Prayers for the Dead

[PeteZaHut]

Since God has perfect judgment, why do we pray for those that have already died? If they are in purgatory, and we pray for them, is that like asking God to give them a less-than-just punishment?

I guess it has something to do with how, in the Old Testament, Moses would ask God to have mercy on his people instead of punishing them, and God said okay. (Am I remembering that right?)

 

[WetCatechumen]

“Temporal punishment” is more than just punishment. It’s about purification from sin. If you pray for a Christian, living or dead, for their edification and closer union with God, then God will hear your prayer and give them the grace to change.

The Western theological formulations, while technically true, can be misleading.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think it also useful to pray that God gave them the grace to repent any sins as they died. For example, those who died in the Trade Towers. With God there is no time; so our ex post facto prayers should be effective as long as we don’t know What the situation was.

 

[Timothysis]

Also, God is Just but He is also Merciful. Mercy trumps Justice.