There is certainly a purgatory! The souls who are there are making things right with God so they can enter heaven. That is the simplest explanation there is. Further, because no stain of sin is allowed in heaven, most souls choose to seek the justice provided in the place of spiritual preparation that God has lovingly provided. We on Earth can still work out a lot of our own expiation of our sins. Those souls in Purgatory cannot pray for themselves. Our prayers can speed up the satisfaction of the justice needed to cleanse or remove the last of any residue of their sins before entering heaven.

Why have Purgatory? Most people will continue sinning in the course of the human condition, even if they try everything to stop it or avoid it. Yes Jesus did die for our sins. But we need to satisfy the debt because of the ongoing sinful nature we perpetuate through our imperfect nature. Jesus is like the dad who pays for the window broken by his son’s baseball gone astray. Jesus paid for the damage and debt, but like any loving father he wants us to ‘settle up’ with him to satisfy the debt he cleared for us. But Jesus died for me and he is my personal savior! I thought I was saved!? Well, what if you never paid your dad back or served some sort of justice to make it right? You would not truly appreciate what he did for you.

While on earth we have no certainty of even making it to purgatory -because we have free will. Those in purgatory at least have the certainty of being released to enter heaven. The others not capable of choosing to be with God, at any expense, will truly go to hell with no hope of ever completing the journey to God’s perfect and spotless presence.

I would choose purgatory any day over reincarnation, as I am closer to settling up there than in an unPredictable next life. Because Jesus HAS saved those who have chosen him, we are on the right path. Through his love and continual offering of himself for us, we too, can have the certainty of the future promise of heaven. Without his self sacrifice, we would not have the door opened as such for us.

Jesus’ holy mother Mary consoles the suffering souls in purgatory and asks for us still in a body on this earth to pray for them. Such sacrifices accrue to our credit, along with any suffering of our own that we offer up as an offering for those souls in purgatory. So we can actually use our earthly lives to help others already passed on, as well as expand our own growth. Sure we will fall, and sin again, but as any good sportsman knows, you must get up again to master the game. Jesus showed us that mastery can be achieved. So, if we haven’t totally mastered it by the time we die, we still have the opportunity to satisfy our final judgement. Hopefully, we will have chosen to take every opportunity to earn a lighter debt, or skip it altogether by the graces from loving all, and selfless service and sacrifice.

I know all this sound rather strict and un-warm and fuzzy. Jesus never promised us warm and fuzzy. He said many would be called, but few would be chosen. What do you think would help to make you be chosen?

Are you starting to get the picture? We should learn about this subject early on, but sadly most don’t want to discuss it, or take the belief that it is all worked out for us, or don’tbelieve anything at all.

For me, now that I have begun to learn about purgatory, I understand what it is and how to prepare for it. I am grateful for Gods grace to have led me to question, have the curiosity and desire to learn what it is and how I can help myself and others too.

Prayer for our loved ones is needed. The Rosary can be said for great results for those in Purgatory, as are Masses said specifically for named deceased.

My prayer journey just amped up because of this understanding. There are many good writings about purgatory. I encourage you to check them out. Just do a search on the Internet. You will find plenty, as did I.