During the month of November, the Church has traditionally turned her attention to the suffering souls in Purgatory. Thus, we start the month on the second day with All Souls Day, the commemoration of the faithful departed who have passed from this life but have not yet achieved the glory of Heaven. They need our prayers, sacrifices and indulgences as long as their time of purgation lasts, and they in turn can aid us by their prayers.
But thinking of the souls in Purgatory ought to remind us of what are known as the Four Last Things: death, judgment, Heaven and Hell. Purgatory will not last forever, but Heaven and Hell will. We can assume that our faithful Catholic relatives and friends will one day reach Heaven, but what of those not so faithful? What of the world's many great sinners, or of Catholics lax in their practice, missing Mass or practicing contraception? Well, even here we do not lose hope of their salvation. In the first place, we do not know and can never know their subjective dispositions. Did they realize that they had a serious obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation? Did they really understand the gravity of their misuse of marriage? We do not know and should not judge.
Moreover, according to the private revelations given to St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), a Polish religious sister whose feast we recently celebrated on October 5, the Lord appeals to souls at the moment of their death, offering mercy, if they will accept it. "I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to my compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy." God had already told the Prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament that "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." But we sinners must accept God's mercy in order to receive it. As Our Lord further said to St. Faustina, "He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice."
So during this month in which we especially remember the souls in Purgatory, let us recall also God's immense mercy, offering our prayers and sacrifices for all who have died, not presuming to judge, but leaving that to God alone.
Thomas Storck has written widely on topics of Catholic interest since the 1980s. His latest book is Economics, An Alternative Introduction (forthcoming, Arouca Press). He is a contributing editor of New Oxford Review, a member of the editorial board of The Chesterton Review and the host of the WCAT program, The Open Door. He and his wife, Inez, are members of Westerville St. Paul the Apostle Church.
