Poverty can be material, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual and healthwise, etc., in either the temporary or the everlasting dimension. As the Church teaches, individuals who have died unrepentently in mortal sin(s) will self-condemn themselves forever into Hell. "Therefore, all who die in actual mortal sin are excluded from the kingdom of God and will suffer forever the torments of hell where there is no redemption" (Schema of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Principle Mysteries of the Faith, The Vatican Council, 1969-70, in Jesuit Fathers of St. Mary's College, The Church Teaches, 1973, p. 353). Cut off forever from God and His grace, these forever ungraceable, unsanctifiable, untransformable and unrepenting individuals will be suffering forever the worst of the worst poverty or pain, materially, emotionally, socially, intellectually and spiritually, and healthwise, etc. All other types of poverty, however bad, are just temporal. Hence those dying unrepentantly in the state of mortal sin are the poorest of the poorest who are in great need of our prayers and sacrifices.

Nobody, especially God, wants Hell. In fact, God Himself is dying to save us from Hell. Solely for this purpose, God the Son has literally suffered and died a horrible death for each one of us without exception. Hence both Divine Justice and social justice demand those who are in the state of grace or God's blessings to reach out as much as possible in prayers, sacrifices, etc., to the poorest of the poorest. This particular spiritual act of mercy, after all, seems immensely pleasing to the whole Divine Heavenly Family: "There will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (Lk 15:7)

Here is a story about Heaven told by an anonymous person. One day, the whole Family of Holy Angels and Saints in Heaven were busy looking everywhere for the grandest gift to celebrate the birthday of Our Heavenly Mother. As we know, she is at the same time also the Queen of Heaven, the Queen of the whole universe, as well as the Queen of all the Holy Angels and Saints. Just at the last minute when the glorious Heavenly Party was about to begin, a certain gift was hurriedly brought in from earth by St. Peter and St. Magdalene, with the help of St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. When the box was finally opened, Our Lady burst out in unspeakable joy: "Thank you all very much! This is indeed the most precious birthday gift I have ever received!" "What is it?" Everybody was asking. She replied, most gratefully: "It is the tears of a repentant sinner."

Let us, then, help more people go to Heaven! According to the mystery of the Communion of Saints, we can begin entering into the Divine Heavenly Family on earth, especially at Mass.

Without doubt, we tend to behave or react according to the intensity of God's grace within and around us. In synergism with the omnipresent, omnipotent radiant power of the Holy Spirit, our converging prayers and sacrifices can make a significant difference. These prayerful radiances can reach the unreachable and effectively increase the intensity of grace within and around these poorest of the poorest during the final moments of their ultimate struggle.

Together with Our Heavenly Mother at Fatima and everywhere, let us beg God with all our heart, praying as often as we can: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy!"

Date: Feast of St. Martin of Tours, November 11, 1999, by the Editor of Grace Institute of the Holy Eucharist. Today is also Remembrance Day in Canada. Let us also remember in prayer those heroic soldiers fallen for Canada, as well as those who have fallen for Christ and are now in Purgatory.