Ted Kennedy’s letter is indicative of poor advice he was getting from his “priests”. Blind leading the blind. His supposedly good deeds can never cancel out his “personal failings”. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from our sins. His last days should been spent meditating on CHrist’s atonement and God’s redemption plan. It reminds me of story Luther told from his Commentary on Galations about an early christian named Ansalem. Ansalem minstered to men on their death bed by recounting Jesus’s teaching about the tax collector who cried out “God have mercy on me a sinner” and that they should take that approach when they pass on.
You’re so right.