| "Purgatory" is a mysterious word to people not our faith. To some, there is a gut feeling that it refers to something completely unreal, and for protestant Christians who are deeply into "the
Bible alone is our guide," it is held to be unbiblical. We as Catholics are bound to believe in purgatory's existence, for it is a defined dogma of our faith by several ecumenical Councils, and it has been held as true from the very beginning of the Church to the present day. It is also
reflected in sacred sculpture as well as in Sacred tradition and taught by the Magisterium of the Catholic Church which has the support of Almighty God. We are absolutely sure ground when we profess our belief in purgatory.
We have recently meditated on the article of the Apostles Creed, "I believe in the communion of saints," and pondered the "communion" as involving the Catholic Church in heaven, on Earth-and in purgatory- the
threefold dimension of the life of our fellow Christians, the possible states of our "communions" or sharing among ourselves in the life of our head, Jesus Christ, for the "communion of saints" is coequal to "the Body of Christ, the Catholic Church." We turn now
specifically to the "souls in purgatory" and our relationship to them, and their relation to us as well as our mutual relation to our brothers and sisters in the vision of God, in heaven. Purgatory is fascinating!
Is there any reference to "purgatory" in Scripture? The word isn't there, but then neither is the word "Trinity" referring to three Divine persons in the one divine nature. Are we then to conclude there is no
Trinitarian God? Scarcely! The word "purgatory" is from the Latin: purgare/purgatorium = to purge, to cleanse/ a state of cleansing or purgation. The word "purgatory" is not in the Bible, but the truth about it is therein taught. The main problem our protestant brothers and
sisters have with this issue goes back to |
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the 16th century rift between them and us, based on the classical protestant sola fide (faith only) theological myth - that no one is really cleansed from sin, but rather every person puts on the cloak of Christ's righteousness and so enters into
heaven. And since the blood of Christ does not cleanse us interiorly, but merely covers over our sinfulness, it logically follows that no one need suffer or be purged from sin or its effects, since Jesus Christ simply covers over all our sins by his work on the cross, his death for sins of the
world. The Catholic faith on the other hand, holds to an interior renovation beginning with the washing away of sin in baptism, the infusion of the divine life of sanctifying grace, putting on the "new man" by being grafted as branches into the Vine which is Jesus Christ. After this is
given to us by God's grace, we can lose the "state of grace" and we can also recover it by reconciliation with Christ - Head, and the members in His Body, he Church. The classic Protestant position also sees know distinction between "mortal" sin and "venial" sin - sin
is sin, which is true in the sense of being an offense against the law of God, but there is a "sin unto death" as St. John taught (1 Jn. 16/7) = spiritual death. There are also "light" sins or "venial" sins. Stealing a penny and murder are both sinful, but what a
difference! If every sin, however small, merits an eternity in the fire of hell, to be sure, but to die with venial sin calls for purification prior to entry into heaven, which is the vision of God, the Blessed Trinity.
In Revelation 21:27, we read that "nothing defiled shall enter." Enter where? Heaven. What "defiles"? Sin Not mortal sin, for to depart this life in that horrible state means everlasting death, no
heaven. So, lesser or venial sin is implied. And if the soul so stained or "defiles" cannot enter heaven, then where will it dwell? In state of purification. Purgatory.
In Matthew 12:32, we read that "whoever says a word against the son of man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be |
