Purgatory - God our Father has promised us a place of absolute happiness. To enter heaven, a soul must be free from all traces of sin.

To cleanse us, God disposed Purgatory, a place for purification. For the souls in purgatory, even their punishments bring joy.

God purifies us also during our life on earth. Our suffering freely accepted and sought for love of God, pain, and sacrifice: these are instruments of reparation. These are our purgatory on earth. We must be convinced that pain and suffering are part of God's plan, and that they serve as atonement in this life and prepare us for our final union with God.

There is much that we need to purify in ourselves. There are venial sins; there are omissions in love. And even the temporal debt of past sins, which must be paid either in this life or in the next. So, we should ask the Lord: Cleanse me in this life and make me such that I do not need to be punished by fire.

But suffering must be accompanied by joy. I beg our Blessed Lady, Refuge of sinners, that the thought of purgatory may make me more generous every day in atoning for my faults.

Today’s challenge: In your thanksgiving after Mass, don’t forget to pray for the souls in Purgatory; beginning with your relatives and friends.