A Gift from Purgatory

I have had many gifts from God in my life. When I was 11 years old, I received a spiritual gift in a way that seemed quite unusual. My mother’s father, my grandfather whom I loved so much, lived with us. Some of my fondest memories of childhood involved his presence and his caring way.

It was at his knees that I learned the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be and other prayers. He taught me to read. He was always there sitting in a rocking chair in our kitchen ready to offer encouragement or a funny story. A deep bond of love developed between us.
           
When he died one Sunday night four months before my twelfth birthday, my heart was broken. In my eleven-year-old mind and heart, I struggled to make sense of the pain and loss that weighed heavily upon me. Because of my upbringing that placed God first and at the center of life, I turned to prayer and to two books that my grandfather had given to me.
           
I reached into my desk drawer and I picked them up as I had done many times before, but now with new purpose and determination. The first was my First Holy Communion prayer book that my grandfather bought for me four years earlier. The second was my grandfather’s First Holy Communion prayer book from 1905. He had recently entrusted it to me telling me that it would remind me of him.

As I looked at them both, in my grieving heart I became convinced that my bond with him could not be broken, not even by death. Then I reached into the zipper pocket on the back of my prayer book and took out the rosary that came with it. I started praying the rosary for my grandfather that day 58 years ago. I have prayed it every day since for many different intentions.
           
A tremendous gift was given to me by my grandfather’s death. The grace of this gift was a deep and convicted belief in the need to pray for those who have died. I gained a beautiful insight into the unbreakable bond that God’s providential love establishes between us in our life. I knew that when we receive this gift, the only response is to give a gift in return. Our gift to give is that of praying for our dear departed ones so that they will be readied to enter into God’s presence in heaven. We could say that we receive a gift from purgatory and we send a gift back there.
           
November is the Month of the Poor Souls. It begins with All Saints’ Day, November 1, when we remember all those holy men and women who, because of their holiness of life, are praising God in heaven. We ask for their intercession—and they plead for us before the throne of God. The next day is All Souls’ Day.  On that day, November 2, and throughout this month, we remember to pray for those men and women who are in purgatory, preparing to enter into the presence of God.
           
Why is it important to pray for the dead?  St. John Chrysostom preached, “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead would bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them” (Homily on 1 Cor 41,5).
           
To pray for those who have died, those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, is a great act of charity on our part. It is our saying to them, “I love you. I will not forget you.” This love is for those whom we have known in life and also for those whom we may have not known here on earth. We also believe that the dearly departed also respond to our charity by praying for us. It is “love for love.” It is what we do in the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church; we intercede for one another.
           
We on earth are members of the Church Militant. We are “working out our salvation with fear and trembling,” “Phil 2:12) as St. Paul says. We are “fighting the good fight.” (1 Tim. 6:12) Those who are in purgatory, getting ready for entrance into the Kingdom of God, are the Church Suffering. They are being purified from all sins and consequences of sin so they can enter into God’s Presence.  Those in heaven enjoying God’s Presence and praising Him for all eternity are the Church Triumphant. We pray for those in purgatory to help them in our charity. We pray to the saints in heaven and ask them to pray for us before God’s throne of mercy to help us on our pilgrim way. Both the souls in purgatory and the saints in heaven pray for us. We are all God’s family, loving one another, praying for one another, and helping one another on our way to God.
           
So, you see, when my grandfather died many years ago, he gave me a gift from purgatory when I began to pray for him. The prayer books he gave to me were only a sign of the greater gift.  It is the gift of love that never dies.  Just as he loved me on earth, so too, he loved me from beyond the earthly realm. To this day I feel this love and I am filled with hope in Jesus’ Resurrection.
           
This November, God is calling us to renew our belief in prayer for the souls in purgatory.  God is calling us, as well, to renew our belief in the power of the intercession of Our Lady and the saints.  We may often feel isolated, alienated, frustrated and fearful seeking direction in a world that becomes increasingly hostile and divided.  The bond of love that unites us with those who have died, now preparing to enter the Kingdom, and unites us with the saints, who reach out to us by their intercession in the presence of God, keeps us connected with a reality beyond ourselves and gives us direction for our own journey.
           
Here are some things that we can do to strengthen our relationship with the souls in purgatory. 

• Request that a Mass be offered at your parish or through a religious congregation for your departed family members. 
• Visit a cemetery and pray for the dead buried there.
• At Mass pray for the dead and offer your reception of Holy Communion for them.
• Go to Mass daily or at least more than just your Sunday obligation.
• Pray, “Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.  May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy rest in peace. Amen” a few times daily.

The following are some things that we can do to deepen our relationship with the saints in heaven.

• Make a novena (nine days of prayer) to Our Blessed Mother or your patron or favorite saint for a particular intention.
• Learn more about some of the recently canonized or beatified individuals.
• Go to Mass on a particular saint’s feast day and ask for his or her intercession.
• Pray the Litany of the Saints.

After all, you will probably get a gift from heaven or purgatory - the love and prayers of the saints and the poor souls.    By praying for others, living or deceased, you give a great gift of love.  It’s all in the family. It’s what we do for one another in God’s family.  It all leads us to God who loves us unconditionally!

Most Reverend William J. Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh