“I don’t know if the good Lord is pleased with me, but I give myself totally to Him. Oh, how sweet it is to think of nothing at the last moment—neither one’s sins nor one’s virtues—but only of mercy!” (Words of Blessed Édouard Poppe on his deathbed.)
What blissful peace emanates from these words spoken by Blessed Édouard Poppe on his deathbed! He left everything behind and focused entirely on the Lord. How wonderful it is to be able to enter eternity in this way, trusting firmly in God’s mercy!
What benefit can we derive from this statement, even if we are not yet on our deathbeds?
It is certainly right to continually examine whether the Lord is pleased with us. However, this questioning should not unsettle us. Our Father knows how to guide and correct us when we stray, especially when we ask Him sincerely. Therefore, the most important thing is to give ourselves to God with complete trust, as we hear in today’s reflection. We must pay special attention to this, and if we try sincerely, we can always count on His mercy. We should not focus primarily on our mistakes, but on our Heavenly Father.
And what about our virtues? We should not think too much about them, either. We should aspire to them, yes, but once we see them growing in our lives, we should simply give thanks to the Lord and not dwell on them. In this way, we can remain humble.
What we can always think about is God’s mercy. It is a divine gift that accompanies us throughout our lives. When the hour of our death comes, let us simply think of it and leave the judgment of our lives in the hands of the Father, who is love. Then, perhaps, we will be able to experience the sweetness of that moment, as Blessed Édouard Poppe did.