Dear Catholic Exchange:
There are a number of verses that recommend prayer for the dead in the Old Testament. Is there a verse I can quote from the New Testament that recommends prayer for the dead, or that implies the existence of Purgatory?
I need this info for my fundamentalist nephew. Thank you for your help.
Kay
Dear Kay:
Beware of getting trapped in the “proof text” trap. The biblical argument from Scripture for Purgatory can be found here.
There is no verse in the New Testament that says “Pray for the dead” just as there is no verse in Scripture that says “God is a Trinity.” However, prayer for the dead is a logical deduction from Scripture given that the dead are alive in Christ (Mt 22:32), that we are members of one another (Rom 12:5), and that we are commanded repeatedly to pray for one another.
Merry Christmas!
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
***
Dear CE:
My wife and I would like to consecrate our new born son to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, can you please tell me what prayers to use?
Thomas Michael
Dear Thomas Michael,
Peace in Christ!
Because the Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is not an official rite of the Church, there is no universally prescribed prayer. There are a number of prayers of consecration that may be used. The three examples provided here are written for personal consecration; however, they can be modified for the consecration of your son. These prayers can be found at www.rosary-center.org, www.ourladyswarriors.org, and www.ewtn.com, respectively.
1. “O Virgin Mary, most powerful Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and Earth, in accordance with your wish made known at Fatima, I consecrate myself today to your Immaculate Heart. To you I entrust all that I have, all that I am. Reign over me, dearest Mother, that I may be yours in prosperity, in adversity, in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in life and in death.
“Most compassionate Heart of Mary, Queen of Virgins, watch over my mind and heart and preserve me from the deluge of impurity which you lamented so sorrowfully at Fatima. I want to be pure like you. I want to atone for the many crimes committed against Jesus and you. I want to call down upon this country and the whole world the peace of God in justice and charity.
“Mindful of this consecration, I now promise to strive to imitate you by the practice of the Christian virtues without regard for human respect. I resolve to receive Holy Communion on the first Saturday of every month when possible, and to offer daily five decades of the Rosary, with all my sacrifices in the spirit of penance and reparation. Amen.”
2. “I, . . ., a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy Heart, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.
“Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, in the presence of all the heavenly court, I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, and to thy Immaculate Heart, as thy child and slave of love, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen.”
3. “O most pure heart of Mary, full of goodness, show your love towards us. Let the flame of your heart, O Mary, descend on all people. We love you immensely. Impress on our hearts true love so that we may long for you.
“O Mary, gentle and humble of heart, remember us when we sin. You know that all people sin. Grant that through your most pure and motherly heart, we may be healed from every spiritual sickness. Grant that we may always experience the goodness of your motherly heart, and that through the flame of your heart we may be converted. Amen.”
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