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The living God is a 'Holy Fire', blazing with love in our sanctuary, it seems, as we gather to offer Him honour and praise in His house of prayer, through the Holy Mysteries. Christ is Present; with His Angels and Saints, enfolded in the glory of the Father: glory into which we hope to plunge at death, having been purified in the Sacred Liturgy. Our reverent attention should be drawn towards God, for Whose glory this Church was built.

When we die, perhaps unexpectedly, a person is in one of three states: either standing in the Light of God, ready to enter Heaven, or still at the foot of the stairway to Heaven, so that our Purgatory will consist of necessary purification, or else still trapped, by our free choice, in a grossly selfish way of life: trapped in unrepented sin, unable to enter Heaven, and therefore in Hell for all Eternity.

There are many types of sin, including the sin of many priests who lead people away by their own mistaken interpretation of the teachings of the Church, or the watering-down of sound doctrine. They will see this after death in shame and remorse, and will be purified in Purgatory.

There is only one Heaven: the one that people can hope to enter because of what Christ has done to make a way in, to give us access to the Father. There is no other Heaven. Only through union with Christ can people enter, some straight away, others - if not in mortal sin - after some purification.

When we expand our prayers for people on Earth, and pray for people now in Purgatory, we can look upon the Holy Souls as blessed souls; for despite the sufferings of their purification they are glad to have avoided Hell - which has engulfed so many careless sinners.

There is one way into Heaven, made by Christ. It is found by people who walk along the road marked out by Christ. By repentance and Baptism, people are made radiant with Divine grace, ready to walk through the gates of Heaven when they die. Even the person in mortal sin, if he descends from his isolation, can be purified and made worthy to enter.

Those who really love God, and who are 'children of God', and who remain faithful until death, can expect a warm greeting from God when they die, even if some purification is still necessary. If a grandmother on earth reacts with delight as her little grandson reaches out in love to embrace her, does not God our Father greet with delight each of the 'children of God' - brothers and sisters of Christ - Whom He had invited to come home to Heaven and who have accepted?

The souls in Purgatory are faithful people, some of whom are still marred by attitudes unworthy of Heaven - hence the need for the purification wrought in each person by the Holy Spirit. No-one can enter Heaven unless full of gratitude, joy and humility. No-one can go in, still thinking, about his health in earthly life, or other matters: "Why should I be treated like this? I deserve better".

The souls in Purgatory are faithful people, some of whom are still marred by attitudes unworthy of Heaven - hence the need for the purification wrought in each person by the Holy Spirit. No-one can enter Heaven unless full of gratitude, joy and humility. No-one can go in, still thinking, about his health in earthly life, or other matters: "Why should I be treated like this? I deserve better".

A Christian artist is right to use images of a font or a full-immersion Baptismal pool in paintings, as reminders of the process of conversion and sanctification. This is the path the Heaven: the path which leads through Baptism to union with the Blessed Trinity - and, as life continues, a way of even deeper purification necessary because of day-to-day sins.

A person who has repented of mortal sin, and has been forgiven, after years of neglect of the spiritual life, is like a seaside shack after a furious storm. Even if it is still standing, and the rain is kept out for the occupant, it will need many repairs before it is a comfortable home. Much penance and prayer is necessary, to purify a sinner, and repair what had been damaged in him by prolonged self-love.

Those Holy Souls whose time of Purification has nearly ended are like people who slowly ascend a great stairway, clad in their best garments, aware that they will have the privilege, very soon, of being announced to Royalty. The Holy Souls make no complaints, aware that at the top of the stairs they will be greeted by the King of Heaven, with joy, and by His Virgin Mother.

It is the Holy Spirit Who carries the souls of faithful people, when they have died, across the Abyss which separates earth from Heaven. By our intercessions, in the power of Christ, we can help others to remain faithful until death and so to fly across the Abyss, far above Satan's kingdom, to fly swiftly into the glory of Heaven or to rest for a while, as if on a little ledge, hidden below the glory, which represents Purgatory - where souls are purified and made worthy of Heaven.

The Holy Spirit carries all faithful souls across the Abyss which separates earth from Heaven - though He does not carry all straight into Heaven, but to a place of purification, if they are not yet worthy. This place, called Purgatory, is represented here by the little ledge on the side of the cliff. The Holy Souls can see the fearsome depths below, and know that by God's grace they have been saved from falling into them.

It is as if the Holy Souls are undergoing purification by reflecting, just below Heaven, within sight of the Abyss that leads to Hell, how good God is, who has rescued them from sin and disaster. They are helped by our prayers - and by the prayers of the Saints, which are like lifelines: long ropes let down from Heaven, so that the Holy Souls can be pulled up to glory.

The souls in Purgatory suffer amidst the clouds of remorse and sin from which they are being purified. They desperately want our prayers, to aid them in their preparation for Heaven, by God's grace. It is tragic that many Catholics are careless about having a Mass said for the dead, or praying in private, and even more tragic that many Christians don't believe prayer for the Departed is necessary, despite its scriptural warrant. They in fact abandon their departed friends and relations.

Everyone who sincerely repents of his sins, before he dies, will be forgiven by God, as Christ has promised. Yet someone who has acted with unimaginable cruelty is left in great need of penance and purification. He can find that, in Purgatory, he is allowed to reflect on his great wickedness, and on the mercy of God who has saved him from Hell, in circumstances similar to those in which he once confined his victims. It will be a long time before he is ready for Heaven.

It's as if the Holy Souls are invited to wait, on a ledge, able to see the Abyss from which God has saved them. They cannot yet enter Heaven. Some people need a lengthy purification because, when on earth, they made compromises with the world which were scandalous or shameful, in the sight of God, Who sees everything. When our attempts to 'fit in' lead us to scorn or disobey God's Commandments, we shall have a prolonged Purgatory to endure, to be made worthy of Heaven, even when we have confessed our sins before we die.

Even if we were to avoid sports or obvious dangers there is no time in life, no matter how happy, when an accident can't happen - just as a skier might suddenly fall, or hit a hidden tree-stump. What counts in ordinary life is faith in God. If we trust in God, He gives us strength and patience in our troubles, and also allows them to purify us so that we are worthy of Heaven: His free gift to His friends.

Will the 'gates of Paradise' open for you and me? Each of us should ponder the question from time to time, in order to refocus on our priorities. If we are true to Christ, on a journey of love, obedient to the Father's Will and loving our neighbour, we shall continue at death on the very same journey, to the heart of the Blessed Trinity, even if we need some purification before we enter our Home.