Justice For The Dead

There is a complete lack of concern for the dead these days. Masses aren't being offered. People seem almost embarrassed to talk about indulgences, much less try to take advantage of them. Yet there is a huge emphasis on social justice and even liberation theology. Why is this?

Are the sufferings of the living more important than those of the dead? Not that I can see. Praying for the dead is one of the works of mercy, just like feeding the hungry, et al. I haven't found anything Magisterial on the subject that says the poor and hungry are in a class beyond the souls in purgatory. With that in mind, let's just look at it from a more practical perspective.

Take the example of the starving and destitute. We should do all we can to help them, even though doing so will probably deplete our own material stores. Consider now the soul in purgatory. What does helping them cost us? A few moments of our time? If that long?

Consider this as well, and I say this without any intention of making light of those in the situation of poverty and starvation. Their pain is limited by their lifespan and encompasses the natural pain of the body. If we are to believe the visionaries and saints who have communicated with the Church Suffering, there are souls who will be in purgatory until the End of Days unless they are helped by those on Earth. Not only that, but their pains are comparable to the pains of hell, the only difference being that the soul in purgatory suffers in love and hope rather than hate and despair.

In other words, the souls in purgatory are in much worse shape, yet there are almost no concerted efforts to help them. Where's the justice in that? Folks will try to overthrown whole regimes in the name of liberation theology, but when we're talking about the true liberation wrought by Christ, namely, the liberation from sin into salvation, there is apathy or sometimes outright mockery.

Worse than that, without the assistance of the Church Militant, the poor on Earth could very well be sentenced to the additional suffering in purgatory after they pass away. By not praying for the Suffering Souls, you are doing these people a dual injustice.

Next time you hear someone giving an extended shpiel about social justice, maybe it would be a good idea to remember our other suffering brethren, who seem to be forgotten by everyone, including (and perhaps especially) by those who would claim to make alleviating suffering their purpose in life. Let's remember that suffering is suffering, and we should help regardless of who the hurting party is.