God Invisible
The pains of Purgatory, according to the Doctors of the Church, resemble those of hell, except that in the former place there is hope, and its duration is limited: the pain of loss and the pain of the senses are there.
For the souls who suffer in Purgatory the penalty of loss is the sorrow occasioned by the temporary privation of the sight of God.
On leaving the body, the soul finds itself before the face of God, in presence of His glory: it is struck and dazzled by the amiability of His majesty. God is then Judge, Notwithstanding His heart, or His paternal tenderness, not finding it entirely exempt from sin. He must condemn it to undergo the expiations of a severe and painful prison. Yet if in this place of expiation these souls could forget God! but no, this is impossible: it is necessary that they remember Him always, that they think unceasingly of that immense, infinite, and sovereign Good whom they invoke every moment with ail their strength, whom they eagerly desire and covet. Eacli instant they believe they see and grcisp Him, each moment they rush with incredible, unheard-of efforts, only to be more disappointed each time, because a powerful hand constantly draws them back and an interior voice cries to them, "Stop! You are not yet sufficiently pure." This is an immeasurable torment.
Purgatory according to Saint Frances
Saint Frances of Rome, in a vision of which we have already spoken, learned that as soon as the soul has left the body the angel guardian presents to the Almighty 'he account of its good works, whilst the devils accuse it of its faults. The sovereign Judge pronounces in favor of souls when they have not finished their earthly life in the State of mortal sin. The angels then conduct them to Purgatory; they are there punished according to the guilt and number of their sins, and their celestial guides remain at the right of their prison to conduct them to heaven when the term of expiation is completed. The evil spirits who have tempted the souls are chained on the left of Purgator}^ They cannot hurt them more, but, by divine permission, they reproach them for the faults whicli they are expiating, and howl with regret for having lost them, because Lucifer will punish themselves with new cliastisements.
The souls partly purified quit the lower places of Purgatoiy and ascend higher and liigiier; their sufferings diminish in the same proportion, and they become insensibly pure and luminous.
These suffering souls know their reciprocal faults; they are aware that they are justly punished, and that they merit still greater pains. The consciousness of the mercy of God and the certainty of seeing Him one day console and support them.
Practice
From time to time devoutly press your crucifix to your lips, with an ejaculatory prayer like that which follows.
Prayer
Where then is He, the soul of my soul and the life of my life? Where then is He, the Spouse of the soul sighing for God, that weeps and laments as a hell the torment of not possessing Him? In vain I seek Him on this bed of flames and in this darkness; I find Him not, and my love, instead of Him, grasps but the night, and embraces only nothingness. O my Beloved, why dost Thou conceal Thyself? Oh! I pray Thee, rend this veil of darkness which prevents me from seeing Thee, and draw me with all Thy elect by the beauty of Thy eternal gaze! O justice of my God! since it is necessary that love must pay Thee all its debt, ah! strike but with one blow this love so impatient to satisfy Thee; multiply my sufferings, but shorten the time, and, if it is necessary, give to a minute ages of anguish; better all torture be spread than the misfortune of waiting for it. I love, oh! yes, I love Jesus Christ, my Love; and my greatest suffering is not finding Him Who, in espousing me on earth, has promised heaven for the eternal nuptials!
O Jesus, listen to these accents of the souls in Purgatory of which we are the echoes, and accept the humble indulgenced prayer which we add in their name:
My sweetest Jesus, be not my Judge, but my Saviour!
- text taken from Month of the Dead by Father Celestin Cloquet, translated by a Sister of Mercy, with the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael Augustine Corrigan, Archdiocese of New York, 18 October 1886