Christ in his mercy allows for the completion of penance after death

Christ in his mercy allows for the completion of penance after death

Every sin must be corrected, repented. Yet many people delay their repentance, improvement, conversion to the point of death. Some of them convert at the last minute. So they can't fix what's wrong, which they have committed. Whether this conversion at the time of death frees them from all repentance ? Is there any possibility of repentance after death? ?

The need to complete penance after death

On All Souls' Day and at Holy Mass. on the day of the funeral or on the anniversary of death, we hear these words from 2 Maccabees : “Having made a contribution among men, he sent about two thousand silver drachmas to Jerusalem, for a sin offering to be made. He has done very beautifully and nobly, for he was thinking of a resurrection. For if he was not convinced, that those who are slain will be resurrected, then praying for the dead would be superfluous and absurd, but if he was careful, that for those, who fell asleep godly, the greatest reward is prepared - it was a holy and pious thought. That's why he did, that an atoning sacrifice was made for the dead, that they would be freed from sin " (2 Mch 12, 43-45).
In this reading, showing us the faith of Israel, God teaches us, that there is an afterlife, eternal. The greatest prize, however, is not available to those, who have not repented of their sins. The community of believers, that remained on the ground, may come to the aid of those dead.

The Church's Prayer for the Dead

The Church, animated by the spirit of love, is constantly concerned with the fate of these people, who have died, and rushes to help them. During each Mass. prays for the dead during the great Eucharistic Prayer. He commends these to God, who left this world. He asks, that God would receive them into his kingdom and allow them to see his light. Wanting to draw the attention of the faithful to the need to remember the dead, The Church has established All Souls' Day. It falls on 2 November. On this day, any priest can dismiss 3 Holy Masses. for the dead. He offers one according to his own intention, the second for the souls of all faithful dead, and the third according to the intentions of the Holy Father, who also offers her for the dead.
The Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice for the dead on the day of death or funeral, and also on the anniversary of his death. This should be remembered especially by the family of the deceased. You can also offer any Mass for the dead., regardless of the color of the vestments.

Purgatory

The church that prays for the dead believes, that the soul of man, who died in venial sins and did not repent of other sins, he must complete penance after death. The holiness and justice of God require that this penance be fulfilled, and God's love and His infinite mercy work, that it can be completed after death. God, who is merciful to the sinner, wants, to make you, who did not have time to atone for their faults while alive, they did not perish forever.
The Church's faith calls this penance after death a purifying penance, that is, penance of v ,,purgatory ".
Theologians try to explain, what is the suffering of those who do penance in Purgatory. The souls in Purgatory suffer the greatest pain because of this, that they cannot yet be with God and show Him their love, although they miss it very much. However, they have the assurance of salvation and when they pay divine justice, will be in heaven.

How will I answer God ?

I will try to fix it here on earth, that is, to atone for evil, which I have committed, so that I can be ready for the day of the final meeting with God.
I will also remember the dead. So many people are converted just before they die. There are even more of these, who don't care about repentance, the repair of evil while alive on earth. They die, before they can be completely cleansed. They cannot help themselves after death. Only we can help them. So I must not forget about it. The dead are also my fellow men, whom I have a duty to love.
In a sense of love, I will pray for the dead, and by sacrifice and renunciation, by doing good, I will mend what is bad, which they have committed, who have already left us, that God would accept them into his kingdom. “Give them eternal rest, Lord, and let the eternal light shine on them ".

■ Think :

1. What God reveals to us in reading from 2 Maccabees (2 Mch 12, 43-46) ?
2. How the Church Cares for the Dead ?
3. What day is dedicated to particular; memory of the dead ?
4. How do I express my memory of the dead ?
5. Why God Permits Repentance After Death ?

■ Remember:

64. How God's mercy is revealed to the dead ?
God's mercy towards the dead is revealed in this, that he allowed them to complete their penance for their sins in purgatory, if they did not do it while they were alive.

■ Task :

Search for and write out the words from the four Eucharistic Prayers, with which the Church prays for the dead.