Thought for the Day – 8 November – They Advantages of Devotion to the Souls in Purgatory

Thought for the Day – 8 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Advantages of Devotion
to the Souls in Purgatory

“As Sacred Scripture says, it is a holy and wholesome thought, to pray for the dead (2 Mac 12:46).
Besides being profitable to them, however, it is profitable to ourselves too.
There are two reasons for this:
(a) Devotion to the Faithful Departed reminds us, that even venial sin, carelessness and tepidity, will one day be punished with terrible severity.
As a result, we are encouraged in our efforts to lead better lives;
(b) In the second place, we all know, that the souls in Purgatory are holy and are already in the antechamber of Paradise, which they yearn to reach but from which they are kept far apart, by the imperfections which they have still to purify.
If we can help them by our prayers to enter Heaven, even a little earlier than they had expected, they will certainly intercede for us with God at all times and, especially at the moment of death.
In their gratitude, they will implore for us,. all the graces of which we stand in need.
“Whatever we do for the departed souls,” says St Ambrose, “redounds to our own benefit; after death it will be restored to us with interest!”

While we are assisting our dear ones to ascend ,as soon as possible, into the everlasting happiness of Heaven, it is comforting to know, that one day, their patronage will enable us to join them there.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci