Purgutory proper understanding?

[royal_archer]

I was doing some reading on pergutory and have come to come to a new understanding that I would like to get some feed back on.

In life we have been baptized with water. but in Matthew 3 .11 it states: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Is purgutory our baptism through fire? In olden days fire was used to purge whether it be burning forest to make farm land or burning villages to eliminate enemies. Is fire a term to describe how the scars of sin will be purged from our bodies in order to reveal our glorified bodies? If so it would seem the more sin we expose our selves to the more scars that would need to be burned away.

 

[StCsDavid]

I was doing some reading on pergutory and have come to come to a new understanding that I would like to get some feed back on.

In life we have been baptized with water. but in Matthew 3 .11 it states: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Is purgutory our baptism through fire? In olden days fire was used to purge whether it be burning forest to make farm land or burning villages to eliminate enemies. Is fire a term to describe how the scars of sin will be purged from our bodies in order to reveal our glorified bodies? If so it would seem the more sin we expose our selves to the more scars that would need to be burned away.

Fire is certainly a way to metaphorically describe purification. Whether it will be actual flames is debatable as how does one set fire to a spirit. What we do believe is that there will be a purification process to prepare us to enter into Heaven. How long that process lasts is anyone’s guess.

I don’t know that John the Baptist was making a reference to Purgatory here, but rather to the purification in general.

St. Francis was once given a glimpse of his soul and was horrified by the many dark spots, which were indicative of the damage to his soul by sin. Purgatory is the process of removing those spots (or scars if you wish) as we make our final journey to be with Our Lord face to face.

 

[Jimdandy]

In life we have been baptized with water. but in Matthew 3 .11 it states: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
.

St John the Baptist is referring to Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit-which, along with the sign (water)
is the sacrament of Baptism by which the Holy Spirit reconciles one to God and makes one an adopted child of God.

The fire is more of a desire to seek and follow God’s will in all things-has nothing to do with Purgatory in this instance IMHO

Purgatory is the process by which we are cleansed of all temporal punishment due to our sins and all attachments to things not of God-it is a state of being, not a place, per se.

Every act of Mercy performed on earth helps to rid us our temporal punishment-strive to perform indulgences for one’s self and others daily.

 

[Spirithound]

In life we have been baptized with water. but in Matthew 3 .11 it states: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Is purgutory our baptism through fire? In olden days fire was used to purge whether it be burning forest to make farm land or burning villages to eliminate enemies. Is fire a term to describe how the scars of sin will be purged from our bodies in order to reveal our glorified bodies? If so it would seem the more sin we expose our selves to the more scars that would need to be burned away.

That’s pretty cool. St. Paul also refers to purification by fire, so I think you may have found something here

 

[antonabe]

The question is when we leave our bodies will Fire,Water Light,etc be of any relevance to us as we have left behind our Material bodies and also our senses of Vision,hearing ,touch,etc.?The only thing of consequence to us will be how close and in what state our soul is .Was the transfiguation and the light given out by Jesus an indication of this light which was too strong for Peter to bear.?My belief is that a process of purification in purgatory will bring us closer to this Divine light, the presence of God,and the ultimate will be to be in his Divine presence.

 

[nablaise]

Actually we refer commonly to Purgatory as for after death. But this purifying fire can be even experienced today within our hearts. Sometimes I think that we can say that we are in Purgatory even here when we are being purified.
Well, I have felt this fire in my heart and I am sure I am not the only one.

Well it is the fire of the Holy Spirit we are called to spread to the world. Sometimes it feels warming us when we are in good conditions. But it can be really painful as we go to the process of conversion and obedience to the Church in thing we would like to resist…I don’t know how I could explain more clearly…

God bless

 

[royal_archer]

Reviving this thread after hearing a discusion on EWTN about purgatory. The guest described it like a bride getting ready for her bride groom. As a man, this annalogy doesn’t work very well so here are some other annalogies I would like to try out.

Purgatory is heaven’s mud room where your earthly stains are removed before you enter.

Purgatory is heavens body shop. In life your sins are like accidents. even if the liability has been resolved you are left with dings, scratches, dents, and worse. Sometimes in order to fix the damage a blow torch has to be brought out. But when finnished your soul will be as good as new.

Purgatory cauterizes the wounds that sin leaves on the soul.

Purgatory is Heavens spa complete with sauna exfoliating the remnants of sin.

Purgatory is heaven’s still, extracting pure spirits from rotting debris through fire.

Please let me know if these analogies are close enough to the mark to use them in appropriate conversations.

 

[dburke]

You didn’t ask, but there are many ways on earth to avoid purgatory altogether. Masses, rosaries, indulgences, stations of the cross, and others. Also, the final last rites of the Catholic church and its wonderful apostolic blessing, if God allows, will eliminate all temporal punishment due to out sins committed in our life, but not totally satisfied for. Hope this helps.