I didn’t listen to the news at all yesterday, and I never logged onto the Internet, either. I missed hearing about Michael Jackson because I was at the funeral of a dear friend, an elderly woman who had died of cancer after suffering for three agonizing months. Her service was a celebration of the Resurrection—the promise of life’s victory over death—and we buried her in the full sunlight of a June afternoon, her casket wreathed in summer flowers. Lizzie believed in these things so firmly that she had no fear, even at the end.

So I thought of Lizzie right away when I heard today about the sudden death of Jackson, the King of Pop. How did he die? Did he slip away like Lizzie, surrounded by family and friends, or was it a fearful and frantic affair? And who was there to hold his hands, to pray with him, as we did with my friend Lizzie?

It’s funny that I’m worrying about all of this now because while he was alive, I never really cared for Michael Jackson. In fact, he’s been a rather distant and hazy figure to me: the icon of a pop culture I have never wanted to follow, the star of an industry increasingly defined less by great music than by sordid scandals, drug overdoses, and million-dollar lawsuits.

The media will feed off his death for a few days, and then Michael Jackson will be gone. We’ll hear about his mansions and his children and his autopsy results and his enormous debts, and we’ll see photographs of him that range from the amusing to the completely bizarre. But who of us will think of him as a child of God, created innocent and perfect as every child is? And who of us will pray for his soul?

In The Brothers Karamazov, the great Russian novelist Dostoyevsky tells us to pray for those who have no one to pray for them:

Young man, be not forgetful of prayer. Every time you pray, if your prayer is sincere, there will be new feeling and new meaning in it, which will give you fresh courage, and you will understand that prayer is an education.

Remember, too, every day, and whenever you can, repeat to yourself, “Lord, have mercy on all who appear before Thee today.” For every hour and every moment thousands of men leave life on this earth, and their souls appear before God. And behold, from the other end of the earth perhaps, your prayer for their rest will rise up to God though you knew them not nor they you. How touching it must be to a soul standing in dread before the Lord to feel at that instant that, for him too, there is one to pray, that there is a fellow creature left on earth to love him, too.

Jesus told us to pray, too, and the words of his prayer—forgive us our trespasses—must somehow include the trespasses of all those who have no one to pray for them.

There is an old Jewish tale about a man who appeared before the throne of God and was condemned to hell. “Do you have anything to say?” God asked. “Yes,” said the man, “I appeal.” “To whom do you appeal?” said God. “There is no one higher than me.” The man replied, “I appeal from your justice to your mercy.” And he entered into God’s mercy.

 

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The excerpt from Dostoyevsky can be found in our
free ebook "The Gospel in Dostoyevsky" page 184.

 

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Your Turn. Tell us what you thought about this article:

Responses

I have always been taught not to pray for the dead so this is kind an interesting article to me.  My question would be if we are instructed to pray for the dead from the words of Christ. I am curious if it talks about that in the Bible...
I have been under the impression that praying for the dead was a Catholic practice, in relation to a belief in purgatory.
Please let me know any further information you have. I desire that anything I hold as truth to be cross checked or proven to me from the word.
Thank you for your time, this type of thing is important to me!

Jesus Bless your days and nights with peace and love.

Bryn W.

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"Pray without ceasing..."

I want to put everything in the hands of God - who knows, it might help someone somewhere that I will never know. Is prayer ever the wrong thing to do? I don’t think so.

Carole V.

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I read Carmen Hinkey’s article about Michael Jackson- well stated Carmen.

Today the media is focusing on two major issues: Bernard Madoff and Michael Jackson. Jackson’s death will be done to the point of overkill, no pun intended. Madoff, however, will be sitting in prison for the next 150 years. I find it peculiar that every day thousands of people die, most are never given mention. A few icons like Jackson monopolize all forms of media for a while and that is it.

Yes, Madoff cheated many people of their worldly securities. This is a terrible thing. But when, regardless of how heinous a crime commited by anyone, have you ever heard of being sentenced for 150 years? The man is 71 years old.

His sentence causes me to wonder if in most people’s minds, is stealing money more horrible than any number of crimes, including murder, committed? Public outrage over Madoff’s deception is understandable but a 150 year sentence sends the message that you don’t mess with our money and investments because we will put you away for two lifetimes. Murder and human slaughter is half as bad, only good for one lifetime.

Does forgiveness figure at all for an individual convicted for one day or two lifetimes?
Leslie Underwood