Friday, December 19, 2025
Ember Friday
My sisters and brothers in the Lord,
Welcome to week fifty-one of BMW, Be My Witnesses. Just one more week to go! To be a witness is also to carry out the Spiritual Works of Mercy. This week we will talk about the seventh work of mercy which is directly related to what we did last week. Then we focused on burying the dead; this week we focus on praying for the living and the dead.
Mission: Pray for the Living and the Dead
Saint Ambrose (c. 339 – 397), in his Treatise on Cain and Abel (Book 1), writes about prayer: “If you pray only for yourself, you pray for yourself alone. If each one prays for himself, he receives less from God’s goodness than the one who prays on behalf of others. But as it is, because each prays for all, all are in fact praying for each one.”
Most of us spend a lot of time speaking with God about ourselves and what we need or want. The seventh spiritual work of mercy is to pray for the living and the dead, that is, to pray for others. This does not mean we cannot pray for ourselves. In fact, the Our Father, which Jesus taught us, is for ourselves as well as for those who join us in that prayer.
Jesus has taught us “to pray always without becoming weary” (Luke 18:1). And Paul tells us, “Pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17). Is this useless work? No, James tells us, “The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful” (5:16). Obviously, we need to be convinced of the power of prayer, to believe that what Jesus asks of us will be effective.
Jesus himself prayed this way. At the Last Supper, he told Peter that he had prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail and that he would strengthen the brethren (Luke 22:32). Later, God did grace Peter as an answer to that prayer.
Jesus’ longest prayer is recorded in John 17 where he prayed that we might be one, that we might be protected from the evil one, that we might be consecrated in the truth, and that the world will believe through us. Some may say this was not a very successful prayer on Jesus’ part. But how God answers prayer is in accord with his will, not ours. The best example of this was Jesus’ prayer to be freed of the cup of the Cross (Mark 14:36). I am always amazed when the Letter to the Hebrews states: “he was heard because of his reverence” (5:7). Heard, but not answered in the way we would expect. So, it may be with our prayers.
One particular prayer we commonly offer is for the dead. This is because we really believe we can help them in their transition from this life into the very presence of God, that our prayers can assist their purification so as to be ready to see God face to face.
One of my favorite images is found at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles (1:14): the apostles were gathered in the upper room and “devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” No doubt, Mary was teaching them how really to pray.
My Challenge
For this week’s challenge, at Mass this week, or on some other occasion, ask someone if you can pray for a particular need that the person may have. If you feel bold enough, say a brief prayer then and there with that person. Or, include that need in your prayer later in the day. If you have any difficulty with this, ask Mary to help you to be able to pray.
Until next week, have a very happy, holy, and peaceful Christmas and may God Bless you and yours.
+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Here is a video version of this week's Be My Witnesses. Please do share with friends and family. Thank you.