Today in the Berwyn Church, I went to be support. I spoke briefly. Spoke on the truth that Fear always has a plan. Powerful truth of Satan's deception. Afterwards I offered to pray with or for anyone who wanted prayer. Several did.
A young man who was sitting in the back of this large sanctuary came forward and asked me to pray for his sister.
She is dead. Has been for 4 months. She died in the hospital. In her twenties. Blood clot.
Sad situation. Now her birthday is coming up in a few days.
Her brother came and asked me to pray for her. But she's dead. I normally am not very theologically catholic on all this. Gilberto evidently came from a catholic background and fully expected me to pray for her.
Not wanting to insult him. He had made a promise to his mother that he would go to church and have the priest pray for his sister. I guess I was as close as he could find.
Now, what do you do? Do you pray for his sister or not?
I decided to thank Jesus for his salvation, that Gilberto's sister was in the hands of a gracious God. That, being in the presence of Jesus was better than anything on this earth. That in the presence of Jesus she wouldn't want to come back again.
I prayed that Jesus received her into his presence.
The reality is I didn't exactly know WHAT to pray. I certainly don't pray for the dead.
I pray for the living. He seemed to be OK with all that. What do you do when someone asks you to pray for someone no longer here on this earth?
I actually don't know.
3 comments:
Why not pray for the dead? Not everyone who left this earth was in a state to see God face to face.In fact,no one has returned to tell either.there is though the fact that Catholics pray for the departed in every mass and in their private prayer.Its a comforting hope in Gods ongoing grace and mercy...we are our brothers keeper until the
final judgement.
By the way, I believe God would be pleased with your prayer and your humility in consoling the grieved brother ,even when one isn't certain the leads in love.
By the way, I believe God would be pleased with your prayer and your humility in consoling the grieved brother ,even when one isn't certain the heart leads in love,all in
The name of Jesus Christ.
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