Holy Saturday – One More Day of Pennance

We’ve almost arrived at Easter.

As we say in the Apostles’Creed, after expiring on the cross, Our Lord descended into Hell before rising again on the 3rd day. Why did he go there of all places? This was done for the harrowing of Hell, the divine rescue mission where Jesus gathered the holy, pre-messianic souls and liberated them in preparation for heaven. This would include Adam, Eve, Abel, Moses, David, the Holy Maccabean Martyrs, and anybody else who abided God’s commandments but had not lived to see the Messiah.

The souls harrowed by Our Lord did not live in a fiery Hell like that which awaits the damned, but it was less than the full glory of heaven. He rescued them and elevated them out of “Abraham’s Bosom” as it came to be known.

One thing to remember: this is also probably one of the best days of the year for liberation of the poor souls in Purgatory. Purgatory is yet another quadrant of Hell for those needing purification before entering heaven. It is NOT as rosy as the, now empty, Bosom of Abraham. It’s hot as Hell and the souls there suffer greatly. Be sure to pray for them today and tomorrow even if you usually forget. What a tremendous Easter it would be for them to finally reach the Beatific Vision.