2 Maccabees 12

The citizen of a prominent city, I erected this while I lived, that I might have a resting place for my body. Abercius is my name, a disciple of the chaste shepherd who feeds his sheep on the mountains and in the fields, who has great eyes surveying everywhere, who taught me the faithful writings of life. Standing by, I, Abercius, ordered this to be inscribed; truly I was in my seventy-second year. May everyone who is in accord with this and who understands it pray for Abercius.

O Christ... Spare the offenses and sins of the dead, through Your grace and mercies forever.

[T]hat very night, this was shown to me in a vision: I saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid color, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh, seven years of age, who died miserably with disease... For him I had made my prayer, and between him and me there was a large interval, so that neither of us could approach to the other... and [I] knew that my brother was in suffering. But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering; and I prayed for him every day until we passed over into the prison of the camp, for we were to fight in the camp-show. Then... I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me. Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me. I saw that that place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment... He went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment.

As often as the anniversary comes round, we make offerings for the dead as birthday honours.

Indeed, she prays for his [her dead husband's] soul, and requests refreshment for him meanwhile, and fellowship (with him) in the first resurrection; and she offers (her sacrifice) on the anniversaries of his falling asleep.

O Lord our God, give peace to the souls of our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep in Jesus, remembering our forefathers of old, our fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, bishops, and the souls of all the holy and just men who have died in the Lord.

Especially remember those whose memory we this day celebrate, and our holy father Mark, the apostle and evangelist, who has shown us the way of salvation.

Why do you mention the names of the dead [in prayer] after their deaths? If the living prays or has given alms, how will this benefit the dead? If the prayer of the people here has benefited the people there, no one should practice piety or perform good works! He should get some friends any way he wants, either by bribery or by asking friends on his deathbed, and they should pray that he may not suffer in the next life, or be held to account for his heinous sins.

Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls , for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth.

And I wish to persuade you by an illustration. For I know that many say, what is a soul profited, which departs from this world either with sins, or without sins, if it be commemorated in the prayer? For if a king were to banish certain who had given him offense, and then those who belong to them should weave a crown and offer it to him on behalf of those under punishment, would he not grant a remission of their penalties? In the same way we, when we offer to Him our supplications for those who have fallen asleep, though they be sinners, weave no crown, but offer up Christ sacrificed for our sins , propitiating our merciful God for them as well as for ourselves.

[A Memorial for the deceased Valentinian II] Blessed are you both, if my prayers will avail aught! No day will you over in silence, no prayer of mine will pass you by unhonored, no night will hurry on its course without you receiving some participation in my prayers. I will repeatedly remember you in all by oblations.

Furthermore, as to mentioning the names of the dead, how is there anything very useful in that? What is more timely or more excellent than that those who are still here should believe that the departed do live, and that they have not retreated into nothingness, but that they exist and are alive with the Master? And so that this most august proclamation might be told in full, how do they have hope, who are praying for the brethren as if they were but sojourning in a foreign land? Useful too is the prayer fashioned on their behalf, even if it does not force back the whole of guilty charges laid to them. And it is useful also, because in this world we often stumble either voluntarily or involuntarily, and thus it is a reminder to do better. For we make commemoration of the just and of sinners: of sinners, begging God's mercy for them; of the just and the Fathers and Patriarchs and Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists and martyrs and confessors, and of bishops and solitaries, and of the whole list of them, so that we may set the Lord Jesus Christ apart from the ranks of men because of the honor due Him, and give reverence to Him, while keeping in mind that the Lord is not to be equated with any man, even if that man live in a justice that is boundless and limitless.

Let us then give them aid and perform commemoration for them. For if the children of Job were purged by the sacrifice of their father, why do you doubt that when we too offer for the departed, some consolation arises to them? Since God is wont to grant the petitions of those who ask for others. And this Paul signified saying, "that in a manifold Person your gift towards us bestowed by many may be acknowledged with thanksgiving on your behalf." [2 Corinthians 1:11] Let us not then be weary in giving aid to the departed, both by offering on their behalf and obtaining prayers for them: for the common Expiation of the world is even before us.

Mourn for those who have died in wealth... Let us weep for these; let us assist them according to our power; let us think of some assistance for them, small though it be, yet still let us assist them. How and in what way? By praying and entreating others to make prayers for them, by continually giving to the poor on their behalf.

During the time, moreover, which intervenes between a man's death and the final resurrection, the soul dwells in a hidden retreat, where it enjoys rest or suffers affliction just in proportion to the merit it has earned by the life which it led on earth.

Nor can it be denied that the souls of the dead are benefited by the piety of their living friends, who offer the sacrifice of the Mediator, or give alms in the church on their behalf. But these services are of advantage only to those who during their lives have earned such merit, that services of this kind can help them. For there is a manner of life which is neither so good as not to require these services after death, nor so bad that such services are of no avail after death; there is, on the other hand, a kind of life so good as not to require them; and again, one so bad that when life is over they render no help. Therefore, it is in this life that all the merit or demerit is acquired, which can either relieve or aggravate a man's sufferings after this life. No one, then, need hope that after he is dead he shall obtain merit with God which he has neglected to secure here. And accordingly it is plain that the services which the church celebrates for the dead are in no way opposed to the apostle's words: "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad;" for the merit which renders such services as I speak of profitable to a man, is earned while he lives in the body. It is not to every one that these services are profitable. And why are they not profitable to all, except because of the different kinds of lives that men lead in the body? When, then, sacrifices either of the altar or of alms are offered on behalf of all the baptized dead, they are thank-offerings for the very good, they are propitiatory offerings for the not very bad, and in the case of the very bad, even though they do not assist the dead, they are a species of consolation to the living. And where they are profitable, their benefit consists either in obtaining a full remission of sins, or at least in making the condemnation more tolerable.

It is not to be doubted that the dead are aided by prayers of the holy church, and by the salutary sacrifice, and by the alms, which are offered for their spirits; that the Lord may deal with them more mercifully than their sins have merited. For this, which has been handed down by the Fathers, the universal church observes...

There is, however, some perfection in this life to which the holy martyrs have arrived. There is an ecclesiastical discipline, as the faithful know, when the names of the martyrs are read aloud in that place at the altar of God, where prayer is not offered for them. Prayer, however, is offered for other dead who are remembered. It is wrong to pray for a martyr, to whose prayers we ought ourselves be commended...

If the sins after death be pardonable, then the sacred oblation of the holy host useth to help men's souls: for which cause the souls sometime, of them that be dead, do desire the same: for Bishop Felix, whom we spake of before, saith that a virtuous Priest, who died some two years since, and dwelt in the diocese of the city of Centumcellis, and was pastor of the church of St. John in the place called Tauriana, told him that himself did use (when he had need) to wash his body in a certain place, in which there were passing hot waters: and that going thither upon a time, he found a certain man whom he knew not, ready to do him service, as to pull off his shoes, take his clothes, and to attend upon him in all dutiful manner. And when he had divers times done thus, the Priest, minding upon a day to go to the baths, began to think with himself that he would not be ungrateful to him that did him such service, but carry him somewhat for a reward, and so he took with him two singing breads: and coming thither he found the man there ready, and used his help as he was wont to do: and when he had washed himself, put on his clothes, and was ready to depart, he offered him for an holy reward that which he had brought, desiring him to take that courteously, which for charity he did give him. Then with a sad countenance, and in sorrowful manner, he spake thus unto him: "Why do you give me these, father? This is holy bread, and I cannot eat of it, for I, whom you see here, was sometime lord of these baths, and am now after my death appointed for my sins to this place: but if you desire to pleasure me, offer this bread unto almighty God, and be an intercessor for my sins: and by this shall you know that your prayers be heard, if at your next coming you find me not here." And as he was speaking these words, he vanished out of his sight: so that he, which before seemed to be a man, showed by that manner of departure that he was a spirit. The good Priest all the week following gave himself to tears for him, and daily offered up the holy sacrifice: and afterward returning to the bath, found him not there: whereby it appeareth what great profit the souls receive by the sacrifice of the holy oblation, seeing the spirits of them that be dead desire it of the living, and give certain tokens to let us understand how that by means thereof they have received absolution.

These are the men who were struck down by the enemy because of hidden idolatry, and they more fittingly represent those who, in the secret of the heart, pollute themselves through greed and covetousness. They carry ritual offerings of idols beneath their tunic, who outwardly perform works of virtue for the sake of earthly greed or the ambition of human praise, but under the veil of devotion conceal the deceit of wickedness within; such men are deservedly struck down by enemies, because the poison of deceit, which escaped the sight of men, did not deceive the gaze of the inner Judge. That greed and avarice are idolatry is shown by Paul, who says (1 Tim. 6:10): The root of all evils is greed; which some, desiring, have strayed from the faith and have plunged themselves into many sorrows. And again (Eph. 5:5): "This, moreover," he says, "know and understand, that every fornicator, or unclean person, or greedy man, which is idolatrous service, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God; for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience [Vulg. unbelief]." Against this vice, wishing to heal human minds, the Savior teaches in the Gospel, saying: "Take care not to practice your righteousness before men in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 6:1). And again, "See," he says, "and beware of all greed, for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15).

The mystical Judas, considering that a calamity had come upon his soldiers because of their artificial conduct, does not abandon them, but with fatherly devotion cares for them, both by interceding with prayers for their sins and by correcting their error through the word of preaching and exhortation, so that, once restored again to the practice of virtue, they may from this time watch over themselves more carefully, lest by a similar downfall they fall again into a worse state, according to that passage of the Gospel: "Behold, you have been made whole; do not sin any more, lest something worse happen to you" (Jn. 5:14).

This city, under whose fortification many multitudes of different nations gathered and dwelt, I judge signifies nothing better than the powers of this world; under whose dominion diverse peoples have come, so that under its protection they might be physically guarded and enjoy the gratification of their flesh. Therefore, such an assembly, trusting in the stability of its walls, provokes Judas with curses, and in blasphemy spoke things that ought not to be spoken: when diverse kinds of people, favoring the flattery of rulers and rejoicing in their benefits, did things contrary to the holy preachers, and worshiping idols, hurled words of blasphemy against the Divinity itself. Judas, then, having invoked the prince of this world, by his help took the city: because the holy teachers partly by prayers, and partly also by doctrines, struggled against their adversaries, until by the word of God, according to the Lord's will, they captured the rulers themselves. And therefore they were accomplishing indescribable massacres of men, not so that by eternal destruction they might utterly perish, but so that by dying to the world they might live more happily to Christ. Such a slaughter, moreover, Peter was ordered to accomplish in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 10:13), when in ecstasy he saw that mystical vessel with four corners being let down from heaven to earth, in which were all the four-footed animals and creeping things of the earth, and birds of the sky, and it was said to him: "Rise, Peter, kill and eat." (Acts 10:13) The animals therefore signified all nations, unclean through errors, but to be cleansed by sacred baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity, who, abandoning the image of man, through imitation of beasts and serpents had taken on their forms; which that heavenly voice commands Peter to kill and eat, because it bade him to kill in the Gentiles what they had been, and to make them what he himself was. For whoever eats food placed outside transfers it into his own body; therefore he was commanded that the nations, placed outside the doors through unbelief, with their former life put to death, be grafted into the fellowship of the Church, which Peter signifies. In accordance with this the apostle Paul says of himself: "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live to God in Christ" (Gal. 2:19); and again: "And I now live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20).

Nor is that other point without mystery, namely that the adjoining pool appeared to be filled with the blood of slain men: for the shedding of blood signifies the loss of a life drenched in blood, as if the blood, turned into water, were seen to flow, since in the sacrament of baptism, where the faithful die to sin, bloody deeds and the filth of carnal life are understood to be washed away, when the old man is put off with his deeds, and the new man is put on, who according to the Lord is created in righteousness and holiness of truth (Eph. 4:24).

Gorgias, the commander of Idumaea, can well bear the figure of the Devil, who, always delighting in bloody and blood-stained activity, nevertheless sometimes imitates the appearance of virtues, though he himself through vices diligently fights against virtues. Therefore, deceiving by cunning any of the simple ones from the number of the faithful, he kills them; yet he does not obtain daily victory, because rather, under the leadership of Judas, his soldiers call upon the Lord as their helper, and by persevering in prayers and hymns the opposing side, confused by fear, is turned to flight, and the honor of triumph is granted to the true worshipers of God. Therefore Peter, writing to believers in his Epistle, says: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation; casting all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you. Be sober and watchful, for your adversary the Devil, like a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour; resist him, firm in the faith." (1 Peter 5:6-8) Therefore also it is said through James: "Resist the Devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). But the fact that Dositheus wanted to take Gorgias alive, yet could not, because, his shoulder having been cut off, his enemy escaped, this shows figuratively that the ancient foe is conquered not by human strength but by divine help. For whoever, trusting in his own strength together with the Pelagians, hopes that he can obtain victory over the Devil, indeed does not conquer the enemy, nor does he even keep the condition of his own will unharmed.

I once heard a Hebrew explaining that those Jews are called Tubianaeans who, after foreigners had been summoned, came to the aid of Judea, and that they were called Tubianaeans as if they had been brought in by foreign trumpets.

The question arises how it is that Timotheus is here said to have been released alive by the Jewish leaders out of regard for the humility of his prayers, because he had parents and brothers among many of the Jews, who would happen to be deceived by his death if he were killed; and yet a little earlier it is related that he had been in the military base of Gazara, where he was killed by the soldiers. For if he had then been killed there, in no way could he now here be released alive. This, unless I am mistaken, can be resolved in no other way than that either he is said to have been killed there by prolepsis, or that one Timotheus is to be understood as the one who was killed in the military base of Gazara, and another as this one who is read to have been released by Dositheus and Sosipater. The fact, moreover, that the leaders of Judas, considering the good of their brethren and the redemption of their own people, spared Timotheus, shows that sometimes it is necessary to deal more gently with those who err, not, I say, so that one consents to their iniquity, but that with fatherly devotion one may provide for their weakness, and especially in those places where some fruit from the conversion of those who err is hoped for, so that by ecclesiastical gentleness they may be prompted to flee from the snares of the Devil and to come to catholic freedom. Therefore in the African council it was decreed concerning the Donatist heretics that a milder course be taken with them, where it is written as follows: "After all things had been examined and considered which seemed to be suited to the welfare of the Church, with the assent and admonition of the Spirit of God, we decree to deal gently and peacefully with the aforementioned men, although they hold opinions with restless dissension about the unity of the Lord's body, so that, as far as is in us, it may become thoroughly known to all who in their communion and fellowship are heretics throughout all the African provinces, in what a miserable error they have been overcome; lest at some time, as the Apostle says, while we in gentleness are correcting those who think differently, God should give them repentance for the acknowledging of the truth, and they may come to their senses out of the snares of the Devil, by whom they are held captive at his will (2 Tim. 2:26)."

The Arabs, who are interpreted as "humble" or "western," can signify those who love worldly and secular wisdom; which is rightly called humble and western, because it does not know how to imitate true wisdom, which comes from heavenly things. Therefore, intent on opposing Judas and his companions, they engage in battle with five thousand foot soldiers and five hundred horsemen: because, entangled in the senses and pursuits of the flesh, everything of spiritual meaning that is conveyed to them through holy teachers seems to be contrary and blasphemous. Therefore they strive to rebel against them; but, with the truth growing stronger, they are defeated, and overcome by the steadfastness of the holy preachers, they ask that right hands be given to them; so that, abandoning their errors, they may desire the power of the Catholic faith and wish to associate themselves with the confessors of Christ. The spiritual Judas, having judged that they could become useful to the Jews in many ways, promises them peace, gives them right hands, and allows them to depart unharmed: because often such men, who had been steeped in the philosophy of the world, when they are converted to the faith of Christ, become more suitable and better equipped to destroy the foolishness and error of the pagans; and when the word of faith has been fully preached to them, being equipped with both kinds of armor, they fight more bravely against unbelief. Therefore Solomon, for the building of the temple, asks Hiram, king of Tyre, for help in cutting timber from Lebanon, because in this craft the servants of Hiram were more skilled than his own servants; yet they did not devote themselves to this work by themselves alone, since, when they were associated with Solomon's servants, they brought it to completion in a sincere and orderly manner. The reason for this is evident, namely that the apostles knew more surely the word of the Gospel of God, which they had learned to hear from the Lord; but the pagans, converted from error and transformed to the truth of the Gospel through those same apostles, knew better the very errors of the nations: and the more surely they knew them, the more skillfully they learned to attack and to abolish them.

By Jamnia, which is interpreted "sea," may be understood the gathering place of schismatics, who are always in a storm. Schism, therefore, as some would have it, is called a cutting off of morals: for it believes with the same worship and the same rite, and in all other respects, it delights only in the disagreement of the congregation. Schism arises when they say, "We alone sanctify the unclean," and such things as these. But Judas learns that the Jamnites are acting in the same way as the Joppites, contriving plots against the Jews living with them; so when the holy teachers discover that the deceit of schismatics is similar to the fraud of heretics, they fear the deception of the faithful by them. Against such people they wage war, and finding them in the darkness of superstition, they burn them together with their devices by the fire of excommunication; so that their fire appears in Jerusalem, that is, so that the condemnation of their error may be revealed to all worshipers of the true religion. Therefore Paul also, writing to Timothy and making known the errors of the foolish, says (2 Tim. 3:1-4): "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, covetous, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, fierce, without kindness, and traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasures rather than of God, having indeed a form of godliness, but denying its power. And from these turn away. For of these are those who creep into houses and lead captive little women laden with sins, led by various desires, always learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men corrupted, reprobate in mind concerning the faith. But they shall progress no further, for their foolishness shall be seen to all, as also was that of the former." Likewise the prince of the apostles, warning that the deceit of wicked men must be guarded against, says to the faithful (2 Peter 3:17-18): "You therefore, brethren, knowing this beforehand, guard yourselves, lest being led astray by the error of the foolish you fall from your own commitment. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. To him be glory both now and in the day of eternity. Amen."

Now these Joppites, of whom Scripture speaks, were inhabitants of a town in Palestine called Joppa, a coastal place located in the tribe of Dan; and, to touch briefly on the tales of the pagans, even to this day they show there very high rocks, situated on the sea shore, on which Andromeda, it is said, was once bound and freed by Perseus. But according to the mystical sense, these same Joppites who, dwelling by the sea, caused scandal to the Jews, signify heretics living near the waves of the turbulent world, who always lie in wait for the Jews, that is, the true confessors of Christ, and strive to drag into the pit of their error as many as they can from among their number. Therefore the Joppites, as it were, set up boats in which they drown the Jews, taken away from the shore into the deep, when heretics, devising wicked doctrines, adorn them with fine-sounding speech. This can well be signified by the name "Joppites," for it is interpreted "beauty," inasmuch as they may more easily deceive simple souls by the fluency of their language; and once they have drawn them away from the stability of the true faith and gathered them to themselves, they hurl these unsuspecting people headlong into the abyss of punishment. But Judas in type does not allow this to prevail greatly; rather, finding these murderers lurking in the darkness of their error, he torments them with the vengeance of just retribution, and, revealing the deceits that are owed to perpetual fire, rightly strikes down with the sword of anathema both these men and the authors of their transgression, nor does he allow the poison of their hatred to remain hidden any longer.

We said in the exposition of the previous book, where Timotheus is discussed, that his army signified the crowd of heretics; likewise about the inhabitants of the city of Ephron, that they figuratively represent those who, in the times of grace, diminished the rite of Judaism, namely the Jews themselves and the heretics who wished, along with the Gospel, to keep the ceremonies of the Law. For these, thinking in a carnal way, wished to learn spiritual knowledge and were not able to understand that "Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Rom. 10:4), to the Jew, that is, and to the Gentile. Five thousand are reported as struck down in the Ephronite war, just as in that war which was fought at Carnion, because "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, and the prudence of the flesh is death" (1 Cor. 3); "for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (1 Cor. 3:19). Therefore it is likewise said by Paul: "God has made foolish the wisdom of this world" (1 Cor. 1:29). And again: "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14). From this the Apostle James, writing to those who are scattered abroad, says (James 3:14): "If you have bitter zeal and strife in your hearts, do not boast and be false against the truth; for this wisdom does not descend from above, from the highest Father, but is earthly, animal, and devilish." Its followers the prince of battles [the apostles] calls springs or water and clouds driven about by whirlwinds, for whom the gloom of darkness is reserved: they are vain talkers, enticing in the desires of the flesh, of lust, those who barely escape, who live in error; promising them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of corruption (2 Peter 2:17-19). For Judas with his men utterly laid low the hosts of the enemy and won the victory, because the holy teachers, defenders of the truth and attackers of all error, aided by divine help, everywhere take from their enemies the trophy of victory. Therefore they can say with Paul: "But thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus and reveals through us the fragrance of his knowledge in every place" (2 Cor. 2:14).

These two commanders, that is, Dositheus and Sosipater, represent the holy preachers who, by the arrangement of the man Maccabeus, that is, the most heroic warriors, of whom it is written in the psalm: "The Lord strong and mighty in battle" (Ps. 24:8), are appointed to wage war against all the errors of the faithless. They are fittingly marked by the number two, because, well instructed in the spiritual knowledge of the two Testaments, they are known to carry out the Lord's battle properly. Therefore they kill the ten thousand men left in the military base by Timotheus, since they justly put to death with the spiritual sword, by the authority and severity of the same Law, the associates of the heresiarchs, appointed by them to defend their own wickedness, who hold opinions contrary to the Law of God.

That there must indeed be intercession made after the end of this present life for the sins of the faithful, and that works of almsgiving must be performed in order that those for whose remedy the matter is undertaken may be released from sins, is shown both by this passage and by the Lord in the Gospel, where, when speaking of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, he points out that this is an unforgivable sin, saying: "Whoever speaks a word against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the age to come" (Matt. 12:32). For when he named that one unforgivable sin, he showed that other sins can be forgiven both in the present life and in the life to come. But how one ought to act for the salvation of the departed is shown by the holy Fathers in their writings. Therefore it has seemed good to insert one of the minor works of Saint Augustine into this volume, instructing the reader to seek similar teachings in the writings of the other Fathers; for that revered Father reports in the work which he wrote to Laurentius on Faith, Hope, and Love (1.29.109), speaking therefore: "The time which is interposed between a man's death and the final resurrection keeps souls in hidden receptacles, as each is worthy either of rest or of trial, according to what it obtained in the flesh while it lived. Nor must it be denied that the souls of the departed are relieved by the devotion of their loved ones, when the sacrifice of the Mediator is offered for them or alms are given in the Church; but these things benefit those who, while they were living, so lived that they merited that these things could afterwards profit them: for there is a certain manner of life that is not so good as not to require these helps after death, nor so evil that these helps after death do not benefit it. There is indeed a condition in the good such that it does not require these things, and there is again a condition in the wicked such that, when life has passed, it cannot be helped by them. Therefore, all merit is acquired here by which someone may be either relieved or burdened after this life. Let no one think that, once he has departed, he will obtain from the Lord what he has neglected here. Therefore these practices which the Church frequently performs for the acclaiming of the departed are not contrary to that apostolic sentence in which it is said: 'For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive according to what he has done through the body, whether good or evil' (2 Cor. 5:10), because each person also acquired this merit when he was living in the body, so that these things might be able to profit him. For they do not profit all; and why do they not profit all, except because of the merits of the life which each person lived in the body? When therefore sacrifices, whether of the altar or of whatever alms, are offered for the baptized deceased, for those who were very good they are thanksgivings; for those who were not very evil they are appeasements; for those who were very evil, even if they bring no help to the dead, they are, in whatever way, supports to the living. For those to whom they do profit, they either profit so that full remission may be granted, or so that the condemnation may become more tolerable."

The Scythopolitans, who treated the Jews kindly and, because of their supports, obtained favor and praise from Judah, signify those who receive holy teachers and confessors of the true faith, and who assist them with bodily comforts as far as they are able: whose reward will not perish in vain; especially since the Lord in the Gospel says to the apostles concerning such people: He who receives you receives me; he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward; and whoever gives a drink to one of these little ones, even a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, amen I say to you, he will not lose his reward (Matt. 10:41-42.). Therefore John, writing to Gaius in his epistle, says: Beloved, you act faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers, and this for strangers, who have accepted witness to your love before the Church: whom you will do well to send on their way worthily of God, for they went out for the sake of his name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to receive such people, that we may be fellow workers for the truth (3 Jn. 5-8). So also Paul praised this, writing to the Corinthians: I ask you, brothers, you know the household of Stephanas, and of Fortunatus, and of Achaicus, that they are the first fruits of Achaia, and have devoted themselves to the service of the saints: that you also be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. And I rejoice at the presence of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking to you: for they have refreshed both my spirit and yours. Acknowledge therefore such men (1 Cor. 16:15-18).

The third benefit of the gift of piety is that it makes one attain every good. Whence it is said in the book of Maccabees that Judas considered "that those who had fallen asleep with piety carried away the finest grace."

Moreover, the dead live in the memory of the living: wherefore the intention of the living can be directed to them. Hence the suffrages of the living profit the dead in two ways even as they profit the living, both on account of the bond of charity and on account of the intention being directed to them. Nevertheless, we must not believe that the suffrages of the living profit them so as to change their state from unhappiness to happiness or "vice versa"; but they avail for the diminution of punishment or something of the kind that involves no change in the state of the dead.

Now since it is uncertain and no one knows, whether final judgment has been passed upon these souls, it is not sin if you pray for them; but in this way, that you let it rest in uncertainty and speak thus: Dear God, if the departed souls be in a state that they may yet be helped, then I pray that thou wouldst be gracious.

...we know that the ancients speak of prayer for the dead, which we do not prohibit; but we disapprove of the application ex opere operato of the Lord's Supper on behalf of the dead.

I believe it to be a duty to observe, to pray for the Faithful Departed.

Of course I pray for the dead. The action is so spontaneous, so all but inevitable, that only the most compulsive theological case against it would deter me. And I hardly know how the rest of my prayers would survive if those for the dead were forbidden. At our age the majority of those we love best are dead. What sort of intercourse with God could I have if what I love best were unmentionable to Him?

On the traditional Protestant view, all the dead are damned or saved. If they are damned, prayer for them is useless. If they are saved, it is equally useless. God has already done all for them. What more should we ask?

But don't we believe that God has already done and is already doing all that He can for the living? What more should we ask? Yet we are told to ask.

"Yes," it will be answered, "but the living are still on the road. Further trials, developments, possibilities of error, await them. But the saved have been made perfect. They have finished the course. To pray for them presupposes that progress and difficulty are still possible. In fact, you are bringing in something like Purgatory."

[...] I believe in Purgatory.

Mind you, the Reformers had good reasons for throwing doubt on "the Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory" as that Romish doctrine had then become. I don't mean merely the commercial scandal. If you turn from Dante's Purgatorio to the Sixteenth Century you will be appalled by the degradation. In Thomas More's Supplication of Souls Purgatory is simply temporary Hell. In it the souls are tormented by devils, whose presence is "more horrible and grievous to us than is the pain itself." Worse still, Fisher, in his Sermon on Psalm VI, says the tortures are so intense that the spirit who suffers them cannot, for pain, "remember God as he ought to do." In fact, the very etymology of the word purgatory has dropped out of sight. Its pains do not bring us nearer to God, but make us forget Him. It is a place not of purification but purely of retributive punishment.

Our souls demand Purgatory, don't they? Would it not break the heart if God said to us, "It is true, my son, that your breath smells and your rags drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you with these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy."? Should we not reply, "With submission, sir, and if there is no objection, I'd rather be cleaned first." "It may hurt, you know"--"Even so, sir."