The souls in purgatory, knowing that they cannot help themselves in their pitiable state and that we can do so much for them, continually implore us to come to their aid by applying to them the merits of the life, sufferings, and death of Jesus Christ. The Venerable Catherine Emmerich observes as follows: Oh, these poor souls have so much to suffer because of their negligence, because of their former want of piety and zeal for God and their neighbor. How shall they be aided except by our charity, which offers up for them those acts of virtue that they neglected during life? And how they yearn for this charity! For themselves they can no longer do anything. But they also know that no good thought, no sincere desire offered up for them by the living, is without effect. Yet how few care for them! If anybody prays for them, suffers for them, gives alms for them, they immediately experience relief.

The Father of mercies loves them and encourages them with the hope of release after they have been purified and helped. Our charity should extend to them. Hence, “Do not withhold your kindness from the dead.” (Sir. 7:33).

On our part, if we die in the good graces of God we will rejoice at being sure of our salvation, at suffering purification according to the will of God and for love of him; we will rejoice that every obstacle to the operation of grace and to the practice of virtue is henceforward removed from us, and that we be with God without the least danger of ever losing him again. Justified souls rejoice at undergoing the final purification that enables them to render reparation to the offended majesty of God, and they regard their sufferings as a favor of divine mercy.

Many souls who are not sufficiently pure to enter heaven at their death suffer long in purgatory because we deny them the aid of our suffrages in the belief that they are already in the glory of heaven, whereas they are in the torments of purgatory. Even if a soul has been released from the pains of purgation and is in heaven, any suffrage that is done the soul’s or her honor goes to the benefit of another purgatorial soul who needs it. The faithful can, by prayer and good works, especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, assist the souls suffering in purgatory.

Although the souls in purgatory are destined for heaven, they are, nevertheless, denied temporary admission into heaven because only souls that are pure are admitted to the heavenly Jerusalem. (Rev. 21:27). Therefore, the Lord detains some souls in the fires of purgatory so that they would be purified, as unrefined gold is purified of all dross and gross materials. Thus, “he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi and refine them as gold, and as silver.” (Mal. 3:3). Acts of charity done in their honor, prayers, and Holy Masses said for the repose of their souls are of great assistance to them; for by them God’s justice is abated, their terms of purgatorial imprisonment are shortened, and they are welcomed into the everlasting kingdom of heaven.

Let us pray. O Holy Spirit, Sweet Consoler and Comfort, pour down your mercy on the souls in purgatory and on those who are in the agony of death, and grant them your inward consolations. Cleanse them from every stain of sin, place them under the protection of your Sacred Wings, and fly them into the kingdom of heaven. May the grace into your eternal glory be readily open for them so that, with all the angels and saints, they may praise and worship you, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Son, one God, forever and ever. Amen.