They keep coming seeking prayer; the souls in Purgatory.

They keep coming seeking prayer; the souls in Purgatory.

As I continue to write about the poor souls in Purgatory, I am intrigued by their constancy of not giving up when seeking our prayers.  We are reminded in Luke 18: 1-8 where the widow was relentless with the unjust judge to hear her case.  Jesus reminds us to never give up when praying to our Father; knock and the door will be opened.  In case we might forget about the case to cry out for our own needs, the poor souls have not forgotten and God has allowed them to reach out to those whom He has delegated the Grace to pray for them.  St. Gertrude is just one of many saints, mystics, and others who have been chosen to pray for these poor souls.  Her writings reflect more than one incident of prayer and how the poor souls also can help us.  They can not help themselves.    

In some of my writings on Purgatory I have alluded to the fact that I am among many whom God has sent poor souls to for my prayers.  In one reflection I addressed the fact that one did appear to me, not speaking, just standing beside my bed, and getting my attention.  They are relentless when sleep is needed and their needs for prayer take precedent.  To further the fact that one or more is around in the evening, several days ago (at night) while I was asleep and hadn’t stayed awake to pray, my wife woke up and was going to the bathroom.  As soon as she got out of bed, he was there looking at me sleeping and she knew he was probably attempting to awaken me for prayer.  My wife is not likely to hallucinate and with all our discussions about purgatory she knew what she saw was real.  He was all in black as was the one I saw earlier.

Ever since the first time I was introduced via EWTN and a documentary on Purgatory “Purgatory the Forgotten Church” (my article “Souls are Waiting”) the obsession to write about it has become more than just prose over an issue, but almost a deep spiritual journey into the unknown, yet it has opened up to my psyche an insight that never was there before.  Perhaps that was the impetus of my latest article “Encountering the Church Penitent”.  It was a dream so real I could remember every minute step of the real-life incident.  I believe I was somewhere with the poor souls who were waiting.    

Also, from all that I have read about poor souls appearing to living persons, they are always dressed in black.  No doubt that is the opposite of what they shall appear in (brilliant white) once they are released from this period of purging.  That is when their soul is being guided to heaven.  Once I asked our Blessed Mother about talking to one of them and she told me I wouldn’t want to.  The prayer is all I need and I know one or more is in my presence when I am praying, and that is enough.  

So that my articles do not give attention to myself, it is in the interest of what God has placed upon me to share these happenings and ask others to consider the need to pray for those who can not do for themselves.  It will be in the best interest of each one to take a little time to remember the poor souls, even if you never encounter one of them.  We are all part of the Communion of Saints and our role is the most important one since we have the power to relieve the suffering of others and in turn will one day be given that returned blessing.  You want power?  You now have it.  Give back some of what God has freely given you.