Mass for the Departed Souls
He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin. ( 2 Maccabees 12:43-45)
The passage above shows that since the Old Testament there has been a custom to pray for the souls and offer a sin offering for them. With the prayers and sacrifices of those who are still alive, the sins of the souls are forgiven.
It is also stated in Sir 7:33 " Give your gift to all the living and do not withhold your kindness for the dead. This emphasizes that spiritual help for the dead should arise from the generosity of the living.
This tradition of praying for the soul was continued by the apostles. As the Apostle Paul did when praying for the dead Onesiphorus, “May the Lord show His mercy to him [Onesiorus] on His day.” (2 Tim 1:18).
The tradition of praying for the souls of the dead is also recorded in the writings of the Church Fathers, such as:
1) Tertullian, who taught to hold a holy Mass to pray for them on the anniversary of their death every year. (Tertullian, De Monogamia 10; De exhort cas II, lif. St. Cyprian, Ep 1, 2).
2) St. Cyril of Jerusalem in his teaching on the Eucharist includes prayers for the souls of the dead (St. Cyprian, Cat., Myst., 5.9 et seq).
3) While St. John Chrysostom and St. Augustine taught that the faithful can pray for the souls of the dead by making alms. (St. John Chrysostom, Phil; hom. 3,4; St. Augustine, Enchiridion 110; Sermo 172, 2, 2).
( https://www.katolisitas.org/why-kita-mendoakan-soul-orang-orang-yang- already-meninggal/ )
Based on the Scriptures and the tradition that the Church has carried out since its inception, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
CCC 1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of praying for the dead about which the Scriptures already say: "Therefore [Judas Maccabees] made sacrifices for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sins" (2 Mack 12:45) . From time immemorial the Church has honored the memorial of the dead and the offering of prayers and especially the Eucharistic sacrifice. DS 856. for them, that they may be purified and may see God in happiness. The Church also encourages charity, indulgences, and works of penance on behalf of the dead.
“Well we help them and remember them. If only Job's children had been cleansed by the sacrifices brought by his father. Job 1:5., how can we doubt that our offerings bring comfort to the dead? Let us not hesitate to help the dead and offer prayers for them” (John Chrysostom, hom. in 1 Cor 41,5).
CCC 1371 The Eucharistic Sacrifice is also offered to the faithful who die in Christ, “who have not been completely cleansed” (Council of Trent: DS 1743), so that they may enter into the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of light and peace:
“Bury this body wherever it is: you don't have to care about it. Only one thing I ask of you: Wherever you are, remember me on the altar of the Lord” (Saint Monica before her death, to Saint Augustine and his brother: Augustine, conf. 9,11,27).
“Then we pray [in anaphora for the Pope and Bishops who have died, and for all those who have died in general. Because we believe that the souls prayed for in this holy and great sacrifice, will benefit greatly from it… We offer to God our prayers for those who have died, even though they are sinners… We sacrifice Christ who was sacrificed for our sins. By him we reconciled the God who was merciful to men with them and with us” (Syril of Jerusalem, catech. myst. 5,9,10).
CCC 1414 As a sacrifice, the Eucharist is also offered for the forgiveness of sins of the living and dead and for obtaining spiritual and physical gifts from God.
Why the Eucharistic sacrifice?
Because the Eucharist is the most effective way to help the spirits in purgatory. In the Holy Mass or Eucharist, Christ sacrificed Himself because of His love for us. The Holy Mass is Christ's own sacrifice to God, the most beautiful offering to God. The priest is Christ's representative but it is Christ Himself who offered and sacrificed Himself for us.
So when should we offer mass for the souls?
Mass for the soul is usually performed on the day a person dies, the day of his funeral, the 3rd, 7th, 30th, 40th day, 1 year anniversary of the death or other death anniversary based on local traditions. Basically, as living members of the church (a church that is on a pilgrimage to the world) we can ask for the sacrifice of the mass like the spirits of our brothers and sisters who are still suffering in purgatory or who are already happy in heaven at any time. The Mass will help the souls in purgatory so that they can soon be released from their punishment while for the soul who is already happy, the Mass will increase his closeness to God as St. Thomas Aquinas as Accidental Glory . The Mass we pray for the family and relatives of the deceased will never be in vain.
Frequently Asked Information
Why is it necessary to pray for the dead?
According to the Catholic Church, God has the power to determine whether someone who dies goes to heaven, hell, or if he still needs to be purified first in Purgatory because he is not ready to go to heaven.
Purgatory is a state experienced by people who died in a state of grace and in friendship with God, but were not yet fully holy, so they required a further purification process after death (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030-1032). Purification in Purgatory is very different from the torments of hell. Believers who are still living as fellow members of the Body of Christ should help in bearing the burden (Gal 6:2) and help the souls in Purgatory with prayers and the intention of the Holy Mass for them. Prayers and masses dedicated to souls in Purgatory will hasten their purification process so that they can soon be united with God in heaven. Meanwhile, if the soul we are praying for is already in heaven, our prayer will bring them closer to Allah.
https://www.katolisitas.org/why-we-mendoakan-soul-orang-yang-alread-died/
If the person who died has received the sacrament of penance and the sacrament of holy oil, does it still need to be prayed for? Haven't their sins been forgiven?
Many people think that after Allah forgives, then all matters related to sin have been completed and there is no longer any consequence of sin to think about. Even though all sinful acts have consequences for their sins and the forgiveness of sins does not eliminate the consequences of these actions. In the holy book it can be read that even though God's sins have been forgiven by God, humans still have to bear the consequences of sin. King David, who was forgiven by God for his sin of adultery with Bethsheba and killing Uriah, was still punished by God by the death of his son (2 Sam 12:13-14). Zechariah, who did not believe the angel Gabriel's message, became mute (Luke 1:20). And there are many other examples.
People who have received the sacrament of penance and holy oil before dying, have received forgiveness of sins by God but if there are still consequences of inherent sin then that person will undergo Purgatory to purify himself from the consequences of that sin. The prayers and mass that we sacrifice for them are important to lighten their punishment because they can do nothing more for themselves.
What if the soul of the person we are praying for is not in purgatory but is already in heaven?
God accepts your prayers and holy mass sacrifices and will use them for the other souls of your family who are still in purgatory and who need them. If you continue to sacrifice mass for your family/relatives who are already happy in Heaven, they will experience what St. Thomas Aquinas as " Accidental Glory " where their soul will be closer to God and the soul's ability to intercede for our prayers will be stronger. So never stop praying for our deceased family/relatives, no matter how long they have been dead. No prayer is in vain, God is always full of generosity.
