"How mysterious it all is! Some of these souls so dear to God are comforted today; and others are leaving Purgatory to enter into the Beatific Vision to see God face to face. What a moment! It thrills me with happiness to think of it; to see Our Lord, to enjoy His beauty, to love Him forever. But these thoughts ought to guide my entire life, for the least of my actions have eternal repercussions, because there are degrees of glory in heaven. I must ask Our Lord to hollow out in my soul deep abysses of desire and of love - of love above all, because on the earth I have this unique privilege of visibly increasing this love. I will ask Our Lord for that; it is all that matters."The monk's words express two great thoughts which ought to occupy me today: The happiness of the souls admitted into the Great Presence, thanks to the prayers that someone has said for them, and the urgency of my sanctity, since I will be rewarded eternally according to the measure of the desire and the love I possessed on earth. So long as I am on earth, I can increase my merits. I must not fail in that, not so much for personal concern but for God's glory, through a desire of rendering Him eternally a greater praise.
"My God, deliver the souls from Purgatory. Help those whom you still retain in the place of purification, support their suffering, and give me the grace to live more and more holily, that I may see You more quickly after my death, and love You more in eternity."
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
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