I'm terrified of purgatory

[Aniq52]

I know this sounds weird but im scared of purgatory even though the fire is tempory .I don’t understand why god punishes people in fire for venial sins. why do venial sins have to be punished with purgatory if there not a big deal?

 

[Vico]

I know this sounds weird but im scared of purgatory even though the fire is tempory .I don’t understand why god punishes people in fire for venial sins. why do venial sins have to be punished with purgatory if there not a big deal?

We don’t have our bodies in purgatory so a material fire would not exist. The Catechism states that purgatory is to remove any attachments to sin that remain in our souls.

Catechism

1472 … every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the “temporal punishment” of sin. …

Rev 21:27: “But nothing unclean shall enter it (heaven)…”

 

[Limoncello4021]

While hard to understand, remember that Catholic teaching is that the souls in Purgatory are joyful and want to be there! They know that they need purging–cleaning–prior to being admitted into the presence of the all-pure God. Try to think of an analogy. For examples, athletes endure all sorts of painful discipline in training for the big race. They know it is necessary, so they do it willingly.
But also remember that your job–my job–here on Earth is to shoot for heaven, not purgatory.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Think of it as you would a life saving surgery. It will be painful, however, on the other side is the very best life.

 

[Dan_Defender]

The main way to avoid purgatory is to do the will of God in all things.

 

[EricF]

I’m not afraid. If I end up in purgatory, then I am assured of heaven. Small price to pay.

 

[RNRobert]

I read something that compared purgatory to summer school. We go there to learn the things we should have learned while alive on earth.

 

[Mary888]

Well rejoice the East says there is no Purgatory and if don’t do your homework in this lifetime that’s it, you don’t get a second chance afterwards. You get judged with what you have and that is it. Who knows what is. All I know is that fear of God is the root of all wisdom (King Solomon). So if you fear God judging you even if uncomfortable, you’re on the right way provided you don’t let this fear consume you but take good fruit from it - that is, wisdom.
God bless.

 

[Le_Crouton]

I look at purgatory like I look at the gym. Imagine you were really out of shape. You’d probably dread going to the gym. But if you had to go every day, you’d eventually like it because you’d feel a little better every day. I think purgatory is gonna be like that.

 

[Fraevo63]

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[Robtimus151]

All sin is a big deal bro, if we only knew the Divine Majesty of the Triune God, and how the least sin is infinitely repulsive in His eyes.

 

[Robtimus151]

On the contrary my friend there is indeed fire in purgatory. Just look up the church fathers and see what they had to say.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

why do venial sins have to be punished with purgatory if there not a big deal?

What makes you think sin isn’t a big deal?

 

[JMMJ]

No. That isn’t official Church teaching.

 

[Robtimus151]

Thats not how the saints describe it.

 

[JMMJ]

Saints aren’t experts or infallible. There is no need to go through life terrified that one will suffer fire in purgatory.

 

[Wesrock]

If you were going to meet your king, would you go unwashed in rags or would you take a deep clean scrubbing bath and dress in your finest? Purgatory is the getting clean part.

And all sins are a big deal, even venial.

 

[Wesrock]

Well rejoice the East says there is no Purgatory and if don’t do your homework in this lifetime that’s it, you don’t get a second chance afterwards. You get judged with what you have and that is it. Who knows what is. All I know is that fear of God is the root of all wisdom (King Solomon). So if you fear God judging you even if uncomfortable, you’re on the right way provided you don’t let this fear consume you but take good fruit from it - that is, wisdom.
God bless.

I’ve seen a variety of opinions on this from the east, not just one.

And the west does not teach that Purgatory is a second chance. That’s not what it’s about at all.

 

[Wesrock]

Saints aren’t experts or infallible.

And neither are you, who write as if very certain it’s not like fire.

From the Catechism:

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.606 The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:607

• As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.608

 

[goout]

JMMJ:

Saints aren’t experts or infallible.

And neither are you, who write as if very certain it’s not like fire.

I don want to speak for @JMMJ but I think the objection is not to the doctrine of purgation but rather the image of a punishing, fear inspiring, and painful literal pit of flames. There is no dogma that a flaming BBQ awaits those in purgatory.