the worst thing is to have a person holding a supreme office in the state of decline rather than the manifestation of robustness.

Maybe a thousand years ago, age alone would have indicated this "fitness" for leadership, but this supreme leader recognizes that is not all that matters and takes -- and also, he needs the time to himself, so that he can rebuild his health, and "retire" to his life of writing and contemplation which he was prepared to do -- when he was elected pope and put on a path to serve not of his own choosing.  That service, is also a dedication to God.  A man has to also fulfill his own life -- as his service to God, and the rest of mankind.  That is uniquely his highest duty.