Souls in Purgatory

 Reflection on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Soul's Day), Monday 2nd November, 2020

Texts: Wis. 3:1-9; Ps. 23:1-6; Rom. 5:5-11; Matt. 5:1-12

Today, we remember the suffering Church, the souls in purgatory. According to Penny Catechism "Purgatory is a place where souls suffer for a time after death on account of their sins" (no. 106). There are two reasons why souls go to purgatory. The soul of anyone who died in venial sins goes to purgatory. The souls of those who are yet to complete the temporal punishment due their sins of which the guilts are forgiven through sacramental confession also go to purgatory. 

Unlike the saints, the suffering Church needs our prayers; they cannot longer pray for themselves.    They depend on our prayers to shorten their stay in purgatory. By our prayers we obtain for them the mercy of God. While we offer our prayers for them, they offer their suffering for us. Their suffering is not in vain, it has saving effect. Any suffering in union with Jesus Christ has salvific value. We have the capacity to pray for them while they have the capacity to offer their suffering for our salvation. Praying for the dead also helps our own salvation because it pleases God to do so. Any act that pleases God has salvific value. Hence, as we pray for the dead today, we also work out our own salvation. Moreso, when they are free from their sins and join the company of saints, they will reciprocate our kind gesture towards them by praying for us that we might one day join them in the company of saints. 

The first reading reminds us that death is not the end of the just; it only seems so in the eyes of the foolish. The foolish are the people without hope. They are those who say, "Let us eat and drink today; tommorow we shall be dead" (1Cor. 15:32b). For those who have hope death is a gain. It is said, "For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality." St Paul, in the second reading, says, "Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

The gospel reading reminds us that those we are celebrating today are also abound in good works and virtues: they were poor in spirit; they had hope in God; they were meek; they were merciful; they were peacemakers; they were righteous; they suffered for living righteous life and for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, today's celebration only has meaning for people who have hope of immortality. Besides praying for the dead, the celebration is meant to reinforce our hope of immortality.

Lord our God, have mercy on our dead ones and set them free from their sins that they may be admitted into your presence. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke