WHY PRAY FOR THE DEAD?

"And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection. And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins" (2 Maccabees 12:42-45) 

In the Roman Catholic Church the month of November is dedicated to praying for the dead. It is the time when the Pilgrim Church (Christians on earth) prays for the Suffering Church (souls in purgatory). This is done, notably, by cleaning the cemeteries, lighting candles on the graves, and offering holy masses for those who have died in the faith. But people who die can no longer repent. (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Hebrews 9:27; Luke 16:22-26). So how does the prayer of the living help the dead? Follow me! You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32).

REQUIEM MASS CELEBRATION 

NO ONE MERITS 

The first truth is that every human being has sinned (by original and actual sins) and gone far from God's saving presence (Romans 3:23). But God, in his constant love, offered his only Son Jesus Christ to save the world (John 3:16-17) - so that those who believe in Christ may be redeemed by the blood of his death on the Cross (Romans 3:24-26). However, as the scripture says, "No one can come to Christ except the Father draws them to him" (John 6:44). Yet, another scripture says that "God makes stubborn anyone he wishes" (Romans 9:18-20). For these reasons, the scripture says, "No one can boast of conversion or godliness" (Ephesians 2:8-9). So if you are a believer or righteous person, you had better give thanks to God than boast. And instead of insulting or mocking at sinners and unbelievers, pray for their conversion. For you are redeemed, but you are not yet saved - until your last breath. Now let us look at the act of praying for the dead in relation to five categories of people - namely: unbelievers, evildoers, traitors, unevangelized, and the "faith fools' ' (or faithful believers). Then we will conclude by the explanation of how the faithful may book their own direct flight to heaven while they are still alive.    

UNBELIEVERS

We use the word unbelievers, here, to refer to pagans or the unconverted. But, particularly, we mean those to whom the gospel was preached but they refused to believe, or who acknowledge God, but still count only on their own works for salvation. As the scripture says, "No one can enter the kingdom of heaven without being born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5), and also," We are put right with God not by obeying the law but by faith in Christ. (Romans 3:28). Finally, Jesus says it clearly: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). So faith and baptism in Christ are the basic conditions for one to enter into eternal life. Thus, as true as faith without works is sterile, so also is true that works without faith are wasteful. In other words, if you reject Christ - though you may be a good person - your good works may end here on earth, because you have no account or record with God in heaven. That is why the Church does not say Mass for the souls of the unbaptized, and also for the souls of the baptized who did conform to the teachings of Christ and of the Church. 

EVILDOERS 

The wicked, rebels or evildoers are those who deny God to worship and serve Satan. They are the instigators and perpetrators of all the evil in the world. These are the people who, in their lifetime, deliberately chose the path of evil and vice. So it is written: “I am now giving you the choice between life and death, between God’s blessing and God’s curse; and I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make, Choose life. (Deuteronomy 30:19). After death the souls of evildoers have only one destination – hell fire. For it is written: “But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practice magic, those who worship idols , and all liars – the place for them is the lake burning with fire and Sulphur; which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). And souls in hell cannot benefit from prayers because they are already condemned by the deliberate choice they made - to sin - while they lived. (Deuteronomy 30:19; Luke 16:22-26).

TRAITORS 

These are people who were baptized, they attended religious services, received the sacraments, and participated in church activities – but in their morality they consciously conformed to the standards of the world (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Or in their spirituality they belonged to covens of witches and wizards or to occult sects, offered blood sacrifices, consulted evil spirits or employed charms and spells (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). After death, the destination of their souls is hell and prayers cannot help them. Moreover, most of such corrupted souls or spirits of the dead roam around as familiar and monitoring spirits to manipulate and ruin the lives of their living relatives – for the latter to also lose eternal life. That is why the scriptures say: “Not all those who say Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 7:21-23) and “Judgment shall begin in the Temple of God” (1 Peter 4:17).

UNEVANGELIZED 

There are people who either did not receive the Good News at all, or received it so “faintly” that they did not believe it. The fate of such “unevangelized” people; that is, the destination of their souls after death is known only to God. For as she scripture says, “But how can they call to him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed?” (Romans 10:14). Thus the truth you have to know and keep as a Christian is this: Do not compare with others; for if God has another way or option for non-Christians, that option cannot save you, because you are a Christian. That is why Jesus said: “Those who reject me and do not accept my message have one who would judge them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day!” (John 12:48) and “They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not come and spoken to them; as it is, they no longer have any excuse for their sin” (John 15:22).

 "FAITH FOOLS" 

As the nickname implies, "faith fools" are faithful Christians who obey God and trust in him without failing. Thus, the souls of the "faith fools" or the faithful departed are the sure beneficiaries of the prayers and sacrifices of the living. A holy person is not yet a perfect person – until they get to heaven.  A righteous person sins seven times a day. (Proverbs 24:16). For example David, whom God called "the man after my own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14), committed the horrible sins of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11:1-27). Bur after he wept bitterly in repentance and for mercy (Psalm 51). There is no righteous one, only God is righteous (Luke 18:19). After death God makes perfect the dead according to their sincerity of heart in seeking him, while they lived (Hebrews 12:23). So all who die in Christ need prayer and sacrifice (Holy Mass) because there is no Saint on earth. But only God knows which prayers to answer. (Romans 9'18-20). Therefore, the prayers of the church help only the souls in purgatory - to shorten the time they have to suffer in the “little fire”. In other words, prayers do not convert the souls of the dead. Rather, the prayers qualify the souls of the faithful departed for the final grace of salvation by obtaining God’s forgiveness for the venial sins which they committed and died without confessing, or by atoning for their mortal sins, which they confessed but did not make sufficient reparations for before death.

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 DO YOUR BEST 

In view of all these, the attitude of a true Christian should be to aspire, to pray and to strive to be the best they can be. For holiness is of God and people do not have the same amount of grace. But God knows how much grace he has blessed each one with - just as he blesses differently with intelligence, wisdom, talents, health, wealth etc. So do not imitate or compare yourself with anyone else - apart from Christ (who is the model); for to whom more is given, much more is also expected. (Luke 12:48). In the eyes of God, for example, the best of Paul may not be the best of Peter– even though they do one and the same thing. So I conclude this post with the following exhortation: as it is written, “And so by taking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas* exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain.” (2 Maccabees 12:42). What does this mean? It means that a Christian should aim for heaven and not for purgatory. One should not make compromises with the world or with Satan with the hope that the living would pray for their soul in purgatory. For by aiming for purgatory you may eventually land in hell and there will be no way out for you to heaven. (Luke 16:28). 

BOOK DIRECT FLIGHT  

Thus informed, a wise Christian should book their direct flight to heaven while they live. This is done by actively living a faithful and holy life; together with the following:  

(i) Regularly going to confession and doing penance. 

(ii) Regularly partaking in the Eucharist and worthily receiving holy communion. 

(iii) Regularly offering Masses for the atonement of their sins.

(iv) Regularly praying the Divine Mercy and Holy Rosary chaplets  for the atonement their sins, and for the grace of a holy death.

(vi) Calling the Priest to anoint them, hear their confession, and give them holy communion when they are seriously sick.

Then at hour of their death the faithful will be flown directly to heaven on the wings of the holy Angels (Exodus 23:20; Luke 16:22).

May the souls of all the faithful departed, though the mercy of God, rest in peace; Amen.  

*Note: Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias, was a priest who led the revolt against the Seleucid Empire in Israel in the second century BC.

Author: Aying Godman, is a Catechist, Evangelist & Blogger of the Roman Church; Founder of CATHOLIC FRONT MEDIA™ 

Email: ayinggodman@gmail.com

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