Have you ever wondered whether only saints could go straight to heaven? Have you accepted the fact that you “needed” to spend some time in purgatory before you can go to heaven?
For many years, I believed I could never escape spending some time in purgatory. After all, I don’t consider myself as “saintly”. I’m not like St. Francis of Assisi who gave away all of his possessions so he could follow Christ. And I’m not like Mother Teresa who can sacrifice her life to serve the poorest of the poor.
I’m just a regular Catholic person trying my best to live the life I have, avoiding temptations and doing as much good as I possibly can.
One day, however, I read something that changed my whole perspective about purgatory.
It all started when I read an article about St. Therese of Lisieux. In that article, I read this very inspiring quote from the saint:
“You do not have enough trust. You have too much fear before the good God. I can assure you that He is grieved over this. You should not fear Purgatory because of the suffering there, but should instead ask that you not deserve to go there in order to please God, Who so reluctantly imposes this punishment. As soon as you try to please Him in everything and have an unshakable trust He purifies you every moment in His love and He lets no sin remain. And then you can be sure that you will not have to go to Purgatory.”
Could it be that we’re not trusting God enough to deliver us from purgatory?
It is true that we may not even deserve to go to purgatory if we rely on our own merits alone. But is it a matter of counting our merits? Or is it a matter of counting upon the infinite mercy of God?
“I know that of myself I would not merit even to enter that place of expiation since only holy souls can have an entrance there. But I also know that the Fire of Love is more sanctifying than is the fire of Purgatory. I know that Jesus cannot desire useless sufferings for us and that He would not inspire the longings I feel unless He wanted to grant them.” – St. Therese of Lisieux
Here are 4 things that can help you avoid purgatory:
1. Have perfect contrition
“Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they “see him as he is,” face to face…” – Catechism of the Catholic Church (1023 )
“A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.” (1472)
Perfect contrition is that conversion and true repentance from sin out of “fervent charity” or love for Jesus Christ instead of fear of punishment.
It is when we sincerely feel sorry for our sins and we feel sorrow for offending Jesus, the One who loves us most and died for our sake.
We should make it a habit to sincerely repent of our sins and remember the love of Jesus Christ so that even when that last moment of our lives come, we are ready to receive Christ’s salvation.
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18 (NABRE)
2. Trust in the Divine Mercy
Jesus Christ told St. Faustina many ways by which we can avail of the benefits of His great mercy. Among which are the following:
“My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.” — Jesus to St. Faustina (Divine Mercy In My Soul, 1541 )
“My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment…The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the First Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.” — Jesus to St. Faustina, (Divine Mercy In My Soul, 699)
“I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory”- Jesus to St. Faustina, (Divine Mercy In My Soul, 48).
3. Pray and propagate the devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary
“I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”
This prayer consists of praying one Hail Mary for each of Mary’s seven sorrows:
a. The prophecy of Simeon.
b. The flight into Egypt.
c. The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple.
d. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
e. The Crucifixion.
f. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
g. The burial of Jesus.
4. Pray the 12 Year Devotion for the Souls in Purgatory
These prayers were said to have been given in a private revelation by Our Lord Jesus Christ to St. Bridget of Sweden. Our Lord Jesus promised several graces to all who will have this devotion. Among this is the following promise:
“The soul who will pray these prayers will suffer no purgatory.”
Purgatory Is Not Necessary
Purgatory is not a necessary step before we can get to heaven. It is a place of punishment that we can avoid with the grace and mercy of God!
God is so good that He wants to embrace us and welcome us immediately to heaven after we die. Let us not make Him wait by spending time in purgatory. Let us do our best to live holy lives and surrender the rest upon the infinite love and mercy of God!
“I often attend upon the dying and through entreaties obtain for them trust in God’s mercy, and I implore God for an abundance of divine grace, which is always victorious. God’s mercy sometimes touches the sinner at the last moment in a wondrous and mysterious way. Outwardly, it seems as if everything were lost, but it is not so. The soul, illumined by a ray of God’s powerful final grace, turns to God in the last moment with such a power of love that, in an instant, it receives from God forgiveness of sin and punishment, while outwardly it shows no sign either of repentance or of contrition, because souls [at that stage] no longer react to external things. Oh, how beyond comprehension is God’s mercy!” – St. Faustina (Divine Mercy In My Soul, 1698)
You may also want to read the book “What Should You Look Forward To In Heaven?”
The thing about hope is that it’s a positive force that shines the most when it’s dark. When everything’s going well, we hardly notice it’s there. But when things go against us, when our dreams fade and when we see no immediate reprieve from our troubles, that’s when hope does its best work for us.
"Where Hope Can Be Found"