By Marc Massery
Do you pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory?
Saint Faustina did, especially after her Guardian Angel brought her to Purgatory. She wrote:
I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. (Diary, 20)
The Holy Souls are those who have died in God's grace, but have not yet entered into Heaven. Saint Faustina’s vision revealed that the Holy Souls have no power to help themselves. The Gospel tells us to care especially for the weakest among us. Who could be needier than them? So, we need to do our part by praying for them.
Holy men and women were praying for the Holy Souls long before St. Faustina. In II Maccabees, Judas Maccabeus and his military forces were concerned about the state of the souls of their fellow soldiers who had fallen. So, they “turned to prayer beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out ... . [They] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin” (2 Macc 12:39-46).
God is perfectly holy. In order to enter God’s presence, we need to be perfectly holy, too. Scripture says, “But nothing unclean shall enter [Heaven]” (Rev 21:27). In a sense, Purgatory is like a medical procedure — distressing but ultimately for our own good.
Hopefully, by the grace of God, you’ll go straight to Heaven when you die. After all, Doctor of the Church St. Therese of Lisieux explained that if we have great trust in God, we can be spared the distress of purgation. She said, “If you have the unshakable confidence that He will purify you at every instant in His love and will leave in you no trace of sin, be very sure that you will not go to Purgatory.” But those who are imperfect who die without that trust likely need purification before they can enter into paradise. And they need our help.
So, pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. When your prayers aid a soul through Purgatory, you gain a friend in Heaven indebted to your prayers. Don’t you think these new heavenly friends will pray for you when you’re in need?
Photo by James Schultz on Unsplash
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