Posted on 11/02/2015 6:56:55 AM PST by Salvation
All Souls’ Day by Jakub Schikaneder, 1888
I have blogged before on Purgatory. Here is a link to one of those blogs: Purgatory – Biblical and Reasonable. I have also written more extensively on its biblical roots here: PDF Document on Purgatory.
On this Feast of All Souls, I want to reflect on Purgatory as the necessary result of a promise. Many people think of Purgatory primarily in terms of punishment, but it is also important to consider it in terms of promise, purity, and perfection. Some of our deceased brethren are having the promises made to them perfected in Purgatory. In the month of November we are especially committed to praying for them and we know by faith that our prayers are of benefit to them.
What is the promise that points to Purgatory? Simply stated, Jesus made the promise in Matthew 5:48: You, therefore, must be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. In this promise is an astonishing declaration of our dignity. We are to share in the very nature and perfection of God. This is our dignity: we are called to reflect and possess the very glory and perfection of God.
St. Catherine of Siena was gifted by the Lord to see a heavenly soul in the state of grace. Her account of it is related in her Dialogue, and is summarized in the Sunday School Teacher’s Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism:
The Soul in the State of Grace– Catherine of Siena was permitted by God to see the beauty of a soul in the state of grace. It was so beautiful that she could not look on it; the brightness of that soul dazzled her. Blessed Raymond, her confessor, asked her to describe to him, as far as she was able, the beauty of the soul she had seen. St. Catherine thought of the sweet light of that morning, and of the beautiful colors of the rainbow, but that soul was far more beautiful. She remembered the dazzling beams of the noonday sun, but the light which beamed from that soul was far brighter. She thought of the pure whiteness of the lily and of the fresh snow, but that is only an earthly whiteness. The soul she had seen was bright with the whiteness of Heaven, such as there is not to be found on earth. †My father,†she answered. “I cannot find anything in this world that can give you the smallest idea of what I have seen. Oh, if you could but see the beauty of a soul in the state of grace, you would sacrifice your life a thousand times for its salvation. I asked the angel who was with me what had made that soul so beautiful, and he answered me, “It is the image and likeness of God in that soul, and the Divine Grace which made it so beautiful.†[1].
Yes, this is our dignity and final destiny if we are faithful to God.
So, I ask you, “Are you there yet?†God has made you a promise. But what if that promise has not yet been fulfilled and you were to die today, without the divine perfection you have been promised having been completed? I can only speak for myself and say that if I were to die today, though I am not aware of any mortal sin, I also know that I am not perfect. I am not even close to being humanly perfect, let alone having the perfection of our heavenly Father!
But Jesus made me a promise: You must be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect. And the last time I checked, Jesus is a promise keeper! St. Paul says, May God who has begun a good work in you bring it to completion (Phil 1:6). Hence, if I were to die today, Jesus would need to complete a work that He has begun in me. By God’s grace, I have come a mighty long way. But I also have a long way to go. God is very holy and His perfection is beyond imagining.
Yes, there are many things in us that need purging: sin, attachment to sin, clinging to worldly things, and those rough edges to our personality. Likewise most of us carry with us hurts, regrets, sorrows, and disappointments. We cannot take any of this with us to Heaven. If we did, it wouldn’t be Heaven. So the Lord, who is faithful to His promise, will purge all of this from us. The Book of Revelation speaks of Jesus ministering to the dead in that he will wipe every tear from their eyes (Rev 21:4). 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 speaks of us as passing through fire in order that our works be tested so that what is good may be purified and what is worldly may be burned away. And Job said, But he knows the way that I take; and when he has tested me, I will come forth as pure gold (Job 23:10).
Purgatory has to be—gold, pure gold; refined, perfect, pure gold. Purgatory has to be, if God’s promises are to hold.
Catholic theology has always taken seriously God’s promise that we would actually be perfect as the Father is perfect. The righteousness is Jesus’ righteousness, but it actually transforms us and changes us completely in the way that St. Catherine describes. It is a real righteousness, not merely imputed, not merely declared of us by inference. It is not an alien justice, but a personal justice by the grace of God.
Esse quam videri – Purgatory makes sense because the perfection promised to us is real: esse quam videri (to be rather than to seem). We must actually be purged of the last vestiges of imperfection, worldliness, sin, and sorrow. Having been made perfect by the grace of God, we are able to enter Heaven, of which Scripture says, Nothing impure will ever enter it (Rev 21:27). And again, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the souls of the just made perfect (Heb 12:22-23).
How could it be anything less? Indeed, the souls of the just made perfect. How could it be anything less if Jesus died to accomplish it for us? Purgatory makes sense based on Jesus’ promise and on the power of His blood to accomplish complete and total perfection for us. This is our dignity; this is our destiny. Purgatory is about promises, not mere punishment. There’s an old Gospel hymn that I referenced in yesterday’s blog for the Feast of All Saints that says, “O Lord I’m running, trying to make a hundred. Ninety-nine and a half won’t do!â€
That’s right, ninety-nine and a half won’t do. Nothing less than a hundred is possible because we have Jesus’ promise and the wonderful working power of the precious Blood of the Lamb. For most, if not all of us, Purgatory has to be.
I Cor 3:12 On this foundation, different people may build in gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay or straw
13 but each person’s handiwork will be shown for what it is. The Day which dawns in fire will make it clear and the fire itself will test the quality of each person’s work.
14 The one whose work stands up to it will be given his wages;
15 the one whose work is burnt down will suffer the loss of it, though he himself will be saved; he will be saved as someone might expect to be saved from a fire.
Charles, you’ve missed it. Forget Catherine and her “angel” and get thee to ABRAHAM (see: Romans 4)!!!
Do you say the Aposstles Creed at your church? Maybe you need to review it if you don’t.
Are you saying that you don’t believe his quotes from the Bible?
Strange.
“Once you start compounding your errors ... you are not really in the ballgame anymore.”
Well said.
What makes you think Msgr. Pope or anyone familiar with the teachings of the Holy Church disagrees with that?
First Things - Purgatory for Everyone
What the Church means by Purgatory
Radio Replies Second Volume - Purgatory
Purgatory Exists. And It Burns
The Month of November: Thoughts on the "Last Things"
To Trace All Souls Day (Protestants vs Catholics)
Radio Replies First Volume - Purgatory
The Doctrine of Purgatory [Ecumenical]
The Heroic Act [Catholic-Orthodox Caucus] (Offering everything for the Souls in Purgatory)
MONTLIGEON MIRACLE: HOW PRIEST TURNED INTO 'TRAVELING SALESMAN' OF PURGATORY
IN BRUSH WITH DEATH, PRIEST SHOWN HELL, PURGATORY, DEGREES OF SUFFERING
Praying for the Dead [All Souls Day] (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
Purgatory: Service Shop for Heaven [Ecumernical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Purgatory: What Does It Mean? [Ecumenical]
OF GUARDIAN ANGELS AND THE ROLE THEY PLAY NOT JUST ON EARTH BUT IN PURGATORY [Catholic Caucus]
IN ANNALS OF SAINTS IS CONVERT'S STRIKING DEDICATION TO THOSE SOULS IN PURGATORY [Catholic Caucus]
Explaining Purgatory from a New Testament Perspective [Ecumenical]
PURIFYING THE SOUL ON EARTH IS WORTH 100X WHAT IT TAKES AFTER [Catholic Caucus] What Happens After Death?
Purgatory
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 12: Purgatory
The Doctrine of Purgatory
The Early Church Fathers on Purgatory - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Required for entrance to Purgatory? Personal question for Cathloic Freepers.
__________ ++++++ Who Had Near-Death Episode Believes In Purgatory
Straight Answers: What Is Purgatory Like?
Do Catholics Believe in Purgatory?
Purgatory, Indulgences, and the Work of Jesus Christ (Discussion)
Prayer to Release the Souls of Purgatory
The Forgotten Souls in Purgatory
Praying for the dead [Purgatory]
Purgatory and all other additions to Christ’s work are blasphemous in that they’re works and make claim that more than the precious blood of God’s Son on the cross is needed.
What a blasphemous lie concocted from the deepest part of Hell itself that mocks the suffering and death of Christ Who laid down His own innocent life for all the guilty who would come to Him for salvation.
BLASPHEMY.
- - -
Other than that, have a good day.
“Are you saying that you don’t believe his quotes from the Bible?”
A confused messenger doesn’t negate Scripture, no. Here I don’t believe Charles any more than Jesus did Satan, when he deceptively quoted Psalm 91:11:
“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”
Romans 4 blows this whole fantasy of Purgatory up IN TOTO. Read it a hundred times before you read anything else.
Purgatory is not a blasphemy.
It is referred to numerous times in the Bible.
In the nicest way possible, I say BS.
Yours is another example of Catholicism proving its own correctness by twisting words/definitions/etc on a whim to match whatever imputed infallible doctrine. In this case, a vague (and _not_ universally agreed on) notion of "Purgatory" is declared unshakable doctrine, which demands a wild stretch of other verses to buttress the notion, which in turn requires changing the very definition of "Paradise" from "heaven" to "a nice place to wait while your soul is cleansed", which is at stark odds with what the word always meant, which in turn will require anything else referencing "Paradise" be reinterpreted to satisfy the twisted-out-of-all-recognition prior imperative justification - rather than noting that maybe the original obtuse doctrine was incorrect, and adjusting it to fit all other sensible doctrines & definitions.
Today is All Souls’ Day, for all Catholics: remember to pray for our departed brothers and sisters and also if you didn’t know it, if you visit a church or cemetery today then a pleniary indulgence may be obtained (with all the usual conditions associated with indulgences.). Actually if you visit a cemetery until the Octave (the 10th) the indulgence can still be obtained, and applied to the souls in Purgatory.
Explain please, from scripture. Hand waving does not impress me; I am Catholic.
The perfection God requires has been achieved for us by Jesus Christ. It is HIS righteousness not ours, we need to do nothing to attain it other than to believe and confess Him as Lord. Purgatory is not necessary and the concept is an insult to the finished work of Christ that will be revealed in us at His coming. Christ’s sacrifice on our part was sufficient and complete, nothing needs to be added.
“It is the Blood of the Lamb that cleans us
What makes you think Msgr. Pope or anyone familiar with the teachings of the Holy Church disagrees with that?”
Purgatory - a totally invented doctrine with no basis in scripture, and utterly unknown to the Apostles.
“Purgatory (Lat., “purgare”, to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions...
...The whole penitential system of the Church testifies that the voluntary assumption of penitential works has always been part of true repentance and the Council of Trent (Sess. XIV, can. xi) reminds the faithful that God does not always remit the whole punishment due to sin together with the guilt. God requires satisfaction, and will punish sin, and this doctrine involves as its necessary consequence a belief that the sinner failing to do penance in this life may be punished in another world, and so not be cast off eternally from God.”
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm
Romans 4. Read there how one is credited with righteousness Today (not later). Follow Abraham in this matter.
We need to do our part, too. Perhaps we didn’t pay full reparation for some misdeed on earth. That’s why Catholics have Purgatory instead of hell.
And I don’t think Catholics are the only ones that need to make up that reparation.
What a stretch of Scripture! I will say I am perfect. I was given the perfection of Jesus, and he took all my sin upon him. He did not have to die on a cross just for this Roman Catholic scheme. He could have just as easily stayed in Heaven.
Toto, wasn't that the cute little dog from the Wizard of Oz
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