Why Do Catholics Pray For The Dead?

The short answer to the question is that not all Catholics pray for the dead for exactly the same reasons. But scripture lies at the root of many of them.

Catholics have traditionally pointed to the Old Testament, as the Book of Maccabees talks about the “usefulness of offering prayers for the dead”.

Unfortunately, the Protestant Reformation was a result, in part, of abuses of indulgences. For that and other reasons, the book of Maccabees was purged from their Bibles.

But Catholics have a much more compelling reason to pray for the dead. We pray for the dead to imitate Jesus. We pray for the dead because Jesus prayed for the dead.

In the New Testament, we have documentation of two specific people that Jesus raised from the dead. Jesus prayed as he spoke to His Father before raising Martha and Mary’s dead brother, Lazarus (Jn 11:41). And Jarius prayed as he got on his knees and begged Jesus to raise his dead daughter (Lk 8:41). Two people were raised from the dead, after having prayers said for both of them.

So, where are the dead that we need to pray for them? Frankly, we don’t know exactly. The Catholic Church calls the place Pergutory. Pergutory is a place between Earth and Heaven, rather than heaven and hell – as some believe. St. Paul calls it “a prison” that stands in the way of entering heaven. So, for those of us that choose God, it’s a process that we go through on our way to heaven. Is Pergutory here on Earth? It could be. Does it take place before, during, or after death? It may take place at different times for different people. As no two of us are the same, those forces that God uses to help us in our quest toward perfection are probably quite different for each of us.

And when is it too late for us to pray for the dead? Only when we, too, have been called home. When Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (Jn 8:58), He told us that He is not governed by the laws of time. As long as we aren’t aware of the outcome, it’s a legitimate prayer. My prayers for my dead sister tomorrow can be answered by something important that God does in her life thirty years ago.

I believe that there are only two end results to this life. For those who choose God, it’s heaven. For those who choose otherwise, it’s hell. I believe that we aren’t saved by anything we could ever do, but by one individual selfless act of love almost two thousand years ago. Once we choose God, we allow Him to begin to shape us into future citizens of heaven.

But heaven can’t be heaven with selfishness or gossip among its citizens. God may shape us in a really difficult life like Job had; or knock us off our horses, as he did with Paul. But he will perfect us, each in our own way, before He can allow us to come home to Him.

So, why do Catholics pray for those who’ve left on their journey home? We pray for them because we love them – and because that’s what Jesus did.

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