Spiritual Corner --The Immortal Soul

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11: 25-26) Life and death are inevitable, no one can escape death. Yet Christianity is the only religion on earth telling people where the soul will go after death and that the soul is immortal.

In the book “The Immortal Soul” (Meine Erlebnisse mit Armen Seelen), the poor soul through Maria Simma reminds people “Only in future life, you will know the consequences of what you did every year, every day, every hour in your past life, or what you can do to bring good results. Only at that time you will understand how you have wasted your life. Thus, we should do good deeds while living. If people know about their future lives, they will make all efforts to prepare for the beginning of the next life.” “In the month of all souls, the poor souls are benefitted by the mercy of the Holy Mother. To the poor souls, November is a month of indulgence.”

How can we help the poor souls? 1. The most effective is the holy sacrifice of the Mass, nothing can take its place. 2. Atoning suffering, physical or spiritual, offered for the poor souls obtains great relief for them. 3. Saying the rosary. 4. The devotion of the Way of the Holy Cross. 5. Indulgences are invaluable. Whoever during life is eager to apply indulgence to the poor souls will more than others receive the graces to gain perfectly that special indulgence at the hour of death. 6. All giving and other good works especially donations for the World Missions. 7. Burning the candles helps the poor souls, first, because it is an act of thoughtfulness and charity, and second, because the candles have been blessed and can illuminate the darkness of the poor souls. 8.The sprinkling of holy water also alleviates the pain. One day when Maria was going out and sprinkled some holy water for the poor souls, a voice was heard saying, “More!” All these comforting means do not help all in equal measures. Who did not value Holy Mass during life will not find Mass efficacious for them in purgatory either. One soul who had been negligent in attending mass was allowed to ask for eight masses because, when alive, she had once had eight masses offered for a poor soul.”

“Souls of Catholics have to endure greater sufferings than those of Protestants. Pagans, on the other hand, have still a lighter purgatory, but they receive less help and have to suffer longer. Catholics receive more help and are released quicker. (p.64) Whoever in this life thinks that purgatory is harmless and of no account will have to pay for it severely.”

“The inspiration Maria received from the purgatory was: There is a balance between God’s love and justice. Every soul deserves his/her sufferings and has to repent of his/her failings.”

May the poor souls remind and help us to be more grateful and to treasure every minute and every second God gives us. Amen!

Sr. Thomas Lo