A Final Blessing

The pastor emeritus was on his deathbed and he called for two of the long serving ushers to visit him. For thirty years the priest had served the parish, and all through that time, the two ushers had handled the Sunday collections.

The ushers entered the pastor's room, and the pastor held up his hands for each one to hold. After 15 minutes of holding the priest's hands, one asked the pastor, "Of all your parishioners, why did you send for us?" The pastor opened his eyes and said, "Jesus died between two thieves. I thought I'd like to go the same way."

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The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the "one mediator between God and men." But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, "the possiblity of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery" is offered to all men. He calls his disciples to "take up [their] cross and follow [him]," for "Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example so that [we] shold follow in his steps." In fact Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. That is achieved supremely in the case of his mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering.

Apart from the cross there is no ladder by which we may get to heaven. (Catholic Catechism Par. 618)