During the month of November, the Church invites us to remember the holy souls in purgatory. But after visiting the grave of someone we have loved, who has died and, maybe even receiving the indulgences this month offers for doing so, too often, the souls in purgatory are forgotten throughout the rest of the year.
The Church extends far beyond its visible members on earth. Membership in the mystical Body of Christ actually exists in three distinct states. Those of us on earth are members of the Church Militant, pilgrims fighting for holiness against the darkness of this world. Of course, there is the Church Triumphant, saints known and unknown, who have won the battle and now enjoy the fullness of heaven. But what about people who are not going to hell, but also are not quite ready to go straight into the arms of God at the moment of their death? The Church Suffering or the Church Penitent consists of those in purgatory who have died in friendship with God, but still need cleansing from the temporal effects of already-forgiven sin. The holy souls of the deceased or the saints who are living eternally in Christ’s light are as much our brothers and sisters as the people sitting next to you in the seats on Sunday. And when one part of the body suffers, “all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy” (1 Cor 12:26).
At death we experience what is identified as the particular (vs. the general) judgment. Based on what we have done or not done during our earthly life, we are judged to be worthy of heaven, hell or purgatory. Unless someone is either a saint or a martyr at the time of death, it is conceivable that at the end of earthly life, most of us will find themselves not yet ready for heaven, though not deserving of hell, leaves Purgatory, thankfully to God.
In a general audience (12 January 2011), the late Pope Benedict XVI noted that purgatory was a process and not a place. “The soul that is aware of the immense love and perfect justice of God consequently suffers for not having responded correctly and perfectly to that love,” the pope said, adding that the suffering is purgatory. Purification will last for an indeterminate period of time, yet heaven is the ultimate destiny for those souls who are not spiritually disposed for blessed joy. As the Holy Father added, those souls need “to be put right.” Being put right is a very helpful way of understanding what is meant by Purgatory. Those souls in that intermediate state are being prepared for eternal happiness with God and all the Saints, including their family and friends who are now with God or who will one day be with Him. In the comforting words of the Book of Wisdom, “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them…chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed…”
Eventually, the time will come when the souls will have been purged of the vestiges of sin and become worthy of heavenly life. In but an eternal interval, the souls in Purgatory will finally and fully be “put right” as well. Then they will be ready to join the saints in glory. Our prayers and sacrifices will lessen their time away from the beatific vision and speed the souls being purified on their way to glory.
Nature and dignity 