The Surprising Truth St. Thérèse Taught About Purgatory Most of us grow up believing that aiming for Purgatory is the ultimate sign of humility. We quietly whisper to ourselves, "If I can just barely slip into the back row of Purgatory, I will be more than grateful." Yet, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux completely turned this mindset upside down. When a fellow sister in the convent once mentioned that she expected to spend a long time in Purgatory, Thérèse did not praise her modesty. Instead, she gently corrected her, insisting that expecting Purgatory does not honor God at all. In fact, she boldly said that it actually grieves His paternal Heart. That might sound startling, but the Little Flower understood the Father’s love in a way few ever dared to imagine. Purgatory is real and it is a breathtaking gift of divine mercy. But Thérèse recognized that it is an emergency remedy, not God’s primary dream for you. A loving father takes no pleasure in keeping his child waiting outside ...