Stories about Purgatory & What They Reveal (with Supplemental Reading: What Will Hell Be Like?) [Illustrated] by An Ursiline of Sligo

Author:An Ursiline of Sligo [Sligo, An Ursiline of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781618903341
Publisher: TAN Books
Published: 2013-08-01T05:00:00+00:00

There are, as we all know, two worlds—the world of sense and the world of spirit. We live in the world of sense, surrounded by the world of spirit, and as Christians we have hourly and very real communications with that world. Now, it is a mere fragment of the Church which is the world of sense. In these days the Church Triumphant in Heaven, collecting its fresh multitudes in every age, and constantly beautifying itself with new Saints, must necessarily far exceed the limits of the Church Militant, which does not embrace even a majority of the inhabitants of earth. Nor is it unlikely, but most likely, that the Church Suffering in Purgatory must far exceed the Church Militant in extent, as it surpasses it in beauty. Toward those countless hosts who are lost we have no duties; they have fallen away from us; we hardly know the name of one who is there. We are cut off from them; we have no relations with them.

But by the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, and of the unity of Christ’s mystical body, we have most intimate relations both of duty and affection with the Church Triumphant and Suffering; and Catholic devotion furnishes us with many appointed and approved ways of discharging these duties toward them. For instance, God has given us such power over the dead that they seem to depend almost more on earth than on Heaven; and surely, that He has given us this power, and supernatural methods of exercising it, is not the least touching proof that His Blessed Majesty has contrived all things for love. Can we not conceive the joy of the blessed in Heaven, looking down from the bosom of God and the calmness of their eternal repose upon this scene of dimness, disquietude, doubt, and fear, and rejoicing in the plenitude of their charity, in their vast power with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to obtain grace and blessing day and night for the poor dwellers upon earth? It does not distract them from God; it does not interfere with the Vision, or make it waver and grow misty; it does not trouble their glory or their peace. On the contrary, it is with them as with our Guardian Angels; the affectionate ministries of their charity increase their own accidental glory.

The same joy in its measure may be ours, even upon earth. If we are fully possessed of this Catholic devotion for the Holy Souls we shall never be without the grateful consciousness of the immense powers which Jesus has given us on their behalf. We are never so like Him or so nearly imitate His tender offices as when we are devoutly exercising these powers. We are humbled excessively by becoming the benefactors of those beautiful souls who are so immeasurably our superiors, as Joseph was said to have learned humility by commanding Jesus. While we are helping the Holy Souls we love Jesus with a love beyond words—a love that

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