I took this picture of the caterpillars on September 26. In some areas of the country, there would be no problem. Here, in southern Minnesota, I wonder if it is too late for these beautiful creatures to turn into butterflies before the first frost.
The butterfly migration has already begun.
Last week, there were many butterflies fluttering around. This week, I've only seen one or two monarchs.
I don't know if these guys will make it, but if they do, I applaud them, and I thank God for the gift of these beautiful creatures.
The analogy of the caterpillar turning into a butterfly is a comparison of death into life.
As Catholics, we believe that when we die, our immortal soul lives on into eternity. Our life, which was our time of merit, our time to get to know God, to love Him and serve Him, ends, and we face God for an accounting of our life. At that moment, we know our fate: Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.
Few souls go directly to heaven. The ones who go directly to heaven, are the souls who were purified, tested, and tried in life, and overcame their times of tribulation loving God and serving Him with joy.
The souls who go to hell are the souls who have no love for God. They served other gods in their lives. Money, sex, power were their gods, even if they considered themselves good people. Their service was to themselves and not to God. They sinned and refused to repent. They did it "their way." There is no room in hell for God or for love. Hell is real, and souls do go there. Where as heaven is love, hell is no love. Hell is emptiness and pain. God does not go there. God separated heaven and hell with a chasm and souls cannot cross that chasm.
Hell is not where I want to be.
Souls can be saved, even some of the greatest sinners can be saved with prayer.
Oh, My Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the Fires of Hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy Mercy.
Pray and know that you are helping to save souls.
The rest of the souls go to Purgatory. Purgatory is a place of final purgation where souls who died before they were purified before they die. Most souls find themselves in Purgatory and are grateful to God. We must be pure to enter heaven. Purgatory is God's gift to us so that this can happen, and souls suffer greatly in Purgatory. They cannot pray for themselves, they can only pray for others and repent. When they are purified, they enter into paradise, but that can take a very long time. We are the only ones who can help them by our prayers, offering Masses for them, offering our joys and sufferings for them...This prayer written by St. Gertrude is said to release 1,000 souls each time it's prayed.
Eternal Father, I offer you the most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world, in reparation for sins, for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those within my own home, and within my family. Amen.
All Praise and honor be to the Precious blood of Jesus, for it wrought our salvation and our redemption. Amen.
So pray, that like these little monarchs, it's not too late for your immortal soul or the souls of others. Pray that your time on earth will be judged a time of merit and not loss.
God wants all of His Children with Him in Paradise.
We were redeemed by Jesus, but The Father gave us free will.
We can choose to be holy or not.
God does not force holiness on His children.
Redemption is the gift.
What we do with that gift is up to us.
Pray daily for the salvation of souls.
Pray daily for the salvation of your soul.
Pray for the souls in Purgatory.
With prayer, we will be using one of God's gifts to us.
We will be drawing closer to Him and growing in holiness.
Amen.
Allelujiah.
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