Doctrine of Purgatory not in New Testament, says Father

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I really enjoyed our daily Mass today. Father pretty much spoke of Purgatory, with good explanations of it, saying that the Church came up with this with the realization that we will need purgation in order to enter Heaven and to break our attachment to sin. He said it’s not in the New Testament. He also said that many years ago people thought more literally about Heaven and Hell, and that they envisioned Hell as literally a lake of fire, and Heaven literally a perfect form of the earthly city of Jeruselem. He said that nowadays we are not so literal in our thinking, but more think of Hell as total seperation from God, and Heaven a place or state of union with God. He also said that people choose Hell by their rejection of God.

I really like the doctrine of Purgatory. It makes sense to me. It’s one thing about the Catholic Church that convinces me that it holds the truth, because none of the other churches know about it, and I think it makes total sense. It’s logical.
 
Well, the priest is wrong about it not being in the NT.

scripturecatholic.com/purgatory.html

Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59

Matt. 5:48

Matt. 12:32

There are many more. None explicitly say purgatory, but go and look yourself.

And I agree. Purgatory is completely logical. 🙂
 
Maybe he used the word ‘not explicitly’, I can’t recall. Anyways, I like the doctrine of Purgatory. I’m glad my priest talks about it a lot because I think people need to hear about it. It’s a comfort to me to be given intelligent teaching on salvation. When I was exploring Protestant churches, I just couldn’t agree with the all or nothing approach to salvation. It just didn’t make sense to me. The doctrine of Purgatory resolved my doubts, and put it all together for me.

Oh, and, thanks for the great scriptures Maria! 🙂
 
The key word is “explicit”. If the priest merely said that Purgatory was not explicit in the New Testament, then that’s OK.

My only problem with the rest of what he said is that it tends to (at least in my mind) play down the horridness of Hell. Jesus Himself spoke of the unquenchable fires, so that though we don’t have to take that literally, it does convey the horror of hell more than does the concept of simple separation from God. Since we’re limited in our understanding, separation of God might not seem (to some, at least) to be that dire. Thinking of it in terms of pain and punishment is a way to convey the awfulness of it. What he said is accurate, though.
 
My spiritual director today said mass at my parish and termed purgatory as a time of purification. What is unholy must be purified before entering the Holy of Holies…aka heaven. St John of the Cross mentions this many times when we are on our spiritual journey.

As for hell, St John Bosco had many visions of the different levels of hwll…and it ain’t nice. Actually one of the levels had to do with extreme cold…
 
Dear Shoshona,
Sometimes I think that our suffering here while on this Earth is also part of the purification process, and overlaps with Purgatory in it’s function. Some experiences, if we allow them, can help us purge ourselves from our attachment to sin. The Sacrament of Confession seems in interplay with this process, I think.
 
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spiritblows:
Dear Shoshona,
Sometimes I think that our suffering here while on this Earth is also part of the purification process, and overlaps with Purgatory in it’s function. Some experiences, if we allow them, can help us purge ourselves from our attachment to sin. The Sacrament of Confession seems in interplay with this process, I think.
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You are so right on, spiritblows! I am an avid follower of the spirituality of St John of the Cross…for way over 20+ years. Our purgation can begin on earth if we allow it to. In my estimation, it is not necessarily the people who offend us (let’s say) that we need to focus on as the Lord using these very same people to mold us into His image. Hard road to journey on. But as St John of the Cross says again and again, the road is very narrow, this road of holiness. In my own life, when i get accused so many times wrongly of different things, I must detach myself and ‘practise’ this ascetism. And as we do that here in this life, it lessens our stay in purgatory. We must remember, the Lord disciplines those He loves…if only that we would listen! We have the example of our Saints to look into on how they did things on this side of the fence…and most of them suffered in so many ways! Little Therese suffered with depression most of her young life…a cross in itself.

Yes, confession is the ultimate Sacrament of healing (that is beside the Holy Eucharist) in all of our sins, disordered attachments, etc …to bring them to light so that they do not remain in darkness and thrive in its ugliness. I do thank God for this great gift!
 
Dear Shoshona,
Your response makes a lot of sense. I think I have so much work ahead of me, I really can’t bear to think of it. I feel like I’m already in Purgatory lately. I hate to think of what it’ll be like. No wonder faithful people dread death.

My problem is self discipline. My life is also too easy, in some ways. But then, living in this sinful world, where evil is so prevalent, is a terrible burden as well. I feel so unworthy.
 
Wow, I can only HOPE to find myself in purgatory when I wake up on eternitys shores. Purgatory is not something to fear as much as is it something to look forward to.

I think it is safe to say that most of us will still have attachments to this world and the need to be purified of them. Few of us will have lived lifes of holiness as the Saints. But these are our brethren who have gone before us. They show us the path to holiness is filled with suffering and sacrifice. Something i often fauil to emrbace. God have mercy on us all! I know as of now this is one of my greatest turmoils is my disordered attachments to things of this world. I was listneing to a great broadcast on EWTN from Bishop Sheen on the topic of purgatory, i HIGHLY recomend it.
 
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spiritblows:
Dear Shoshona,
Your response makes a lot of sense. I think I have so much work ahead of me, I really can’t bear to think of it. I feel like I’m already in Purgatory lately. I hate to think of what it’ll be like. No wonder faithful people dread death.

My problem is self discipline. My life is also too easy, in some ways. But then, living in this sinful world, where evil is so prevalent, is a terrible burden as well. I feel so unworthy.
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God gives us the grace one day at a time! And sometimes, it feels like one hour at a time…🙂

PS you are worthy…He did die just for you…you are very precious in His eyes…more than what any human words can say!
 
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Shoshana:
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God gives us the grace one day at a time! And sometimes, it feels like one hour at a time…🙂

PS you are worthy…He did die just for you…you are very precious in His eyes…more than what any human words can say!
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Thanks Shoshona, your reassuring words are comforting. Sometimes the burden of this life is overwhelming for me. I know a lot of other people probebly feel the same. I’m easily affected by thoughts and feelings. I feel so helpless. Probably, though, those feelings of vulnerablitly can help me to surrender myself eventually more fully to God.
 
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