Purgatory and Reconciliation
Over the years I have heard many objections to the belief in Purgatory. Non-Catholic
friends have said "How can you believe in Purgatory when Jesus, from the cross, said
that your salvation is finished?" and even some Catholics have told me that their
priest said the Church does not teach Purgatory any more. So I am dedicating this third
article in the series to address the issue of Purgatory.
Lets start our discussion by answering the question "What is Purgatory?" The
Catholic Encyclopedia defines Purgatory as follows: "Purgatory is the state, place,
or condition in the next world which will continue in the last judgement where the souls
of those who live in a state of grace but not yet free from all imperfections make
expiation (restitution) for unforgivin Veinial sin and mortal sins that have already been
forgiven, and by doing so are purified before entering heaven."
According to the CCC "(1030) All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still
imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they
undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
(1031) The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which
is entirely different from the punishment of the damned."
As we take a look at the Gospels both Luke and Matthew quote Jesus as saying "I
tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny" Luke 12:59
and "Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last
penny" Matthew 5:26 These two verses coupled with Revelation, "But nothing
unclean will enter heaven" Revelation 21:27, clearly supports the idea that some sort
of purification process is undergone before one can gain admittance into heaven.
Let us consider another passage:
"According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a
foundation (Jesus Christ), and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose
with care how to build on it. [snip] the work of each builder will become visible, for the
Day will disclose it, [snip] fire will test what sort of work each has done. [snip] If the
work is burned up the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved but only as
through fire." 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
In this passage St. Paul is discussing the foundation in Jesus Christ that he has
laid for the church in Corrinth. Each of us is a builder of our own church or temple upon
that foundation. Even though our "foundations" are laid in Christ we each have
the ability to develop or grow in Christ according to our own choosing. Some of us may
choose to build our personal temples with twigs while others will build theirs with
granite. Even though we build these private temples within ourselves, God (in this passage
signified by the word Day) will "disclose" or judge our work with fire. As the
passage says if our "work is burned up the builder will suffer loss; the builder will
be saved". If according to this passage we are being judged and ultimately "the
builder will be saved" then how will we suffer for our work which is "burned
up"?
St. Gregory the Great, by reference to this text , speaks of a cleansing fire. "As
for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgement, there is a
purifying fire." In this same paragraph he also references the Gospel of
Matthew "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever
speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, in this age or in the age to
come." Matthew 12:32. St. Gregory continued "He who is truth says that
whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor
the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in
this age, but certain others(can be forgiven) in the age to come."
If we were to look to the old testament it is clear that even the Hebrews understood
that one could not enter into the kingdom of God unless they were in a state of grace. See
2 Machabees: "He also took up a collection [snip] and sent it to Jerusalem to provide
for a sin offering. [snip] For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would
rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. [snip]
Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their
sin." 2 Machabees 13:43-46
In conclusion the existence of purgatory is universally taught by all the Fathers of
the Church. The words of Our Lord, "You shall not come out from it until you
have paid the last penny" are very clear (Matt. 5:25-26). Later, when speaking
of the sins against the Holy Spirit, Jesus says that such a sin "will not be forgiven
either in this world or in the next," thus implying that there are some sins that can
be atoned for in the next world (Matt. 12:32). Paul also shows his belief in
purgatory when, in his second letter to Timothy, he prays for the deceased Onesiphorus.
"May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day" (2 Tim.
1:18). Even in the Old Testament there was a belief in the existence of purgatory, for
there we find Judas Maccabeus sending 12,000 drachmas to Jerusalem to have sacrifices
offered for the sins of the dead. That chapter ends with the advice. "It
is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed
from sins" (2 Mac. 12:46). |
"You
shall not come out from it until you have paid the last penny" |
