Indulge me further

I have some more biblical passages from the above-mentioned book, this time pertaining to the practice of Indulgences. If indeed one can die without having been fully purged from the punishments due to sin, then we should be praying for those who are suffering punishment even after they've been forgiven. In other words, we should pray for those who have died and are being made ready for heaven. And we should be seeking God's mercy for the punishments that we still must account for even after forgiveness of sin has been conferred by God. There is scriptural precedent beyond the fact that Christians have been doing this since the time of the Apostles:

2 Sam 12:14 ...even after David's sin is forgiven, he still must suffer cleansing through the death of his son. An indulgence is the remission of this residual punishment due to the sinner.

Num 12 ...when Miriam rebels, Moses asks God to remove her punishment of leprosy. God answers Moses' prayer, and her punishment is remitted. Moses' prayer has thus resulted in an indulgence for Miriam.

Dan 4:24 "atone for your sins by good deeds..."

2 Mac 12:42-46 ...praying for the remission of the sins of the dead is hardly a medieval innovation. It predates Christ by hundreds of years.

Sir 16:11 ..."him who remits and forgives..."

Lk 7:44-50 ...the penitent woman's loving act resulted in the remission of her sins-- which is the very definition of 'indulgence'. Jesus granted this indulgence based on his authority as Son of God, which same authority he conferred to the Church (see Mt 16:19).

The Catechism also contains this statement from a Homily of JohnChrysostom: "the Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, , and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead; let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them."