Purgatory

[sandiego]

I once heard that:

1) Purgatory is not really a "place" as such, but rather a state of being...

2) Purgatory can be lived even while we are still alive here on Earth... hence, would you rather spend time in purgatory now or wait until after you pass away...??

3) People in purgatory are happy to be there.

What are your views on these concepts based on Church teachings?

[Matthew]

"1) Purgatory is not really a "place" as such, but rather a state of being..."

In the sense that "place" refers to something that takes up space purgatory is not a place with dimensions etc since the souls there are spiritual not material beings.

"2) Purgatory can be lived even while we are still alive here on Earth... hence, would you rather spend time in purgatory now or wait until after you pass away...??"

I can see what this is saying but it isn't quite accurate. Purgatory itself is a state pertaining to after we die. That which purgatory achieves (the purification we need to undergo to be worthy to enter heaven) can be done here on earth prior to death. If so, then when such a person dies they do not go to purgatory. Suffering here on this earth is much less painful than purgatory.

"3) People in purgatory are happy to be there."

There is sadness and joy. Sadness they are not with God and joy in knowing their salvation is secure.

[DavidObeid]

An excellent treatment of Purgatory can be found in St. Alphonsus di Liguori's book "Preparation for Death". Don't be put off by the somewhat macabre sounding title - it's an awesome book!

[Kylie Maroun]

Now I'm confused... Heaven would have to be a physical place IN A SENSE because Our Lord and Our Lady, for example, ascended/were assumed (respectively) into Heaven BODY and soul. But, having said that - Heaven can not be restricted by worldly dimensions/ideas of what is 'physical' right???

SOOOOO would purgatory be physical in the same sense that Heaven is OR is it that because nobody who goes to Heaven Body and Soul would need purgatory anyways, meaning, there is no need/point of it being a physical place?

:S

[DavidObeid]

It might help if you think of purgatory more as a process than a place.

The process that happens in purgatory is the purification of the soul. It isn't a process that happens to a body, and so it is not physical.

[sandiego]

so the process of "purgatory" could happen anywhere (without limiting time and place)... because it is something that must occur before we can reach a "place" called heaven?

[DavidObeid]

Hi sandiego,

It's a difficult concept to explain without an in depth discussion on what a soul is (and is not). Can I suggest you read (at least the first few chapters) of a book by Frank Sheed called "Theology for Beginners", which will help make this topic easier to understand.

In a nutshell, nothing impure can enter heaven (Revelation 21:27). We can certainly attain the state of purity and enter heaven without need of the purification of purgatory after we die however (and the formula for this is easy to understand but hard to do: love as much as possible).

Does that answer your question?

[carlabesh]

i understand the concept of purgatory and believe it 100% but i am trying to explain it to my orthodox friend who does not get how we have come up with such a doctrine without any "evidence". the only passage i can really throw at him is 2 maccabees 12:43-46 but (he is quite stubborn) he does not know how a whole doctrine has come from such an obscure passage... are there any other sources or passages that i could use to bring a stronger point?

[DavidObeid]

Hi charbelbesh,

You could try to show him 1Corinthians 3:13-17.

But don't stop there. Ask him if his Church prays for the dead, and then ask him why they do.

[Stephen Spiteri]

Some other Biblical references to Purgatory:

Revelation 21:27 - nothing unclean shall enter heaven (i.e. we need to be purified)

1 John 5:16-17 - degrees of sin distinguished (i.e. there are sins that are deadly/mortal and sins that are not; dp we go to Hell if we remain in the sins that are not deadly?)

2 Samuel 12:13-14 - David, although he was forgiven, he was still punished for his sin

Matthew 5:26 - you will not be released until you have paid the last penny

1 Corinthians 3:15 - suffer loss, but saved as through fire (i.e. purging)

1 Peter 3:18-20; 4:6 - Jesus preached to the spirits in "prison"

2 Timothy 1:16-18 - Paul prays for his dead friend, Onesiphorus

1 Corinthians 15:29-30 - Paul mentions people baptising for the dead

[carlabesh]

Awesome! those passages are really good... the corinthians one i had looked at previously but did not understand it in a way that i could explain it?

[DavidObeid]

In the passage from 1Corinthians 3, we see St. Paul speaking of some who do good and are saved, some who do ordinary and are saved after suffering, and some who destroy and are damned.

Those who are saved after suffering are those who pass through purgatory on the way to heaven.

[Kevin Mowad]

If I may I would like to just make a suggestion for the benefit of those who have not known the full importance of praying for those souls who are in purgatory. There is a beautifully simple yet very helpful and motivational little book called "Read it or Rue it" It explains the seriousness of purgatory and what we have been given by God to help these souls in their transition through purgatory to Heaven. I think it is a very good read for the unaware. I know I definately needed to read it in order to get the wake up call I got! Hope you can read it and pass it on!

Cheers!