There are other thoughts still more painful, which will be continually present to the Holy Souls. "If we had used our time on earth more prudently, we might have avoided our Purgatory altogether. How often the whispers of God's grace suggested to us some pious work, some deed of charity to others, some little sacrifice of present comfort for the sake of helping those in need, some mortification of our senses, a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, the devotion of some portion of time to prayer or spiritual reading! If we had only listened and obeyed, we should be in Heaven now instead of in the agony of the tormenting fire." Am I obedient to such daily inspirations?

"If we had taken all the means in our power to atone while on earth for sins already committed, we might have anticipated a part or perhaps the whole, of our Purgatory. But we were satisfied with confessing our sins, and so getting rid of the guilt; and then we thought that we had done all that was necessary, instead of making frequent acts of contrition, and performing penances and good works with the object of freeing ourselves from the punishment still due."

"How generous God would have been to us in remitting the penalty still remaining, if we had shown an anxiety to do our part in freeing ourselves from the debt that still had to be paid. How liberal He would have been in rewarding each prayer, each aspiration, each kind word or thoughtful act! Fools that we were to prefer our own will, comfort, ease, to the holy will of God!" See what you can do to expiate past sins.