MARY
SUCCORS HER CLIENTS IN PURGATORY
Fortunate, indeed, are the clients
of this most compassionate Mother, for not only does she succor them in this
world, but even in purgatory they are helped and comforted by her protection.
And as in that prison poor souls are in the greatest need of assistance, since
in their torments they cannot help themselves, our Mother of Mercy does
proportionately more to relieve them. St. Bernardine of Sienna says, ' that in
that prison, where souls which are spouses of Jesus Christ are detained, Mary has
a certain dominion and plenitude of power, not only to relieve them, but even
to deliver them from their pains.' And, first, with respect to the relief she
gives, the same Saint, in applying those words of Ecclesiasticus, 'I have
walked in the waves of the sea,' adds, 'that it is by visiting and relieving
the necessities and torments of her clients, who are her children.' He then
says, 'that the pains of purgatory are called waves, because they are transitory;
unlike the pains of hell, which never end: and they are called waves of the
sea, because they are so bitter.
The clients of Mary, thus
suffering, are often visited and relieved by her.' 'See, therefore,' says
Novarinus, ' of what consequence it is to be the servant of this good Lad', for
her servants she never forgets when they are suffering in those flames; for
though Mary relieves all suffering souls in purgatory, yet she always obtains
far greater indulgence and relief for her own clients.' The Divine Mother once
addressed these words to St. Bridget: 'I am the Mother of all souls in
purgatory; for all the pains that they have deserved for their sins are every
hour, as long as they remain there, in some way mitigated by my prayers.' The
compassionate Mother even condescends to go herself occasionally into that holy
prison to visit and com fort her suffering children. And what other consolation
have they in their sufferings than Mary, and the relief they receive from this
Mother of Mercy? St. Bridget once heard Jesus say to His holy Mother, ' Thou
art My Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and the consolation of souls in purgatory.'
The Blessed Virgin herself told the Saint, ' that as a poor sick person,
bedridden, suffering, and abandoned, is relieved by words of encouragement and
consolation, so are the souls in purgatory consoled and relieved by only
hearing her name.' The mere name of Mary, that name of hope and salvation, and
which is frequently invoked by her beloved children in their prison, is a great
source of comfort to them; 'for,' says Novarinus, ' that loving Mother no
sooner hears them call upon her, than she offers her prayers to God, and these
prayers, as a heavenly dew, immediately refresh them in their burning pains.'
Mary not only consoles and relieves her clients in purgatory, but she delivers
them by her prayers. Gerson says, ' that on the day of her assumption into
heaven purgatory was entirely emptied.' Novarinus confirms this, saying, 'that
it is maintained by many grave authors, that when Mary was going to heaven, she
asked, as a favor from her Son, to take all the souls then in purgatory with
her.' 'And from that time forward,' says Gerson, ' Mary had the privilege of
delivering her servants.' St. Bernardine of Sienna also positively asserts, '
that the Blessed Virgin has the power of delivering souls from purgatory, but
particularly those of her clients: by her prayers, and by applying her merits
for them.' Novarinus says, ' that by the merits of Mary, not only are the pains
of those souls lessened, but the time of their sufferings is shortened through
her intercession.' She has only to ask, and all is done. Why should we not hope
for the same graces and favors, if we are devout clients of this good Mother?
And if we serve her with more special love, why can we not hope to go to heaven
immediately after death, without even going to purgatory? This really took
place in the case of Blessed Godfrey, to whom Mary sent the following message,
by Brother Abondo: 'Tell Brother Godfrey to endeavor to advance rapidly in
virtue, and thus he will belong to my Son and to me; and when his soul departs,
I will not allow it to go to purgatory, but will take it and offer it to my
Son.' And if we wish to relieve the holy souls in purgatory, let us do so by
imploring the aid of our Blessed Lady in all our prayers, and especially by
offering the Rosary for them, as that relieves them greatly. |
The Virgin interceding for the souls in Purgatory – Luca Giordano
|
EXAMPLE
We read, in the life of Sister
Catherine of St. Augustine, that in the place where she resided there was a
woman, of the name of Mary, who in her youth was a sinner, and in her old age
continued so obstinate in wickedness, that she was driven out of the city, and
reduced to live in a secluded cave; there she died, half consumed by disease,
and without the sacraments, and was consequently interred in a field like a
beast. Sister Catherine, who always recommended the souls of those who departed
from this world, with great fervor, to God, on hearing the unfortunate end of
this poor old woman, never thought of praying for her, and she looked upon her
(as did everyone else) as irrevocably lost. One day, four years afterwards, a
suffering soul appeared to her, and exclaimed: 'How unfortunate is my lot,
Sister Catherine; thou recommendest the souls of all those that die to God: on
my soul alone thou hast not com passion!' 'And who art thou? asked the servant
of God. 'I am,' she replied, ' that poor Mary, who died in the cave.' 'And art
thou saved? said Catherine. 'Yes,' she answered, ' by the mercy of the Blessed
Virgin Mary.' 'And how?' 'When I saw myself at the point of death, loaded with
sins, and abandoned by all, I had recourse to the Mother of God, saying, Lady,
thou art the refuge of abandoned creatures: behold me, at this moment,
abandoned by all; thou art my only hope; thou alone canst help me: have pity on
me. The Blessed Virgin obtained me the grace to make an act of contrition. I
died, and am saved; and besides this she, my Queen, obtained that my purgatory
should be shortened, by enduring, in intensity, that which otherwise would have
lasted for many years: I now only want a few masses to be entirely delivered; I
beg thee to get them, said, and on my part, I promise always to pray for thee
to God and to Mary.' Sister Catherine immediately had the masses said; and
after a few days that soul again appeared to her, shining like the sun, and
said: 'I thank thee, Catherine: behold, I go to Paradise, to sing the mercies
of my God, and to pray for thee.'
PRAYER
THE THIRTIETH DAY - MONTH OF OUR LADY
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