Praying for the Dead: A Devotion for Saturdays and Beyond...

As each Friday recalls Christ’s death upon the holy cross, and each Sunday is a direct participation in his resurrection, so Saturday recalls Our Lord’s burial in the holy sepulcher and his descent to the dead. On this day, we turn to Christ's sharing in death and his rescuing souls lost in death. Thus, it has long been a custom for Christians to remember and pray for those who have died, with a particular remembrance on Saturdays.

Praying for the dead is a perfectly natural practice for Christians and goes back to the early Church’s normative worship life. It is an affirmation that we are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1), and shares in Jesus’ words about the dead being alive before God (Luke 20:38). It is also is a direct participation in the triumph of Christ over death, by which the living and the dead are shown to be members of the same Body (the Church) in heaven and earth. Like the photos we display of cherished loved ones who have died, our prayers for the dead in Christ reaffirm that death has no final power over us now. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Prayer for the dead, which is enjoined by the Episcopal Church in its public worship, is not only a matter of doctrine; it is also an important part of the pastoral life and ministry of the Church’s members. Prayer, by its very nature, connects us to God and each other. Just as the Church on earth prays for its members “through Jesus Christ our Lord,” so the Church in heaven is still accessible to us through the unique high priestly work of our Lord. Such prayer provides succor, strength, assurance, and communion.

It can also be an important part of how we allow God to heal our broken relationships that could not find peace before death. I have often found, personally and pastorally, that recognizing Christ’s salvific power through the Communion of Saints (and sinners, let us remember) opens us to forgiving others and seeking forgiveness ourselves. While this practice has at times been misused (like everything else in Christian life at one time or another), it remains a vital part of spiritual healing and reconciliation in the Body.

There are many resources for the right and healing practice of prayer for those who have died. The Book of Common Prayer provides several. One is an adaptation of the Litany at the Time of Death (BCP p. 462 and following). This litany, along with prayers from the Burial Service or other resources (such as The St. Augustine’s Prayer Book published by Forward Movement), offered on a Saturday with the name or names of those you desire to pray for, can be an excellent weekly practice. 

May such prayer be a means of healing, affirmation of faith, and personal experience that our God “is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”

Saturday Prayers for the Dead from the Book of Common Prayer

God the Father,

Have mercy on your servant(s).

God the Son,

Have mercy on your servant(s).

God the Holy Spirit,

Have mercy on your servant(s).

Holy Trinity, one God,

Have mercy on your servant(s).

From all evil, from all sin, from all tribulation,

Good Lord, deliver him.

By your holy Incarnation, by your Cross and Passion, by your precious Death and Burial,

Good Lord, deliver him.

By your glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Spirit,

Good Lord, deliver him.

We sinners beseech you to hear us, Lord Christ: That it may please you to deliver the soul of your servant(s) from the power of evil, and from eternal death,

We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you mercifully to pardon all his sins,

We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to grant him a place of refreshment and everlasting blessedness,

We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give him joy and gladness in your kingdom, with your saints in light,

We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

Jesus, Lamb of God:

Have mercy on him.

Jesus, bearer of our sins:

Have mercy on him.

Jesus, redeemer of the world:

Give him your peace.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Our Father, &c.

Let us pray.

Deliver your servant, N., O Sovereign Lord Christ, from all evil, and set him free from every bond; that he may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations; where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant N. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.  Amen.

Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord;

And let light perpetual shine upon him.

+ May his soul, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

Prayer and Beyond Prayer

...In the divine vision of prayer there exist measures and distinction of gifts. Till this point it is still prayer, for the mind has not yet passed to where there is no prayer: that state is above prayer. The movements of the tongue and the heart in prayer are keys; what comes after them, however, is the entrance into secret chambers. Here let every mouth, every tongue become silent, and let the heart (the treasury of the thoughts), and the intellect (the ruler of the senses), and the mind (that swift-winged and most shameless bird), and their every device be still. Here let those who seek tarry, for the Master of the house has come.

-- from Homily 23 of the Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian

Remembering the Love of Our Father: St. Isaac the Syrian on recovery from temptation and sin

For those who take the spiritual life seriously, there are times when our own sins and failures can seem proof-positive that the task of following Christ is simply too daunting—even if all we do is respond to what Christ is doing in us. When such moments arise, we need encouragement.

One place to go for this is the writings of a person who has gone before us and met with the same temptations and discouragements. Like visiting a trusted and experienced mentor, confessor, or spiritual director, such an encounter draws us out of the isolation of failure into the embrace of God’s power, love, and renewal.

The following passage from the Ninth Ascetic Homily of St. Isaac the Syrian is such an encounter. The author, a Christian mystic who lived from c. 613 to c. 700 AD, wrote a large collection of works on prayer and living as an ascetic in stillness and humility. He is one of that great cloud of witnesses in the Communion of Saints the Church honors as an authentic spiritual guide. His words are those of deep wisdom and a compassion based on experience—not theory.

This compassion is not “cheap grace” as Bonhoeffer would say. Rather, it is purchased at a great price by Christ himself, and then through that purchase, the life of anyone who would follow after Christ. This compassion is the fruit of a total commitment to the Gospel and to communion with God the Holy Trinity…a communion that will not give up simply because we have failed. The Love of God is too important to let failure get in the way…

            Diverse are the slips and falls which can occur on the path of virtue and the way of righteousness, as the Fathers write, saying that on the path of virtue and the way of righteousness there are falls, oppositions, compulsions, and the like.
            But something quiet different is the death of the soul, complete destruction and utter abandonment. By this is evident that whenever a man falls, he should not forget the love of his Father. And if it happens that he fall into many diverse transgressions, he should not be negligent concerning the good, nor should he stop his onward course, but even though he was vanquished, he should rise up again and struggle against his adversaries and each day begin to lay a foundation for his ruined dwelling, having the words of the Prophet in his mouth until his departure from this world, ‘ Rejoice not against me, mine enemy, that I have fallen; for I will rise again; for though I should sit in darkness, the Lord shall be alight unto me.’ (Micah 7:8) May he never cease from making war until his death, and as long as there is breath in him may he not surrender his soul to defeat, even at the very moment of his defeat! But if each day his ship be broken and his cargo perish in the deep, let him not cease from acquiring new possessions, trading, and also from borrowing; let him set out in other ships, sailing in hope, until beholding his struggle and taking compassion on his ruin, the Lord sends down upon him His mercy and gives him powerful motivations to enable him to undergo and resist the flaming darts of the enemy. This is the wisdom which is granted by God, and this is the wise invalid who has not cut off his hope. It is more expedient for us to be condemned on account of particular deeds than on account of our abandoning all.

From Homily IX

of

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian

Translated by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Boston, Massachusetts, 1984

Notice how St. Isaac uses the language of an oft-unfortunate but persevering entrepreneur starting from scratch once more in the pursuit of gain, applying it to our own tenacious desire to attain Holy Wisdom. St. Isaac also reminds us that we are all “holy invalids” in spiritual matters, utterly dependent on God for each gift, each advancement, each breath and hope. This is a Christianity that holds our minds and our affections in balance and wholeness, providing nourishment for the total person.

Classical Anglicanism often speaks of various spiritual practices such as the Daily Office, spiritual self-examination, fasting, confession, preparation for Communion, corporal works of mercy, &c., often collectively gathered into what we call a Rule of Life. This is one of the great gifts of catholic Christianity.

But gifts can become arid and legalistic without love and mercy. Anyone who lives a Rule of Life knows that following Christ through a Rule means dealing with much failure at every stage as we learn the spiritual craft. How we understand, respond to, and learn from failure is extremely important. St. Isaac shows us that the mark of true discipleship means a tenacious commitment to Christ through “good report and evil report,” or (as the Baptismal liturgy in the current Book of Common Prayer has it) repenting and returning to the Lord when we sin—there to receive healing and knowledge that can be found no other way. Of such is the Kingdom of God built…with our loving God’s help, always.

Giving Thanks for Blessings -- in practice as well as theory

One of the most beautiful moments in life is when we receive a blessing. When something joyful and life-giving, something undeserved but so desired is granted us—this is the moment when our Faith calls us to assume a complete maturity and give thanks to God.

Giving thanks is the reflex of true Christians. We are a Eucharistic people; our heart-beat, if listened to carefully, is a continuous Eucharist, an offering of gratitude for the gift of this moment and for eternity in communion with God the Holy Trinity. This is our bliss. Yet, is it only a theoretical reflex, an unreachable ideal? Not if we learn otherwise.

To make thanksgiving concrete in our daily life, the Church has developed a wide range of practices. One of them is to offer the Te Deum, an ancient hymn of praise to God. This hymn, together with the General Thanksgiving, provides a splendid opportunity for one to praise God for the universal gift of life, love, and saving knowledge—and the specific occasion of our gratitude for blessings in this life. 

These prayers may be said any time; they may also be added to one’s daily morning and evening prayers. The next time you receive a blessing, try offering thanks...simply or richly. It will do your heart and spirit (and this world) much good.

Traditional English:

We Praise Thee, O God Te Deum laudamus

We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.

To thee all Angels cry aloud,

the Heavens and all the Powers therein.

To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

    Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.

The noble army of martyrs praise thee.

The holy Church throughout all the world

                           doth acknowledge thee,

    the Father, of an infinite majesty,

    thine adorable, true, and only Son,

    also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.

Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.

Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,

thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,

thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.

We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.

    We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,

    whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

    Make them to be numbered with thy saints,

    in glory everlasting.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,

we thine unworthy servants

do give thee most humble and hearty thanks

for all thy goodness and loving‑kindness

to us and to all men.

We bless thee for our creation, preservation,

and all the blessings of this life [especially _________];

but above all for thine inestimable love

in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ,

for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we beseech thee,

give us that due sense of all thy mercies,

that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful;

and that we show forth thy praise,

not only with our lips, but in our lives,

by giving up our selves to thy service,

and by walking before thee

in holiness and righteousness all our days;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost,

be all honor and glory, world without end.  Amen.

Contemporary English:

We Praise You, O God  Te Deum laudamus

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
all creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:

  Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

  heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:

  Father, of majesty unbounded,
  your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,

  and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free

you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death

and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come to be our judge.

  Come then, Lord, and help your people,

  bought with the price of your own blood,

  and bring us with your saints
  to glory everlasting.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,

we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks

for all your goodness and loving‑kindness

to us and to all whom you have made.

We bless you for our creation, preservation,

and all the blessings of this life [especially _________];

but above all for your immeasurable love

in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;

for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,

that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,

not only with our lips, but in our lives,

by giving up our selves to your service,

and by walking before you

in holiness and righteousness all our days;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,

be honor and glory throughout all ages.  Amen.

"Into thy hands, O Father and Lord..."

Recently, as part of a series offered in our parish on lectio Divina, I used this prayer to concluded a class. A number of participants told me afterwards that they found it very beautiful and moving. So, I copied it off and distributed it to them the following week. Since that time, I have garnered some other positive comments about this prayer when I posted it on my own Facebook page. The upshot is that I am delighted that a classic prayer I have found very meaningful for many years is useful to others, aiding them in offering their concerns to God.

I found this prayer in the early 1980's inside a copy of The Cuddesdon Office Book I purchased in a little bookstore in Canterbury, very near the Cathedral. It appears as one of a number of optional Memorials after the conclusion of the Compline service. From the first time I read it, I felt it speak to my soul and open a channel of assurance and peace in communicating with God.

Years later, I learned that this prayer is traditionally attributed to Edmund Rich (1175-1240), also known as St. Edmund of Abingdon, Archbishop of Canterbury (making the purchase of the book there seem very "meet-and-right"). His life is very interesting on a number of levels. His dedication to prayer was exemplary, and this prayer seems to spring from the kind of deeply-engraved experience of turning to God through life behind many of the best written prayers.

So, I offer this prayer for your use and consideration...perhaps at the close of day, or when you feel exhausted by concern or anxiety and simply need to "give it to the Lord."

A COMMENDATION

Into thy hands, O Father and Lord, 

we commend our souls and bodies, 

our parents and our homes, 

friends, neighbours and kindred, 

our benefactors and brethren departed, 

all folk rightly believing 

and all who need thy pity and protection. 


Light us with thy holy grace
 

and suffer us never 

to be separated from thee, 

O Lord in Trinity, 

God everlasting. 

Amen.