Praying for the dead

Should we be praying for our loved ones that have died?  Do our prayers somehow help or comfort them?  The Roman Catholic Church teaches that we should pray for the “faithfully departed” in purgatory.   According to Catholicism, our prayers help them during their time in purgatory, so that they can enter more quickly into the… Continue reading Praying for the dead

Joseph the Just

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is quite popular.  All Christians admire her.  Some Christians even pray to her.  She has statues, artwork and stained glass windows depicting her.  On the other hand, little is said of Joseph, Jesus’ legal father.   We will see that Joseph was a courageous, just, strong, and gracious man and even… Continue reading Joseph the Just

Death is sleep

In Mark 5 Jesus raises Jairus’ dead daughter to life.  A little while before Jairus, a synagogue ruler, approached Jesus, the itinerant preacher, for help.  The request was highly irregular:  Jairus was a respected, honourable man in that culture.  Yet, he falls (quite unceremoniously) at the feet of a homeless, poor, miracle worker’s feet and… Continue reading Death is sleep