Most seminarians learn about the works of mercy during their formation and engage these works in various pastoral situations. And yet this knowing and doing is the point of departure on the path of holiness, not the finish line. Knowing and doing are expectations for any vocation, not only seminarians. But they can always use refinement.
The pilgrimage of this life ultimately revolves around the soul’s abandonment to reach Divine Providence. In the context of human nature, the Will of God begins when a person knows and does what is commanded by the Lord but how do we know except to follow our hearts and dreams and hope it aligns with God’s calling? God’s will finds its most magnificent incarnation when persons’ knowing and doing is carried out in their purest form by the soul.
Let’s expand on this. Let us consider that to know the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy is good; to do them, better; and to have an ever-purer reason for doing them, best.
Consider a person who angrily performs an objectively good act but is very much frustrated throughout its duration. The action may indeed benefit the recipient, but how does this objectively good act carried out angrily affect the soul of the one performing the work?
If it is true that “to do the right thing in the wrong way is somehow to do the wrong thing,” then work was performed, but how the work was performed needs further consideration and purification. The work, then, is good but not yet done as it ought to be, and if the work is not yet as it ought to be, then the person performing the work is not yet as he should be. There is always more to work on.
When closer attention and reflection are given to why and how works are being performed, the worker’s intention has the potential to be purified and so, too, how he performs the work. vocation well.
Human nature is excellent at considering what it can gain for itself in carrying out a particular action – “Lord, we have given up everything to follow you, what then will there be for us?” (Mt19:27). Perhaps a good feeling, acknowledgment, acclamation, word of thanksgiving or something else is the current answer to the question of why one engages an act of mercy or goodness. Although this may be a person’s present intention, it is not God’s desire that it remain the person’s permanent intention since the intention of the Almighty One is always pure, and we are to be like Him in all things and in all ways.
Purity of heart in its many dimensions is not easy, but it does bring along with it a promise from the Lord, the beatitude of seeing God – this is the blessedness of the saints.
So, then, to know is good; to do, better; and to do with the purest intention, best. Voila!
This very high calling “to be holy, because the Lord our God is holy” (Lev 19:2) is reinforced by our blessed Lord to those desiring to follow him – “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). For human beings on this side of heaven, perfection is unattainable, but opportunities for the soul’s ever greater purification abound without end.
The works of mercy, then, can be appreciated as incarnational exhortations that extend divine benefits to both the recipient and giver. To the receiver comes a corporal or spiritual gift from the abundance of God’s goodness using the giver who, in making the offering, himself receives the occasion for purification of purpose and manner of delivery. The purpose most of us can relate to. The manner of delivery is another thing.
In other words, every vocation—and every component of the vocation—is to become ever more spiritually distilled so that it more perfectly reflects the approach from God’s heart, with no selfishness, expectation, or personal agenda tainting it but filled, quite simply, with God’s holiness.
It is one thing for a person to know and to do, but to ask why for a purified knowing and doing is something truly blessed that unites the soul more beautifully with God and neighbor.
Purity is not just about being white. It means being true to God and following His will. We should eliminate sin so that our potential and goodness can grow. Sin can only be removed by sincerely getting close to God, as His presence is what truly brings purity.
Pure olive oil has no added substances. Pure water is just water. A pure heart is fully alive, focusing all its energy on one purpose. Only God can hold that much focus; anything else scatters our energy and attention. I sure have been thinking about Olive oil these days.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). A pure heart prepares us for God. What we perceive is His own wholeness. He is who He is and invites us to embrace our true selves.
Purity of heart develops from our pull toward God. It also requires facing our sinful tendencies that urge us to hide from ourselves, God, and others. While marital fidelity and chastity are important, purity of heart is the foundation for a faithful and chaste life (see Matthew 5:27-32). Those who focus on one purpose will find the courage to pursue virtue, even when faced with temptation and failure.
Deceit arises when we desire two things at once. We act one way but hope others believe we act another. We feel one emotion but want others to think we feel something different. Psychologists show that a divided heart is linked to issues like addiction and depression.
The heart is vital to Jesus because impurity and hypocrisy stem from divided hearts (see Luke 6:45). Jesus came not just to help us break bad habits, but to integrate our divided hearts.
What we truly are in the depths of our lives matters most to Him. Being honest about who we are is essential for healing and unity. For connection to happen, we must allow ourselves to be authentically seen. “The pure in heart will see God” (Matthew 5:8).
The purity of God’s presence is peace.
Imagine if the Cross represents the raw, open presence of God. What if, under the pain we feel, there is peace? What if God is saying, “I show myself to you, completely. I am vulnerable and open. I feel pain, need, and exhaustion. I come first. I am safe. I still exist. Will you be real with me?”
Courage comes from the Latin word for heart. It means showing who you are fully. Purity and single-mindedness take courage—the courage to be all in with God. It means letting go of who we think we should be to embrace who we are. We can be imperfect and stop pretending with God and others.
When we are honest with Him, we can also be honest with others. We can accept their flaws and struggles. While we may be patient with each other’s journey to truth or not, fully committing to God means stepping off the emotional roller coaster. Peace lies in the purity of His presence.
Purgatory is a place of mercy provided by our Lord for those who die in His grace but still need purification before entering heaven. To enter heaven, one must be pure, as nothing impure can be present there. Christ encourages us to strive for perfection, just as our heavenly Father is perfect. After death, souls come to fully understand God’s immense love shown through the life and sacrifice of Jesus. God’s love touches each soul throughout their life, prompting the question, “What more could I have done for you?”
St. Catherine of Genoa highlights God’s “burning love” as central to purgatory, which can be felt more intensely there than on earth. This intense love reveals our faults and sins more clearly. George MacDonald’s fantasy novel, Lilith: A Romance, depicts how one feels regret for their past wrongs after death, acknowledging the pain they caused to others.
Even actions we thought were good may reveal self-interest, as all our righteous acts can be flawed. We may experience shame when we realize our good deeds were gifts from God, not just our efforts. Gratitude will fill us for being in a state of grace, but we will also feel sorrow for the good we could have done. Oscar Schindler’s emotional struggle in Schindler’s List illustrates this, as he laments the lives he could have saved during the Holocaust. This reflection will make us realize how many opportunities we had to help others, leading to a desire to change our lives and embrace God’s grace.
Thinking about purgatory and our many sins will inspire us to improve and cooperate better with God’s grace. As we grow in holiness, we will see our flaws more clearly, just like those in purgatory.
The saints often expressed dread over their faults, even minor ones. St. Anthony Claret viewed himself as deeply ungrateful and the worst sinner. St. Teresa of the Andes saw herself as a “criminal nothingness,” while St. Teresa of Avila noted that those in love with God become aware of their imperfections.
St. John of the Cross explores the suffering that the soul experiences when it deeply connects with God. This soul feels the weight of its own flaws, leading to a painful inner struggle. This suffering, described as a “terrible annihilation,” is actually a path to greater holiness. Those who undergo this ordeal on Earth face a cleansing similar to that of purgatory. If they endure this here, they may not need to spend long in purgatory, or at all. The purification experienced on Earth can achieve more in an hour than many years in purgatory.
Purification isn’t only for saints; it’s a path open to everyone. God provides all the tools we need for spiritual growth during our lives. These tools include the Eucharist, other sacraments, prayer, good deeds, and accepting life’s challenges. Holy Communion is our greatest source of grace. It nurtures our love and removes minor sins while helping us avoid future ones. The Sacrament of Penance clears us of our sins, although it may not eliminate all consequences.
Prayer, especially mental prayer practiced by many saints, helps us understand faith’s mysteries. It ignites our desire for holiness and reminds us of God’s word in Scripture. Without regular prayer, the sacraments lose some of their power. The more we pray, the more the sacraments help us purify and sanctify ourselves. Good deeds show our love and help atone for our wrongdoings. Faith without actions is lifeless. Acts of charity allow us to use what God has given us—time, energy, and possessions—to build treasures in heaven. Giving to those in need can erase sins.
Embracing Everyday Challenges
One often overlooked way to grow spiritually is by accepting the challenges of daily life. The message from Fatima highlights the importance of embracing the sacrifices that come with our everyday responsibilities. Just like King Midas could turn everything into gold, our simple actions at home and work can become acts of charity when done for God’s sake. St. Therese, who lived an ordinary life filled with deep devotion, encouraged that even small tasks, like picking up a pencil, should be done with love for God.
The difficulties we face, allowed by God, can teach us valuable lessons (Heb. 12:6), make up for our faults, and help us welcome Jesus Christ more fully. St. Francis de Sales pointed out that accepting small daily struggles can greatly benefit our souls. He mentioned enduring the quirks of others, putting up with their annoying habits, controlling our own feelings, resisting less important desires, and humbly admitting our flaws. I am working on this one.
Patiently enduring hardships like unemployment, poverty, illness, and the loss of loved ones can lead to significant growth in holiness. From a Christian perspective, these challenges are opportunities for deeper spiritual enrichment.
Choosing to practice voluntary penance helps us connect more closely with Christ’s suffering. We are called to embody the dying of Jesus, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4:10.
All our efforts should stem from genuine love for God, not just a desire to avoid suffering in purgatory. True acts of penance must come from a heartfelt charity. It is love that brings about God’s love and removes sin. Jesus wished to kindle this flame of love within us throughout His time on Earth (Luke 12:49).
Isn’t it fitting for us to feel His love’s pain, especially since we have hurt Him with our shortcomings? If our love has been lacking, we will bear suffering in purgatory out of love, much like Christ. However, if our love is strong, like the Good Thief’s, then He will welcome us into Paradise at the time of our death (Luke 23:43).
References
Catechism of the Council of Trent for Parish Priests, trans. John A. McHugh and Charles J. Callan, Rockford IL, TAN, 1982, p. 297.
p. 301.
In The Spiritual Doctrine of Saint Catherine of Genoa, compiled by Cattaneo Marabotto, Rockford, IL, TAN, 1989, p. 299.
Autobiography, trans. Joseph Daries, ed., Jose Maria Vinas, Chicago, Charetian Publications, 1976, pp. 13, 232.
The Diary of Blessed Teresa of the Andes in God, the Joy of My Life, trans. Michael D. Griffin, Washington, D.C., Teresian Charism Press, 1989, p. 151.
The Book of Her Life in The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, vol. 1, trans. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez, Washington, D.C., Institute for Carmelite Studies, p. 122.
Ibid., p. 123.
The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, trans. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez, Washington, DC, Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1973, p. 339-340.
Various means of growing in charity and expiating sin are indulgenced by the Church. An indulgence remits part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin when a specific act is performed or prayer recited, and may be applied to oneself or to the souls in purgatory.
Partial indulgences are granted to:
1) acts of Christian charity done out of compassion to help those in material or spiritual need,
2) abstinence from lawful pleasures, and
3) the performance of duties and endurance of the trials of life when accompanied by trust in God and a prayer.
See The Handbook of Indulgences, Norms, and Grants (New York, Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1991) for a complete list of indulgenced prayers and works. Unfortunately, the translation of many of the prayers in this edition is inaccurate in a manner that dilutes, or in some cases distorts, doctrine. However, the book is a valuable resource and includes Pope Paul VI’s sublime Apostolic Constitution on Indulgences.
Treatise on the Love of God, trans. John K. Ryan, Rockford, IL, TAN, 1975, p. 269.
John Henry Newman, “Purity and Love” in Favorite Newman Sermons, ed. Daniel M. O’Connell, New York, The America Press, 1932, p. 169.