The Catholic Church developed its understanding of the reality of purgatory aided by Scripture texts that speak of the purification of souls after death (see 2 Macc 12:39-45) and of a purifying fire (1 Cor 3:12-15).
The book of Revelation (Rev 21:27) also tells us that nothing impure will enter heaven, and since no one dies totally clean, totally sinless, this suggests some form of spiritual cleansing after death so that the righteous can then enter heaven. This idea has been reinforced by the teachings of the Church Fathers and the writings - and visions - of the saints.
Pope Benedict XVI, in Spe Salvi 2007 (see nos. 45-48), in a refreshingly ecumenical spirit, explores the possibility that this saving fire is the burning and purifying gaze of Christ (cf. Rev 1:14).
Our own experience of life further supports this sense of purification after death. All of us who sincerely seek God know that if we were to die today, despite all our sincere desires, we would still need purification after death in order to be prepared to see Him. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.". We know that our hearts are not yet pure enough for this: they need a complete purification and our eyesight needs a "cataract removal". spiritual so that his crust of impurity may be removed, just as old Tobit had those scales removed from his eyes (cf. Tobit 3:17; 11:10-15). There is also a just punishment to suffer. God has forgiven our sins but, as a matter of justice and in order for us to be fully conscious of the evil we did (and thus with medicinal intent), we require a temporary punishment to compensate for our wrongdoing.
Purgatory is also like the pain of looking at the sun: God dwells in glory and our poor vision must begin to get used to that light before it can fully rise to share it. Finally, purgatory frees us from our bondage, like the suffering an addict must feel in order to let go of his addiction and thus enjoy the freedom of a life without it.
There is a whole range of possible texts for today's Mass readings, but they all point in different ways to the reality of death and Christ's victory over it. Today - and the month that follows - is also a great opportunity to pray for our departed loved ones, and for all the souls in Purgatory, thus living out in a practical way the doctrine of the Communion of Saints and exercising exquisite charity towards those who cannot help themselves, just as we will be deeply grateful to those who pray for us when our time in Purgatory comes.
