Interpretation of Matt 12:31-32

[vince2paul]

What is the Catholic interpretation for Matthew 12:31-32 " …every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."

Thanks!

 

[Nita]

The passage touches on a couple aspects:

1. What the sin against the Holy Spirit consists of.
   Here is a partial quote from the Geo Haydock Bible footnotes:

"The sin here spoken of is that blasphemy, by which the Pharisees attributed the miracles of Christ, wrought by the Spirit of God, to Beelzebut, the prince of devils. Now this kind of sin is usually accompanied with so much obstinacy, and such willful opposing the Spirit of God, and the known truth, that men who are guilty of it are seldom or ever converted; and therefore are never forgiven,* because they will not repent**. Otherwise there is no sin which God cannot, or will not forgive to such as sincerely repent, and have recourse to the keys of the Church.*

I bolded the crucial part. It is the Holy Spirit who convinces us of sin (John 16:8). If we reject Him and refuse to admit our sin and repent, we cannot be forgiven. God does not force us.

1. Purgatory.
   The Church also uses this verse to show the existence of purgatory - that there are two places where sin can be forgiven;
   “in this age” - here on earth while we are still physically alive
   “in the age to come” - a place/state after we we have died and left this earth. (See the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1031)

Nita