Purgatory

The month of November begins with two important liturgical celebrations. November first we have The Solemnity of All Saints, and November second we have the The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed or All Souls Day as we commonly refer to it. In the liturgy, the Church prays, 

Grant we pray, O Lord, that your departed servants,

for whom we have celebrated this paschal Sacrament,

may pass over to a dwelling place of light and peace.

Through Christ our Lord.

This prayer is rooted in one of the church's tenants of faith, that of Purgatory. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read;

 III. THE FINAL PURIFICATION, OR PURGATORY 

1030 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.

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin."609 From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.610 The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

The prayer above speaks of souls, "...passing over to a dwelling place of light and peace". So where exactly is Purgatory and how does it work?

We understand our reality in terms of place and time - here not there, and now not when. We speak of heaven as up and hell as down, so purgatory must be somewhere in between. But in the spiritual realm these do not apply. Place becomes state or condition that defines a soul - consolation flowing from seeing God - desolation from the soul's blindness to God's love. Time is the eternal now or the eternal presence of God.

During one's life on earth, a soul may be quite blind to the truth of God. Rather than learning of the holiness of God and the need to conform one's life in imitation of that holiness, a person may choose to fashion their life around any number of unholy ways of living, which they proudly call, "my own truth".

When that soul dies, this state of self delusion remains with them. Now, stripped of all the "things" that consoled them in life, they are left with only emptiness - grieving the loss of all they had, leaving that soul in the desolation of eternal regret. 

Now, being in this "state", this condition of soul, is it possible for such souls to learn of God's holiness and love for them and finally allow His love to embrace them? Yes, and this is Purgatory, the "purging", the "purification", of all that has blinded them and possessed them in their earthly life. Finally they see, and this Vision of Love, this Beatific Vision fills their empty souls with consolation and peace. 

It is also part of our understanding of Purgatory and its process of purgation, that we can, by our prayers of intercession, help them surrender to God's love, as we have done. Our voices of prayer and intercession are not meant to persuade God to show them mercy, rather that they will hear these many voices of encouragement from others who faced their sinful pride and surrendered to this process of healing - who renounced their prideful ways and turned back with only this to claim: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."

A Meditation on Purgatory. 

Three men gather on the steps of the church, preparing to enter as the great doors are opened. These doors that are as real as the doors through which we pass from this world into eternity - to enter the sanctuary where the God of mercy and love is present. The choir voices, singing the praises of God, break forth from the church as the doors begin to open, filling the hearts of these faithful souls yet waiting with joyful anticipation. The first man enters like a son in his home.

But, the second man hesitates, waiting for all to enter ahead of him. He does not count himself among the others nor does he share their joyful expectation.  What awaits him inside he knows not, except that guilt and shame covers his heart and fear of rejection and condemnation defines his condition.

Alone in his darkness, feeling no right to be here, his soul begins to hear the voices of praise, the words of the prayers, the scripture readings, the gospel story of Publican "... not even lifting up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" begins to penetrate his darkness. He sees at last what he denied himself in life because of his pride. Consolation begins to fill his heart as forgiveness floods into his soul. At last he takes his place with the others as they are all carried up into the love of God.

So Purgatory is not a question of where but when. Even now it begins as the soul starts to experience the emptiness its foolish pride has produced.  How often he has passed by these doors, these steps that are counted out like the days allotted to his life - passed by without a thought to their importance. Now, haunted by regret and self condemnation, a Voice like none of the others breaks through - calling, inviting, to return to the steps so long ignored. Purgatory happens in the heart where the healing gift of Mercy is administered. The soul is allowed to experience the darkness of hell its deeds have merited. Then as this prodigal son mounts the steps of the Fathers house, he see the great doors open, like arms of welcome and forgiveness. Purgatory is working its healing - another son is coming home.

But there were three men, what of the third? If heaven is up, then hell must be down, down the steps and into the night. Will the Father lose his son forever? Who knows for sure but the Father alone. He arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:11