Week Beginning October 5, 2025
Pray for the Living and the Dead, Bury the Dead
This week, we focus on the spiritual work of mercy to pray for the living and the dead and the corporal work of mercy to bury the dead. These acts of mercy reflect the inherent value and dignity of every human life, the interconnectedness of human beings through the Communion of Saints, the mystery of life and death, and the hope of eternal salvation. Through prayer, we express our solidarity with the living and the dead and entrust their souls to the loving care of God. Burying the dead demonstrates reverence for the human body which serves as a sacred dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, and it affirms our belief in the resurrection of the dead. These acts of compassion remind us of the ultimate purpose and meaning of our lives.
Saint John Damascene defines prayer as “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” Saint John Climacus adds, “Prayer considered in its essence, is a conversation and union between God and man.” For Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, “prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
We communicate with God through prayer. We can also communicate with the angels and the saints through prayer, specifically to ask for their intercession to present our petitions to God. In that way, they accompany us on our spiritual journey. This is not to be confused with worship, which is a form of praise and devotion reserved exclusively for giving glory to God.
Praying for others unites us together and shifts our focus away from our selfish desires. We can always offer support through prayer whenever we are unsure how to assist those who are suffering or whenever we feel helpless. Jesus tells his disciples, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).
While on earth, we may never fully realize the value of our prayers. Therefore, when we pray for people, we must persevere with trust in God. Recall the example of Saint Monica, who with unwavering faith and steadfast devotion prays for 30 years for the conversion of her husband and 17 years for her son, the great Saint Augustine. Often, we do not understand how God executes the wonderful things He has in store. And occasionally, the recipients of our prayers are not disposed to receiving grace from God. Have faith that our prayers are indeed powerful, and rest assured that they can profoundly impact others.
Note that our prayers can benefit both the living and the dead. “The possibility of helping and giving does not cease to exist on the death of the Christian,” explains Pope Benedict XVI. “Rather does it stretch out to encompass the entire communion of saints, on both sides of death’s portals.” The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults elaborates:
“The Communion of Saints includes the faithful on earth, the souls in Purgatory, and the blessed in heaven. In this Communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always attentive to our prayers for one another here and for the souls of the faithful departed. The Communion of Saints also refers to ‘holy things,’ above all the Eucharist, by which the believers are formed into one Body.”
Through our prayers, we can actively work to help the holy souls in Purgatory attain the glory God has prepared for them in heaven. The blessed souls in heaven, in turn, can intercede for us while we are on earth. The Roman Missal “Preface I for the Dead: The Hope of Resurrection in Christ” reassures us:
“In him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned, that those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come. Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.”
Our bonds of love are not destroyed by death, because “life is changed not ended.” Although our connection to the departed is different, it nonetheless endures. We continue our relationship with the soul through prayer, and we perform the final act of charity for the body with burial services. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states:
“Because of our belief not only in the immortality of the soul, but also in the resurrection of the body, the Church professes hope in the face of death, and acts with charity in the funeral rites. The Church provides a number of prayers for the faithful to offer both to accompany the dying of a loved one and to strengthen our faith upon their death. Through private prayer and public funeral rites, we strengthen our faith and hope, comfort those who mourn, and bury the bodily remains of the deceased with care befitting what was the Temple of the Holy Spirit.”
Although the other corporal works of mercy derive from Jesus’ sermon on the Last Judgement (Matthew 25:31-46), burying the dead is later included on the list. This addition reflects the importance of the act, the high praise for it in the Book of Tobit, and the likely desire to feature a complete seven corporal works of mercy.
These merciful acts remind us of the fragility and preciousness of life, which is always a gift from God. We are reminded to treat all people–living and dead–with charity, compassion, and respect. This week, think about the many ways you can honor these works of mercy. Pray and offer Masses for the living and the dead, with special emphasis on the marginalized, those who have nobody to pray for them, and the holy souls in Purgatory. Keep a prayer book with your own prayer intentions, or keep a prayer board to share prayer intentions with your family. Help others make final arrangements for their loved ones. Remember that all Catholics are entitled to the Mass of Christian Burial, so encourage the tradition and assist in making plans–especially when the descendants are not faithful. Consider planning your own funeral and burial to ease the burden of your survivors. Support organizations that provide hospice services and grief counseling. Contribute to funds that help the poor pay for burial expenses. Send condolence cards and include prayers of comfort. Offer to help grieving neighbors with a kind word, a home-cooked meal, or a night out. Attend funerals and wakes. Visit the cemetery and pray for the dead you visit. Help those who have difficulty coping to find qualified pastoral or professional counseling.
