Q) Why do Catholics offer Masses for the dead?
A) Our life on earth is all about learning to love as God loves. Unfortunately, due to original sin, and our own personal sin, we are not terribly good students at times. Christ tells us in the Gospels that we must be “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” So — who in the world would qualify for that? We know, of course, that with God all things are possible. And because of divine grace, especially as it is received through the sacraments of the Church, it is truly possible to live a life that is totally pleasing to God.
But if one dies and is not yet perfected in love, the Lord in his mercy provides more time to be formed and shaped into the image of Christ. We call this extra time “purgatory,” though of course how souls experience what we call “time” after death is a mystery. Purgatory is a place of suffering, but it is not a place of eternal suffering as is hell. Rather, it is a place where the souls of the dead suffer for the sake of becoming more and more like Christ, learning to surrender, to forgive, to acknowledge sin in their own lives and to have their heart stretched so that they have room within their souls to receive the fullness of God’s grace and life. And we can help these souls in their purification by praying for them. Just like we are called upon to pray for each other in this life, that we might grow in holiness and grace, so too we must pray for the dead. And because the Mass is the most powerful prayer of all, it is only fitting that we should offer Masses for our loved ones who have died.
Father Erickson is pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale. Send your questions to CatholicSpirit@archspm.org with “Why Do Catholics Do That?” in the subject line.
