The Contest of Love

“This is why we call Purgatory “a contest of love.” The Lord is not very severe with souls. Instead, He is very loving, and He purifies them because He wants perfect happiness for them. The soul realizes this love of God and, even more, it soars toward Him: it yearns and groans for His love; it is aware of the dark fog that envelops it, knowing that it is loved and that it loves in return. It begs for help to come out of this state, that its separation may be shortened. Yet, it cannot shorten the time with its own merits, being unable to acquire merits. All this anxiety has love as its source.”1

He is so gentle. And even now in Church Militant we desire this purification, and our service leads us there.

“The Eucharist, that is the veiled presence of Jesus, mitigates immeasurably the pain of loss for all souls, especially for those closest to glory. For this reason, we know from a multitude of revelations that while a Mass is being said for a soul, that soul does not suffer-or, at least, that its pain is greatly alleviated for as long as Jesus is present on the altar.

When the Mass is celebrated for a soul, God applies Jesus' suffering to the suffering soul, insofar as the virtue of justice permits. The soul comes back as a pilgrim of love to the place where the Mass is being offered. It is united to the Church Militant; it partakes of the heavenly eucharistic treasures and finds itself with an immense feeling of love, near to Jesus. The soul adores Him most lovingly through the veil of the Sacred Host: Jesus, Who is now its entire love and its life. No creature on earth can truly adore the Eucharist like a soul in Purgatory as it participates in a Mass offered for it, or which is in union with the prayer of the adoring Church when Jesus is present in the consecrated Host.”2

What an inspiring passage for us to have masses said for our loved ones and attend the mass. When we receive the Eucharist we may pray for our loved ones who will be with us to receive this joy. I won't ever be alone in receiving the Eucharist again.

“The soul must change; almost into a new creature. The specific pains that it suffers for its own unique condition become a catalyst for its purification, to bring it toward God.”3

Purification must create more beauty in us.

“The first joy of the souls in Purgatory is to feel confirmed in grace. Now they are sure of their eternal salvation and their happy incapacity to sin; they consider all the horror of sins they have committed, feel an immense sorrow in the pains they suffer now, and repent of these sins sincerely.”4

I can confess my sins, but sometimes it is so hard to repent; I can feel so sad by the ugliness of them.

“Among the works of suffrage for the souls in Purgatory are these three, all of which have a marvelous effect on them:prayer, the Holy Mass, and indulgences.”5

Edited by Mary Frost

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