We owe it to our own interests to help the souls in Purgatory.
For, first, these good souls which we have withdrawn from their prison and introduced into Heaven will be our protectors in the presence of God, and will there pray continually for us.
Secondly, Jesus Christ Himself will be our advocate, as being also indebted to us, seeing that He was in prison in the person of one of His members, and we withdrew Him from it; He was thirsty, and we made Him drink from the fountain of life. Oh, if the works of mercy here below, if the glass of cold water given to a poor man, touch His heart and obtain for us an eternal recompense, what will He not do in return for the still more excellent mercy which is exercised on behalf of the suffering souls in Purgatory?
Thirdly, if it be written that we shall be treated as we treat others, God will not permit us to be forgotten when we in our turn shall be in the place of expiation, or He Himself will apply to us the merits which have no other destination, such as there are when those for whom they are offered have been damned, or have already entered into Heaven; whilst He will allow those who have not been helpful to their deceased brethren to languish without any succor being given them.
Fourthly, at the same time that we procure for ourselves such great advantages, we shall lose nothing of the merits which we offer for the solace of these souls; for there will always remain to us the merit of charity, which abundantly compensates all that we give up for their deliverance. Would it not then be to understand our own interests very badly if we had no zeal for the solace of the souls in Purgatory?
-- Hamon,
Meditations
