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rom
Guest
There are two kinds of damages that are caused by our sins, and there is a corresponding temporal punishment for each.
The first kind of damage is the damage you have done to others , both material and moral. You generally can do some restitution for this kind of damage while still on earth. For example, if you stole something, then you can return what you have stolen. If the person from whom you stole something can no longer be found, you can donate alms to the poor equivalent to the amount you have stolen. Second example, you broke a neighbor’s window. You can do restitution either by fixing the window yourself, or paying someone to fix the window for you. Third example, you damaged someone’s good name by telling a lie. If the lie was told publicly, then you have to admit the lie and tell the truth publicly. Notice that although you have done your best to repair the damage done to others, your effort is usually not enough to cover all damages, particularly the moral damages. For example, although you returned what you have stolen, or fixed your neighbor’s window, or told the truth publicly (from the third example), your efforts did not cover the inconvenience that you have caused, the anxiety, pain and suffering you have caused, etc. While you are still on earth, you can make up for some of these by gaining indulgences (prayers and good works). If you have not prayed enough or have not gained enough indulgences, I’m afraid you will need to spend some time in purgatory.
The second kind of damage is the damage you have done to yourself . Sin hurts not only other people, but also the sinner. For example, a drunkard does not do damage only to his family, but also to his own soul. His habitual and sinful drinking weakens his resistance to sin, and increases his resistance to God’s grace. Every sin that we commit wounds and deforms our soul. This means that, although we have already paid for the damages we have done to others, we may still need to stay a little longer in purgatory to purify ourselves of all undue attachments to creatures (wine, sex, etc.) that we have acquired by sin. We need the cleansing fire of purgatory to heal our souls of these “attachments to sin.” Can we do something about it while we are still on earth? Yes. By getting rid of all our bad habits. It will be a struggle, but it is better to do it now than in purgatory.