Praying for the dead

The Bible tells us that after death everyone will exist for eternity in one of two places, Heaven or Hell.  Some believe that those destined for Heaven will first spend time in a place called Purgatory.  Here is the Catholic Dictionary’s definition of Purgatory:  “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.”  Those who believe in purgatory also believe that the living can help those in purgatory by praying for them.

Not a hair of your head will perish

Jesus told his disciples that a time was coming when they would be persecuted for their faithfulness to him: Luke 21:12-19.  He made this promise, “Not a hair of your head will perish.”

This is a wonderful promise but it seems to contradict what Jesus said immediately before.

You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish.
Luke 21:16-18

Jesus told the disciples many of them would be put to death and immediately after promised that they would suffer no harm.  How can these two statements be reconciled?

A lamp or a flashlight?

Imagine that you have to go somewhere at night on a road that has no lights on it.  You will need to take a source of light with you and there are two available.  One is a flashlight and the other is an oil lamp.  The flashlight has fresh batteries and you can see a long distance by its light.  The lamp only gives off enough light to illuminate the area immediately around you.  Which one would you choose?

This question is a no-brainer.  With the flashlight you could see a long way ahead and know what to expect as you travel.  You wouldn’t be surprised by unexpected obstacles.  When you use a lamp only the area immediately around is illuminated and you have no idea what lies further ahead.  If there are obstacles you won’t know about them until you reach them.