Purgatory, Hell, & the Second Coming

[TheGoodLife]

I was reading up on this, and it doesn’t seem fair that when Jesus comes again, he will immediately judge those of us living, but those who have already died may have to suffer through purgatory and/or hell. Am I understanding this right? Will those still alive during Jesus’ second coming get to bypass purgatory and hell?

Also, if when we die God sends us to either Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory, why do we need Jesus’ second coming? Wouldn’t Jesus just be doing the same thing God already does?

 

[paarsurrey]

I was reading up on this, and it doesn’t seem fair that when Jesus comes again, he will immediately judge those of us living.

Hi
I believe according to my faith, which is reasonable, that in fact the peaceful PromisedMessiahImamMahdi has already come, for some ( for instance Jews) it is his first coming, for others ( for instance Christians) it is his second coming. The coming is symbolic/metaphoric not literal or physical, so the judgement has already begun, though the door is still open and not closed.
This is my belief, others could believe differently, no compulsion but with reason , rationality and valid arguments.
Thanks

Muhammad had a marvelous record of a peace loving person for 40+13+2=55 years; he joined in welfare activities if there was any in Mecca, he helped the needy and in distress, he stood for the human cause, he never harmed any person. His record in these 55 years is clean by any standards.

 

[andzy]

I was reading up on this, and it doesn’t seem fair that when Jesus comes again, he will immediately judge those of us living, but those who have already died may have to suffer through purgatory and/or hell.

Well, it’s not about fairness, but faithfulness. Life ain’t fair, and Jesus never promised it to be (maybe even on the contrary): Matthew 20:1-15.

 

[Genesis315]

At the Second Coming, no matter where your soul is, all will be gathered for the General Judgment. Then, if you were in Hell or were alive and are not in the state of grace, you descend into Hell. If you were in Heaven or were alive and perfectly purified, you go straight to Heaven.

As for those in Purgatory or those living who needed it, I imagine they would be purified before entering Heaven as well.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

People who die one day before the Second Coming might have a shorter more intense Purgatory–on the other hand since time is different in Purgatory than on Earth it may seem to them just as it seemed to others who had died in all the centuries before them.

 

[TheGoodLife]

Thanks for your responses. I think I’m understanding it better. Perhaps what it comes down to that this is still an unknown area and we shouldn’t dwell on it because what happens will happen and living the faith needs to be the focus.

By chance, anyone know of a good Catholic book about the Second Coming?