Occasionally I get feedback that really helps. Today I received this:
Wow.
This, friends, gets to me.
The token she mentions is something from my wish list, a recording of The Passion of Saint Thomas More by composer Garrett Fisher. US HERE – UK HERE
Folks, I really appreciate the support you send in all its forms.
What is she talking about?
The Apostolic Pardon, or Benediction, forgives temporal punishment due to our sins, not the sins themselves.
If anything remains from our lives, provided we die in the state of grace, for which we have not done adequate penance, the temporal punishment due to those sins, if we have not done adequate penance in life, is forgiven us through the Apostolic Pardon. This is why the Apostolic Pardon is often given after the Last Rites of sacraments of penance, anointing, and Viaticum.
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One of the greatest gifts I know was able to give my father before his passing last month was the consolation of arranging for his confession, last rites, pardon, and Viaticum before he entered into eternal rest. I would like to think that it was this singular act that gave him the courage to let go and accept God’s plan for the next life.
It was only through the good Father blogmeister’s publicizing this (I had known about it before but, it’s like one of those things that you never seem to remember…until you have to…) as well as his assistance in finding a priest willing to celebrate the Gregorian Masses for my dad…for which my family as well as myself are forever grateful that this was accomplished. So, thank you, Fr. Z.
The Church gives us the tools, the lifelines, the way. We just have to not be too shy, too occupied, too ‘sophisticated’ to ask for Her gentle mercy at all points in our life, especially when your particular judgement looms near. You just have to ask.