“DO WE NEED TO PRAY FOR THE DEAD?”
REFLECTION FOR THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL SOULS
Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem PhD
I still find memories of my minor seminary days very interesting and sometimes
reflective. During those days, late coming to any activity was (and is still) a great
offence. Once the prayer commences in the chapel for instance, those outside were
considered late and would be punished adequately. One day, I was just stepping onto
the threshold of the Chapel alongside other junior seminarians when the signal for the
commencement of the prayer was given. We were stopped just at the threshold where
there was an inscription “Domus dei et porta caeli” which means “House of God and
gate of heaven”.
We were asked to move to one side and behind us were others who had not reached
the threshold at all and they were asked to move to another side. After a while, one of
the auxiliaries (prefects) pleaded with his colleague to allow us to enter into the chapel
since we were not as late as the lot behind us and that we had reached the threshold.
With this, we went through the traditional knelling down as was obtainable at the time.
Thereafter, those of us who had reached the threshold were asked to cross over and
join the rest inside the chapel while those behind us were not only denied access but
were also severely punished.
Yesterday we were in a blissful mood as we celebrated the joy of our innumerable
brothers and sisters who have gained entrance into the Kingdom of heaven. Today on
the other hand we contemplate the fate and pray for those who like in my story have
reached but not crossed the threshold.
Today, we are encouraged to pray for those who might be undergoing some forms of
probation. Such people have been asked to stand aside. They are not with those inside
neither are they pushed outside and denied access like those who were gravely late.
They are like in a betwixt position though with much hope. Their hope is actually based
on our prayers: their brothers and sisters in the militant Church. Attentive to this, the
Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
All who die in God’s grace, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their
eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the
holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven (1030).
Attentive to the above, we are called to bend our kneels in utter supplication to God on
their behalf. We are encouraged to continuously call on God to have mercy on them
and admit them into his Kingdom. Hence like those of us who were held at the
threshold of the Chapel and who were mildly punished and allowed to cross based on
the pleading of one of the prefects, these our brothers and sisters cannot help
themselves. They can only be liberated on account of our ardent prayers and
supplications since they still stand a chance to enter into bliss.
We are convinced about a place of temporary punishment or purification based on the
confirmation of the word of God. Purgatory as a word is not mentioned in the bible as
it is but we have references pointing to its reality just like the word bible is not strictly
mentioned in any of the books in the bible. If we read from the second book of
Maccabees (12:46) we will discover that it is a worthwhile thing to pray for the dead
so that their souls will be released. Of course even in our secular parlance we observe
minutes of silence for the dead and afterwards we say: “Rest In Peace” (RIP). We
cannot do these if we do not have hope for a better future or rest for them.
In the Gospel of Matthew (12:32) our Lord Jesus said that anyone who sins against the
Son of man will be forgiven, but anyone who sins against the Holy Spirit will not be
forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come. By this statement our Lord
made us understand that there is forgiveness after our life in this world. He did not
mention what the world to come looks like but that definitely cannot be heaven and it
cannot be hell because there is no forgiveness the two locations. So we are left with
purgatory as the most probable place that could stand for it.
Another outstanding biblical reference can be found in the first letter of St. Paul to the
Corinthians (3:15). It will be very pertinent if we quote this passage and I wish to do so
using the King James Version for the benefit of my protestant readers. It says:
If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he
Himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
St. Paul was saying that a man’s work will be judged and he will suffer loss on that
account. But he himself will only be saved through fire. Now the Greek description of
“suffer loss” is “zemiothesetai” and this comes from the root “Zemioo” which means
punishment. (The same word we can see in Exodus 21:22; Proverbs 17:26 and Proverbs
19:19.)
From the passage above we understand that a man’s work will be examined as with
fire and on account of that he will be punished and his salvation will still come but
through that same burning by fire. It is like raw gold that can be refined only by
passing it through fire.
Furthermore in Revelation (21:27) we are told that nothing unclean can enter into the
Kingdom of God; it could be said that nothing raw, unrefined imperfect can enter. So
purgation or purification will be required for those who cannot be granted direct
entrance on account of imperfection.
Looking at our human valuation perspective, there are various levels of offences for
instance in the civil society. A person who commits murder has committed an offence
and someone who contravenes traffic also committed an offence. Judging the two
offences the same punishment cannot be given to them. St. John (1John 5:16) tells us
about sins that lead to death and others that do not lead to death. It is from here that
we talk about mortal sins and venial sins.
We are greatly encouraged today to pray for our departed brethren as our prayers will
assist as many as possible to be liberated from purgatory and be admitted into the
Kingdom of God. Yes they may be delayed but not denied or defeated.
May the Souls of the Faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace!
Fr. Bonnie.

I was here

Wat are we prayin for...for dem to rise again or for dem to be @ the right place I wonder wen dis so called catholics would stop deceiving demselves....even the bible said after death comes judgment so if one dies and his/her soul is in hell....bro rev father sister andrew Matthews peter patrick....ya prayers and rosary cannot put the person in heaven....so I dnt see the relevance of prayin for the dead

marshalcarter:
Wat are we prayin for...for dem to rise again or for dem to be @ the right place I wonder wen dis so called catholics would stop deceiving demselves....even the bible said after death comes judgment so if one dies and his/her soul is in hell....bro rev father sister andrew Matthews peter patrick....ya prayers and rosary cannot put the person in heaven....so I dnt see the relevance of prayin for the dead

read 1john 5:16 and Matthew 12:32

marshalcarter:
Wat are we prayin for...for dem to rise again or for dem to be @ the right place I wonder wen dis so called catholics would stop deceiving demselves....even the bible said after death comes judgment so if one dies and his/her soul is in hell....bro rev father sister andrew Matthews peter patrick....ya prayers and rosary cannot put the person in heaven....so I dnt see the relevance of prayin for the dead

read 1john 5:16 and Matthew 12:32. Why do you you observe a minute silence to the dead in the public gathering?

Empredboy:
read 1john 5:16 and Matthew 12:32. Why do you you observe a minute silence to the dead in the public gathering?

Matthew 12:32 does not in any how nor in any form relate to wat we are talkin abt here....here we talkin abt prayin for the dead..but matt is talkin abt sinning against man and Holy ghost

Empredboy:
read 1john 5:16 and Matthew 12:32. Why do you you observe a minute silence to the dead in the public gathering?

If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.

the verse is just totally against ur believe, did u even read it or u just copy and pasted

skyhighweb:
If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.

the verse is just totally against ur believe, did u even read it or u just copy and pasted

explain it to me

marshalcarter:

Matthew 12:32 does not in any how nor in any form relate to wat we are talkin abt here....here we talkin abt prayin for the dead..but matt is talkin abt sinning against man and Holy ghost

OK aw will those sins that their sins can be forgiven in the other world, who will pray for them or will they be the one to pray for themselves? Remember after death judgement. Then why is Christ talking about forgiveness after death? Let me explain my point. Now that we are alive Christ said some sins can be forgiven when we die but some can't be forgiven even after we die. So aw will he or who will help the dead so seek forgiveness since u know that the dead can't talk

Empredboy:
OK aw will those sins that their sins can be forgiven in the other world, who will pray for them or will they be the one to pray for themselves? Remember after death judgement. Then why is Christ talking about forgiveness after death? Let me explain my point. Now that we are alive Christ said some sins can be forgiven when we die but some can't be forgiven even after we die. So aw will he or who will help the dead so seek forgiveness since u know that the dead can't talk

guy people like u should aviod being pastor cause u dont have any clue about what u talking about, sins forgiven after u are dead really na so they tell u, Christ tell u

Empredboy:
explain it to me

sin that does not lead to death
eg suicide its a sin to try take one life, if the person succeed God will not forgive but if u dont succeed and ask for forgiveness you will be forgiven

skyhighweb:
sin that does not lead to death
eg suicide its a sin to try take one life, if the person succeed God will not forgive but if u dont succeed and ask for forgiveness you will be forgiven

bro mi don't preach the Bible from a lay man angle. Death here means eternal condemnation. Just as Chris say unless u eat my body u shall not die. Shabi the body of Christ is communion you and I eat yet we will still die. Every word and parable of Christ was about heaven that was why people of that time and his disciples didn't understand him. Now you people too don't understand the DEATH the Bible means. Plz understand the Bible not from a lay man way from from well grounded spirit filled influence.

skyhighweb:
guy people like u should aviod being pastor cause u dont have any clue about what u talking about, sins forgiven after u are dead really na so they tell u, Christ tell u

what does this mean in the
In the Gospel of Matthew (12:32) our Lord Jesus said that anyone who sins against the
Son of man will be forgiven, but anyone who sins against the Holy Spirit will not be
forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come.

Empredboy:
what does this mean in the
In the Gospel of Matthew (12:32) our Lord Jesus said that anyone who sins against the
Son of man will be forgiven, but anyone who sins against the Holy Spirit will not be
forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come.

son of man is jesus is idea of dying for our sins is for us to get forgiveness, but holy spirit is of God him self is like wwhen the devil decided to take over that didnt end well for him n his followers or when does angels took men sharp to sleep with women those where direct sins to holy spirit which is closer to God

Empredboy:
bro mi don't preach the Bible from a lay man angle. Death here means eternal condemnation. Just as Chris say unless u eat my body u shall not die. Shabi the body of Christ is communion you and I eat yet we will still die. Every word and parable of Christ was about heaven that was why people of that time and his disciples didn't understand him. Now you people too don't understand the DEATH the Bible means. Plz understand the Bible not from a lay man way from from well grounded spirit filled influence.

dude the death isnt physical death, its like when he told that samaratian lady that the water he will give to her it everlasting that she wont thirst again, does that mean she will never drink water again nope physical she will spiritually she wont, and body of christ is a ssymbol of being strong spiritually and it means once u eat ur will(spiritual strenght) wont die it has nothing to do with ur physical body, per say

spiritually if u strong then d body is strong

and just because u say lay man point of view doesnt mean u are right, any one can use the phrase lay man point of view

skyhighweb:

son of man is jesus is idea of dying for our sins is for us to get forgiveness, but holy spirit is of God him self is like wwhen the devil decided to take over that didnt end well for him n his followers or when does angels took men sharp to sleep with women those where direct sins to holy spirit which is closer to God

plz don't let us continue to argue about the word of God cos no matter how you look at it you will always see it in your own way. Just as the lawyers see the Constitution. So what is important is the greatest commandments which is love of God and man. Be it any church let's just keep to these commandments. God bless you