Topic:  Do souls sleep after death and, if so, how can they pray for us?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: October 23, 2003

Moderator who originally posted this source: Father Phillip

Question:   I am actually in a conversation with a friend right now about the fact that she is becoming a Catholic. I believe in Jesus Christ the only Son of God who died on the cross for my sins so that I may live in Him. I believe in one church, a holy Christian church. I believe in the power of the resurrection and that Christ will return to earth. Having said that I also want to say that I confessed that without a formal confirmation but I am saved in Christ Jesus in my heart and was at the altar of a Protestant church.I asked my friend about praying to saints and to Mary, I understand the idea of intercession by the saints to God. However, the idea is not complete to me considering those saints are in a sleep. After physical death the soul rests until Jesus returns to earth to begin the thousand years and the judgement. I would assert, having read some of the previous qanda's, that I understand intercession here in physical life amongst fellow Christians. My problem is that Christians, unless unique, don't pray in their sleep. How can a soul that is sleeping in wait for judgement pray as an intercessor? She said that we are judged at death and either go to heaven or hell. What is the biblical backing for that? I could be wrong about the soul sleeping, however I intend to look it up in the Bible the next couple of days to make sure, so please don't take me as ignorant. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to 'Test everything. Hold onto the good.' I believe that this verse can be and should be applied to our beliefs and our daily walk with God. I simply want to make sure I hear each side first and correct my own misconceptions should I have any. Thank you.Sincerely,Shirley

Answer: 

What a great question! Thanks loads for writing to www.CatholicQandA.org! And you're certainly not ignorant -- you're thinking and researching and studying and praying: all that says you're smart and faithful which is a GREAT combination!

I would say that at the core of your question is the issue of what happens to us when we die...that is, when a person dies does she/he "sleep" in Christ awaiting the final judgment?

Though I had never even thought of what you said about the soul being "asleep" until the Lord returns, I can see where the Scripture could be interpreted that way. But, I will say quickly that Catholics don't understand the pertinent passages of the Bible in that way. Let me try to explain.

Though other passages may be useful, I would guess that I Thessalonians 4:13-18 might be the one which is particularly appropos of your question about the soul being asleep until the Lord returns. Here Saint Paul talks about "those who have fallen asleep" (4:14).

Catholics often use one passage of the Bible to help us understand other passages -- in technical language scholars would say something like,"the Scripture frequently provides its own internal hermeneutic."

Anyway, we Catholics look at what Jesus says to the Disciples in John's Gospel in chapter 11 regarding Lazarus. Verses 11-14 reveal that the Lord uses "asleep" as a euphemism for "dead."

So, we Catholics have always believed that when Saint Paul talks about "those who have fallen asleep," he, like Jesus, is just saying that they have died -- and not that they are "asleep" in any other sense of the word.

All of that being said, the Catholic belief is now and always has been that when a person dies, his/her soul is separated from the body. The body is laid to rest where it decays, awaiting its final Resurrection. But the soul goes "immediately" upon death to be judged by Christ Jesus. Since the soul is that reality which gives each human person her/his unique identity in Christ, and since that soul continues to be alive even after it has been separated from the body, Catholics believe that asking that soul to pray for us here on earth makes lots and lots of sense.

When the Lord comes back in glory to judge the living and the dead, Catholics believe that the human body which was laid to rest will be reunited with the person's soul. That resurrected person who is "once again" a body and a soul will come before the Throne of God for final judgment.

Thanks very much for caring about your friend and trying to find out what her new community of faith believes; she's blessed to have you as part of her support network!

Be well!
Father Phillip