Before the Cross: Praying with, for those who have died
Do you ever wish that you could talk to someone you love who has died?
I do. I wish I could have at least one more conversation with each of my parents and with many of my friends and mentors who have died.
What would you say if you could have one last conversation with someone who has died?
Would you ask forgiveness for something you did (or didn’t do)? Would you thank them for a special favor they’d given you — or for a lifetime of love and friendship? Would you say, “I love you,” or, “I forgive you,” or “I really need your help right now”?
Catholic Christians have always believed in the importance of praying for those who have died. We also believe that the dead pray for us — that they intercede for us as advocates before the throne of God. This means, of course, that we believe there is a real relationship that continues to exist between the living and the dead. And like all personal relationships, we believe that our connection (communion) with those who have died is nourished and strengthened by personal, and sometimes intimate, communication.
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