Purgatory, Part One

April 23, 2006

Jesus brought me again to purgatory. I found that I was back in the park area. I rested by a large tree that I had seen the last time. Jesus indicated a bridge, which I studied. The reason I was interested in the construction of the bridge is because it was so artistically built with beautiful stone, sanded down to smoothness, and stones all intricately arranged. It crossed over a stream, arching a bit in the middle. I considered that souls had designed this in heaven and built it here and I thought it was a beautiful example that Christ will use any talents we might have.

Jesus prompted me to cross over and I did. I found myself in an area where people sat together at round tables and talked. I moved between the tables and listened. People were from different time periods, but they were all at this same area of purification. I heard statements like the following:

I did not accept God’s grace.

I refused to open myself to His help.

I see that I did not want God’s help.

I prevented God from enlightening me.

It was clear to me that these souls were helping each other to understand where they rejected Christ in their lives on earth. This park-like area is the final area of purgatory. These souls were all still in purgatory, still completing their purification process.

It was always clear to me that the best way to help someone with an alcohol addiction was to refer them to Alcoholics Anonymous. That program of 12 steps relies on God’s grace to move souls through a process of accepting mistakes and taking responsibility. Additionally, I have seen that a support group for victims, made up of victims, is most beneficial in helping souls to come to terms with being abused.

This seemed similar in that souls were voluntarily examining where they had rejected God in their lives, thereby rejecting His grace so that they would not have to change. Souls were helping each other to understand where and how they had taken turns against Christ. These souls had long since been confronted with their sins and made reparation for them. This, the end of the purification process, was a more gentle, higher level of self-acceptance and awareness. A big part of the healing came from the acceptance and understanding of their brothers and sisters around them, who were involved in the same part of the process.

I asked Jesus how our prayers affected these souls, given what I understand that they cannot help themselves. He said that our prayers help a soul to move through the process more quickly.

I asked about the souls who had nobody to pray for them. He said that many prayers are offered for souls who are already in heaven. These prayers are applied with perfect justice to others. The concept of perfect justice, by the way, is one that I could rest in for two weeks if I had the time because it takes into account all that has ever happened as well as all that will ever happen. It is way too advanced for my brain but it would be fun to sit with, all the same. What struck me most in this area was the love that these souls had for each other. There was such camaraderie and understanding and acceptance. I noted different races, by the way, as well as different periods, which told me that souls take different amounts of time to get through purgatory because some souls were from a more modern era than others. All were at peace and all were content and contemplative in their self-examination.

Another feature that jumped out at me was the total absence of falseness. There is no phoniness, no fake humility or pretending to care about someone. It’s all perfectly honest and perfectly safe, emotionally speaking, as well as every other way of speaking.

Jesus prompted me to cross over yet another bridge, not exactly the same as the last but also beautifully designed and built. I did, after admiring the bridge itself, and found myself in another area. This was the same park, but an area separated from the last and actually the last stop in purgatory before going to heaven.

This is what I saw. Souls were with others, not all of whom were from purgatory. Jesus allowed me to know that souls in this area could see and talk to souls who could come to them from heaven. In other words, souls in heaven can visit loved ones here in this last area. I understood that they come to bring them to Christ. This is distinct from other areas of purgatory, where souls from heaven can check in on loved ones but the loved one in purgatory cannot see or interact with them, in the same way that we on earth do not have the eyes to see these heavenly souls when they are near us.

My understanding is this and I know that someone will correct me if I am getting this wrong. Souls in heaven can visit souls in purgatory but the soul in purgatory cannot see them or hear them without exceptional grace. This is the very same as with us here on earth. We know God exists, despite our doubts. We know God speaks to us, despite our inability to hear Him with our ears.

As my six-year-old son said, "God is invisible and we cannot see Him. His words must be invisible too because I can’t hear them."

There are no separations in heaven. There is freedom. So if I am in purgatory and my sister is in heaven, she can come to me and see how I am getting on. She can pray for me, intercede for me, and bring me comfort. I will not necessarily know that it is she who obtains graces for me, but I will feel the progress in my growth and be consoled.

In this area, the last area before heaven, souls are coming to a final acceptance of their mistakes. This acceptance will last them for eternity. There is no judging of each other in this land of God, which includes purgatory and heaven. Souls are far too busy coming to terms with their own mistakes to point fingers at anyone else. I love it here. I love the honesty, directness, calmness, beauty, and certainty of God and His goodness. There is complete safety from ridicule or attack. I assure my reader that this purgatory is part of the heavenly Kingdom and not a bad place to be. Compared to earth, it is wonderful, regardless of the area you land in.

Back to the final area, Jesus said, "Anne, this is the most grace-filled area of purgatory. Let Me show you the grace."

With that, I sensed Him lift His arm and suddenly I saw the most beautiful blue sparkling rays of light. This light came from above and flowed slowly and continuously down into this area. I saw some souls talking together, in particular a woman talking to a man. She was a saint, already a heavenly resident, and she was here to bring this man to heaven. I thought they were brother and sister, but I do not know for certain. They loved each other and had known each other on earth. He was timid and she took him by the hand and gently urged him. There was such joy. Finally, he allowed himself to be pulled up into the blue light and away they went to heaven.

I said, "Lord, souls are a little timid. What if nobody is praying for them? Do they get stuck here, like in immigration?"

Jesus laughed. He said, "No. Every so often Our mother, Mary, will come and take everyone who is here, in this area. Here is another way it happens."

I saw a man sitting perfectly still. I knew he was ready to go to Jesus, but he was also timid. I looked up, into the light, and the man did also. I had an awareness of Christ being up in the light. I sensed Jesus smiling at this man and extending His hand. The man gave a cry of joy and rose immediately to Christ with his arms out. From my vantage point I saw Jesus wrap His arms around this man and move off into the light with him.

"That is another way it happens, Anne."

Nobody is left to languish when they are ready, it seems. I did not do justice to the ethereal quality of the light, which is actually special grace.

Jesus took me away into the misty area again. In it, He stopped me at a young boy. The boy was praying for his father, earnestly and with great passion. (I was going to say with great worry but that is the wrong word. Clearly, though, this boy wanted his father helped in a compelling way.)

Jesus listened to his prayers. I understood that there had been an accident and the father had been at fault. This boy died as a result of the accident and the father was walking down a path of sin in his anguish. The boy, who had no ill feelings for his father, only love, begged for graces.

"Your father will be assisted, My son," Jesus said to the boy’s soul, without words. The boy’s prayers calmed and quieted and suddenly the mist around him lightened and he could hear the voices of those in the park area, as I related before, much like on a summer evening, where you hear children playing in the distance. The reason this is significant is because it is the first indication of the total isolation lifting. The soul had advanced to a lighter area of purgatory in our Lord’s mercy.

I understood that this soul was not a boy, but rather a young man of 22 when he died on earth. The prayers are so pure and beautiful that they seem to come from children who are innocent and honest and loving.

We moved on, back into the deepest part of purgatory. I asked Jesus the difference between this darkest area of purgatory and hell. Jesus said that the two places were separated by eternity but that the choice between hell and purgatory is often a hair’s breath of a difference. I understood that our prayers, our offering of our day to Jesus, and then our little teeny sacrifices accepted for Christ, as well as our greatest pain and sufferings offered for Christ, can actually help make the difference between a soul choosing Christ or casting himself away from Him into hell. I cannot think of anyone I know who belongs in hell.

Souls in this cheerless, dark place are wrapped into themselves. They are studying each of their actions and the impact their actions had on everyone affected. It’s not a pretty thing to have to do if you have spent your life rejecting Christ and indeed working against Him. Most souls were silent and still. One whimpered and shifted in anguish.

I said, "Lord, what can we do for them? How can we help them?"

Jesus said, "Look."

I saw Our Lady walking through the darkness putting her little hand on each soul. I heard her whispering, "Shh. God loves you. Be at peace. You are loved." The whimpering soul quieted after she touched him. How our poor little mother loves us. We must all help her as much as possible because it is this suffering she seeks to prevent.

One thing I have to remark upon is this. Souls are safe here. They are protected. Nobody can hurt anyone else. This area, after all, is God’s area and God has custody of each soul. God has all the power. This is His jurisdiction and all is orderly. God would never allow a soul to be injured in His care and these souls, while they are in their own private "hell" if you will, with remorse, are safe and protected. What a contrast to the real hell, where souls constantly prey upon each other.