Please, don't forget us!

Please, don’t forget us!

Words from those who cannot help themselves and know they have you to speak for their time in purgatory.  Here we find many that God has allowed to seek out our prayers to ask for release from their captivity awaiting release into paradise.  We who are the Church Militant are able to pray for ourselves and if selected by God are able to seek the souls’ release from purgatory as well.    

After writing over 7 articles on purgatory it isn’t strange to feel the presence of one or more souls waiting for my prayers at night or at mass.  This evening the thought or somehow a message came to me as I read the reading from Philippeans in the office for Monday of the 26th week in ordinary time.  Paul, talking about the progress of the gospel while in prison said:  “For to me life is Christ, and death is gain  If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.  And I do not know which I shall choose.  I am caught between the two.  I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better.  Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.  And this I know with confidence, that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound on account of me when I come to you again”  (Phil 1: 21 - 26).    

Of course my position is not to forego the needs of those in purgatory, but the thought of being away from this life would betray the mission I have been called to perform.  It’s as though some of those whom I can visualize  are saying stay with us for we need your prayers.  

As I reflect back to a couple of instances where God wouldn’t allow me to leave too quickly.  It has been 27 years since I had cancer, yet the recovery and no more cancer at least allowed me to be chosen for this ministry of at least praying for poor souls.  Then a little over a year and a half ago I was hospitalized with covid-19.  The doctor told my wife the first night I had a better chance of dying than living.  Again, after 12 days in ICU I came home never even realizing I was close to death.  There isn’t a halo covering me but the Lord will save those he selects to do what might appear as a simple task when we are called for the lives of others  

Since I have written about feeling the presence of souls and hearing many mornings someone calling me; Ralph!  When I asked my wife what she wanted, her response was that it wasn’t me.    

So much for the doubt that these souls do communicate with us.

Perhaps my thoughts or what I read about Paul sent a message to them.  I don’t know if they can read our thoughts, but the indication that they might lose a benefactor was an uneasy feeling for them.

With all the bad news regarding politics and an enormous feeling of socialism encroaching, we need a phase of praying for others, especially the poor souls in purgatory.

Ralph B. Hathaway