A Catholic priest, Rev. Father Ayodele Lucas has explained why Catholics pray for the dead despite the Bible making it clear that it is appointed unto man to die once and after that judgement.
Father Lucas gave the explanation at the 20th-anniversary service of the transition to glory of Madam Mabel Okanlawon Okojie.
At the event, which held recently at St. Cosmas Catholic Church, lge Daramola Street, Ota, Ogun, Father Lucas said it was imperative to pray for the dead because nobody knows what happens between the time of death and the eventual judgement.
Well-wishers at the remembrance service
‘We are told after death judgement but nobody knows the exact time of judgement. There are clear indications that judgement does not happen immediately after death. It is something designed for the future.
“So, we should be at liberty to pray for the dead because we don’t know what happens between the time a person dies and the time of judgement.’
Jesus prayed for the dead
Thanksgiving time at the remembrance service
He gave the example of Jesus praying for dead Lazarus saying if Jesus’s could pray for the dead there is clearly nothing wrong with praying for the dead. Jesus prayed for Lazarus to come back to life. It is an indication that Lazarus was not in heaven after he died because if he was in heaven, I doubt if he would want to come back to this sinful world. If I were Lazarus and I was already in heaven, I would not respond to the prayer of coming back to life. So, prayers could still make a change,” he said.
Lucas: Honouring parents should continue after their death
Lady Madam Okojie
Earlier in the message, he admonished the congregation to always honour their parents saying that honour does not stop when they are dead.
“We should still honour our parents even when they are dead by remembering them and honouring their memories. If you have been to other climes you will see graveyards of people who had died as far back as 100 years still being kept intact and neat. Honouring our dead parents should still continue when they are long gone.” He admonished.
Father Lucas said further that an achiever is not necessarily someone who did some remarkable things that people see. “The fact that somebody lived in peace with his neighbour throughout his life-time is a great achievement. The fact that our late mother has children that are still honouring her memory is a great achievement. So, she deserves to be honoured.”
He also told the congregation to always prepare for death as nobody knows when death will come noting that the rate at which people died this year is alarming.
Esumei: My mother was selfless
Mr and Mrs Esumei at the thanksgiving memorial service
Mrs Mary Esumei, daughter of late Madam Okojie who was being remembered described her mother as a great woman who lived a selfless life and a life of service to God. “She has died for 20 years now, but her memory is still strong. I still remember her every day. She was a mother indeed. What we have just done today is to honour her memory by this remembrance thanksgiving service,” she said.
