Posted on 10/11/2020 7:15:52 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
I received a visit from the step daughter of a distant relative last week. My distant cousin died after a short bout with lung cancer in July. He became religious in the last five years of his life and had embarked on a quest to right the wrongs that he believed he had committed during his life. He made a list of those wrongs. This includes thing(s) he feels that he did that were damaging to other people as well as restitution for petty theft(s) he committed in his younger days.
It was a death bed request to the daughter that she find me and get me to complete his redemption list. His original list had about about 50 entries. 32 are crossed off so I assume that he made satisfactory(to him) contact or restitution to those already. The balance are people and companies that he couldn't find or that are gone/deceased. The package contains letters to people and money to make restitution for theft and a stipend for my expenses.
I want to honor his wishes but I am not sure how I "make it right" with the dead and companies that no longer exist.
FReeper wisdom would be appreciated.
Correct.
What do you mean by “Redemption for the deceased”?
Redeemed has to do with salvation. As in: a believer is redeemed from the group of people that is headed for justice; those who are not in Christ. That person is saved, by being “redeemed”. They are deemed by God to be righteous because of Jesus’ payment for sin which he accomplished for that person on the cross.
Once a person dies, there is no further thing that can be done to affect one’s “Redemption” (meaning salvation).
That said, it is still a good thing that he wanted to do what he could to make things right. It just doesn’t affect whether he id redeemed or not.
Good works don’t get anyone into heaven.
Usually to enter an Unclaimed Fund in any respective state Unclaimed Fund database requires a FEIN to submit via NAUPA reporting. Here is a directory of each US state's reporting rules.
Yet most states do have a miscellaneous option -- for instance NY provides a "Other Miscellaneous Property" entry on their verification form to submit Unclaimed Property.
Missing from your post is whether or not your friend accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.
Assuming he had, it appears he was doing what we're all called to do as followers of Christ: repent and turn away from sin.
Your friends repentance and turning away from sin is evidenced by the fact he wanted to make things right with those he'd wronged. That is a high calling, one of which I'm confident in saying that your friends repentance and seeking to right his wrongs caused Jesus to smile. By your description of your friend, it sounds as if he was truly saved.
Now onto the remaining wrongs your friend asked you to help him in his death, to make right.
It may likely help those who were wronged by your friend to know what he was truly sorry and that he'd repented and changed the path his life was on. It may give them some peace in their hearts and minds to know, or it may not. That's on them.
You do not help your friend "earn" his way into our Father's Kingdom by completing your friends list. Your friends words, actions, deeds and Salvation in Jesus Christ stand on their own, as is the case for all of us. there is nothing you can do for him in this regard. Jesus knows your friends heart and whether or not he was able to complete his list, he was on the right path and had repented. We are all called to be where your friend was at the time of his passing.
Now, it may be that there is some part of the journey your friend has asked you to undertake for him, that speaks to your heart and mind and contains a lesson for you and your journey through this life. That you have an open heart and mind to take these on and are looking to figure out how to contact those who remain on your friends list, speaks volumes for you.
Consider carefully what you may learn if you take this on, and keep an open heart and mind to whatever the Holy Spirt, our guide, conscience and intercessor for us is doing in you.
Peace.
It seems to me that your relative was not looking for spiritual redemption with his list. He was instead just looking right wrongs.
So make your best effort. If your relative stole from the ABC Corporation, contact them. Ask them if they have a charitable foundation. Many companies do. Send the money there. I don’t think there’s any need to mention the theft.
For individual people, just send the letter your relative wrote, plus a money order. Then it’s up to that person from there.
And if you can’t find a company - or a person - ask the daughter if your relative had any favorite charities. Send the money there.
Oh, and good for you for trying so hard to respect your relative’s last wishes.
The deceased? Too late. That person had to make his own personal decision to accept or reject Christ while living.
(But the scam of Purgatory sure made it possible to rake in some filthy lucre for some imaginative “entrepreneurs”.)
I’d suggest contacting a trusted priest/pastor of whatever faith he was and see what they recommend.
If that’s not an option, based on the info provided it sounds like he might have had a misguided youth/adulthood. Depending on the sum involved, I would pick one or two local charities that work with wayward teens or something along those lines. Doesn’t have to be youths; just something that helps people get on the right path in life. Sometimes there are court or police intervention programs as well.
I suggest local because I would contact the head of the charity, explain the reason for the donation, and ask if you could speak to the participants and tell your cousin’s story.
The Bible is a non-credentialed source? What even does that mean?
In addition the. i is states we die then face judgement. Hebrews 9:27. On e we are dead the die is cast and there are no more chances. Now is the hour of salvation.
You are correct. Christ’s salvation must be confessed by the lips and accepted by the heart. There are no other alternatives.
Ooh. Boy. Ok.
A lot of nasty anti Catholicism as per usual here
Just telling you what we Catholics do for you to take or leave. Since you asked.
I do find it very helpful in many ways.
I’m not sure you can make it right. Just as you cannot atone for another’s sins, it is impossible to apologize for another’s trespasses against a third party.
bump
There is only one who can redeem, none of us can.
You do what you can to find who is left on the list to get them their restitution. I would not spend an extraordinary amount of time on it. If the businesses are closed or the persons involved are deceased then donate the moneys involved to a good charity such as the Salvation Army kettles at Christmas time or Samaritan’s Purse. Trust God to right the wrongs in that way.
On the other hand perhaps a spiritual journey may be in the offing for you as you search the byways all over the world for those on the list leading you to a grand special awakening. You then write a book and Michael Palin and Terry Jones direct a movie about it.
Seriously though, do what you can and for those you can’t find in a reasonable amount of time, donate moneys left over for a worthy cause, giving God the praise for it all!
what you’re saying is, catholicism is your political party, not governed by God’s truth. Because, if it was the latter, you wouldn’t blow off the fact that the Catholic church is not following God’s Word. Right now, you just want to follow the Catholic church no matter what they teach. Very similar to the democrat party.
I do not need your permission to answer the question posed in this thread. Have a nice Sunday
He trusted you.
It won’t save him but I hope the Lord did so. It does show repentance which is necessary for salvation.
I’d contact those companies, tell the story, and ask them what to do. Leave it to them. Accept their answers. Some will say “nothing” but if that is what they say then that is what is to be done.
Wait. What?
If someone here crashes into your parked car are you suggesting that it is impossible for me to pay for the damage and make you whole on the car?
That doesn't even begin to make sense...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.