You commit the sins that tempt you, and I the sins that tempt me. And we all feel virtuous for not committing other people’s sins, whereas there is no virtue at all in not committing sins for which one lacks either the temptation or the constitution.

Purgatory is not somewhere between Heaven and Hell for average people. It’s an important place where many need to go for particular reasons before we enter eternal beatitude, before we enter Heaven and we’re before God face-to-face forever. One reason I can say I’m very happy to talk about purgatory and why I’m happy to go to purgatory is because purgatory is temporal. It’s not eternal.

You’re not there forever. My children have asked, “If you go to purgatory could you end up in Hell?” and the answer is, “No.” If you go to purgatory—and this is the exciting thing about purgatory— you are destined, you are certain for Heaven. And knowing that, you will have joy in purgatory.

A thought about the Holy Eucharist and our response during Mass: “The words that the priest pronounces at consecration are greater than the very words that God spoke when he brought creation into being because those words only brought creatures into being. But when the priest speaks the words of consecration, the Holy Spirit brings forth our Creator and our Redeemer. We should bow our heads and hearts and our bodies and souls low in profound awe and adoration.”

This is an amazing love—God so loves us and desires that we receive this love tangibly—He is willing to humble Himself, taking the form of bread and wine. That is how much we are loved by God. Amazing!

Death is inevitable…it shall come…we cannot always choose how we will leave a situation (employment or job, a move, relocation, etc.). Sometimes the only choice we have about leaving is the manner in which we go, whether we depart with style and grace or not. As with our birth, our death is in God’s hands. We finally must surrender to His will even when we have spent a lifetime refusing to do so. We do, therefore, have a say in our departure, let us leave in style and grace…being enveloped into the hands of the Lord.