Purgatory basically means that God can put the pieces back together again. That He can cleanse us in such a way that we are able to be with Him and can stand there in the fullness of life. Purgatory strips off from one person what is unbearable and from another the inability to bear certain things, so that in each of them a pure heart is revealed, and we can see that we all belong together in one enormous symphony of being.–Pope Benedict XVI
Pain comes from the soul. Often we are wounded by others, and then, we can be the one who injuries. We build off of our pain, and then, we seek to share it. Or we can try to escape our inner discomfort, and wounds, by seeking out pleasure, or power, or oblivion, to hide from it. To no avail. Our pain only increases.
All healing has some pain attached to it. Going to a doctor is not pleasant. Many put off going to the doctor, and live in denial, until the time comes when they have to seek help, making it many times more uncomfortable, or painful than if they would have just gone earlier.
Relationships, those that are based on true caring, and love, and not some form of obsession, or a desire to own, and manipulate, is also a process of healing, or of purgation. Whatever gets in the way of our relationship has to be let go of, which can be painful, yet in the end, if both parties seek to grow in their love for one another, there is a deep union that becomes real, that cannot be broken. Yet this can’t happen without some form of death to ways that are detrimental to union. For a friendship or a marriage, to deepen there has to be vulnerability, a certain type of bravery, which will not run from whatever is needed to allow true union to grow.
Yet, there are some areas in each of us I believe, that no one can heal, since the wounds are too deep. Also, our sins, are also death-dealing, since we seek to become our own healer, our own god, or seek something other to do what is impossible.
We can’t put together the scattered pieces of our souls. Since we do not have the power to transform ourselves at the level that only God can see, and loves. As we draw closer to God, in a conscious relationship, our need for healing, and mercy, becomes more apparent to us. We discover there are inner walls that we can’t breach, but find the over time, with faith, with inner struggle, healing comes of its own since it is God who in the end heals us. The pain that comes from that is from our souls. God is not into pain, he is into union, love, and compassion, and has a deep empathy for each human being. This love can only be described as ‘Fire’, a fire that cleanses all that blocks union, with the loving heart of the Father, as shown us through Jesus Christ. To see Christ, is to see the Father.
At death, I believe that our unconscious mind becomes fully conscious. It is then that we see ourselves as we truly are, in God’s sight, yet at the same time, we feel Gods love and invitation. If the soul seeks God, loves God, it will desire to be healed by the fire of God’s love. The smallest flame of love will be enough to start the journey of healing. The pain comes from the healing of the soul, not from God, who only seeks our union. Healing and pain, seem to be partners in a dance that only takes us deeper into joy. So the souls in purgatory are only filled with love, joy, peace, and happiness, even in the midst of a deep healing suffering that is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Purgatory is a pure grace on God’s part, since we cannot save ourselves, but need the freely given grace of Jesus Christ to lead us home. All men, and women, of good will, who seek the truth, will gladly bend their knee at the name of Jesus.
Those who reject this grace, place themselves in a place where they will not have to deal with God, truth, or others. God’s judgment, is to allow us to choose where we wish to be in complete freedom, and truth. In this life we struggle for freedom, once death comes, all barriers to truth and self-knowledge are taken away. What we do not do here, what we avoid and run from, will have to be acknowledged at death. This life is important, for here we can choose, even in the midst of great struggle, to do the loving thing, to embrace God’s will for us, which is to grow in love of God, self, and others.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Moanstery
