Heart of Jesus, Hope of Those Who Die in Thee

by Father Anthony Wolf
Tilma Spring 2002

“Blessed are they who die in the Lord.”

What does it mean to die in the Lord? To die in the Lord presupposes that a man lived in the Lord. To live in Jesus means to be a member of His Mystical Body, the Church.

Baptism is the beginning of that union with Christ. It is like grafting, as St. Paul says: “ We are wild olive branches, engrafted into Christ, the true Olive.” We then live in Him. We draw the sap of life from the true Olive. We live by His Life. These are His own words, spoken of those who receive Him in Holy Communion: “He that eateth My Body and drinketh My Blood lives by Me as I live by the Father.”

We live in Him and by His Divine Life. St. Peter tells us that we share in God’s Divine Life. We call it supernatural life; but in truth, it is a life in God, a sharing, a participation in the divine life. If we could only realize it! What a dignity for us to live not merely near God’s throne, but in Him and by Him. It defines us, as it were. We are called sons of God, and God calls Himself our Father.

If we could just realize this one truth, we would not only be very careful not to lose the state of grace, but we would be happy and courageous in all the trials of life. We would despise the evils of the world as trivial, worthless, meaningless nothings, when compared with the treasure of living in God and sharing God’s holy Life. Even death itself would be counted a trivial thing, because it does not interfere nor interrupt this living in God.

In fact, some souls who are whole-hearted in caring for the real values of life, i.e., whose sole ambition is a more intimate union with God — these happy souls not only despise the terrors of death, but also welcome them as harbingers of a new and more wonderful union with God. “Happy art they who die in the Lord.” Happy, because they are not terrified by death; happy, too, because they know that death will take away the veil which separates them from Jesus, their God, Whom they love fervently.

“Happy are they who die in the Lord.” These words of Holy Scripture are fulfilled many times in our day. In a hospital, the mother of a large family lies on her deathbed. She has lived for Jesus; she has lived in Jesus by a life of grace. She loves Him. She is anointed for the last battle. She receives her hidden God in Viaticum. After a few moments of thanksgiving, she opens her eyes, smiles just a wee bit, then in a soft low voice she says, “I am ready. If Jesus wants me, He can have me.” A few moments later, Jesus possesses her, His child. Who will describe the joy, the love of both Jesus and that soul, when they meet on the other side? “Happy are they who die in the Lord.” Happy now when they die, and happy forever. No more sorrow nor pain, nor worry, ever. If we live in Jesus we shall die in Jesus. As you live, so shall you die. As the tree leans, so shall it fall. How easy it is to live in Jesus, if we loosen our grip on all self-seeking. Good-bye flesh, world, and the devil! Depart from me, for I cannot love you and God. I cannot love earth and heaven. I cannot serve self and God. One Master shall rule over my heart, and He is Jesus, King of our Hearts.

“Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.”

The preceding meditation was taken from a book titled Meditations on the Litany of the Sacred Heart by Father Anthony Wolf.