In the opening chapter of Tolkien’s The Two Towers, Aragorn rushes to find Boromir after hearing the desperate calls of his horn. Upon finding him, however, he realizes he has come too late: Boromir has been pierced with many orc arrows and now lays dying. What follows is a beautiful, yet painful account of repentance and forgiveness held within Boromir’s final moments, reminiscent of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

image from Peter jackson’s adaptation of “the fellowship of the ring”

Tolkien writes:

“I tried to take the Ring from Frodo,’ he said. ‘I am sorry. I have paid.’ His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there. 'They have gone: the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them. I think they are not dead. Orcs bound them.' He paused and his eyes closed wearily. After a moment he spoke again.
'Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed.'
'No!' said Aragorn, taking his hand and kissing his brow. 'You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace! Minas Tirith shall not fall!
Boromir smiled."

With his final words, Boromir confesses to Aragorn that he bent beneath the power of the Ring and had indeed tried to take it from Frodo. And as atonement, he has willingly sacrificed his life to defend the hobbits against Orcs soldiers. Although he fought valiantly as a captain of Gondor, he was unable to overcome against their strength and number, and the hobbits were taken alive by the Orcs.

Aragorn reassures him, as his friend and rightful king, saying “You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace! Minas Tirith shall not fall!" After this, Boromir breathes his last and Aragorn weeps bitterly for the loss of his friend.

“He knelt for a while, bent with weeping, still clasping Boromir’s hand.”

“Bless me Father, For I have Sinned”

Boromir’s last moments call to mind an image of a deathbed confession, and indeed they contain all the elements of the Sacrament of Reconciliation: confession, contrition, satisfaction, and absolution.

Confession: Boromir speaks plainly of his wrongs, facing the truth rather than concealing it from Aragorn.
Contrition & Satisfaction: He is greatly sorry for having attempted to take the Ring and has submitted himself to the defense of the hobbits as his means of penance.
Absolution: As he confesses, Aragorn acts as a brotherly and priestly counsellor, showing him mercy and forgiveness in his last moments.

“Forgive us our Trespasses”

Encouraged by Boromir's last ‘confession’, let us continue to always seek out reconciliation in our own lives: whether by receiving the Sacrament itself, by apologizing to a person we may have wronged, or by doing what we can to heal any brokenness in our lives.

Inspired by Aragorn's mercy towards Boromir, consider those who may need our forgiveness. Aragorn may have felt justified if he had lashed out in anger or withheld forgiveness from Boromir after his grave mistake, yet he chose to act mercifully and to grant him peace in his final moments. This, in turn, allowed Boromir to die well and Aragorn to grieve without guilt or remorse.

Today, let us spend time reflecting on Christ’s words as he taught his Apostles how to pray to Our Father in heaven, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”