How to explain Purgatory?

[ziapueblo]

I have a friend who is seriously looking into the Catholic Church, but has questions about Purgatory. I feel that before we talk about Purgatory we must first talk about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Would you all agree?

Thanks and God bless,
ZP

 

[1edyson]

I have a friend who is seriously looking into the Catholic Church, but has questions about Purgatory. I feel that before we talk about Purgatory we must first talk about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Would you all agree?

Thanks and God bless,
ZP

If you feel that it would better help him with the concepts and doctrines of the faith, then by all means start with reconciliation. What types of questions about purgatory does he have?

 

[Godfollower]

You can start with the Sacrament of Reconciliation if you like, but it isn’t necessary. Purgatory is simply the doctrine that those who are headed for Heaven but are still subject to sin are first cleansed of their remaining sins, and of their tendency to sin, before they enter Heaven.

We know from Scripture that nothing unclean can enter Heaven:

The treasure and wealth of the nations will be brought there, but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any (one) who does abominable things or tells lies.

Rev. 21:26-27 (describing “the holy city, a new Jerusalem,coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,” per verses 2-3).

So, if you’re destined for Heaven (a/k/a “if you’ve been saved”) but are still unclean at your death, what will happen? Obviously: you’ll be made clean. That is, you’ll be purged of your sins and your tendency to sin. What do we call the moment of purging you? Purgatory.

The Church does not teach that you can go to Purgatory instead of Heaven. Purgatory is not a “third” destination in the afterlife. All we know is that (A) some people will go to Hell; (B) some people will go straight to Heaven, having died clean (e.g., by dying immediately after Baptism washed them clean); and (C) some people will go to Heaven but will have to be cleansed first. They will then, having been cleansed, enter Heaven. As Paul said, “the person will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Cor. 3:15). If the cleansing process is painful (like the removal of an abcessed tooth), so be it; it’ll be good for me in the end.

This does not deny the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus; rather, Purgatory (that is, the after-death purgation of sin and the tendency to sin from us prior to our entry to Heaven) is made possibly ONLY by Christ’s sacrifice for us.

To put it another way: Jesus died once for all of us, and His singular gift cleanses us all of all of our sins. Purgatory is merely one instance of that cleansing. Baptism is another; Reconciliation is a third.

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

Sure, but for fun, you two should read Dante’s The Divine Comedy. That’s probably the best source on Purgatory.

Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood

 

[promethius]

Sure, but for fun, you two should read Dante’s The Divine Comedy. That’s probably the best source on Purgatory.

Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood

Actually, I disagree. Dante describes purgatory as a distinct place. The catechism actually NEVER states such a thing. It defines purgatory as a PROCESS.

When we take the actual church teaching that purgatory is a process and compare it to protestant teaching, we find that almost all protestant teachings believe in some sort of purification process (generally “covered in the Blood of Christ”, etc), and therefore that protestants recognize and teach purgatory as well, just blanching at the words and the idea that there might be suffering involved with purgation.

That’s the angle I would approach it from: that the OP’s friend already likely believes in purgatory of some form and just doesn’t know it yet.

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

Actually, I disagree. Dante describes purgatory as a distinct place. The catechism actually NEVER states such a thing. It defines purgatory as a PROCESS.

When we take the actual church teaching that purgatory is a process and compare it to protestant teaching, we find that almost all protestant teachings believe in some sort of purification process (generally “covered in the Blood of Christ”, etc), and therefore that protestants recognize and teach purgatory as well, just blanching at the words and the idea that there might be suffering involved with purgation.

That’s the angle I would approach it from: that the OP’s friend already likely believes in purgatory of some form and just doesn’t know it yet.

Maybe I should’ve clarified it as a joke. Sorry.

Ironically Yours.

 

[ziapueblo]

Thanks for all the advice all

His question are why we even need to be cleansed if we have received the Sacrament of Reconciliation? I thought that if I could explain to him that yes, we have been forgiven, but we still have to make up for what we did. Kinda like when you were a kid and broke your neighbor’s window playing baseball out in the street. He forgave you, but you still had to work because you busted the window (mowing his lawn for a week, or helping him rake the leaves, etc.). Good idea or should I just go right into Purgatory? I know that he may even ask something like, “sounds good, but were does Jesus say that we need to make penance after we have been forgiven?”

God bless,
ZP

 

[1edyson]

i always like using the analogy of a piece of paper. When we’re baptized we’re a perfect piece of un-wrinkled blank paper, and each time we sin, we crumple up that piece of paper. when we receive confession, the paper is un-crumpled, and the sin is forgiven but the wrinkles in the paper are still there, it is in purgatory that the wrinkles from the paper are removed and we’re made perfect again. Hope that helps!

 

[ziapueblo]

i always like using the analogy of a piece of paper. When we’re baptized we’re a perfect piece of un-wrinkled blank paper, and each time we sin, we crumple up that piece of paper. when we receive confession, the paper is un-crumpled, and the sin is forgiven but the wrinkles in the paper are still there, it is in purgatory that the wrinkles from the paper are removed and we’re made perfect again. Hope that helps!

I like that