Met. Herman of OCA Condolences to Vatican

[pjhatala]

I think it is perfectly fine to say of JPII, "May God have mercy on his soul."

Careful! What we think and feel is perfectly fine is not a good barometer of what we should believe and do.

"Orthodox Christians may indeed pray for the non-Orthodox, both living and dead—in private prayer at home; but here we repeat again and again, not in prayers according to one's own designs, not in such as might come into one's head, but according to the direction of persons experienced in spiritual life." from http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/prayer_nonorth.aspx

One such prayer is published in the back of the book "The Elder Joseph" .

We must make even our private prayers for the non-Orthodox conditional on it being God's Will to have mercy on those who have left this life separated from the Church. And if it be His Will, then who can oppose Him?

"Have mercy, O Lord, if it is possible, on the soul of Thy servant (Name), departed this life in separation from Thy Holy Orthodox Church! Unfathomable are Thy judgments. Do not account this prayer of mine as sin. But may Thy holy will be done!"

priest Mark
www.stjamesok.org

This makes little sense to me. Like Tom asked, "if it is possible"?

And what is this "do not account this prayer of mine as sin" ???
Since when is prayer sin? Since when can the desire for another's salvation be sin?

Also, you said:
We must make even our private prayers for the non-Orthodox conditional on it being God's Will to have mercy on those who have left this life separated from the Church.

Is it not always God's will which allows for this?

How about this as a better rule to follow:
"..for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."
Romans 2:14-16

Or this:

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/m ... rodox.aspx

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

I don't believe the word "possible" is meant the way people are taking it. Maybe its a bad translation from another language, but I am sure Fr. Mark understands this.

"Possible" here is another word for "if you want", in other words, "If you want my Lord, have mercy on this person." This is much different than yesterdays Gospel reading where the man approached the Lord and said, "If you can..." We never say if you "can", or if it is "possible", of course! But we might say like some of the Saints, "If you want Lord, heal this person".

Fr. Mark's obviously meant to say you would not want to oppose the Will of the Lord. We should often include in our prayers, "if you want my Lord,..."