When Praying for the Souls Gets Real...

My cousin died, very unexpectedly,
last week.  She made her husband's  lunch.  She called her children, then she went to bed and sleep.  The next morning, her husband was not able to wake her.  She was pronounced dead in spite of heroic efforts of her husband to revive her. 

I received a text at morning Mass regarding her death.  The text came in the middle of Mass, so I shut my phone off without looking at the text.  It wasn't until later that I read the message. 

The name on the text was not familiar to me, but it came off of Facebook.  I checked the sender's page to discover that the sender was my second cousin who had been requested by Facebook to use his actual name, instead of the nickname he had chosen.  (No judgment, just frustration.)

I was sitting at breakfast when I realized that it was my 58 year old first cousin how had died in her sleep.  

I quickly said the St. Gertrude Prayer for my cousin.  She was in decent health at the time of her death.  The coroner signed off saying her death was due to a heart attack.   I also went back to church to schedule some Masses for the repose of her soul.  Is she in Purgatory?  I don't know.  Did she go directly to heaven?  Again, I don't know.  Did she go to hell?  I don't know.  I certainly hope and pray that she didn't, but again, we don't know. 

I am going to assume that my cousin is in Heaven or Purgatory.  If she is in Purgatory, there is nothing she can do for herself.  She must endure the purging of her soul, which will bring her to heaven.  The pains of Purgatory are quite real.  Those who are in Purgatory, while suffering greatly,
rejoice in their sufferings and pray for those who are still on earth.  They know they are holy.  They know they are saved, but they have not achieved perfection and must suffer until they do.

We, on earth, can help the dear Souls.  We can pray for the souls daily, hourly.  We can offer our Masses for them.  We can have Masses said for them.  We can pray the Divine Mercy for them.   All of these offerings to God, relieve the Souls in Purgatory and help them gain heaven.  Right now, I am storming heaven with prayers for my cousin.  If she's not in Purgatory, then the prayers I offer will go to someone else.  If she is in Purgatory, then my prayers will help her. 

I hope she is out of Purgatory soon.  If you can see your way to offer a prayer for her, that would be most appreciated.   We want her to be in heaven soon.