Month of the Holy Souls
4 November 2022
Autumn is by far my favourite season of the year. I enjoy the cool, crisp weather, the changing colours of the leaves, and of course, it's the month for one of my favourite devotions - that of the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Rarely does a day go by without me praying for the Holy Souls, and asking their prayers in return. These brothers and sisters of ours rely on our help in their process of purgation before entrance into heaven.
Firstly though, let's clear things up, gentle reader. Purgatory is not a miniature version of hell. Hell is the absolute absence of love and goodness; purgatory is chock-a-block full of both. Unlike heaven or hell, purgatory is only temporary, although it would be mistaken for us to apply our conception of time to any state after death. It is a state for a soul, which has died as a friend of God, freed from all stain of mortal sin, but which needs purification & detachment from everything that is against the proper love of God and the love of neighbour. The soul in purgatory does suffer, not physical, but spiritual growing pains. The soul knows that it will indeed be in the eternal bliss of heaven; be with God forever, but it also knows it is not ready nor worthy of it - yet. Thus, like a little child who is told not to open any Christmas presents before Christmas morning, even though there is a pile of them under the tree with their name on them, it yearns for those presents for what seems to be a time stretched out.
I find, gentle reader, the analogy of summer school to be a good one to explain purgatory. God has created us to love and be loved, but none of us, with the exception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, have ever gotten that lesson down perfectly. If we die in the state of grace, that is, free of mortal sin, our souls still bear the wounds of sin, and must be healed, and that healing happens in purgatory. As a child, I was poor in the study of maths, and one year, I had to go to summer school to make up for a class that I had failed. I hated it. I hated being stuck in a classroom in summertime, whilst my friends were enjoying freedom. I did not enjoy the subject matter in the least, but I knew that I had to learn it in order to pass on to the next grade. To make matters worse, it was hot and humid, and there was no air conditioning. Now, I knew that I could learn the maths; I simply didn't enjoy doing so. I knew summer school was temporary, but it seemed as if it dragged on forever and a day. But, I got through it all, and passed on to the successive grade. So, in purgatory we see where we have failed to love God and neighbour, and are taught how to do it perfectly. Some might advance "quickly", others "slowly". Purgatory is God's summer school of love for us.
We can help those souls in purgatory who cannot help themselves by praying for them, offering indulgences we've gained on their behalf, and especially in offering Masses for their eternal repose. In other words, to use the analogy above, we help them to learn their lessons well. The belief of praying for the dead goes back not only to Christ and His Apostles, but even before the time of Christ among the Jews. We read in the second book of Maccabees that Judah Maccabeus had sacrifices offered at the Temple in Jerusalem for his fallen comrades, so that they would be freed from their sins (2 Mac 12:46). Thus, the Church has always held her departed members in great charity.
We are taught by our faith that in Baptism, we are made one with Christ, and thus are made one with His Body, the Church. This Body exists not only on earth, but extends into eternity. Christ, the Head of the Body, reigns glorious in heaven, along with our brothers and sisters, the saints, members of His Body who now enjoy the eternal vision and company of God. The members of His Body in purgatory are also one with us, since they died as friends of God. The saints have no need of our prayers, since they have won the crown of eternal life, but in their love for us, constantly pray for us to join them and obtain from God the graces we need to do so. The souls in purgatory however, cannot help themselves, but rely on our prayers and the prayers of the saints, for the graces they need to be made perfect. These souls pray for us in gratitude for the prayers we offer for them. God, who is Love itself, does not let the love we shared in this life end in death. Rather, it continues beyond the grave. In our love for our dead, we pray for them. In their love for us, who remain on earth, they pray for us. Thus is our belief in the Communion of Saints made simple.
I'm reminded, gentle reader, of an incident in the life of the great Dr. Samuel Johnson who was asked about the "Romish" doctrine of purgatory by his friend, James Boswell.
BOSWELL: What do you think, Sir, of Purgatory, as believed by the Roman Catholics?
JOHNSON: Why, Sir, it is a very harmless doctrine. They are of the opinion that the generality of mankind are neither so obstinately wicked as to deserve everlasting punishment, nor so good as to merit being admitted into the society of blessed spirits; and therefore that God is graciously pleased to allow of a middle state, where they may be purified by certain degrees of suffering. You see, Sir, there is nothing unreasonable in this.
Mind you, Johnson was a devout Anglican, not a Catholic. If he could accept and understand it, all the more should we.
To end, I'll share an anecdote from my childhood. Being a Catholic child, and being used to serving funerals from an early age - at least by eight or nine years of age, I was not squeamish when it came to funerals, nor death itself. I had a collection of plastic religious statues and other figures, such as army men, and the like. After playing at battles with my army men, I'd bury the fallen in a little cemetery I had made for them. My mother noticed this, and was concerned that I was burying my figures; and in her motherly concern asked my paediatrician about this. He said that it was completely healthy, and for her not to worry, unless I started burying my playmates! Haha!
Gentle reader, during this month, let us bear in prayer the souls of our dear departed loved ones, and especially those souls who have no one to pray for them. May they, in turn, pray for us. One day, we will be in their state, and will rely on the charity of others to pray for us.
As ever, God bless!
Father P
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