The Church Suffering

June is the month devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, after being shown the Sacred Heart, was asked to spread devotion to it. St. Margaret Mary was often visited by souls in purgatory and would recommend to families who had recently lost loved ones to pray Novenas to the Sacred heart for the release of their loved ones from purgatory. There's a beautiful site called Daily Pilgrimage to Purgatory where you can read more about St. Margaret Mary and her love for the souls in purgatory.

We live in a day and age where many people don't believe in God and, if they do, many of them believe that everyone goes straight to heaven. They focus completely on God's mercy - not understanding that justice and mercy walk hand in hand. Without justice pure chaos would reign both now and in the afterlife!  There are also those who offer a Mass and a prayer or two for their loved ones and then assume that is sufficient and do no more. Meanwhile, there are souls in very deep need who are suffering terribly in purgatory all but forgotten by those on earth. During the apparitions at Fatima to the three children, Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, our lady spoke of one of their friends being in purgatory until the end of time. According to Lucia, Amelia was between the ages of eighteen and twenty and often visited her home to learn weaving from Lucia's older sister. Until the end of time. Can you imagine the suffering this young woman underwent and is still going through? Lucia was shocked!

Scary thought, isn't it? And yet, this young woman was likely no worse than the average person of today. To Lucia she always seemed kind and friendly so we cannot even go by the outward appearance of goodness when it comes to those who have died. We must pray for everyone in Purgatory because it is through the offering up of our prayers, good works, and sufferings that these souls are released. They are completely dependant on us.

I pray for the souls in Purgatory every day. We can offer Masses for them, Rosaries or other prayers, or even offer simple daily tasks up for them. One thing I do that I would like to share is this:

Everyone has to clean their house, right? Well, I unite all my kitchen duties with Jesus' work here on earth and I offer it up for those in Purgatory. While wiping down the kitchen and cleaning the dishes I sing prayers, hymns and psalms for them. This has become such a daily joy for me that I no longer even use the dishwasher because I try to stretch out the time it takes as long as possible. And as an added side benefit:

My kitchen is immaculate!