Soul departing the body after death: Question on belief

[PJM]

=victrolatim;13396447]I recently was talking to my girlfriend’s grandmother about planning her husband’s funeral (he is in the final stages of cancer, most likely will not make it to next week). Since I am close to the family and have professional vocal training, he, when he was well, asked me to sing his funeral Mass. The grandmother told me that the mass would be 3 days after his death because “that is how long it takes the soul to leave the body”. I have never heard this before. Is this somewhere in scripture or Catholic custom? I know there was 3 days between Jesus’ death and resurrection but I have never heard that the soul remains for 3 days.

WRONG

There are two Judgments:

the first happens at the instant of death, when the soul departs the Body for heaven [if its erfect:

Purgatory: If its in-perfect BUT without unconfessed or unforgiven Mortal sin [John 20:19-23]

Mt. 5: 48 “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”

or [Heaven FORBID!] eternal hell if dying with un -forgiven; unconfessed Mortal sin.

The second Judgment is the "FINAL Judgment at the “End Times” Mt Chapters 23-25

God Bless you and thanks for asking

Patrick

Patrick

 

[Medawlinno]

The reason for the three days I have heard comes from (I believe) and old Semitic (I don’t beleive specifically Jewish) tradition. Could possibly be Egyptian too, but I don’t think so.

What I recall reading was that it was believed that when a person died, the sould/spirit would in effect ‘hover’ over the body in hopes of being reunitied with it. I honestly do not recall if it is the soul/spirit’s hope of being reunitied with the body, or the hope of the relatives of the deceased that the spirit/soul would reunite with the body. After three days the body was considered too far decomposed for the soul/spirit to re-enter, thus the soul/spirit would have moved on, as it were, and it was ‘safe’ to bury the deceased individual.

This tradition survives/survived in the (older) custom of a two day wake with the funeral on the third day for the total of the three plus days.

 

[MaryHelp777]

I recently was talking to my girlfriend’s grandmother about planning her husband’s funeral (he is in the final stages of cancer, most likely will not make it to next week). Since I am close to the family and have professional vocal training, he, when he was well, asked me to sing his funeral Mass. The grandmother told me that the mass would be 3 days after his death because “that is how long it takes the soul to leave the body”. I have never heard this before. Is this somewhere in scripture or Catholic custom? I know there was 3 days between Jesus’ death and resurrection but I have never heard that the soul remains for 3 days.

The soul leaves the body at death.
Because the soul animates the body.
The body is dead and.the soul leaves at that exact moment.

There are a lot of “old wives tales” and “superstitions” that some people believe in.

 

[minkymurph]

I recently was talking to my girlfriend’s grandmother about planning her husband’s funeral (he is in the final stages of cancer, most likely will not make it to next week). Since I am close to the family and have professional vocal training, he, when he was well, asked me to sing his funeral Mass. The grandmother told me that the mass would be 3 days after his death because “that is how long it takes the soul to leave the body”. I have never heard this before. Is this somewhere in scripture or Catholic custom? I know there was 3 days between Jesus’ death and resurrection but I have never heard that the soul remains for 3 days.

In Ireland people used to open the window when someone died so the soul could leave. Women also got ‘churched’ in the past when they had a baby, and people believed the baby would not thrive if it was not baptized. All superstition.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

In Ireland people used to open the window when someone died so the soul could leave. Women also got ‘churched’ in the past when they had a baby, and people believed the baby would not thrive if it was not baptized. All superstition.

I’m not sure what Churching of Women has to do with when the soul leaves the body after death, but it does still go on in some Anglican and Eastern Orthodox churches. Some of our older Book of Common Prayer versions have it under the occasional services. The rite goes back to the Jewish purification rituals and in fact Mary’s is mentioned in Luke 2:22. For Anglicans, here is the BCP version:

THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN.

*This service, or the concluding prayer alone, as it stands among the Occasional Prayers and Thanksgivings, may be used at the discretion of the Minister.

¶ The Woman, at the usual time after her delivery, shall come into the Church decently apparelled, and there shall kneel down in some convenient place, as hath been accustomed, or as the Ordinary shall direct: And then the Minister shall say unto her,
*
FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God, of his goodness, to give you safe deliverance, and to preserve you in the great danger of Child-birth; you shall therefore give hearty thanks unto God, and say,

1789 BCP:

*¶ Then shall the Minster say the following Hymn, taken from the 116th Psalm.
*

1892 BCP:

¶ T*hen shall be said by both of them the following Hymn, the woman still kneeling.
*

The text in the 1892 Book is essentially identical and so is not given separately; any differences are indicated.

Dilexi quoniam.

I AM well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer;
That he hath inclined his ear unto me; therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
I found trouble and heaviness, and I called upon the Name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
What reward shall I give unto the Lord, for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?
I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people; in the courts of the Lord’s house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

¶ *Then shall the Minister say the Lord’s prayer, with what follows: but the Lord’s Prayer may be omitted, if this be used with the Morning or Evening Prayer.
*
OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Minister. O Lord, save this woman thy servant;
Answer. Who putteth her trust in thee.
Minister. Be thou to her a strong tower;
Answer. From the face of her enemy.
Minister. Lord, hear our prayer.
Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.
Minister. Let us pray.

O ALMIGHTY God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve, through the great pain and peril of Child-birth, this woman thy servant, who desires now to offer her praises and thanksgivings unto thee. Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that she, through thy help, may both faithfully live, and walk according to thy will, in this life present; and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*The woman, that cometh to give her Thanks, must offer accustomed offerings, which shall be applied by the Minister and the Churchwardens to the relief of distressed women in child-bed; and if there be a Communion, it is convenient that she receive the Holy Communion.
*