These last two weeks before Advent, the Scriptures speak of the end of time when all things will be made new. The Church gathers us together to help us prepare. At the end of our life, what will we be able to say?

This month dedicated to our praying for the poor souls in purgatory gives us the opportunity to think about what purgatory is and the likelihood of us being there.

Purgatory is a period after our death, when we are suspended from seeing God. It is a purification of love that purifies our souls from sins for which we have not repented or for which we have not done penance.

The children at Fatima were given a vision of purgatory, which Lucia refused to reveal. She said no one should witness a soul who cannot see God. “Pray for the souls, pray for the souls,” she said.

My dear friends, purgatory is a reality in our journey to heaven. We should think about our lives; what we have done wrong or what we have failed to do, to perfect ourselves in the virtues and produce for Christ the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

If we only had these last two weeks until the end of our lives, what could be said of us? Did we teach our children how to pray especially for the poor souls in purgatory? Have we taught them to remember the least soul who has no one to pray for them?

Have they learned how to pray for us? Have we showed them by our example what it means to pray in the Church, in the quiet of our own rooms?

We are on the right path however as our parish gathers on the mountain of God’s glory this Sunday to partake of His Holy Eucharist and encounter Christ’s holy Word.  With these gifts, we can attain happiness and the courage to march on in our Christian confession with courage and grace.