All Souls Day 2010

Today the Church celebrates the feast day of All Souls.

By All Souls, we mean those people who have died and were not ready to enter Heaven because they were not perfect. They need to be purified before they can enjoy the Vision of the Glory of God.
We know that sin separates us from God. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, our sins are forgiven. But even so, sin still leaves an effect on us that has to be erased before we can enter the presence of God.

The Church Fathers understood this and thought carefully about the matter. And the idea of Purgatory emerged.

Purgatory is much misunderstood by Catholics and non Catholics alike.

Purgatory is the place where the souls of those who need purification go. There they await this purification. They can do nothing now to help themselves. The time for that was when they were still alive.

But we can help them through our prayers and good works. By applying the benefits of our prayers and works to the Holy Souls, we can minimise their time in Purgatory.

Purgatory is not a place to be in terror of. All those ther know that one day they will enter heaven. The suffering they endure there comes from their temporary separation from God.

Our souls were made for one thing alone. To see God and to be with Him forever.

So the souls in Purgatory ache to be with God. We can aid them simply through prayer and Mass offerings.

And one day we may find ourselves ther too, hoping that there will be people on Earth to pray for us so that we may be released into the joy and happiness of Heaven where we will be with God.

The Church has always taught that it is a Holy thing to pray for those who have died. After the Reformation, the idea of Salvation through Justification became widespread in the Reformed Churches, and the custom of praying for the dead faded away. But Catholics have always remembered to pray for the dead. Every coffin has Mass cards placed on it by family and friends.

The Catholic Church reminds us of the four last things...Death Judgement Heaven Hell.

We are sorely tempted throughout our lives. We are weak. We fall many times. Many times we pick ourselves up and start again. We should therefore see Purgatory not as a punishment, (which it is not ) but as yet another chance given to us by our loving Father to be with Him in His eternal Home. World without End. Forever.

Today, and every day pray for the Holy Souls. Visit a graveyard within the next few days to pray there and gain for a Holy Soul an indulgence.

Eternal rest grant unto them Oh Lord!

And let perpetual Light shine upon them.

May they rest in Peace.

And may the Souls of all the Faithful departed,

Through the Mercy of God,

Rest in Peace.

Amen