Purgatory

Back in 2011 my Grandpa suffered a stroke which left him paralyzed on one side of his body. It was hard on my whole family to see this man whom we loved, honored and looked up to, suffer so much. Yet in his suffering he would often say, "I am offering this up for the poor souls in purgatory." 

Many times, at Church I have heard people pray for the "poor souls in purgatory" and what a good practice it is to do so. Even my Grandpa showed me a book once he was reading on purgatory and how some souls were allowed to appear to individuals and during their visit, left a burned hand print on a bed sheet, curtain or even a piece of clothing. Even though most people these days may argue that purgatory is no real place and only an invention of the Catholic Church, signs like this would prove different.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches this about purgatory: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (1030). To most Catholics, this seems very clear that the mere idea of Purgatory makes sense; If you die with unforgiven sin still on your soul, you need to be purified in order to enter into Heaven. Yet some still aren't fully convinced.

Perhaps the best place to start is with the most overt reference to a purgatory, of sorts, in the Old Testament. Second Maccabees 12:39-46 describes how Judas Maccabeus and members of his Jewish military forces collected the bodies of some fallen comrades who had been killed in battle. When they discovered these men were carrying “sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear” (v. 40), Judas and his companions discerned they had died as a punishment for sin. Therefore, Judas and his men “turned to prayer beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out… He also took up a collection… and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably… Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin” (42-43, 46).

Yet, Protestants believe that Maccabees is not a valid book in the Bible and therefore the purgatory argument is flawed. Yet, proof of purgatory does not only stop in the Old Testament. In Matthew 5, Jesus is even more explicit about purgatory: “Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny” (Mt 5:25-26). We can even look to Revelation that states that "nothing unclean shall enter [heaven]" (Rev. 21:27)

Many other Bible verses also support the idea of Purgatory as well. But if Purgatory exists… What is it? What is it like? Some mystics have said that the fires of Purgatory are no different than the fires of Hell. And let me point out how it has also been said that the fires of Hell are nothing like an Earthly fire. Even the act of living on the sun could not compare to the fires of Hell. Therefore the fires of Purgatory clearly spare no lack of severe suffering.

I have even heard people say, "Well, if I can at least make it to Purgatory… That's fine by me." But why would you ever want to set your eternal goal that low? Why not shoot for the ultimate goal of Heaven?? I think its because none of us have a full understanding of what Purgatory is?

According to this poor soul in Purgatory, this is what he had to say…
"You in the world have no inkling of what we have to suffer! Being abandoned and forgotten by those who have been nearest to us in the world: that is most bitter. Sometimes they stand at the tombs of our bodies and don't pray for us at all. They act as if we don't exist any more. God's justice commands us to be silent. But we stand at the door of their houses, of our former dwellings, and wait. We stand there and wait. Days, years. We wait for them to give us a small sign of their love by prayer and sacrifices. But we stay there in vain. We cry in vain for love. For help! Tell them...Love should not die at death. We are still alive and we are hungry for love! For your love!"
 

 After reading this quote from this poor soul, it really opened up the door to another question that I know my wife and I have often questioned during the time of Halloween about ghosts. According to my brief knowledge of the paranormal, most of what people experience in ghostly encounters is brought on by the demonic. And most likely anyone who would dabble in such thing would probably be experiencing demonic activity, which is why we must stay away from it! But on the other hand is it possible that some ghostly spirits could be the spirits of loved ones who have gone to Purgatory and are suffering and waiting for our prayers, but have been forgotten?

On April 29, 1926, St. Faustina Kowalska was visited three times by a recently deceased nun. During the apparitions, the spirit begged Sister Faustina for help so she could be released from purgatory. Even St. Padre Pio reported that "there were more souls of the dead who come up the road [leading to the monastery] then souls of the living."

There even is an account of a Lutheran minister, who is no believer in Purgatory, is left puzzled by repeated visitations from "demons" who come to him seeking prayer, consolation, and refuge in his little German church. But pity for the poor spirits overcomes the man's skepticism, and he marvels at what kind of departed souls could belong to Christ and yet suffer still... 

Here's another account: After a week of hearing ghostly noises, a man is visited in his home by the spirit of his mother, dead for three decades. She reproaches him for his dissolute life and begs him to have Masses said in her name. Then she lays her hand on his sleeve, leaving an indelible burn mark, and departs...

Is it possible that some of these ghostly spirits are suffering Purgatory here on Earth and want nothing but our prayers to be freed? Even during the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, 10-year old Lucia asked Mary if the they would go go heaven. Mary answered yes, but that Francisco would have to "pray many rosaries". Next, she asked what happened to two young friends who had recently died: "Is Maria das Neves in Heaven?" "Yes, she is" [answered Mary]. "And Amelia?" "She will be in purgatory until the end of the world."

Regardless of these stories and what they have to tell us, it is clear that Purgatory does exist and the poor souls that exist there need our prayers. So my brothers and sisters, please… Pray for the poor souls in Purgatory, who long for our prayers so fervently!

God love you all, Pray the Rosary daily!