Purgatory inverted - prep for hell

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We know we cannot enter Heaven with stains on our soul. Purgatory prepares us for heaven by a means which is not very well defined but we believe the outcome to be that we are ready, or now become worthy of heaven.

Speculation on my part. This seems to me to mean our inclination to sin will be wiped clean. Our ability to love all others and love God with all our hearts will be perfected. IN other words we (or at least I) will be shadows of our former self. I like to think of it as, we have displayed in our life through repentance and a love for God and others that we desire heaven. Purgatory now whips us into heavenly shape. Like boot-camp, but a boot-camp we fully desire and hunger for.

What about the damned? Some visions / explainations I have read about regarding the damned is that they spend eternity cursing God. That hell is a place void of love of any kind. The flip side of Heaven. No inhabitants of hell will be caring/ loving/ lovingly enjoying any other inhabitants of hell.

Where this doesn’t seem to be reconcilable is that very few or any people in this world are that crass (exceptions of course). But as Catholics we warn against certain sins we deem mortal. Fornication, theft, disbelief of a creator, murder, so much more…

However most individuals committing mortal sin do have in their hearts love of neighbor. They cry when someone is hurt, they help little old ladies cross the street. I think you can see where I am going with this. For the individual who commits a mortal sin, yet just helped a hungry soul to a meal, dies, is this individual wiped clean of all love in their heart for others? Else how would they be a good fit for hell?

Thoughts?
 
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Perhaps the fact that they know they were a loving person and had the capacity to be “good” and not commit mortal sin, yet did it anyway, is part of the suffering of hell.
 
Perhaps - But I am more wondering if they lose their inclination to be good. Otherwise, based on my understanding of hell, they would not fit in. They’d be the odd duck in the neighborhood.
 
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Mijoy2 said:
Else how would they be a good fit for hell?
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No such thing as a ‘good fit for hell’. Hell is not a place you prepare for. It is a place where those go who have made themselves unfit to be in the presence of God.
 
Only God can judge the heart. I suspect, as I’ve read before, that many will be very surprised to see who enters eternity alongside them.
 
Good replies -thank you.

Perhaps I didn’t articulate the question well enough though.

Hell has no love, no fellowship, no enjoyment of others.
However people who love, people who enjoy others (in a loving manner) go there (we understand).

These two things cannot be reconciled. Therefore does one lose one’s ability to love, in hell?

I guess it is kind of a logic question - perhaps better suited for the Philosophy forum.
 
Or now become worthy of heaven? I don’t think we are ever worthy we have just been washed clean.

I believe it is much harder to commit mortal sins than a lot of us believe. Full consent of the will and full knowledge that our deep cuts us off from God’s love very rare. IMO.

Otherwise heaven would have few occupants. I think hell has few as God’s mercy is so strong.
 
Yes - This is your opinion. I share your opinion.

However there are a great deal of Catholics who do not share our opinion. By their definition of mortal sin, and a little common sense based on observation, Heaven will indeed be a pretty empty place and hell quite overcrowded.
 
So God who passionately loves us and even sent His Son to suffer and die for us will end up with only few in heaven? I can’t believe God would be that unsuccessful!
 
This is a very intrigueing question, and one I have never considered. I wonder if Aquinas wrote anything on this topic?
 
Mijoy2 said:
Hell has no love, no fellowship, no enjoyment of others.
However people who love, people who enjoy others (in a loving manner) go there (we understand).
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Those good qualities all find their origin in God, and come from God’s graces. Once we are cut off from God in Hell, we no longer have access to the capacity to love.
 
Ahh thank you. Now I feel someone read through my - too many words- and got the true dilemma I attempted to illustrate.

I like your thought - regarding Aquinas, perhaps he did address this. I’ll research.
 
😀

I don’t worry! Worry is the enemy of faith.
I understand it is difficult to let God be in control. We have nothing to fear as long as we try our best and ask forgiveness when we sin. God is not, IMO, going to try to pick us off base and send us to hell. :baseball:Purgatory is where the overcrowding will be. I’ll save you a seat.😎
 
Home > Summa Theologiae > Supplement > Question 98 > The Will and Intellect of the Damned

I haven’t read all of this yet, but it kind of dances around similar themes, but I don’t yet see anything about how a soul goes from having love and compassion for others, to then being completely depraved.

I would guess that because all good acts of humans are due to God’s grace working in us and our choosing to cooperate with it, that after death, those that go to hell no longer have God’s grace working in them, so they then no longer have that desire?
 
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Mijoy2 said:
However people who love, people who enjoy others (in a loving manner) go there (we understand).
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We have no real idea who is in hell; we only know who is in Heaven by their intercession.
 
Mijoy2 said:
I am more wondering if they lose their inclination to be good.
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Ah yes, now I see what you are wondering. If the notion of hell is true then I think it safe to say anyone who chooses it has already lost that inclination.
 
This is why I believe that Gd passes sentence based on the TOTALITY of our lives rather than our committing sins, including unrepentant mortal sins. What did we do for others during our lives, even what did we intend to do for others but were unable to for certain reasons and circumstances. Gd takes into account our behaviors, our intentions, our hearts, our love. If mere mortals such as you and I and so many others can find it in ourselves to forgive people who have wronged us and do not seek forgiveness, how much more so can an infinitely merciful and compassionate Gd Who created us all.
 
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