The Promises of the Lord

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

Recently, a good friend jokingly questioned me how the simple words of the Apostolic Blessing can produce such powerful results of freeing a person from all temporal punishment for their sins and opening the gates of Heaven for them. Especially since it is an indulgence and not a Sacrament. The Apostolic Blessing is, of course, the special blessing or pardon that a priest may offer to a dying person who is in a state of grace and close to death. It is to be administered at the conclusion of the last rites, which normally include Sacramental absolution, anointing of the sick, and Viaticum. The priest then prays:

“Through the holy mysteries of our redemption, may Almighty God release you from all punishments in this life and in the life to come. May He open to you the gates of paradise and welcome you to everlasting joy.” Or “By the authority which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a full pardon and the remission of all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

It is indeed a remarkable prayer and very consoling to the person dying, as well as to their loved ones listening to it. The answer I offered my friend about the power behind these words is nothing less than the promise of Christ the Lord to His Church (cf. Mt. 18:18), and in particular, to His Vicar, St. Peter, and his successors, “Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven.” (cf. Mt 16:19) 

Jesus Christ is our “Hope that doesn’t disappoint”, as we have been considering throughout the Jubilee Year. He offers us many promises of great significance for our temporal and, especially, our eternal benefit. He promised to be present as two or three of us join in prayer in His Name and to be with us – His disciples in the Church – always until the end of time. Most strikingly, He promised that those who believe in Him would have eternal life and He would raise them up on the last day! The promise to His Church of loosing and binding extends His work of redemption and compassion to the world and the all people in it through His Church on Earth. It is so important that we pay attention to these promises of Our Lord – they are His words, His assurances to us and verified by His death and resurrection, by His Divine Majesty and His Glory!

Mary, His Mother, was blessed not only because she carried Jesus in her womb and nursed Him at her breasts, but according to the Lord, she was more blessed because she heard the Word of God and put her faith and trust in it and acted on it – “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word”! And Elizabeth verified this saying at the visitation, “Blessed are you who believed that what the Lord spoke to you would come to pass!” 

This month of November in particular, we must remember and pray fervently for all the souls who did not have the opportunity to receive the Apostolic Blessing at their death and are waiting for our prayers and sacrifices to be released from their merciful purification in Purgatory. May the souls of the Faithful Departed rest in the Peace of the Lord!