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A severe mercy. Requiescat in pace.

"In heaven all is contentment, in hell all is sorrow, and on earth, which is in between, we find both. We live between two extremes and partake of both. Luck changes: not all is happiness and not all is adversity. This life is a zero: by itself it is nothing. Add the heavens, and it is much. Indifference to the world’s variety is prudence; the wise care little for novelty. Our lives fold and unfold like theater, so be careful to end well."

--Fr. Baltasar Gracian, S.J. (d. 1658), The Art of Worldly Wisdom

Tobin was able to climb the Holy Stairs on her knees

While it is admirable to consider religion at the end of our lives, this story is actually very sad. The purpose of the Scala Sancta in the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church (not the Bible), is to obtain an "indulgence" at the end of the stairs. That is, "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins" (e.g. less time in purgatory burning for sins). Note that purgatory is not in the Bible either. So this poor woman believed that by ascending the stairs in her cancer stricken state, she would mitigate her punishment for sins after death, not realizing that Jesus Christ is the only one qualified to do anything for our sins!

1 Peter 3:18 Jesus Christ died for our sins, once, the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God! 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of sins! The Just shall live by faith! Not works. Indulgences were added to Roman Catholicism in order to increase their revenue to build St Peters Basilica. People had to pay the church to ascend the stairs and receive the official church signed indulgence certificate. Many different kinds of indulgences were offered for different acts. Some indulgences, after payment, promised to pull a loved one out of purgatory (fictional Roman Catholic Place between heaven and hell) when purchased. The mantra that accompanied this indulgence was, "when a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs!"

But if God were truly a good God and a God of love, would he not grant these indulgences free of cost? Out of love and not a financial transaction? Yes! Hence the deception of the Roman Catholic Church. To turn faith in God into a series of stupid works at best, Simony at worst (e.g. paying money, climbing stairs, kissing relics, etc.)

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.