What’s it like in Purgatory?

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. (Wis 3:1)

The teaching of the Catholic Church on the Holy Souls in Purgatory is a bit strange to say the least—and definitely puzzling. One can hardly blame those of other religions for having a hard time accepting it! So let’s see if we ourselves can better understand the beautiful mystery that is this place called “Purgatory.”

All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1030)

We understand that Purgatory is place of purification, a place of cleansing “fire.” Souls here are “like gold in the furnace” (Wis 3:6). In other words, these souls are in pain; they are suffering. So how is it that at the same time, Scripture tells us that “no torment shall touch them?” Being burned in a fire sounds pretty tormenting to me!

The thing is, suffering in Purgatory is like a mother in labor; it is the most agonizing pain of her life…but also, for her, it is the sweetest memory and the deepest love her heart has ever known. She feels as though she cannot take one more minute of her pain, while at the same time, she knows that what awaits her will be her greatest joy. She has an idea of the gift that is to come but has not yet seen it with her own eyes, held it with her own arms, and kissed it with her own lips. She is suffering, but in eager, excited anticipation. 

Let’s compare this mother in labor to the patient in the hospital room next door, who is also in agonizing pain…but is there to have a cancerous organ surgically removed. What awaits him is even greater pain, plus the ensuing chemotherapy and radiation he must endure following his surgery. The hope is to add an uncertain number of years to his life, and yet, he cannot help but think, “What if this doesn’t work?” Both mother and cancer patient are in agonizing pain, but while the latter may be in torment; the former is not. Such is the suffering of the Holy Souls for whom “no torment shall touch them.”

Those in purgatory cannot pray for themselves, this is why they are also called “poor.” (Gretchen Filz, 20 Ways to Pray for the Holy Souls of Purgatory)

Here is the next perplexing teaching of the Church. How do we know the Holy Souls cannot pray for themselves, and furthermore…why not? Actually, it is quite logical. Once a soul has had an encounter with the Lord, for that soul, there no longer exists anything but the singular goal of union with God. 

[The soul’s] encounter with God right after death has wounded it with an intense pining for Him, whom it has for a fleeting moment recognized as the ultimate fulfillment of all its longings, wishes, and hopes, of its craving for happiness…  
– Gerard van den Aardweg

There is this final, all-encompassing understanding and knowledge that God alone is all that matters; that is to say, love is the only thing that “remains.” And in this newly begotten understanding, for the soul in Purgatory, whatever happens to him from that moment forth, he utterly places in the hands of the Father with complete trust. He has fully abandoned himself to the Father’s divine providence, such that he would not want to enter His presence without the purification which is His just due.

Thus, for him, there is no reason to pray for himself. His only desire is that which the Father wills and, having reached the end of his earthly life assured of his eternal home, his life is perfectly in union with that same will. There is nothing else he could possibly want for himself.

But having been made aware of this profound and beautiful meaning to his life, he now most certainly prays with greater ardency for the souls still on earth who have yet to choose this same will of God. It is a level of profound understanding that few reach on earth; most of us can accept it in theory but find it nearly impossible to comprehend in practice. Without that encounter with God, this divine truth does not easily penetrate our understanding. 

Which brings us to our next puzzle:

They depend upon us to help ease their suffering and quickly advance them through their purification so that they can join the saints in heaven.
– Gretchen Filz

If the Holy Souls are residing perfectly in accordance with God’s will, what is the point of our praying for them? In other words, if they want to be purified for as long as it takes, why should we seek to rush the process for them?

Well, praying for the Holy Souls does indeed ease their suffering and help them advance more “quickly,” but it does not “rush” the process, at least not in the earthly sense. If my child is sick in bed with a fever, I will do what I can to ease his suffering. I may place a cold cloth on his head, prop him up more comfortably with a few pillows, give him a few sips of refreshing water, and most of all, just sit with him so that he is not alone. Such is the effect of our prayers for the Holy Souls to ease their suffering; it is our way to “just sit” with them, so they do not have to suffer all alone. And it makes all the difference.

Their passing away was thought an affliction…But they are in peace. (Wis 3:2-4)

And now we begin to understand how our prayers “quickly advance them through their purification.” 

One of my least favorite chores is to clean the bathrooms. So what do I do when it is time for this chore? I call a friend to pray the rosary. Now, it’s not like just because we’re praying together, Mother Mary comes and cleans the bathrooms for me. No, I still must do that blasted job. But when I pray with a friend, somehow the time passes “quickly.” My mind is not focused on the awfulness of my task, but rather on the love and joy of the Lord. And then it seems that—without my being fully aware of when or how—suddenly the job is done.

In the same way, our prayers for our friends in Purgatory “rush” them through the process because it helps them keep their sights off the flames—which they must endure anyway—and on the One who allows them their trial by fire instead: the God of mercy and love.

I will not reject anyone who comes to me…For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day. (Jn 6:37-40)

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