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"The Prayer of Heaven"

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+J.M.J.+

by Monsignor Charles M. Mangan

As young children, many of us learned that God freely created us for Himself and that He desires that we be genuinely happy here on earth and one day with Him in Paradise.

This cherished truth, which is solidly based on Sacred Scripture and the Apostolic Tradition, can never change. The Lord wants us to be united with Him forever in Heaven.

But as often as we have heard this doctrine of our Catholic Faith, we admit that we sometimes live as though going to Heaven is not really our primary concern. Other more "pressing" matters (even those that are important and must be addressed, like family, relationships, school, work, etc.) cloud our vision.

"The Prayer of Heaven," which enjoys an "imprimatur," is a brief but powerful invocation that is truly a meditation in itself. By reciting this prayer in which we beg for the favor to enter immediately into Paradise upon our death, we focus again on our everlasting destiny and the crucial need for God's abundant strength to arrive at our final goal.

My God, I adore You and I love You!

Through the hands of the Madonna, with Your grace and help I accept from You, O Lord, at the unexpected hour any kind of death as it will please You to send me, and I ask of You the grace not to have fear of death. Please forgive all of my sins.

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I accept my death in union with the Sacrifice that You, O Jesus, High and Eternal Priest, Yourself made on the Cross and that now You renew on many Altars. I intend to offer to You my death in the spirit of the Holy Masses which at that moment will be celebrated and I offer You Your infinite merits to pay for my sins and the penalty of Purgatory.

Saved by Your Blood, through Your merits and those of Your Mother I ask You the same mercy granted to the Good Thief, namely the grace to enter immediately with You into Paradise and to have immediately the perfect Beatific Vision of God. Amen.

I thank You, my Jesus!

When we die, if we go to Purgatory, then we will be magnificently blessed insofar as we died in the state of grace (that is, God's friendship) and have the golden opportunity to atone for our sins. Yet, our current and constant efforts should be geared towards attaining Christian perfection, which means being fully conformed to our Lord Jesus Christ! We wish to be admitted immediately into Heaven because the Most Blessed Trinity--our Living God--is present there in a most unique way.

How we love and pine for our beloved Lord! May we see Him face-to-face as soon as we have drawn our last breath.

Saint Joseph, Patron of a Happy Death, pray for us!