Purgatory: fire&pain or not?

[gkoomen]

In “The Screwtape Letters” C. S. Lewis has Screwtape write to Wormwood about that fact that his patient died and was lost to them forever. Wormwood wants to at least delight in the patient’s sufferings; but Screwtape says, “Don’t you know they welcome those pains?” He goes on to suggest that the suffering is embraced with joy for the good it is doing them. I’m not sure they are denied the Eucharist - without it, “…you have no life in you.” Their holiness and ‘life’ are increasing. Suffering alone could not do that. Atheists can suffer terribly; but it does them no good. We need that ‘zoe’ - the life of God himself; or we die. I can’t believe Jesus would stop loving us and giving himself to us when we need Him most. Our Lady goes to refresh and encourage these souls - would our Lord do less, being infinitely more compassionate? The problem in thinking about Purgatory is that we easily become more focused on the suffering than on our Lord. I don’t think the holy souls make that mistake.

 

[gkoomen]

can we get back to purgatory?!?!?
If there i believe we’ll want to get out, not back in. :d
(thanks for the laugh … That line hit my funny bone just the right way.)

here’s one thought i’ve had for a while about the suffering we go through in purgatory.
In purgatory we are denied the beatific vision we will have in heaven and we are denied the eucharist too.
For all of us who truly love god that in itself would be painful.

touche