For the Poor Souls in Purgatory
Saints: All Saints of Wales; Blessed George Napier (-1610); Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, Patroness of those who have lost their parents (1880-1906)
Readings of the Day
Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 31:13-19
Mass: Titus 2:1-8, 11-14; Resp Ps 37; Lk 17:7-10
Take delight in the Lord.
MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,
SAINT GERTRUDE THE GREAT,
SAINT NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINO,
SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,
PRAY FOR US.
We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.
(Lk 17:10)
During the month of November as we pray for the faithful departed, and especially for those brothers and sisters in purgatory, we remind ourselves of Saint Benedict's Tools for Good Works. Our holy father Benedict exhorts us to yearn for everlasting life with holy desire; to remind ourselves daily that we are going to die (see Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:46-47). We must be about keeping careful watch over all we do (see RB 4:48) here on earth so as to prepare for union with God. Not to be overly scrupulous by any means, but rather, as Saint Paul exhorts younger men in today's first reading, we should model good deeds in every respect, with integrity ... (see Titus 2:6-7). We had the list of qualities to emulate in yesterday's Daily Lectio reflection, and Saint Paul gives us more today. Older men should be temperate, dignified, sound in faith, and so on. Older women should be reverent in their behavior, teaching what is good, training younger women in the faith (see Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur for how to go about that. She was awesome), and so on. Saint Paul provides a good summary for us: "The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age ... eager to do good (Titus 2:11-14). And if all else fails, we turn again to the monastery cellarer who knows that a kind word is better than the best gift (see RB 31:14). Essentially, we do what we are obliged to do expecting nothing in return while on this earth. Our reward will be great in heaven. Everything passes. In the evening of life, nothing remains but love. Everything must be done for love ... I am going to the light, to love, to life (Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, November 1, 1906, just days before her death on November 9, 1906).
Purgatory is not an eternal punishment, but a place of preparation, of making satisfaction for the effects of sin, and of being made ready for the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb. As we pray for our brothers and sisters in purgatory, let us live our earthly life preparing for this union with Christ.
(Magnificat, November 8, 2022, Prayer for the Morning, Commentary on the Canticle of Tobit, p. 110)
I would go so far as to say that if there was not purgatory, then we would have to invent it, for who would dare say of himself that he was able to stand directly before God ... 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 sympathy of being.
(Pope Benedict XVI)*
ALL SAINTS OF WALES,
BLESSED GEORGE NAPIER,
SAINT ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY,
PRAY FOR US.
*NB. From what I can gather, these words from the Pope Emeritus come from Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, God and the World: A Conversation with Peter Seewald (Ignatius, 2002).
Today's photo: These roses a gift from a faithful reader visiting family in Davis, CA. Trust in the Lord and do good.
© Gertrude Feick 2022
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