November. The Souls in Purgatory.
A truly Christian soul will, during this month, think with love of the faithful departed. There is nothing more pleasing to God, or more profitable to ourselves, than the practice of praying for the souls in purgatory, that He may relieve their sufferings and speedily admit them to His glory. We see our friends dropping from the ranks of the living, and entering that state which is so mysterious. The Church tells us that we can help them on their way to heaven by our prayers, if they have been detained in purgatory to atone to God's justice for their transgressions.
St. Alphonsus says, “It is a duty, for Christian charity commands us to relieve our neighbors who stand in need of our assistance; but who among all our neighbors have so great need of our help as these holy prisoners, deprived for a time of the sight of God?” Many indulgences, both plenary and partial, are applicable to them; let us gain them, so that the mercy of God may be moved in their favor. Let us also remember the poor souls who have no one to pray for them. And in return these blessed souls will not neglect to obtain for us many graces from God, particularly the grace of eternal life.
Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.
First Day.
Often meditate on the sufferings of the souls in purgatory. The thought will inspire you with the proper and holy fear of God's justice, which requires expiation in purgatory for sins unatoned for in this life. It will also move you to have compassion [pg 437] on the poor souls, and to relieve them by your good works. The souls in purgatory endure dreadful punishments; it is the opinion of theologians that they suffer the pains of fire. They also suffer the pain of loss, which is more severe than that of sense. You should ask yourselves: Shall we suffer these dreadful pains in purgatory, or shall we escape them? Let us take warning from the unhappy souls who are to be miserable for eternity, and cultivate a salutary fear of God's justice and so avoid sin. Let the happiness of the saints encourage us to lead virtuous lives, and confide in the mercy and goodness of God. Standing between the eternity of happiness and the eternity of misery, we must make our choice. Through God's grace and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and the members of the heavenly court, let us resolve, in future, to avoid not only mortal but also venial sin. Let us resolve also to atone for our past sins, and pay the debt which we owe to God's justice, so that when our souls are separated from our bodies we may go at once to enjoy God in heaven.