Purgatory and the Last Judgment Day

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I fully understand the concept of purgatory after death as a place of final purification for holy souls who will ultimately be in heaven but still need to atone for some sins. I was just thinking tonight however, and something occurred to me. I wonder what will happen on the Last Day when Jesus returns in final judgment, to those people who are still alive and who are also holy souls who will go to heaven, but who also have not made full atonement during their lives for all sins they committed— thus still requiring purification?

I have always believed–and maybe I’m wrong and this is why I have the question—that the Last Day and the Final Judgment meant “The End”—that at that time everyone would either be assigned to heaven or hell for eternity and that would be that. Then again, perhaps just having to live through the “shock and awe” of one moment just being half asleep and setting at your kitchen table eating breakfast while reading the morning paper but the next minute suddenly hearing an enormous trumpet blast and seeing Jesus coming from heaven with a legion of angels in tow would purify almost anyone out there. What do you guys think?🤷
 
I heard God is having quite a headache over this, he doesn’t know how to handle this yet. But he still has a few years to figure it out.😉 I think we know too little about the afterlife to know for sure. Could Purgatory be “temporarily” maintained after the Last Judgment until the last soul exits it, Purgatory is not IMO an option that you can simply get rid of out of necessity, as “nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in Heaven”. Or perhaps God will choose to give a grace of instant purification to all those who won’t have “spent” enough “time” in Purgatory to satisfy God’s justice and to have cleansed themselves of their attachment to sin. I don’t see a third option, not saying there isn’t.
 
I heard God is having quite a headache over this, he doesn’t know how to handle this yet. But he still has a few years to figure it out.😉 I think we know too little about the afterlife to know for sure. Could Purgatory be “temporarily” maintained after the Last Judgment until the last soul exits it, Purgatory is not IMO an option that you can simply get rid of out of necessity, as “nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in Heaven”. Or perhaps God will choose to give a grace of instant purification to all those who won’t have “spent” enough “time” in Purgatory to satisfy God’s justice and to have cleansed themselves of their attachment to sin. I don’t see a third option, not saying there isn’t.
You have a reaonable idea in my opinion–and I agree that nobody knows. It was just a passing thought of mine, One thing for sure–if “God is getting quite a headache” over His decision on what to do with purgatory after Judgment Day–I hope I’m long gone and through with it all by then. I don’t think I’d want to run into God with a migraine! LOL!😃
 
You have a reaonable idea in my opinion–and I agree that nobody knows. It was just a passing thought of mine, One thing for sure–if “God is getting quite a headache” over His decision on what to do with purgatory after Judgment Day–I hope I’m long gone and through with it all by then. I don’t think I’d want to run into God with a migraine! LOL!😃
This is an interesting subject, and I must admit I have also given it some thought. But let me speak of what I do know of Church teaching. Actually, Purgatory is a part of Heaven. If you get there, you should breath a sigh of relief. The moment after death, you are before God for judgment. If you are damned to Hell, then, that’s it. But if your life has been pleasing to God then Heaven is yours for eternity. All souls when they are judged after death come before the Face of God in all its beauty and magnificence. Once you see God face to face, to be separated from Him/Her is to render extreme pain for eternity. Besides physical pain this is the worst pain of all for those in Hell.

For those who have lived good lives and attaineed Heaven after seeing the BEATIFIC VISION, do not fully retain it after judgment, but find themselves in Heaven far away from the BEATIFIC VISION in a limited vision of it like being in a fog and looking at something at a great distance. As they atone for their sins, they move closer to the BEATIFIC VISION and the fog of comprehension grows lighter. But be aware, this lack of full vision of God is an excruciating punishment once you have seen God face to face and know what you are missing. When our purification is completed, we comprehend God in full clarity. Saints and martyrs obtain this vision for eternity at the time of their judgment.

The Doctors of the Church have taught that in God’s eternity there is no time, everything is in the present. But time can be subjective. For a man having his tooth pulled without sedative the ordeal might be a long period of time while to the dentist, it takes only a matter of a few minutes. Retribution after final judgment might involve a similar subjective sense of time.

But who knows? I have taken what the Church has taught and extrapolated from there. In essence, I’m just guessing. :idea:
 
Don’t know about Judgment Day or what happens to Purgatory at that point, but have a few thoughts about Purgatory itself. (My personal understanding at this point in my journey). I think Purgatory is just that – “purging” or “purgation” of sin. I don’t think there is such a thing as “fire” or physical suffering (no body, no physical pain?), I do think the “pain” of purgatory is a mental/emotional suffering at seeing all our sins before us and admitting and repenting for each one (especially those not remembered or realized during life). This is what I feel Purgatory is. You know you will (eventually) get to Heaven, but I think even a few moments of Purgatory, seeing how far short of purity and God you have fallen would be extremely painful mentally and emotionally. I don’t believe the suffering or “purgation” is in any way physical. But then, mental and emotional pain can far surpass any physical pain, even in this life!:confused:
 
Don’t know about Judgment Day or what happens to Purgatory at that point, but have a few thoughts about Purgatory itself. (My personal understanding at this point in my journey). I think Purgatory is just that – “purging” or “purgation” of sin. I don’t think there is such a thing as “fire” or physical suffering (no body, no physical pain?), I do think the “pain” of purgatory is a mental/emotional suffering at seeing all our sins before us and admitting and repenting for each one (especially those not remembered or realized during life). This is what I feel Purgatory is. You know you will (eventually) get to Heaven, but I think even a few moments of Purgatory, seeing how far short of purity and God you have fallen would be extremely painful mentally and emotionally. I don’t believe the suffering or “purgation” is in any way physical. But then, mental and emotional pain can far surpass any physical pain, even in this life!:confused:
Well said!!! 👍
 
Everyone is resurrected and present for the dread judgement day. After passing judgement, does God send resurrected (soul and glorified body) people to purgatory? This does not sound right to me. 🙂
 
Don’t know, but I don’t think so. I think they are “purified” at the Last Judgment, since there will be a “new Heaven and a new Earth”. Doesn’t say “we’ll also have a new Purgatory”. I think the “Last Judgment” is just that --THE LAST!
 
Don’t know, but I don’t think so. I think they are “purified” at the Last Judgment, since there will be a “new Heaven and a new Earth”. Doesn’t say “we’ll also have a new Purgatory”. I think the “Last Judgment” is just that --THE LAST!
I agree. 🙂
 
There is no teaching that there is any time in purgatory. It could happen in the twinkling of the eye. So when last judgement comes, purgatory could come and go and be done with.
 
There is no teaching that there is any time in purgatory. It could happen in the twinkling of the eye. So when last judgement comes, purgatory could come and go and be done with.
The Church tells us that we all must suffer for our sins. At the Last Judgment there will be full payment for all of us. I mentioned that “time” can be subjective. A soul may experience a long period of psychic pain (or whatever) in an instant. But then, who knows? One thing is for sure. God is a just God. He will not punish one soul and let another slide, even at the Last Judgment. Beyond that, we have no clue how he will do it ;).
 
The Church tells us that we all must suffer for our sins. At the Last Judgment there will be full payment for all of us. I mentioned that “time” can be subjective. A soul may experience a long period of psychic pain (or whatever) in an instant. But then, who knows? One thing is for sure. **God is a just God. He will not punish one soul and let another slide, even at the Last Judgment. **Beyond that, we have no clue how he will do it ;).
Even if you took away the punitive aspect, nearly everyone needs to undergo some kind of process whereby they get purified of their attachment to creatures or creation. That process has to take place because being purified is a sine qua non condition to enter Heaven and see God.
 
Remember that we can be made perfect here on earth, who knows, but the Father?

Does it not say that before the Judgement there will be a Great Tribulation?

Those that endure it, could have had their Purgatory here on earth.

But in the end I don’t know, I leave the details to management as Fr. Pacqua always says we are in sales.

–
 
Even if you took away the punitive aspect, nearly everyone needs to undergo some kind of process whereby they get purified of their attachment to creatures or creation. That process has to take place because being purified is a sine qua non condition to enter Heaven and see God.
The time just before the return of Christ is going to be rough. The eventual saints who are on earth are going to go through their own purgatory on earth.
 
CCC 1054 Those who die in God’s grace and friendship imperfectly purified, although they are assured of their eternal salvation, undergo a purification after death, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of God.

But remember that purification of Purgatory takes place out of earthly time.
Suffering of humanity with a Heavenly destiny is over at the end of time.

Then-Cardinal Ratzinger cited by MarcoPolo here:
The transforming ‘moment’ of this encounter [Purgatory] cannot be quantified by the measurements of earthly time. It is, indeed, not eternal but a transition, and yet trying to qualify it as of ‘short’ or ‘long’ duration on the basis of temporal measurements derived from physics would be naive and unproductive. The ‘temporal measure’ of this encounter lies in the unsoundable depths of existence, in a passing-over where we are burned ere we are transformed. To measure such Existenzzeit, such an ‘existential time,’ in terms of the time of this world would be to ignore the specificity of the human spirit in its simultaneous relationship with, and differentiation from, the world. (Ratzinger, Eschatology, p. 230)
**CCC 1060 **At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. Then the just will reign with Christ for ever, glorified in body and soul, and the material universe itself will be transformed. God will then be “all in all” (1 Cor 15:28), in eternal life.

There is no Purgatory after the General Judgment at the end of time. Final purification will all take place before we enter into Heaven. Since at the end of time and General Judgement, all either go into Heaven or Eternal Condemnation, there cannot be any Purgatory AFTER the General Judgment.

**
REVELATION 20:12-15, 21:1-5a** 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; 15 and if any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; 3 and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” . . .

CCC 1038 The resurrection of all the dead, "of both the just and the unjust,"623 will precede the Last Judgment. This will be "the hour when all who are in the tombs will hear [the Son of man’s] voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment."624 Then Christ will come "in his glory, and all the angels with him. . . . Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. . . . And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."625

CCC 1042 At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. After the universal judgment, the righteous will reign for ever with Christ, glorified in body and soul. The universe itself will be renewed:

The Church . . . will receive her perfection only in the glory of heaven, when will come the time of the renewal of all things. At that time, together with the human race, the universe itself, which is so closely related to man and which attains its destiny through him, will be perfectly re-established in Christ.631​

**CCC 1043 ** Sacred Scripture calls this mysterious renewal, which will transform humanity and the world, "new heavens and a new earth."632 It will be the definitive realization of God’s plan to bring under a single head "all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth."633

CCC 1044 In this new universe, the heavenly Jerusalem, God will have his dwelling among men.634 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."635

CCC 1045 For man, this consummation will be the final realization of the unity of the human race, which God willed from creation and of which the pilgrim Church has been "in the nature of sacrament."636 Those who are united with Christ will form the community of the redeemed, “the holy city” of God, "the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."637 **She will not be wounded any longer by sin, stains, self-love, that destroy or wound the earthly community.**638 The beatific vision, in which God opens himself in an inexhaustible way to the elect, will be the ever-flowing well-spring of happiness, peace, and mutual communion.
 
But speaking of NOW, BEFORE the Final Judgment (and talking about people who are in a state of grace) at the time of death:

When those who are in a state of grace die, some will go straight to Heaven, and some will go to Heaven via Purgatory (“Ouch!”).

(How much “ouch” they get depends upon how much “ouch” they have coming)

**
Before the end of time when we die, some will go straight to Heaven . . . **

**CCC 1023a ** Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they “see him as he is,” face to face:598 . . .
**
Some will go to Heaven via Purgatory . . . **

CCC 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.
 
The time just before the return of Christ is going to be rough. The eventual saints who are on earth are going to go through their own purgatory on earth.
Good point. If you survive that ordeal and stay faithful to Christ, there won’t be any temporal attachment to be purified of because life will be made a living hell for Christians.
 
I love what then Cardinal Ratzinger says on this.

"The transforming ‘moment’ of this encounter cannot be quantified by the measurements of earthly time. It is, indeed, not eternal but a transition, and yet trying to qualify it as of ‘short’ or ‘long’ duration on the basis of temporal measurements derived from physics would be naive and unproductive. The ‘temporal measure’ of this encounter lies in the unsoundable depths of existence, in a passing-over where we are burned ere we are transformed. To measure such Existenzzeit, such an ‘existential time,’ in terms of the time of this world would be to ignore the specificity of the human spirit in its simultaneous relationship with, and differentation from, the world.
. . .
"[Purgatory] is the inwardly necessary process of transformation in which a person becomes capable of Christ, capable of God and thus capable of unity with the whole communion of saints.
. . .
"Encounter with the Lord is this transformation."….

–Joseph Ratzinger, Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life, p. 230-231

So if purgation happens as a result of the burning refining fire of Christ’s love, them there is no need to be concerned about your question.

The church has taught clearly that purgatory is not a place but a state of existence and that it cannot be measured by earthly time in any sense.

Thus the idea of a single encounter with Christ being purgatory fits well and meshes well with 1 Corinthians 3.
 
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