Most of us cannot hope to escape altogether from the cleansing fires, but we all desire to render our sojourn there as short as possible. There are many means of doing this. All the means already mentioned for escaping altogether, will help to lessen our time of waiting; especially compassion for the Holy Souls. They will not, when they attain to the vision of God, forget those who have done anything to help them. Yet how little we do! And how bitterly we shall one day regret that we have not done more!

Another certain way of shortening our Purgatory is devotion to the Holy Mother of God. She, the Mother of mercy and compassion, has a special compassion for the suffering souls; and she, the most grateful of all the beings that God has ever created, will be speedy to relieve and to deliver those who were devout to her upon earth. Each prayer we say, each aspiration we make, each little invocation we repeat in her honor, will gain for us help when help will be sorely needed. Cannot you do something more in honor of Mary?

We can also pay part of the debt due to God by means of Indulgenced Prayers. To certain prayers and good works the Church attaches the remission of a certain amount of suffering; and she is most generous in furnishing us with the means of paying off the debt before we die. How we shall rejoice over each such prayer, when we come to experience the deliverance it has gained for us! Ask of God that, if you have to pass through Purgatory, at least your time may be short.