The funeral Mass is considered the final divine gesture from Our Lord through His Church to help our souls. If conducted and prayed properly, it will confer abundant grace that transcends time (for God is not of time and space), reaching back to the moment before the deceased’s passing.

Can Save Souls

Amazing grace is meant to come through the Mass that can help the dead surrender their will and detach from all sin and worldly allurements (everything they love/desire that is not God and His will). Thus, they can foster growth in remorse and aversion to sin even at their last moment so that their contrition can become so great for what they have done to their Lord that they may obtain truly contrite hearts from God’s mercy and embrace His forgiveness.

Even though this transformation is rare and hard to obtain (for we are supposed to spend our lifetime seeking mercy to change us), it is quite possible. If this does occur, the deceased will be united with Jesus and none of their sins, embracing His forgiveness, that is, saved by Him at the moment of their death.

“All grace flows from mercy, and the last hour abounds with mercy for us. Let no one doubt concerning the goodness of God; even if a person’s sins were as dark as night, God’s mercy is stronger than our misery.”

–St. Faustina 

Great Loss of Grace

Yet, in these times of great darkness, the funeral Mass has shifted towards comforting the living (not in a way that is holy and good)… not in a way that can send this great mercy of God to change us but with lies, by declaring that the deceased, who have obviously not lived lives as perfect self-sacrificing saints, spending their time seeking the salvation of souls (doing God’s will), are now content in Heaven.

From misguided love (from not having grace as one’s guide) this lie is intended to ease the pain of loss for those mourning, yet it gives the living no real desire to pray earnestly for their loved ones and erodes their motivation to seek personal salvation as well, ultimately hastening both the living and the dead toward eternal demise rather than Life.

Failure to Save Souls

Indeed, this failure to assist the deceased during the funeral Mass has deprived them of the great grace they were supposed to receive from God’s mercy to aid them in growing into a saving faith at their last hour. This neglect also misguides the living by promoting the misconception that everyone, regardless of whether we have allowed God to sanctify us in life, will be in Heaven immediately after death.

Consequently, the funeral Mass is no longer providing love for the dead but rather providing temporary, misleading comfort to the living, deceiving them, and ultimately causing them harm as well.

“The city [the people throughout the Church] is spiritually unhappy, because many of the decrees issued in the church by holy popes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God and the salvation of souls have now been abolished. In their place, alas, many new abuses have been adopted under the inspiration of the evil spirit [the anit-christ] for the dishonor of God and the perdition of souls.”

–St. Bridget of Sweeden

This horrifying reality has occurred because we have lost sight of the purpose of our faith–SEEKING THE SALVATION OF SOULS–and have become people-pleasers, prioritizing immediate, superficial happiness over what should be a profound desire to save souls.

Hope

Therefore, a funeral Mass provides even greater hope for the deceased to embrace the forgiveness that God has offered them throughout their lives, so they may not refuse it for eternity. It also serves to awaken the living to rectify their lives and earnestly seek their own salvation.

Aids in Sanctification

Moreover, if the deceased has grown enough in faith to attain sufficient grace to possess a saving faith, the funeral Mass also serves to aid in the purification of their soul, enabling them to progress toward sainthood and entry into Heaven.

Must Be Done Correctly

However, none of this is possible unless the Mass is prayed and performed correctly… to where we have allowed God to use us as stewards of His grace, which, tragically, for the most part, is not occurring today in this time of great darkness.

For the devil seeks to deceive us into believing that everyone is going to Heaven, luring us into providing the grieving with immediate false happiness, rather than allowing God to use us to encourage others to pursue and pursue God’s mercy to change our hearts for our salvation. Tragic!

Peace, Purpose, and Pleasure

Please know that when one is encouraged to pray, fast, and sacrifice for the salvation and sanctification of their loved one and to seek sanctity themselves, this in no way brings sadness. Perhaps at first, if one was deceived into thinking there is nothing to be concerned about (has no fear of the Lord). But in time, it brings wonderful peace.

It does immediately give the grieving a true purpose for their life and a way to help the deceased for the rest of one’s life (learn more), and if continued correctly, it most certainly becomes a true pleasure to imitate our Lord and all the true saints: living for the salvation of souls.

Not Living Truly Seeking Sanctity, No Funeral Mass

Years ago, the Catholic Church had strict guidelines regarding who could receive a Catholic funeral. Those who were not baptized and/or who openly lived contrary to the teachings of Christ—not striving with all their heart to obey their Lord, progressing into becoming true self-sacrificing saints (which is what occurs when we correctly follow Him)—were to be denied a Catholic funeral.

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This stance stemmed from the belief that the funeral Mass was a means to aid in the sanctification of souls and to help ensure the true disciples of Eternal Life. If someone was not a true disciple of Christ (not becoming a saint), it was viewed as sacrilegious to offer prayers and hope of salvation and sanctification for a person who had so evidently spurned God’s transforming mercy during their life.

However, with deeper enlightenment granted by the Holy Spirit, the Church’s understanding of the funeral Mass has expanded. It is now seen not only as a path to sanctification and great hope for the true follower of Jesus but also as offering a chance of salvation for anyone at the moment of one’s death (if they want it).

Consequently, it is no longer considered sacrilegious to conduct the Mass for someone who obviously has not been correctly following Christ (not accepting His transforming grace towards becoming a perfect self-sacrificing saint), as the blessings from the Mass can still be effective.

Led to Confusion

However, this enlightenment about God’s mercy, even assisting the most hardened non-believer–as exemplified by the thief next to Christ during the crucifixion—has resulted in much confusion.

When the prayers of the funeral Mass are prayed for a person apparently lacking true belief, they may seem to promise salvation for those who have rejected Christ’s transforming mercy during their lives. But that is only because we lack the grace required to correctly interpret what those prayers really mean.

There is no assurance of salvation for either the seemingly righteous or the apparent lost. There is great HOPE for the seemingly righteous, and even some hope for the apparent lost, provided we pray and pray fervently for mercy to be bestowed upon them (learn more).

“Faith is the assurance of what we hope for [being sure that we will obtain salvation IF we allow Jesus to save us, which is what we hope for] and the conviction about things that cannot be seen [seeking this faith we need that saves]” (Hebrews 11:1).

We ask God to make us–all of us–worthy of the hope of eternal redemption.

Truly, if this hope, and indeed a promise from Jesus (since only He can correctly read our souls), was given to the criminal dying next to Our Lord on the cross, then the Church extends that same hope of resurrection in Christ to any hardened offender of Jesus.

Therefore, yes, there is the assurance of salvation for all who live as true Christians and anyone who can become a true Christian (even at the moment of their death) for that is what God promises us for those who come to truly believe: convert into a saving faith.

“Whoever believes in the Son has [the assurance of] eternal life; whoever does not [believe enough to strive with their whole heart to] obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

But, there is no assurance of salvation for us since we can’t read our souls. We don’t know if that saving faith–true belief–is truly within us, so we don’t consider ourselves acquitted. God is the judge of our souls.

“I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord” (1 Corinthians 4:4).

However, through our trust and hope in God, who sacrificed Himself for us so we might Live (should we accept His grace), we can appeal to Our Lord’s boundless mercy during the funeral Mass to touch even the most hardened hearts. Then, by their own free will, they may permit their Savior to transform them into beings of true love for Him and sincere remorse for their offenses against Him. Thus, they may accept His forgiveness in their final moments and be saved by Him.

Again, this unfathomable mercy is bestowed only during the funeral Mass if we ” ” ( ), that is, if we pray the funeral Mass correctly.

How to Pray the Funeral Mass Correctly

Every Mass provides immense grace for our souls, whether we partake in Holy Communion or not. If we partake worthily in Holy Communion, this grace is magnified. If unworthily, any grace we might have gained through the Mass is rejected, which is largely why so many frequent Church but don’t grow in humility and contrition for their sins and are dying (learn more).

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for [the injuries inflicted upon] the body and blood of the Lord.

Examine yourselves [look for your sins, repent. Stop the grievous sins. Then be resolved/working to change the lesser serious sins striving to perfectly love God (to never sin)], and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

For all who eat and drink without discerning the body [being content with offending God with any sin], eat and drink judgment against themselves.

For this reason many of you are weak and ill [without much, if any, grace], and some have died [never repented and perished because of this]” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).

Our Lord’s great grace through the Mass is accessible to all, but it is contingent upon the Mass being prayed correctly… and the more correctly we pray, the more grace we can accept. There are numerous actions we must take to ensure this is achieved (learn more).

In addition, the funeral Mass encompasses several specific steps and/or qualities that we must perform and/or possess to send the help the dead need.

To allow God to use us as an instrument of grace, in combination with the innate grace that comes from the celebration of the Mass (as explained later), one must have the correct desire, heart, and purity.

Desire to Save Souls

If our hearts don’t desire to pray for the salvation of the deceased, then we won’t. This is the most basic quality one must possess.

Therefore, we must want to pray for their salvation. If we are deceived into believing they are saved, then that primary essential desire is not there, which is tragically the case most of the time in this horrible time of great darkness.

Countless times, this has left the dead with utterly no grace coming from anyone who has attended their funeral Mass. It is just so tragic!

In such a case, one’s attendance at Mass serves merely as a sign of respect for the living or the deceased, or to celebrate their life, or some other self-serving reason, yielding no benefit for the departed.

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Seek The Forgiveness of Another’s Sins

When we desire one’s salvation, we must pray for them. By praying for one’s salvation, I mean praying for the forgiveness of one’s sins (explained more fully later).

Of course, I don’t mean to illude that God hasn’t forgiven the dead of their sins. God forgives everyone.

To believe God won’t forgive someone, no matter the sin, is an abomination of the Truth. God forgives and loves all. It is we who need His mercy to help us accept His forgiveness (to restore it within us).

“The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ [Jesus] will himself restore [forgiveness within you], confirm [send additional grace], strengthen, and establish you [as perfect Christians] after you have suffered a little” (1 Peter 5:10).

When we accept God’s absolution that is simply because we have allowed it into our hearts. The reason anyone is not forgiven is that we have not accepted God’s forgiveness. We still don’t want Him and His love—we still want our sins.

This is humanity’s whole problem. We “say” we want God. We “say” we believe in Him. But the reality of our hearts, which God clearly reads, reveals a different truth. We don’t truly want Him; we don’t truly believe. We want sin and have greater belief in ourselves or some other idol as god (the one we should love and please), as our chronic habitual sins and perpetual thoughts about seeking our self interests persist. Hence, God won’t forgive us since we don’t want to be forgiven… we want our sins instead.

Therefore, by asking for God’s forgiveness for the deceased during the funeral Mass, we are requesting His help to deepen their faith–belief in Him as the true God and love for Him (hatred for sin)–so they may gain a true desire to leave all they love/desire in this world (their idols) for the true God and come to truly detest their sins (sincerely repent) at the moment of their death.

Then they may embrace His pardon, have their guilt removed, and be freed of the condemnation they deserve from their Savior’s never-ending mercy. Praise God!

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The Greater the Desire, the Greater the Grace

The more fervent our desire to pray for someone, the more abundant the grace that flows from our prayers to another.

The intensity of our desire to pray for someone’s salvation can vary, but the stronger it is, the more fervently we will pray imploring God’s mercy with hearts that humbly acknowledge one’s profound need for Him. Such humility and earnestness enable the flow of God’s grace from us (since pride refutes grace) to aid those who have passed.

This is the reason why, let’s say, the prayers of a beloved mother for her child may carry more grace from God to their child than those of a neighbor who barely knows the child. The intensity of the mother’s prayers for her child should innately be much stronger.

“[A mother humbled from desperation cries out to Jesus and begs Him for help saying,] ‘have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon’…  ‘Lord, help me.’

He said in reply, ‘It is not right to take the food of the children [those in the correct faith] and throw it to the dogs [those outside of the faith].’ She said, ‘Please, Lord, [I am a dog… nothing… not even part of your saving religion, yet] for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters [from those dogs who acknowledge thier master as superior (the correct religion)].’

Then Jesus said to her in reply, ‘O woman, [from your humility, you have accepted my grace and now] great is your faith [You are part of the saving religion]! Let it be done for you as you wish [for our wills are one in the same]'”(Matthew 15:23-25).

Yet, withholding the truth from a loved one—that they must engage in prayer, fasting, and sacrificing for the sake of their loved one’s eternal life— is a HORRIBLE CRUELTY to all involved. They won’t even know they need to beg God for mercy on behalf of their loved one.

This removal of their fear of the Lord is not an act of love, as one might be misled to believe… for they all want eternal happiness. Horribly, denying this truth prevents most from obtaining eternal peace with Christ. It is simply tragic!

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We Must Be Stewards of God’s Grace

Without God using us as “good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10)–being actual Christians: seeking the salvation of souls through however God calls us and every aspect of our lives–Our Lord, who so greatly wants us in Heaven, who has been trying to save us our entire lives and wants to change our death into Life, His loving mercy (transforming grace) and forgiveness will (for the most part) continue to be rejected even to our end.

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This is particularly true in this time of great darkness when nobody knows The Way (when there is nobody living to save souls). Therefore, we must change and seek to save the lives of God’s children, that is, help move people into a saving faith.

“We have only one life and we should spend it for Jesus and [saving] souls–not as we wish, but at the time and in the way God wishes.”

–St. Charles Borromeo

It is the anti-christ that lures within us, which we must seek Christ to destroy, that is deceiving us into blindly leading ourselves and others towards eternal ruin.

However, there is an exception. If a baptized child or individual passes away without having reached the age or mental capacity to discern right from wrong, they are considered guaranteed entry into Paradise (saints).

This belief stems from the understanding that they are pardoned from the guilt of original sin through divine mercy received at their baptism and carry no personal guilt that requires absolution. Therefore, they are brought immediately into Heaven upon their death.

Thus, when we attend a funeral Mass for anyone with the mental ability to choose evil over good (reject God for sin), those who do indeed sin, we want to seek Our Lord to increase our desire to pray and pray fervently with our whole hearts for the one who has died.

How to Console the Grieving?

The funeral Mass is also meant to console the grieving.

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Grief can be experienced in different ways. It can stem from personal loss, reflecting a longing for the company of their loved one. This type of grief is self-focused, evident in the frequent use of “I” when expressing sorrow, such as in “I miss them.” This form of grief is not rooted in concern for the deceased but oneself.

One might grieve over their loved one losing their family, life opportunities, and other worldly pleasures they had hoped they would obtain or once possessed. Such sorrow stems from seeking things of this world for their loved one, from having worldly concerns rather than letting all that go and seeking the ultimate purpose of our existence—the salvation of our souls. This grief arises from a lack of faith to comprehend why we are truly living—to seek salvation.

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Alternatively, one may grieve over another’s transgressions and the concern they hold for that person’s eternal life. This is the kind of grieving Our Lord experienced when He grieved over Lazarus. This is a holy and commendable form of grief.

Jesus was not with self-interest or worldly concerns when Lazarus died. Rather, He was solely moved from love for Lazarus, seeking his eternal happiness, as He wept for mercy due to Lazarus’ sins and brought him back to life by providing pardon for his sins (as prayers can move one into true contrition), to help Lazarus and others grow in faith to obtain the true faith continuously in their hearts–not just a momentary pardon but a continuous saving faith–that they need to possess during their lives for the salvation and then sanctification of their souls.

“The Saviour weeping for the death of Lazarus… Behold how our God loves men… Jesus wept and offered to His Father His tears to obtain us pardon for our sins. 

–St. Alphonsus

During this time of great darkness, from wanting our will and being quite attached to people, grieving over missing the ones we love, wishing they never died (wanting our will), and greatly missing them (from being attached) is the most common grieving we experience. These are natural until we obtain much grace from God to learn how to let go of our will for God’s will and to detach from the world.

The next common form of sorrow is feeling sadness over the deceased and their family’s loss. For some, the death certainly can be tragic, but God allowed it nonetheless. Therefore, He intends to make it into good, that is, IF we allow Him. Therefore, focusing on the tragedy is not where one’s mind should be.

Both types of individuals with this grieving can be assisted by redirecting their thinking to the purpose of our lives—SALVATION. Then, help them to trust in what God allowed by informing them that God has a plan to make it good… that He intends to use them to assist with their salvation.

After giving them a reason to hope for their loved one’s Eternal Life, provide them with the means to see this happens by teaching them how to pray, fast, and sacrifice through EVERYTHING for the one they love, that is, how to “lay down their life [give all of themselves]” (John 15:13) for seeking their salvation–as they work to convert into a saint themselves, is what saves.

Nevertheless, many people harbor fears regarding a person’s salvation after their passing and seek help or are simply concerned. These people are already experiencing God’s grace moving their hearts. They can easily be led to pray fervently for their loved one’s salvation, finding a profound purpose for their life and a way to help those they cherish.

But tragically, today, from that horrible anti-christ that lives in us, many of us seek to strip this holy fear from their hearts so they can feel instantly at peace and with happiness through lies.

Yes, the devil has us concerned with making people instantly happy at the expense of another’s eternal suffering. It is utterly horrible!

The Lies from Misguided Love

Oh, the lies from misguided love are endless. That deceiver will try with all his power to get us to believe that by doing nothing, we will obtain everything. Yes, the anti-christ working through us will say anything to try to bring instant peace to the grieving instead of speaking the truth, when only TRULY following Christ leads to Life.

“The way of Christ ‘leads to life’; a contrary way ‘leads to destruction'” (CCC1696).

Oh, but the deceiver may have us say, “If your loved one just believes for a moment in Jesus, they will be saved.” Okay, to a degree, this holds some truth.

However, the question arises: what kind of belief is required? Is it merely a fleeting acknowledgment that Jesus is our Lord who died for our sins while our actions prove our Lord is actually ourselves as we seek to please ourselves with endless sins and worldly enticements, proving a great desire/attachment to sin and the world and not our Savior?

This proves a clear absence of sincere contrition for having offended God, which rejects the very forgiveness Jesus died to give us? That is not the kind of belief that will save.

Perhaps, one will say, “Oh, they are baptized so surely they are saved.” But in reality, they rejected their baptismal gift long ago when they sinned without contrition.

Another might say, “Oh, they were such a lovely person, surely in Heaven. There was no one more kind, more sacrificing, or like Christ than them. We know a soul’s destiny is determined by its earthly deeds… and boy did they have many acts of mercy.” However, this is not true at all… for regardless of how “good” one is, we are all sinners. Thus, they must be forgiven of every sin as well. For the slightest sin (if there is such a thing) is of infinite offense to an infinitely perfect God.

For salvation, which is being forgiven and having the eternal consequences of our sins removed through God’s mercy, occurs SOLEY when we accept His forgiveness for our sins, not through our deeds.

Frankly, the more “kind” the person is, the more proud and full of presumption of salvation they tend to possess… thinking they are saved because of how “good” they are… not recognizing how grievously they have offended God and how much they really need Him… having little to no humility or desire for God’s transforming grace. It is tragic.

Indeed, a genuinely faithful individual will engage in numerous good deeds, akin to Christ, aimed at addressing the earthly needs of others but with the primary goal of aiding in their eternal salvation (helping to move souls into a saving faith)… truly emulating Christ.

Yet, regardless of their actions, they strive to never offend God with even a single sin, driven by the desire to love Him perfectly—ensuring not to cause His Sacred Heart any suffering due to even the slightest transgression on their part. Then, through their good works and efforts to amend their life towards perfection–from the grace those acts obtain or by any means they pursue mercy, they grow in humility and hatred for sin into a saving faith.

Nonetheless, salvation is obtained by growing in faith to obtain true love for God, which comes from gaining true contrition for all our sins (learn more).

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If our loved one took their own life, one may claim, “Oh, they were obviously not in their right mind… so surely they are free from punishment.” Okay, perhaps for that one sin of murder… but what about the rest of their lifetime of sins? All sins must be forgiven.

Even a venial sin that we don’t truly hate, that we lack true contrition offending God with, becomes mortal, since it is a grievous sin to not truly hate to offend God with any sin. That is an abomination of love.

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Maybe one will say, “Oh, your loved one has done a good deed; surely God’s mercy won’t reject them.” as if God rejects anyone. It is we who reject Him.

Someone may even make a superstitious suggestion, perhaps saying, “If one has 100 Masses offered for the dead, then they are guaranteed to be saved.”

Or, an all-time favorite is to say, “Trust in God’s mercy. He is so merciful. He wants your loved one in Heaven.” Of course that is a given. The problem is that we don’t want His mercy; we want our sins instead and need His grace to change our hearts so we can truly want Him.

I tell you there is no end to the lies that the evil one will have us saying to another so we have no concern about our salvation and don’t guide others to help save souls.

“We must carefully seek after our own salvation; otherwise, one who is bent on deceiving us will insinuate himself and turn us aside from the path that leads to life.” 

–Letter attributed to Baranabas

Horribly, rather than even directing those being moved by grace, who fear for the salvation of their loved one, to pray, fast, and sacrifice–that is, guide them to the means available to greatly assist their loved ones–the deceased soul is deprived the great heartfelt prayers and help that could have been offered by the one’s who truly love them. Unfathomably tragic!

But this can end today by teaching those grieving HOW TO LOVE LIKE JESUS by seeking the salvation of their loved one’s soul… by following the example of Christ, and crying in sorrow over the offenses their loved one has committed, and begging God for the forgiveness of their sins.

“The Saviour weeping for the death of Lazarus… Behold how our God loves men… Jesus wept and offered to His Father His tears to obtain us pardon for our sins. 

–St. Alphonsus

A Heart that Means What it Says

Furthermore, during the Mass, we want to pray with a sincere heart that truly means the words we say and what the priest says during the funeral Mass (that is, pray the words the priest says in our hearts).

However, this can be challenging without sufficient grace.

Without much grace, understanding the true meaning of the Mass’s words and having sincerity of heart are difficult, as both comprehension and sincerity are gifts bestowed through grace.

In times of desperation, our hearts often become humbled, by recognizing our profound need for God. It is then–after we are humbled–that we may receive abundant grace, fostering a sincere heart and, hopefully, some kind of understanding of the truth, allowing grace to emanate from our prayers for others.

Actually, the sincerity behind our words is crucial for any prayer to be effective in the conversion of souls… not just into becoming a better person, but towards salvation, whether during Mass or beyond (learn more).

When the Words of Truth Are Changed

Sometimes it is especially hard to know what we should be thinking and believing when the correct words that should have been said during a funeral Mass have been changed to what the minister feels is best.

With misguided love and much pride, lacking the guiding light of grace in their actions, some ministers will, whether unwittingly or perhaps even deliberately, craft their own version of the faith and alter the prescribed words of a funeral service to reflect their personal doctrine.

When words such as “may” (which imply a request for God’s assistance) or those suggesting the need for faith (true faith for salvation) are omitted and replaced with declarations that the deceased “has died with Christ and is now raised to eternal glory,” it implies an ability to read the deceased’s soul—that one knows the dead possess a saving and even perfect faith (are saints) and with Christ. Asserting that the deceased does not need prayers for salvation or sanctification and is indeed a saint causes considerable confusion for those who are unaware of the truth.

During Mass, when we pray, the word “may” is used to humbly request God’s assistance–His grace. We don’t want to tell God to save anyone but rather ask… and much of the time, we do that by using the word “may,” and phrases like “save us” (asking) or “grant us” or “be merciful” or “remember us” or “we beseech you” or “bless” or “bestow” or “give” or “pardon” or “deliver us” or “have mercy” or “forgive us” and a like are also commonly employed to seek God’s grace.

So when we see or hear them, we will now at least know we are asking God for His grace to help and transform us.

Confusing Even for Priests

Indeed, it is even hard for the ministers themselves to know what to think if they have been misinstructed. Today, the Catechism has been mistranslated and even, at times, incorrectly taught as ensuring salvation to those baptized.

Without a doubt, baptism is the first installment of grace (the rest is still needed for those who sin) and a means of hope to enjoy forever the fullness of God’s glory in Heaven.

“[From Baptism we] were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Horribly, there is considerable misguidance that contradicts the authentic teachings of the faith (learn more).

“There will be false teachers among you” (2 Peter 2:1).

So, much of the time, listening to interpretations of the prayers and the Catechism from those who do not have the wisdom of the saints leads to death, not Life.

“The Christian meaning of death is revealed in the light of the Paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ in whom resides our only hope. The Christian who dies in Christ Jesus [not in any of their sins… the one who upon being called into faith by the Father sought Jesus for grace to not return to his former base condition by sinning but grew into true love for God and true contrition for his sins.. and then into perfection and the purification of his soul, he upon death] is “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (CCC 1681). 

All True Christians Seek to Become Perfect

The aim of our lives should be to pursue Christ to become TRUE and then perfect Christians… not just a better version of ourselves but without the slightest sin, so our election, which we obtained through baptism, and our call we received to follow Him when we became mature enough to hear Him, may be permanent… and not a merely temporary gift that we reject… losing it all.

“Be solicitous [work hard seeking grace] to make your call and election permanent [that you will obtain salvation], brothers; surely those who do so [work hard to live the faith] will never be lost. On the contrary, your entry into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [from the grace acquired from living the faith] will be richly provided for” (2 Peter 1:10-11).

A Christian earnestly desiring salvation through Jesus will seek to relinquish anything that impedes their fellowship/union with Him–anything a perfect self-sacrificing saint wouldn’t do (all sin, even the slightest), not just because they want salvation but to LOVE GOD: to NEVER offend Him, grieve His Sacred Heart)–and thereby gain a genuine life in Christ.

In this process, they develop a profound hatred/contrition for their sins and love for Him, culminating in a faith that ensures salvation (a saving faith). Subsequently, they embrace His forgiveness and affirm their eternal residence in Heaven.

There is Hope For Those Not Correctly Following Christ

Again, for those who have not “work[ed] out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), who neglected to seek to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) so to never “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30), who lacked faith during their earthly journey to work hard and discipline oneself like an athlete to obtain the “crown of Life” (James 1:12)… to seek their destination (Heaven), because “you know, of course, that we are pilgrims in this world, on a journey to our true home in heaven… that while living here we should strive to gain eternal life” (St. Cajetan), there is hope.

Truly, even someone who has not embodied their faith as a true Christians, that is, neglected the pursuit of following Jesus and embracing His grace to become just like Him (are far from true saints), there is still hope.

This hope is sustained through the prayers said at the funeral Mass and the ongoing prayers, fasting, and sacrifices made by the living on their behalf.

This is what we NEED to do in this time of great darkness, when all have lost sight of what being a true follower of Christ is… when all desperately need our prayers, fasting, and sacrificing on their behalf.

What One Should Think

To send the prayers the souls so greatly need, during Mass, our minds should be immersed in constant prayer. We ought to focus on the words we say and what is being said, striving to really mean what we are saying and hearing. We should repeat the words being said by the priest in our minds, offering them back to God as heartfelt prayers.

Every word of the funeral Mass is meant to move us into greater faith and prayer for the salvation and sanctification of souls.

One of the first words of the funeral Mass should be:

“O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered, accept our prayers on behalf of thy servant [the deceased], and grant him/her an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of thy saints; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”

or [if there is a vigil]

“I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord: he that believeth in me [with a saving faith], though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever live and believe in me [wth a saving faith] shall never die.”

Let us pray: Grant us, with all who have died in the hope of resurrection, to have our consummation and bliss in thy eternal and everlasting glory, and with the blessed Virgin Mary and all thy saints, to receive the crown of life which thou dost promise to all who share in the victory of thy Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

Then, the coffin is to be sprinkled with water as a remembrance of the dead’s baptism… asking God to send grace to move the deceased into the faith one needs to have their baptism promised restored.

“In the waters of baptism, our brother/sister died with Christ and rose with him to new life. May he/she now share with him eternal glory.”

or

“With this water [as the coffin is sprinkled] we call to mind [the dead’s] baptism. As Christ went through the deep waters of death for us, so may he bring [the dead] to the fullness of resurrection and life with all the redeemed. Amen.

Of course, there are other prayers and slight variances due to different versions/translations, but it still means the same thing: asking God to send grace to grant the dead a place with the living by converting their hearts into a saving faith of true repentance for their sins and for those who did walk the path of sanctity for the purification of their souls.

We are to understand that at our baptism we died with Christ and became saints worthy of being resurrected on the last day. However, after our baptism, for all who have sinned, we need to reaccept that forgiveness. This forgiveness is obtained by repenting and changing… seeking Christ to restore our baptismal grace so we can share with Him eternal glory.

What to Think During the Mass

During the readings of the Mass, focus on each Word, ask God to help you live His Words (change your life to actually do what God says is good), then ask God to grant the promise of salvation that He offers through those Words to the dearly departed by asking God to send more grace for the forgiveness of their sin and sanctification of their soul.

If the words of the homily don’t move the “community assembling in[to] prayer” so the deceased can await the “words of eternal life” (receive more grace for their salvation/sanctification) and it is instead a “literary genre of [a] funeral eulogy” then as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, we “must avoid” (CCC 1688) that.

Not only does that not help non-Catholics want to convert (for the right reasons) nor does it motivate Catholics to live their faith correctly, but it also pulls our hearts off of the purpose of the Mass: praying for the dead so they may have greater hope of eternal life, and consoling the living (providing hope that their loved one won’t perish), IF they pray, fast, and sacrifice during the Mass and through their lives as they strive themselves to convert into sanctity so great grace can emanate from them.

Therefore, we want to focus on the promise of salvation for those who grow in faith to obtain true belief in Jesus, asking, begging God, for that grace to go out to the soul of the departed forgiving them of their sins so a saving faith can be obtained.

What to Think During The Eucharistic Sacrifice

The Eucharistic celebration of the Mass—the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—is the greatest means for the soul to obtain grace, provided we (the communion of the faithful) pray it correctly.

“In the Eucharist, the Church expresses her efficacious [fruitful–bearing grace] communion with the departed: offering to the Father in the Holy Spirit the sacrifice of the death and resurrection of Christ, she [the Church: all members] ask to purify his child [the deceased] of his sins and their consequences [to atone for them] and to admit him to the Pascal fullness of the table of the Kingdom [Heaven] (CCC 1689).”

During the Eucharistic sacrifice, we should begin by engaging with profound contrition for having offended God, acknowledging our unfathomable unworthiness, and expressing deep gratitude for Jesus’s love and sacrifice.

We then participate with the Church by offering ourselves in union with Jesus on the altar, willing to die to ourselves—to sin, our will, and all the world’s enticements—detaching from to unite with Christ.

This perfect union we desire is perfection—a perfect faith—to never harm our beloved Lord again by our sins, to perfectly love Him: to tirelessly work to save the souls of His children through every thought, word, and deed. Then our gift of prayers/sacrifice become one with Jesus–the perfect One, at least, to the extent we allow this unity.

From our union with Christ, to the degree possible, immense grace will flow through us via our prayers and heartfelt desires to the departed. It is essentially the perfect God praying through us; again, if we allow Him. This profound grace, if accepted, can work within the heart of the departed for the salvation of their soul.

However, if we are not pure in our intentions and heart (as explained below), this offering is tainted by sin and rejects that perfect grace of God we desire to be sent.

“It is by the Eucharist thus celebrated that the community of the faithful, especially the family of the deceased, [for the one who has accepted God’s transforming grace to die in union with Him] learn to live in communion with the one who “has fallen asleep in the Lord” by communicating in the Body of Christ of which he is a living member and then, by praying for him and with him [for the purification/sanctification of his soul and the souls of others]” (CCC 1689).

Please know that for those who are able to receive the Holy Eucharist worthily (learn more), the time following Its reception is one of immense grace that should be extended to others. Instead of praying for oneself, emulate Christ and pray for the conversion of souls.

Farewell

At the grave site is the final farewell, until we (who die in Christ) meet again, and a time to recall our own destination as the priest prays:

“Let us pray. We commend unto thy hands of mercy, most merciful Father, the soul of our brother/sister departed, and we commit his/her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. And we beseech thine infinite goodness to give us grace to live in your fear and love and to die in your favour, that when the judgment shall come which you had committed to your well‐beloved Son, both this our brother/sister and we may be found acceptable in your sight. Grant this, O merciful Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Savior, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.”

Yes, one of the last and final words is asking God to help us live the faith so our deaths may be a good one. The departure of a loved one serves as a solemn reminder to awaken us of the inevitable that awaits us all. It is time to prepare. Eternity is forever!

Then, there is one last prayer for grace to be sent to the beloved seeking the salvation and sanctification of their soul:

“Into thy hands, O Lord, we commend thy servant our dear brother/sister, as into the hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful Savior, beseeching thee that he/she may be precious in your sight. Wash him/her, we pray to you, in the blood of that immaculate Lamb that was slain to take away the sins of the world; that, what so ever defilements he/she may have contracted in the midst of this earthly life being purged and done away, he/she may be presented pure and without spot before thee; through the merits of Jesus Christ thine only Son our Lord. Amen.

Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord: and let light perpetual shine upon them. Amen. “

Again, these prayers that the priest say are meant for us to repeat them back to God in our hearts so God’s efficacious grace may work through us to help save and sanctify our loved one.

Purity of Heart

When we pray for our loved ones, many of us want our prayers to be as effective as the saints.

We learn of saints whose prayers have saved souls at the brink of death, and we wish to emulate them. It is possible, but please don’t be deceived, for the most part, that won’t occur until we change.

What happens is the deceiver tricks us into thinking if we simply pray what the saints have prayed then we will produce the same results. However, that is not true.

Saints like St. Faustina have recounted instances of souls being converted on their deathbeds through their intercessions. Yet, if we, who lack their purity, were to attempt the same, our efforts would likely not bear the same fruit. It is the purity of heart that amplifies the power of prayer.

”

This is why we MUST strive to become saints if we want any real assurance that our prayers are really helping others. For sin, lack of purity rejects grace.

Innate Grace that Comes From the Funeral Mass

Every funeral Mass carries God’s grace to the departed. Even if all attendees at the funeral are steeped in sin, lacking faith, or unwilling to pray, God will send grace to the deceased through His consecrated priests’ words. Yes, words.

Generally, words without intention are meaningless and do not constitute true prayers—those that can help transform souls. But regardless of that fact, even Judas (who didn’t pray correctly) managed to heal others in Jesus’ name, and he was not even a priest… just a disciple (of course, not a true one).

So even a soul lacking in much grace, if God wills, can call upon the name of Jesus to heal and help others.

However, true inner healing of the soul that is needed to help move souls into a saving faith requires prayer, real prayers, which Judas didn’t have and what is horribly missing today (learn more).

”

But that is not true when the grace comes through God’s blessed priests. That grace can heal and restore souls (if the soul wants it).

For example, grace from the priest’s hands can change bread into the Body of Christ. They can send God’s forgiving and helping grace to souls in reconciliation (of course, we must accept it to obtain it). And they can emit grace to the dead, that transcends time back to the moment of their death, (again, one must accept it to obtain it). This and much more is done simply through the words of prayer that the priest says.

This occurs because when the priest speaks, since He is consecrated in Christ, Christ becomes one with Him, mystically for the Church.

The priest himself (personally) might have rejected Christ by his sins, but it is not possible for him to reject Christ in his being that was given to him for the Church. Once concreated, he is a priest forever–one with Christ forever.

Even in the fires of Hell, if he personally rejects Our Lord’s saving mercy. He, of course, won’t be able to do anything good in Hell (for the Spirit of Christ will leave him), but he will always be a priest by having the mark of Him on his soul for eternity.

Regardless, if the soul which grace has gone to doesn’t want the grace, no matter how much is sent, it is rejected.

God Uses Us–His Servants–to Save Souls

Yes, Jesus saves souls. However, He ONLY does it by working through us. If we won’t live to save souls, then souls won’t be saved. For God uses us to send the grace that gives His people the desire for a saving faith.

”

God comes to us and gives us a desire for Him. Perhaps we want to be saved by Jesus, or we want to serve Him, or obtain His help.

If we respond to that call, we obtain more grace. However, the grace to help give souls the desire to obtain salvation (true love for God and true contrition for one’s sins to love God) comes from God’s stewards.

That is right… this desire also leads to the correct understanding of salvation and how to obtain it (unless a special grace is given). It all comes from God’s Church, the intersession of the people (the faithful). This is because despite God blessing us with The Word (the directions to a saving and perfect faith) and even the Cathechism (the correct interpretation of The Way), its true meaning is still veiled without God’s grace which is ignited from the faithful seeking the salvation of souls.

”

So, yes, God’s priests send grace during the Mass even if nobody prays the prayers correctly (learn more), but if the deaced doesn’t want that grace, it will be for nothing. Therefore, for souls to gain a desire to be saved by Jesus, we the Church–the priest and people to PRAY, fast, and sacrifice for the salvation of souls. This is the whole purpose of the faith.

”

This is why it is so important that we live for the salvation of souls, not for our earthly happiness with the pleasures of this world. For without us doing so there is no desire for souls to accept God’s grace. Seeing this reality is apparent in this time of great darkness and give us a great understanding of why the devil has worked so hard to strip us of desiring to give up our lives (what we want-for the cross) to save another.

Tragically, the world is devoid of people who desire to save souls correctly (learn more). The consequences are evident (learn more).

Therefore, we want to pray for souls–become a community of prayers–going out to help “lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.” But if a community of faithful is not available, a funeral Mass with the words of the priest is so much better than nothing.

Please know that if you have a desire for the salvation of your soul and your family and friends do not share your beliefs, there is no need to worry about your funeral (that you won’t obtain any grace).

You apparently have already received some grace to give you a desire. Please know that once you obtain some desire, you can seek God to obtain more on your own.

Of course, the help of other faithful will greatly assist you in accepting more. However, once you yearn for God’s grace for the salvation of your soul, simply seeking it with humility, sincerity, and earnestness will ensure its receipt.

It is when we don’t want God’s grace to move us into a saving faith (that is prevalent today) and have nobody with enough faith to correctly seek God for mercy on our behalf, that we reject it and never obtain it.

But, sadly, even if we have someone of great, even perfect faith praying for us, our pride can still reject it all, as was shown clearly by the other thief dying alongside Christ, who continued to his end rejecting Him.

Therefore, if you possess a real desire for salvation—from wanting true love for God and true contrition for your lifetime of sins, aspiring for perfection so as never to grieve God’s Sacred Heart again—and you wish for a Catholic funeral, ensure your family is aware of your desires (include it in your will, arrange it beforehand), then you will be granted the blessings of a Funeral Mass.

The Greatest Hope

If you want the greatest hope for a happy eternity, start today to sincerely follow Christ. Decide right now that you want to live for God–to love Him–to never offend Him, and allow Him to use you for the salvation of souls through whatever unique calling He has for you and through EVERY MOMENT of your life (learn more).

Then, you can trust in Jesus to save you… and your faith won’t be in vain. For all Our Lord desires is for one to sincerely try to love Him and He will complete in our hearts what is lacking upon our death. He wants you in Heaven.

“One thing alone is necessary: that the sinner set ajar the door of his heart, be it ever so little, to let in a ray of God’s merciful grace [for the transformation of our hearts], and then God will do the rest.

– St. Faustina

But upon hearing this, please don’t allow this great act of love make you lukewarm. Sadly, even with this great mercy waiting for us… MOST still reject it. It seems unfathomable but it is horribly true.

”

This is because to sincerely want God’s mercy to save us, we must sincerely want to leave (detach from) everything we desire in this world for happiness–all idols: sin, our will, people, power and any pleasure. But, sadly, if we do seek to change at all, we are open to change one moment, then, tragically, we shut the door to God’s grace the next.

This love of idols is what we struggle with. We “say” we want to leave it all and move a little, but our hearts are quite insincere.

Therefore, to obtain true sincerity takes God greatly humbling us so we can accept His grace and then we will truly want to leave all we live for to please ourselves, so we can live to please the true God (learn more).

“He who seriously desires to learn the Art of dying well, on which his eternal salvation and all true happiness depend, must not defer [run quickly towards] quitting this world [stop putting our energies into obtaining happiness through it] and entirely dying to it: he cannot possibly live to the world and to God; he cannot enjoy earth and heaven [upon dying we will desire one and not the other and lose everything].”

–St. Robert Bellarmine

Therefore, we must become greatly humbled, grow in grace to obtain true contrition for what we have done, so we can to truly desire to become a true, self-sacrificing saint–just like Jesus (learn more).

But from being so attached to endless things… from not spending our life working hard and seek grace for help to leave it all, most still shut the door on God’s mercy from wanting some false god and not the true God and His forgiveness, even at our end. Tragic!

“But poor is the soul who has shut the door on God’s mercy, even at the last hour. It was just such souls who plunged Jesus into deadly sorrow in the Garden of Olives; indeed, it was from His Most Merciful Heart that divine mercy flowed out.”

— St. Faustina

Want to Save Someone Who Already Passed Away?

You might feel horrible after reading this, thinking about a loved one who passed away without living the faith correctly (far from being transformed into a saint), and for whom you didn’t pray the funeral Mass seeking their salvation, assuming they were already saved.

Alternatively, you may have attended the funeral Mass but were so overwhelmed by your personal grief that you found it difficult to do anything but cry over your loss.

Or perhaps you recognize that your faith is rather weak, for you hardly live the faith yourself, proving that your prayers are rather insufficient for providing substantial help.

If you relate to any of these situations, there is still hope.

Prayers, fasting, and sacrifices for the salvation of the deceased can transcend time and provide assistance at their moment of death, regardless of when these acts of love are performed. Therefore, while it is true that your prayers can’t unite with the Church (priest and people) multiplying their benefit, however you have a life time of accumulating prayers you can offer. This can certainly grow to be even more than what could have been obtained from the funeral Mass.

Thus praying for the salvation and sanctification of souls during one’s life is how we follow Christ and save souls.

Again, to offer significant help, a strong faith is necessary. But every day we allow God to enter us with His grace from our growth in humility, removal of sin, and increase in prayer, our faith will grow. Then the benefits from our prayers will grow too.

Thus, seeking God’s sanctification is our greatest hope for becoming vessels through which God can greatly use to save others.

The Best of Mediators

Last but certainly not least is the best of all mediators for our and others’ souls: the mother of God. Oh, she has great faith—perfect faith. She not only remembers every request we have made for her assistance, but she also prays perfectly on our behalf.

However, any request we make must of Her asking for prayers for our salvation, can’t just be made with words alone. The words we say must have the same intention in our hearts or it is all for nothing.

If we pray the Hail Mary with proud, self-righteous hearts, full of presumption, assuming we or the dead are saved, those prayers are not seeking saving help from the Mother of God for ourselves or anyone.

Such prayers, regardless of the words we say, don’t really want help for salvation. For we have already considered ourselves or others as acquitted. Then we won’t accept or send any grace that can help transform our hearts into a saving faith. Our pride will reject it.

We must be humble enough to understand we need to be saved (moved into a humble, contrite heart that can accept God’s forgiveness of our sins) or all our prayers will merit us nothing at the hour of our death.

Please know that one can “say” we need to be forgiven, but again, if we presume we are saved, we are presuming we are forgiven. We can pray, “Save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven,” but if we don’t believe in our heart that we need to be saved, then we are not asking to be saved.

For example: we can have an entire Church praying “Precious Blood of Jesus save us and the whole world” and if you were to ask the faithful if they believe they are saved and they say, “Of course… well, at least going to purgatory, then we know they are all praying with the presumption of salvation and their prayers and works are not meritting them any grace for assistance with obtaining salvation (a saving faith).

When we pray assured of our or another’s salvation, we don’t desire to be saved by Jesus. Then, from not wanting that mercy, we reject the grace that could move us into a saving faith.

If we seek the Mother of God’s or anyone’s assistance with prayer and we want help to obtain a saving faith, we must seek help and pray with much desire, heart and purity.

All of them are obtained from the seed of HUMILITY: knowledge of our sinfulness.

For after humility is gained, a great desire for salvation (the forgiveness of our sins) can be manisfted for ourselves and even others. But if our humility is only slight, and no real comprehension of our lack of faith–lack of love for God (hatred for sin) or lack of contrition (sorrow for ours sins) is prevalent, then our hearts live deceived into believing we from a slight act of contrition or from works or some other deception are forgiven. Then, from that point, never grow again towards salvation, unless one is awakened again.

But the greater our humility, the greater our desire (for grace to save us), heart (intention of our prayers), and purity (removal of sin).

Therefore, when we seek the mother of God or anyone in Heaven’s assistance, as grace leaves them and their perfect prayers, that grace will encounter all the horrible pride we or the one we are praying for pride.

If our pride is greater than the grace from those perfect prayers and the grace they emit are greater than our horrible blinding, grace rejecting pride, we will accept some of that transforming grace for the salvation of our souls. And if we accept enough, God can indeed change us/save us.

“God’s eternal justice ordains that no sinner may enter heaven without perfect contrition… Look how this man did all his works from fear and not from love [never grew in faith to truly care about God’s Sacred Heart being wounded by his sins, having this be his motivation to repent and change and serve God]…

His confessions were confessed with little contrition. So he deserves hell…

[His guardian angel] answered [trying to defend the soul]: “He surely hoped to have true contrition and believed he would have it before death [for that is what he strived for during his life].”

“[But he failed.] This soul is therefore to be sentenced to hell and joined to me for eternal punishment [as the devil said prepared to take the soul]”…

[But, the mother of God said] what will those friends of God [the faithful] do whom this man, seeking only the reward of heaven for his good works [as good works send grace at our last hour for those who want it (who know they need grace to be saved)], has asked to pray for him in order that he might be saved from hell and reach heaven [at the hour of his death]?

Are not all their tears and prayers [for mercy/grace and forgiveness on his behalf] able to snatch him and raise him up so that he can obtain God’s love and [true] contrition before his death?

Besides, I [the mother whom he has asked for prayers] will also join my own pleas to the prayers of all those saints in heaven whom he especially honored…

[The Son of God said, due to the grace being sent from all these prayers] this man will yet receive enough godly [true] contrition before death so as not to go to hell, but he will be purged among those who have the heaviest punishment in purgatory [for he had many unatoned for sins]. Once his soul has been purged, he will receive a reward in heaven [Alleluia!].”

–St. Bridget of Sweeden