Every soul in Purgatory, before coming there, appears before the judgment seat of Christ and there recognizes its state before God, and (as many theologians tell us) makes an act of perfect contrition and fervent love, by which all the guilt of sin still attaching to it is removed. It is, as far as its own intrinsic condition is concerned, ready to appear in the immediate presence of God, and to enjoy the Beatific Vision for ever. O happy souls that die in a state of grace, and are united to God by bonds that no power on earth or Hell can sever!
This act of perfect contrition also implies a detestation of all venial sin, and of anything that interferes with the pure love of God. But it does not remove the debt that still has to be paid. It is rather the very intensity of the act of contrition that will make the soul long to do penance, and cause it to rejoice in being buried in Purgatory until the justice of God is satisfied. How differently I shall then view my sins! How I shall loathe and detest the folly that led me to prefer to the will of God what was hateful in itself, and more hateful still by reason of the Divine prohibition!
These Holy Souls will, however, gain no merit by their act of contrition and love. They will indeed receive the assistance of actual grace in proportion to the degree of sanctifying grace in which they died, but their co-operation with it will not add to their glory in Heaven, or shorten their Purgatory. After death, no redemption; no power to shake off the temporal punishment of a single sin. Pray that you may lose no opportunity of merit while on earth.
by the Rev. R.F. Clarke, S.J.
