The dead see us. What does the church teach

The dead see us. What does the church teach, my dears? One of the most

Frequent questions that arise in the heart of man after the death of a

loved one are the following. Do the dead see us? Do they hear us when

We pray? Do they know what is happening in our lives? It is not a simple question. It is a need

of the soul. Our church does not answer with fantasies, but with the word of Christ

and the Holy Fathers. First of all, we must know something basic. Death

is not the end of life. It is a separation of soul and body. The soul

continues to live with full consciousness. Christ himself shows this in the parable

of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, after his death, sees Lazarus.

He remembers his relatives on earth. He speaks and worries about them. Therefore, he has memory

and awareness, and interest. Souls are not inactive. St. John the

Christ clearly says, "The souls of the deceased know what is happening in the

world by God's permission." That is, God allows them to know much

of what is happening to the living, and he adds that they are especially happy when they see prayers and memorials being made for them. That is why the church

insists so much on praying for the dead. It is not formal. It is

real help. St. Macarius the Egyptian says that after death, the soul

acquires a clearer spiritual sense. It understands spiritual things

better than when it was in the body. It sees the truth more clearly. St.

Gregory the Dialog mentions many cases in which God allowed souls

to appear to living people. But always for spiritual good, for

correction. For consolation, never for curiosity. Now let us look at some

incidents narrated by spiritual fathers. A woman who had lost

Her husband was immersed in grief. One night while praying, she felt a strong peace

and as if someone was standing next to her. And in her heart she heard, "I am."

Well, do not cry. Pray for me. From then on, she found the strength to continue

her life. Another man saw in his dream his mother telling him, 

"My child, return to God." He woke up shocked and changed his attitude towards life.

He began to go to church and confess. "Spiritualists say that

Many times God allows such experiences to awaken a person.

There are also cases of people who, shortly before they die, say they see

loved ones calling them in peace. Many doctors have

recorded this. The church sees it as a preparation of the soul for the other life.

However, discernment is needed. Not every sensation or every dream is from the soul.

Many are also from the evil one. The church does not call us to seek

experiences. It calls us to pray. Because prayer is the real

communication with the sleeping. Saint John of Damascus says that

Love is not cut off by death. The relationship continues spiritually. That is why the church says that memory is eternal. Not as a remembrance, but as a living presence

before God. So to answer clearly, yes, the dead live. Yes, they have

a conscience. Yes, they know much of what happens when God allows it, and 

above all, they feel our prayer. But everything happens spiritually, not like in the

movies. That is why it should not scare us. On the contrary, it should fill us

with hope. Because it means that death is not the end. It is a passage. A passage

to eternal life. But our church does not stop here. It gives us other

testimonies to better understand the life of the soul after

death. Saint Simeon, the new theologian, teaches that the souls of the righteous

are in a state of light and joy and are aware of what is happening on earth

when God allows it. He says characteristically that souls rejoice

when they see the repentance and salvation of the people they love. This

shows us that they are not indifferent. They participate spiritually in our lives.

Saint Theophanes the Ecclesian states that after death the soul passes into another

form of existence, but does not lose its consciousness. On the contrary, it often

perceives reality more clearly than before, and Saint Nicodemus the

Athonite, speaking about the state of souls, emphasizes that the prayer of the

Church is a great comfort and help for them. That is why the church prays unceasingly for the departed. I will mention one more

incident narrated by spiritual fathers. A man had lost

his brother and never prayed for him. One night, he saw him in his sleep, 

sad, saying to him, "My brother, you forgot to pray for me. Don't

leave me without help." He woke up shocked and from then on began

to pray and remember every day. And as he himself said, he felt

great peace in his heart. Another incident. An elderly woman

prayed every day for her husband, who had passed away. One night

she saw him in her sleep, bright and happy, saying to her, "Thank you very much for

your prayers. They help me a lot. "Spiritual fathers explain that God often

allows such experiences to strengthen people's faith and hope. All this shows us one basic thing. Death does not separate

love. It transforms it. The relationship continues in Christ. That is why

The church calls us not to sadness without hope. But in sorrow with faith. And as

the apostle of the nations, Paul, says, "We do not want us to be ignorant about those 

who have fallen asleep or to grieve as we grieve, having hope. That is, not to

grieve like those who have no hope because we have the resurrection

And this is the great truth of our life. We will all live again. We will all be

resurrected. That is why we will meet again. Therefore, 

my brothers, let us keep alive the prayer for our deceased. Let us

Remember them. Let us love them. Because love does not die. It lives eternally in

Christ. Next week, on Friday, we will talk about something that

Many ask, but few know. What exactly happens at the moment

a person dies? What is the path of the soul after death, and what are the

tolls that the soul passes through according to the tradition of the church? A

very serious matter