turzovka
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- Nov 20, 2012
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This writing is to be accepted in any way the reader chooses. Believe if you wish or ignore it. I surely believe. But it has been posted (by me) years ago. It is too long, that cannot be helped because I will not abridge it. But someone today said even though I claim there is Biblical proof for purgatory, that I was full of B.S. and would not dare to post it. So here you go.
"Tis a shorter thing and sooner done to write heresies than to answer them." St. Thomas More
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If there were no purgatory, what would some Christians who deny it say about the billions of people who never knew or accepted Jesus? Are they all condemned because they did not have faith? Or do most go directly to heaven without ever having acknowledged God in any way? Neither of those responses sound quite right or appear to properly align itself with the nature of God’s justice and mercy.
This immediate heaven or hell upon the moment of death is just too suddenly drastic, too rewarding or too horrifying, when there is so much black and white and gray in all of our lives. Especially when one begins to ponder what merits heaven and what merits hell. Is there an age of accountability for an 12 year old pagan youth? I mean, is there an exact day he becomes accountable for his soul and actions? One day, if he dies, he is saved, and the next day when he is one day older, if he dies, he is condemned? Because now he knew right from wrong, but the day before he did not? This cannot be. Consequently, there are thousands or millions of scenarios of humanity where the situations of saved or unsaved are equally precarious and unsettling. It cannot hang on one more day or one more sin breaking the camel’s back.
Yes, we may very well be saved by faith (accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior) but that does not mean we still may not have to be purified before we can enter heaven. Revelations says “nothing defiled shall enter the Kingdom.” It should be obvious that is not in reference to those resigned to hell, but those who are saved, yet still with many stains of sin on their souls after they accepted Christ or for other reasons. With a doctrine of purgatory, it allows for much, much more mercy from a merciful God. Far less people end up totally condemned.
The most astounding of all the Christian miracles in recent centuries was the miracle of the sun at Fatima, Portugal, October 13, 1917. Three young children who had been witnessing apparitions of the Virgin Mary prophesied three months in advance (July 13) that a great miracle would be performed by Our Lady on October 13th for all those people present and doubting the children to know these messages are from God. So on a very rainy, muddy gray Portugal day 70,000 people arrived at the Cova da Iria to see if the children were truly prophets. Soon after the children finished praying, Lucia pointed to the sky. The rain stopped and the gray skies were split in two by an incredible sun which was inexplicably viewable to the human eye without damage. It looked like a silver disc and started “dancing.” Bouncing up and down defying cosmic laws. Then it started spinning and shooting off rays of all kinds of colors across the sky and landscape changing the faces of the crowd to blue, yellow, green, etc. It carried on in this remarkable fashion for twelve minutes, then at the finale the sun turned blood red grew in size and charged toward the earth greatly terrifying all present. At the last moment it stopped and receded peacefully into the sky.
This was a miracle beyond doubt. There were no longer any skeptics present. All saw that which was astoundingly prophesied three months in advance to the day. The soaked muddy ground was bone dry after this occurrence as a secondary miracle. These facts were reported in the various newspapers including O Seculo, Lisbon’s anti-clerical socialist paper by their atheist reporter present at the miracle.
I report this account here for one purpose, specifically . One of the children, Lucia, asked about an aunt of hers who recently died. The Virgin Mother said that woman was in purgatory and would be there for a long time. Question: How can a person of normal intelligence and reason doubt the supernatural nature of this event? Question: So if one accepts these events as a miracle given by God, then how could one even doubt the other words Our Lady gave to these children, very specifically the mention of purgatory? The children only reported what they were told by Mary.
Yes, purgatory exists and many nominal or lukewarm Christians should be eternally grateful for that because such lazy or sinful behavior does not warrant heaven and white robes the moment one passes on. And many non believers may rejoice if they find themselves there as well. It is a place of suffering, loneliness and regret, but there is also an incredible gratitude and joy knowing that one day each soul in purgatory will be allowed into heaven.
The evidence for purgatory is far greater than the Fatima account. I submit below some Biblical verses which Catholic teaching, in many cases, regards as references to purgatory or a state of purification. Consider them as you may for yourselves.
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Matthew 5:23-26
"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Reconcile with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid up the last penny.”
[Jesus is assuring us (“truly I say to you”) that we will pay (be imprisoned) for a portion our transgressions until we have paid the last penny if we do not forgive others or obey. The key word is UNTIL. It is clear that once we have paid for our sins, THEN we WILL be released from our prison. That is not Hell because Hell is eternal. This is not an earthly reference as many who are to be saved have died without fulfilling all the requirements this passage implies. This is referring to purgatory where you will be eventually released.]
2 Samuel 12:13-18
“David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.’ And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became sick…On the seventh day the child died.”
[As with David, there may still be restitution for sin even after one has received forgiveness. I do not see how this teaching expired for Christians?]
Luke 12:45-48
"But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk: the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much more will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much will be asked.
[The one slave who was not as guilty because he was somewhat ignorant of the gravity of his sins will receive less lashes. Note, he will still be punished, but not as severely. This is clearly not talking about hell, it is about some punishment that is less than eternal. Different degrees of punishment which is how many saints have described purgatory from visions or revelation.
Also Jesus repeats the message in another manner – “from everyone who has been given much, much more will be required.” This is a clear warning to believers of possible consequences, those who have been given much more (i.e. knowledge, riches, revelation, opportunity, etc.) if blessings are misused or disregarded. Almost assuredly, this is a justice taking place after all is revealed to us after we come before God.]
1 Corinthians 3:12-15
Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
[Saved, but still will suffer loss as yet through fire. Protestants may argue this is some earthly punishment, not an afterlife matter, but the Catholic Church says, not so. Where is this place that a man, after he dies, suffers loss, as through fire, but is still saved. Hell? No, once you’re in Hell, you don’t get out. Heaven? No, you don’t suffer loss in Heaven. This is so much better explained as a purgatory sentence. Purgatory is a cleansing fire.]
Matthew 12:32
“Whoever says anything against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever says anything against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
[To me this further indicates that certain sins will cause some to suffer punishment eternally, no doubt. However, more importantly, this indicates that there is forgiveness for some in the age to come. For who? Those in heaven? They need no more forgiveness? For those in hell? No, because hell is eternal and there is no forgiveness at that point. It is for those in purgatory in the age that still awaits them.]
Luke 7:47
“I tell you, that is why her many sins are forgiven --- because of her great love. Little is forgiven the one whose love is small. “
[To me, this points to a one having some sentence in Purgatory in the age to come. For those who forgave “little” on earth, God is saying he will forgive “little” when judging you. He’s not saying he will forgive “nothing”, but something. In other words, he is lessening your debt, not totally removing it, and not totally condemning either.]
Mark 10:17-23
As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. "You know the commandments, Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up."Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!"
[Saved by “faith alone?” Does not appear to be the case here. And can it be any clearer? Jesus is demanding acts of obedience and charity in order to be worthy for the kingdom of heaven. And then he goes on to explain how difficult it is for a very wealthy man to enter heaven. Why? Not because he is incapable of an act of faith and accepting Jesus as his Savior. “But because as the gospels tell us - - “to whom more has been given, more will be required.” He must sacrifice much of his great favor in service to his fellow man. If he does not, he has been too selfish or greedy and he will have to pay some price. Jesus said he cannot enter in that state, he did not say the rich man is condemned to hell.]
Colossians 1:24
Even now I find my joy in the suffering I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the church.
[This passage has had various interpretations, but it at least suggests something required by man besides believing to do something God is asking of us.]
Mark 10:31
But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.
[One could possibly argue this refers to being awarded different levels of glory in heaven, but it seems more likely to me that those who come last are having to wait (likely in purgatory) before they can enter heaven.]
James 2:24
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
[Yes, we most certainly are judged by our works, and maybe much more to the point, by our level of indifference towards others. If we do not show obedience and sacrifice then we are not fully justified. Does that mean hell... or maybe some purification necessary for many believers?]
Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
[This does not sound like faith is all that is required to go directly to heaven. There is some “doing” required in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. That sounds like obedience and charity are important pieces of a soul as far as God is concerned. It sounds very much to me like God is warning those who think that if you think all you have to do is believe and “you’re in” think again. True you may be saved because of your faith, but you will be punished for lack of obedience or care. That makes sense. That shows both God’s justice and God’s mercy.]
Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive the faults of others, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours. But if you do not forgive others, then neither will your heavenly Father forgive you.
[What does that mean? Is this not a believer the Lord is speaking to?... the one who searches the Scriptures for wisdom and understanding? God is cautioning believers them [paraphrasing] “just because you say you are mine do not think you can treat your brother wrongly and be unforgiving towards him and then think that will not be held against you.” Again, there is a judgment and a purification for those faults we hold on to. ]
John 20:20-23
And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: “Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”
[Jesus is bestowing special graces or authority on those disciples “so ordained.” Why would Jesus speak of some sins being forgiven and others retained What becomes of a believer whose sins are retained and dies in that state? Hell? Unreasonable. A cleansing or purification is more the consequence here. God is merciful. ]
1 John 5:16-17
“Anyone who sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, should petition God, and thus life will be given to the sinner. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as a deadly sin; I do not say that one should pray about that. True all wrongdoing is sin, but not all sin is deadly.”
[Some sin condemns one to hell, other sins are spoken of as not deadly, meaning they have some retribution carried with it, but not hell. If this person dies with these unconfessed sins still on their souls does it sound likely they will not still need to be accounted for? Does not the Lord say “nothing defiled shall enter the kingdom?” Again, this implies a purification still required like so many other passages.]
Matthew 16:27
The Son of Man will come with his Father’s glory accompanied by his angels. When he does, he will repay each man according to his conduct.
[Seems pretty clear that our conduct (i.e. obedience, works) are as or more important than our confession of faith in determining our destiny. And if we be a believer, but our conduct is very bad, yet not fatal, then this highly implies a penance before our being able to enter the kingdom. Being repaid according to one’s conduct does not suggest a “lesser crown of glory” awarded in heaven, it more properly reflects of an admonition, like so many other words of Jesus the gospels. A penance for misconduct, not a lesser reward.]
Matthew 21:31
Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.”
[Jesus talking to the Pharisees says that the harlots and tax collectors will be allowed into heaven before you. “You” refers to other believers listening to his words as well I presume. The point here is that some will be allowed into heaven before some others who think they deserve heaven too. Before is a glorious word because it implies eventually you will get into heaven too, but it also seems to suggest something must take place before you are allowed in. This is not just a matter of being at the end of line waiting.]
Matthew 11:20-23
Jesus chiding Chorazin and Bethsaida. “It will go easier for Tyre and Sidon on Judgment Day than you who have been given so much.”
[What does “it will go easier” mean? It does ring of opposite ends of the judgment, heaven or hell. Easier suggests some kind of loss or punishment before one is on an equal footing as even those sinners in Tyre and Sidon. Not total condemnation. That verse aligns itself with another clear warning from Jesus in ]
Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
[In other words, one must be made holy (read: pure) before they can see the Lord (read: enter the kingdom).] This aligns itself with Jesus own words in Matthew 5:48, “You, therefore, must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are constantly working to holiness, to be as perfect as Jesus. To think none of this makes a difference at the Judgment does not make any sense in light of all the teachings from the Lord considered in its fullness.]
Heb 12:22-23,
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living god, the heavenly Jerusalem...and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect…
[The spirits of just men, made perfect. There is a way, a process, through which the spirits of the “just” are “made perfect.” It is not all is made “perfect” when one says they have become “born again.” The trials and testing spirits continue our whole lives.]
Jeremiah 17:9-10
More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? I, the Lord, alone probe the mind and search the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.
[Here again, the Lord is clear of the importance of our obedience or indifference. How often Scripture emphasizes “our ways” so much more than just having faith. All will face God and give an accounting of their lives.]
Ezekiel 33: 7-9
Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. When I say to the wicked, “O wicked man, you will surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand.
[The wicked man appears to have suffered eternal death, but also the one (the believer) who did not warn the wicked man of his sins, that one God will also require some recompense for our lack of duty. Does it sound as though God is saying the believer shall “die in his iniquity?” No, but it does sound as though there is some retribution required for the sin on our part.]
Zechariah 13: 8-9
“It will come about in all the land,” declares the Lord, “that two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested.”
[This could be referring to the end times only, but the refining the saved through fire could again very well refer to purgatory as well. It can easily explain the plights of both.]
I Corinthians 13:13
There are in the end three things that remain; faith, hope and charity. And the greatest of these is charity.
[Other interpretations say “love” instead of charity, but they are essentially the same. The point being that our conduct, our works of charity are even more essential to our salvation that even our faith. If you do not believe that then read Matthew 25:31-46, The Last Judgment. In that critical moment what does Jesus our judge speak of (exclusively) to determine who is fit for the kingdom and who is deserving of eternal punishment? Charity! Faith not even spoken of, no doubt to greater emphasize the importance of our love, or charity.]
Matthew 18:32-35
Then summoning him, his lord said to him, “You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?” And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.
[“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you.” Do what?... hand you over to the torturers until you should repay all that was owed him. Is this not clear? This is the purification of a soul. You will be tortured, but you will be released after you have made amends. God’s mercy and justice in perfect proportions (in the purification) for our final glory.]
Revelations 3:15-16
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.But because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My mouth.
[So much for assuming reciting “the sinner’s prayer” is enough for a direct ticket to heaven. But are we to assume being lukewarm is tantamount to being condemned to the nether world? I think not. Sounds like lukewarm believers not being obedient to their saving Lord. The nature of God and the mercy of God once again is manifest in His judgments.]
John 20: 20-23
The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “ Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
[Here we are again. What is to become of the believer whose sins are retained? No consequences? Hardly. This passage is clear enough and surely does not suggest anything like hell for the believer whose sins are retained, but more so some accounting still to be required.]
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These passages above are demanding more than just faith from us, more than just accepting Jesus as our Savior. To think we are allowed into heaven without anything more than just accepting some idea as truth, and then having license to live our life as wantonly as desired strikes of a repulsion to the holiness of God. You may not be condemned for your carelessness, but you will be purified for it. “Nothing defiled shall enter the kingdom.” (Revelations 21:27)
So the question many will have is “Then why did God not make purgatory even more obvious in Scripture and to all believers?” My answer is probably for the same reason He did not make it clear to all believers when the Lord Jesus will return ---- because many believers will become more smug in their salvation and seek a more pleasure-filled existence until the time draws near. Then they would make their amends with the Lord soon before his return. In that way, they think they can have it both ways, with the results of such an attitude being less prayer, obedience or doing far less good for the needs of others. This is human nature or human weakness.
In the same way, if it were clear to the people that purgatory --- and a certain guarantee to eventually make it into heaven --- is for all those who believe but don’t do much else to please God, once again this will bring about a complacency in their ways. Once we have attained the most important goal, we tend to relax. This is not what God wants by any means. He demands holiness, not just a faith. This is not a hard concept to understand the logic or importance in it.
That is my take on this. This is not doctrinal, yet, it makes more sense to me than God condemning the vast majority of humanity into hell. Too many people are ignorant or naïve to the point it really may not be entirely their fault. So God must then make known to the soul the fullness of the truth and why not one sin can be allowed into the holiness of heaven. When we die our spirit assumes a far more enlightened state. It is there all will be known, and as many saints have said, the soul will gladly resign itself to a state of purification because it cannot bear entering God’s wedding feast in filthy rags. Our eternal gratitude for being saved overcomes all our regret to have to serve temporal sentence for our ungodliness.
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There is a renowned booklet called “An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory.” It was written in the late 1800’s by a nun in a French convent. A fellow nun of hers died maybe months prior and was cast into purgatory. She was allowed and obligated by the Lord to return to earth for a time to witness to her fellow nun about the reality of purgatory. She is but one of many souls who have gone through this experience of returning to earth. What follows is an excerpt of her testimony to the surviving nun who wrote this all down.
"I can tell you about the different degrees of purgatory because I have passed through them," said that deceased nun during the nineteenth-century revelations called An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory.
"In the great purgatory there are several stages. In the lowest and most painful, like a temporary hell, are the sinners who have committed terrible crimes during life and whose death surprised them in that state. It was almost a miracle that they were saved, and often by the prayers of holy parents or other pious persons. Sometimes they did not even have time to confess their sins and the world thought them lost, but God, Whose mercy is infinite, gave them at the moment of death the contrition necessary for their salvation on account of one or more good actions which they performed during life. For such souls, purgatory is terrible. It is a real hell with this difference, that in hell they curse God, whereas in purgatory we bless Him and thank Him for having saved us.
"Next to these come the souls, who though they did not commit great crimes like the others, were indifferent to God. They did not fulfill their Easter duties and were also converted at the point of death. Perhaps they were unable to receive Holy Communion. They are in purgatory for the long years of indifference. They suffer unheard of pains and are abandoned either without prayers or if they are said for them, they are not allowed to profit from them. There are in this stage of purgatory religious of both sexes, who were tepid, neglectful of their duties, indifferent toward Jesus, also priests who did not exercise their sacred ministry with the reverence due to the Sovereign Majesty and who did not instill the love of God sufficiently into the souls confided to their care.
"In the second purgatory are the souls of those who died with venial sins not fully expiated before death, or with mortal sins that have been forgiven but for which they have not made entire satisfaction to the Divine Justice. In this part of purgatory, there are also different degrees according to the merits of each soul. Thus the purgatory of the consecrated or of those who have received more abundant graces is longer and far more painful than that of ordinary people of the world.
"Lastly, there is the purgatory of desire which is called the Threshold. Very few escape this. To avoid it altogether, one must ardently desire Heaven and the Vision of God. That is rare, rarer than people think, because even pious people are afraid of God and have not, therefore, a sufficiently strong desire of going to Heaven. This purgatory has its very painful martyrdom like the others. The deprivation of our loving Jesus adds to the intense suffering. The majority of people go to purgatory. The lowest is close to hell and the highest gradually draws near to Heaven. It is not on All Souls Day but at Christmas that the greatest number of souls leaves purgatory. There are in purgatory souls who pray ardently to God, but for whom no relative or friend prays on earth. God makes them benefit from the prayers of other people. It happens that God permits them to manifest themselves in different ways, close to their relatives on earth, in order to remind men of the existence of purgatory and to solicit their prayers to come close to God Who is just, but good."
The threshold is a beauty to behold. Holy people may do their purgatory here – and it can be brief. In some cases, mere minutes. "You should see it here," said one voice from the beyond. From here they look as from a cloud to the landscape of Heaven in the distance. It is the waiting room. It is the final laundering. It is far from the "outer darkness."
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Testimony of particular saints:
Saint Frances of Rome (1384 – 1440) not only saw purgatory but visited it, witnessed the souls who suffered there, and told of its three regions. She also visited hell, saw its frightening torments, and reported of its horror, disorder, despair and eternal darkness. Of purgatory, she reported none of hell's finality, but instead told of divine hope and of souls that suffered greatly but were assisted by angels to withstand their torments.
Saint Frances further identified three separate areas of purgatory where souls had been placed in proportion to the time required to atone for their sins. Lower purgatory is filled with fire, though not a dark fire as in hell. Intermediate purgatory possesses three chambers containing either ice, boiling oil or molten metal. And she further related the existence of an upper purgatory where souls that are closest to deliverance suffer only the pain of loss.
Saint Magdalen de Pazzi (1566 – 1607) was taken on a trip through purgatory. She saw the different forms of torture being endured by those who had committed such sins as disobedience, lying, avarice, impurity, pride and ingratitude to God. After witnessing so many varied horrors, she begged God not to ask her to endure it again. But she knew that God's purpose had been to have her become vibrantly aware of how abominable is even the least sin in the eyes of God.
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (1271 – 1336) was miraculously informed that her deceased daughter, Constance, was languishing in the depths of purgatory and was in great need of Holy Masses being offered for her deliverance. At the conclusion of the required number, Constance appeared to her clad in a brilliant white robe and announced that she was on her way to heaven.
Words from the early saints and authors on purgatory:
Lucius Caecilius Lactantius
"But also, when God will judge the just, it is likewise in fire that he will try them. At that time, they whose sins are uppermost, either because of their gravity or their number, will be drawn together by the fire and will be burned. Those, however, who have been imbued with full justice and maturity of virtue, will not feel that fire; for they have something of God in them which will repel and turn back the strength of the flame." (Lactantius, Divine Institutes, 7
6, A.D. 307.)
The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity
"that very night, this was shown to me in a vision: I, Perpetua, saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid color, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh… who died miserably with disease. . . . For him I had made my prayer, and between him and me there was a large interval, so that neither of us could approach to the other . . . and I knew that my brother was in suffering. But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering… I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me. Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me: I saw that the place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment… And he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment" (The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity 2:3–4, A.D. 202).
Gregory of Nyssa
"If a man distinguish in himself what is peculiarly human from that which is irrational, and if he be on the watch for a life of greater elegance for himself, in this present life he will purify himself of any evil contracted, overcoming the irrational by reason. If he has inclined to the irrational pressure of the passions, using for the passions the cooperating hide of things irrational, he may afterward in a quite different manner be very much interested in what is better, when, after his departure out of the body, he gains knowledge of the difference between virtue and vice and finds that he is not able to partake of divinity until he has been purged of the filthy contagion in his soul by the purifying fire" (Sermon on the Dead, A.D. 382).
St. John Chrysostom
"Weep for those who die in their wealth and who with all their wealth prepared no consolation for their own souls, who had the power to wash away their sins and did not will to do it. Let us weep for them, let us assist them to the extent of our ability, let us think of some assistance for them, small as it may be, yet let us somehow assist them. But how, and in what way? By praying for them and by entreating others to pray for them, by constantly giving alms to the poor on their behalf. Not in vain was it decreed by the apostles that in the awesome mysteries remembrance should be made of the departed." (Homilies on Philippians 3:9–10, A.D. 402).
St. Augustine
"But by the prayers of the holy Church, and by the salvific sacrifice, and by the alms which are given for their spirits, there is no doubt that the dead are aided, that the Lord might deal more mercifully with them than their sins would deserve. The whole Church observes this practice which was handed down by the Fathers: that it prays for those who have died in the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ… It is not at all to be doubted that such prayers are of profit to the dead; but for such of them as lived before their death in a way that makes it possible for these things to be useful to them after death" (Sermons 172:2, A.D. 411).
"Temporal punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by some after death, by some both here and hereafter, but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishments, which are to follow after that judgment" (The City of God 21:13, A.D. 419).
"That there should be some fire even after this life is not incredible, and it can be inquired into and either be discovered or left hidden whether some of the faithful may be saved, some more slowly and some more quickly in the greater or lesser degree in which they loved the good things that perish, through a certain purgatorial fire" (Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Charity 18:69, A.D. 421).
"The time which interposes between the death of a man and the final resurrection holds souls in hidden retreats, accordingly as each is deserving of rest or of hardship, in view of what it merited when it was living in the flesh. Nor can it be denied that the souls of the dead find relief through the piety of their friends and relatives who are still alive, when the Sacrifice of the Mediator [Mass] is offered for them, or when alms are given in the Church… There is a certain manner of living, neither so good that there is no need of these helps after death, nor yet so wicked that these helps are of no avail after death" (Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Charity 29:109 A.D. 421 ).
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From http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/a94.htm by Kevin Tierney
“The concept of purgatory arose long after the Apostles.” I’d agree with this statement, if we change long after to long before. Jews have always prayed the “Kaddish.” This prayer, which reaffirms faith in God despite the mourner's loss, was thought to hasten the process of purification. So to claim the doctrine was invented long after the Apostles is utterly false. Granted, they did not call it purgatory, but the basis is exactly the same. So the witness of this doctrine existed among the Jews long before the Apostles.
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"Tis a shorter thing and sooner done to write heresies than to answer them." St. Thomas More
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If there were no purgatory, what would some Christians who deny it say about the billions of people who never knew or accepted Jesus? Are they all condemned because they did not have faith? Or do most go directly to heaven without ever having acknowledged God in any way? Neither of those responses sound quite right or appear to properly align itself with the nature of God’s justice and mercy.
This immediate heaven or hell upon the moment of death is just too suddenly drastic, too rewarding or too horrifying, when there is so much black and white and gray in all of our lives. Especially when one begins to ponder what merits heaven and what merits hell. Is there an age of accountability for an 12 year old pagan youth? I mean, is there an exact day he becomes accountable for his soul and actions? One day, if he dies, he is saved, and the next day when he is one day older, if he dies, he is condemned? Because now he knew right from wrong, but the day before he did not? This cannot be. Consequently, there are thousands or millions of scenarios of humanity where the situations of saved or unsaved are equally precarious and unsettling. It cannot hang on one more day or one more sin breaking the camel’s back.
Yes, we may very well be saved by faith (accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior) but that does not mean we still may not have to be purified before we can enter heaven. Revelations says “nothing defiled shall enter the Kingdom.” It should be obvious that is not in reference to those resigned to hell, but those who are saved, yet still with many stains of sin on their souls after they accepted Christ or for other reasons. With a doctrine of purgatory, it allows for much, much more mercy from a merciful God. Far less people end up totally condemned.
The most astounding of all the Christian miracles in recent centuries was the miracle of the sun at Fatima, Portugal, October 13, 1917. Three young children who had been witnessing apparitions of the Virgin Mary prophesied three months in advance (July 13) that a great miracle would be performed by Our Lady on October 13th for all those people present and doubting the children to know these messages are from God. So on a very rainy, muddy gray Portugal day 70,000 people arrived at the Cova da Iria to see if the children were truly prophets. Soon after the children finished praying, Lucia pointed to the sky. The rain stopped and the gray skies were split in two by an incredible sun which was inexplicably viewable to the human eye without damage. It looked like a silver disc and started “dancing.” Bouncing up and down defying cosmic laws. Then it started spinning and shooting off rays of all kinds of colors across the sky and landscape changing the faces of the crowd to blue, yellow, green, etc. It carried on in this remarkable fashion for twelve minutes, then at the finale the sun turned blood red grew in size and charged toward the earth greatly terrifying all present. At the last moment it stopped and receded peacefully into the sky.
This was a miracle beyond doubt. There were no longer any skeptics present. All saw that which was astoundingly prophesied three months in advance to the day. The soaked muddy ground was bone dry after this occurrence as a secondary miracle. These facts were reported in the various newspapers including O Seculo, Lisbon’s anti-clerical socialist paper by their atheist reporter present at the miracle.
I report this account here for one purpose, specifically . One of the children, Lucia, asked about an aunt of hers who recently died. The Virgin Mother said that woman was in purgatory and would be there for a long time. Question: How can a person of normal intelligence and reason doubt the supernatural nature of this event? Question: So if one accepts these events as a miracle given by God, then how could one even doubt the other words Our Lady gave to these children, very specifically the mention of purgatory? The children only reported what they were told by Mary.
Yes, purgatory exists and many nominal or lukewarm Christians should be eternally grateful for that because such lazy or sinful behavior does not warrant heaven and white robes the moment one passes on. And many non believers may rejoice if they find themselves there as well. It is a place of suffering, loneliness and regret, but there is also an incredible gratitude and joy knowing that one day each soul in purgatory will be allowed into heaven.
The evidence for purgatory is far greater than the Fatima account. I submit below some Biblical verses which Catholic teaching, in many cases, regards as references to purgatory or a state of purification. Consider them as you may for yourselves.
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Matthew 5:23-26
"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Reconcile with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid up the last penny.”
[Jesus is assuring us (“truly I say to you”) that we will pay (be imprisoned) for a portion our transgressions until we have paid the last penny if we do not forgive others or obey. The key word is UNTIL. It is clear that once we have paid for our sins, THEN we WILL be released from our prison. That is not Hell because Hell is eternal. This is not an earthly reference as many who are to be saved have died without fulfilling all the requirements this passage implies. This is referring to purgatory where you will be eventually released.]
2 Samuel 12:13-18
“David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.’ And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became sick…On the seventh day the child died.”
[As with David, there may still be restitution for sin even after one has received forgiveness. I do not see how this teaching expired for Christians?]
Luke 12:45-48
"But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk: the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much more will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much will be asked.
[The one slave who was not as guilty because he was somewhat ignorant of the gravity of his sins will receive less lashes. Note, he will still be punished, but not as severely. This is clearly not talking about hell, it is about some punishment that is less than eternal. Different degrees of punishment which is how many saints have described purgatory from visions or revelation.
Also Jesus repeats the message in another manner – “from everyone who has been given much, much more will be required.” This is a clear warning to believers of possible consequences, those who have been given much more (i.e. knowledge, riches, revelation, opportunity, etc.) if blessings are misused or disregarded. Almost assuredly, this is a justice taking place after all is revealed to us after we come before God.]
1 Corinthians 3:12-15
Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
[Saved, but still will suffer loss as yet through fire. Protestants may argue this is some earthly punishment, not an afterlife matter, but the Catholic Church says, not so. Where is this place that a man, after he dies, suffers loss, as through fire, but is still saved. Hell? No, once you’re in Hell, you don’t get out. Heaven? No, you don’t suffer loss in Heaven. This is so much better explained as a purgatory sentence. Purgatory is a cleansing fire.]
Matthew 12:32
“Whoever says anything against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever says anything against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
[To me this further indicates that certain sins will cause some to suffer punishment eternally, no doubt. However, more importantly, this indicates that there is forgiveness for some in the age to come. For who? Those in heaven? They need no more forgiveness? For those in hell? No, because hell is eternal and there is no forgiveness at that point. It is for those in purgatory in the age that still awaits them.]
Luke 7:47
“I tell you, that is why her many sins are forgiven --- because of her great love. Little is forgiven the one whose love is small. “
[To me, this points to a one having some sentence in Purgatory in the age to come. For those who forgave “little” on earth, God is saying he will forgive “little” when judging you. He’s not saying he will forgive “nothing”, but something. In other words, he is lessening your debt, not totally removing it, and not totally condemning either.]
Mark 10:17-23
As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. "You know the commandments, Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up."Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!"
[Saved by “faith alone?” Does not appear to be the case here. And can it be any clearer? Jesus is demanding acts of obedience and charity in order to be worthy for the kingdom of heaven. And then he goes on to explain how difficult it is for a very wealthy man to enter heaven. Why? Not because he is incapable of an act of faith and accepting Jesus as his Savior. “But because as the gospels tell us - - “to whom more has been given, more will be required.” He must sacrifice much of his great favor in service to his fellow man. If he does not, he has been too selfish or greedy and he will have to pay some price. Jesus said he cannot enter in that state, he did not say the rich man is condemned to hell.]
Colossians 1:24
Even now I find my joy in the suffering I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the church.
[This passage has had various interpretations, but it at least suggests something required by man besides believing to do something God is asking of us.]
Mark 10:31
But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.
[One could possibly argue this refers to being awarded different levels of glory in heaven, but it seems more likely to me that those who come last are having to wait (likely in purgatory) before they can enter heaven.]
James 2:24
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
[Yes, we most certainly are judged by our works, and maybe much more to the point, by our level of indifference towards others. If we do not show obedience and sacrifice then we are not fully justified. Does that mean hell... or maybe some purification necessary for many believers?]
Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
[This does not sound like faith is all that is required to go directly to heaven. There is some “doing” required in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. That sounds like obedience and charity are important pieces of a soul as far as God is concerned. It sounds very much to me like God is warning those who think that if you think all you have to do is believe and “you’re in” think again. True you may be saved because of your faith, but you will be punished for lack of obedience or care. That makes sense. That shows both God’s justice and God’s mercy.]
Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive the faults of others, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours. But if you do not forgive others, then neither will your heavenly Father forgive you.
[What does that mean? Is this not a believer the Lord is speaking to?... the one who searches the Scriptures for wisdom and understanding? God is cautioning believers them [paraphrasing] “just because you say you are mine do not think you can treat your brother wrongly and be unforgiving towards him and then think that will not be held against you.” Again, there is a judgment and a purification for those faults we hold on to. ]
John 20:20-23
And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: “Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”
[Jesus is bestowing special graces or authority on those disciples “so ordained.” Why would Jesus speak of some sins being forgiven and others retained What becomes of a believer whose sins are retained and dies in that state? Hell? Unreasonable. A cleansing or purification is more the consequence here. God is merciful. ]
1 John 5:16-17
“Anyone who sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, should petition God, and thus life will be given to the sinner. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as a deadly sin; I do not say that one should pray about that. True all wrongdoing is sin, but not all sin is deadly.”
[Some sin condemns one to hell, other sins are spoken of as not deadly, meaning they have some retribution carried with it, but not hell. If this person dies with these unconfessed sins still on their souls does it sound likely they will not still need to be accounted for? Does not the Lord say “nothing defiled shall enter the kingdom?” Again, this implies a purification still required like so many other passages.]
Matthew 16:27
The Son of Man will come with his Father’s glory accompanied by his angels. When he does, he will repay each man according to his conduct.
[Seems pretty clear that our conduct (i.e. obedience, works) are as or more important than our confession of faith in determining our destiny. And if we be a believer, but our conduct is very bad, yet not fatal, then this highly implies a penance before our being able to enter the kingdom. Being repaid according to one’s conduct does not suggest a “lesser crown of glory” awarded in heaven, it more properly reflects of an admonition, like so many other words of Jesus the gospels. A penance for misconduct, not a lesser reward.]
Matthew 21:31
Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.”
[Jesus talking to the Pharisees says that the harlots and tax collectors will be allowed into heaven before you. “You” refers to other believers listening to his words as well I presume. The point here is that some will be allowed into heaven before some others who think they deserve heaven too. Before is a glorious word because it implies eventually you will get into heaven too, but it also seems to suggest something must take place before you are allowed in. This is not just a matter of being at the end of line waiting.]
Matthew 11:20-23
Jesus chiding Chorazin and Bethsaida. “It will go easier for Tyre and Sidon on Judgment Day than you who have been given so much.”
[What does “it will go easier” mean? It does ring of opposite ends of the judgment, heaven or hell. Easier suggests some kind of loss or punishment before one is on an equal footing as even those sinners in Tyre and Sidon. Not total condemnation. That verse aligns itself with another clear warning from Jesus in ]
Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
[In other words, one must be made holy (read: pure) before they can see the Lord (read: enter the kingdom).] This aligns itself with Jesus own words in Matthew 5:48, “You, therefore, must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are constantly working to holiness, to be as perfect as Jesus. To think none of this makes a difference at the Judgment does not make any sense in light of all the teachings from the Lord considered in its fullness.]
Heb 12:22-23,
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living god, the heavenly Jerusalem...and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect…
[The spirits of just men, made perfect. There is a way, a process, through which the spirits of the “just” are “made perfect.” It is not all is made “perfect” when one says they have become “born again.” The trials and testing spirits continue our whole lives.]
Jeremiah 17:9-10
More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? I, the Lord, alone probe the mind and search the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.
[Here again, the Lord is clear of the importance of our obedience or indifference. How often Scripture emphasizes “our ways” so much more than just having faith. All will face God and give an accounting of their lives.]
Ezekiel 33: 7-9
Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. When I say to the wicked, “O wicked man, you will surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand.
[The wicked man appears to have suffered eternal death, but also the one (the believer) who did not warn the wicked man of his sins, that one God will also require some recompense for our lack of duty. Does it sound as though God is saying the believer shall “die in his iniquity?” No, but it does sound as though there is some retribution required for the sin on our part.]
Zechariah 13: 8-9
“It will come about in all the land,” declares the Lord, “that two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested.”
[This could be referring to the end times only, but the refining the saved through fire could again very well refer to purgatory as well. It can easily explain the plights of both.]
I Corinthians 13:13
There are in the end three things that remain; faith, hope and charity. And the greatest of these is charity.
[Other interpretations say “love” instead of charity, but they are essentially the same. The point being that our conduct, our works of charity are even more essential to our salvation that even our faith. If you do not believe that then read Matthew 25:31-46, The Last Judgment. In that critical moment what does Jesus our judge speak of (exclusively) to determine who is fit for the kingdom and who is deserving of eternal punishment? Charity! Faith not even spoken of, no doubt to greater emphasize the importance of our love, or charity.]
Matthew 18:32-35
Then summoning him, his lord said to him, “You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?” And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.
[“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you.” Do what?... hand you over to the torturers until you should repay all that was owed him. Is this not clear? This is the purification of a soul. You will be tortured, but you will be released after you have made amends. God’s mercy and justice in perfect proportions (in the purification) for our final glory.]
Revelations 3:15-16
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.But because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My mouth.
[So much for assuming reciting “the sinner’s prayer” is enough for a direct ticket to heaven. But are we to assume being lukewarm is tantamount to being condemned to the nether world? I think not. Sounds like lukewarm believers not being obedient to their saving Lord. The nature of God and the mercy of God once again is manifest in His judgments.]
John 20: 20-23
The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “ Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
[Here we are again. What is to become of the believer whose sins are retained? No consequences? Hardly. This passage is clear enough and surely does not suggest anything like hell for the believer whose sins are retained, but more so some accounting still to be required.]
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These passages above are demanding more than just faith from us, more than just accepting Jesus as our Savior. To think we are allowed into heaven without anything more than just accepting some idea as truth, and then having license to live our life as wantonly as desired strikes of a repulsion to the holiness of God. You may not be condemned for your carelessness, but you will be purified for it. “Nothing defiled shall enter the kingdom.” (Revelations 21:27)
So the question many will have is “Then why did God not make purgatory even more obvious in Scripture and to all believers?” My answer is probably for the same reason He did not make it clear to all believers when the Lord Jesus will return ---- because many believers will become more smug in their salvation and seek a more pleasure-filled existence until the time draws near. Then they would make their amends with the Lord soon before his return. In that way, they think they can have it both ways, with the results of such an attitude being less prayer, obedience or doing far less good for the needs of others. This is human nature or human weakness.
In the same way, if it were clear to the people that purgatory --- and a certain guarantee to eventually make it into heaven --- is for all those who believe but don’t do much else to please God, once again this will bring about a complacency in their ways. Once we have attained the most important goal, we tend to relax. This is not what God wants by any means. He demands holiness, not just a faith. This is not a hard concept to understand the logic or importance in it.
That is my take on this. This is not doctrinal, yet, it makes more sense to me than God condemning the vast majority of humanity into hell. Too many people are ignorant or naïve to the point it really may not be entirely their fault. So God must then make known to the soul the fullness of the truth and why not one sin can be allowed into the holiness of heaven. When we die our spirit assumes a far more enlightened state. It is there all will be known, and as many saints have said, the soul will gladly resign itself to a state of purification because it cannot bear entering God’s wedding feast in filthy rags. Our eternal gratitude for being saved overcomes all our regret to have to serve temporal sentence for our ungodliness.
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There is a renowned booklet called “An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory.” It was written in the late 1800’s by a nun in a French convent. A fellow nun of hers died maybe months prior and was cast into purgatory. She was allowed and obligated by the Lord to return to earth for a time to witness to her fellow nun about the reality of purgatory. She is but one of many souls who have gone through this experience of returning to earth. What follows is an excerpt of her testimony to the surviving nun who wrote this all down.
"I can tell you about the different degrees of purgatory because I have passed through them," said that deceased nun during the nineteenth-century revelations called An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory.
"In the great purgatory there are several stages. In the lowest and most painful, like a temporary hell, are the sinners who have committed terrible crimes during life and whose death surprised them in that state. It was almost a miracle that they were saved, and often by the prayers of holy parents or other pious persons. Sometimes they did not even have time to confess their sins and the world thought them lost, but God, Whose mercy is infinite, gave them at the moment of death the contrition necessary for their salvation on account of one or more good actions which they performed during life. For such souls, purgatory is terrible. It is a real hell with this difference, that in hell they curse God, whereas in purgatory we bless Him and thank Him for having saved us.
"Next to these come the souls, who though they did not commit great crimes like the others, were indifferent to God. They did not fulfill their Easter duties and were also converted at the point of death. Perhaps they were unable to receive Holy Communion. They are in purgatory for the long years of indifference. They suffer unheard of pains and are abandoned either without prayers or if they are said for them, they are not allowed to profit from them. There are in this stage of purgatory religious of both sexes, who were tepid, neglectful of their duties, indifferent toward Jesus, also priests who did not exercise their sacred ministry with the reverence due to the Sovereign Majesty and who did not instill the love of God sufficiently into the souls confided to their care.
"In the second purgatory are the souls of those who died with venial sins not fully expiated before death, or with mortal sins that have been forgiven but for which they have not made entire satisfaction to the Divine Justice. In this part of purgatory, there are also different degrees according to the merits of each soul. Thus the purgatory of the consecrated or of those who have received more abundant graces is longer and far more painful than that of ordinary people of the world.
"Lastly, there is the purgatory of desire which is called the Threshold. Very few escape this. To avoid it altogether, one must ardently desire Heaven and the Vision of God. That is rare, rarer than people think, because even pious people are afraid of God and have not, therefore, a sufficiently strong desire of going to Heaven. This purgatory has its very painful martyrdom like the others. The deprivation of our loving Jesus adds to the intense suffering. The majority of people go to purgatory. The lowest is close to hell and the highest gradually draws near to Heaven. It is not on All Souls Day but at Christmas that the greatest number of souls leaves purgatory. There are in purgatory souls who pray ardently to God, but for whom no relative or friend prays on earth. God makes them benefit from the prayers of other people. It happens that God permits them to manifest themselves in different ways, close to their relatives on earth, in order to remind men of the existence of purgatory and to solicit their prayers to come close to God Who is just, but good."
The threshold is a beauty to behold. Holy people may do their purgatory here – and it can be brief. In some cases, mere minutes. "You should see it here," said one voice from the beyond. From here they look as from a cloud to the landscape of Heaven in the distance. It is the waiting room. It is the final laundering. It is far from the "outer darkness."
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Testimony of particular saints:
Saint Frances of Rome (1384 – 1440) not only saw purgatory but visited it, witnessed the souls who suffered there, and told of its three regions. She also visited hell, saw its frightening torments, and reported of its horror, disorder, despair and eternal darkness. Of purgatory, she reported none of hell's finality, but instead told of divine hope and of souls that suffered greatly but were assisted by angels to withstand their torments.
Saint Frances further identified three separate areas of purgatory where souls had been placed in proportion to the time required to atone for their sins. Lower purgatory is filled with fire, though not a dark fire as in hell. Intermediate purgatory possesses three chambers containing either ice, boiling oil or molten metal. And she further related the existence of an upper purgatory where souls that are closest to deliverance suffer only the pain of loss.
Saint Magdalen de Pazzi (1566 – 1607) was taken on a trip through purgatory. She saw the different forms of torture being endured by those who had committed such sins as disobedience, lying, avarice, impurity, pride and ingratitude to God. After witnessing so many varied horrors, she begged God not to ask her to endure it again. But she knew that God's purpose had been to have her become vibrantly aware of how abominable is even the least sin in the eyes of God.
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (1271 – 1336) was miraculously informed that her deceased daughter, Constance, was languishing in the depths of purgatory and was in great need of Holy Masses being offered for her deliverance. At the conclusion of the required number, Constance appeared to her clad in a brilliant white robe and announced that she was on her way to heaven.
Words from the early saints and authors on purgatory:
Lucius Caecilius Lactantius
"But also, when God will judge the just, it is likewise in fire that he will try them. At that time, they whose sins are uppermost, either because of their gravity or their number, will be drawn together by the fire and will be burned. Those, however, who have been imbued with full justice and maturity of virtue, will not feel that fire; for they have something of God in them which will repel and turn back the strength of the flame." (Lactantius, Divine Institutes, 7
6, A.D. 307.)The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity
"that very night, this was shown to me in a vision: I, Perpetua, saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid color, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh… who died miserably with disease. . . . For him I had made my prayer, and between him and me there was a large interval, so that neither of us could approach to the other . . . and I knew that my brother was in suffering. But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering… I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me. Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me: I saw that the place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment… And he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment" (The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity 2:3–4, A.D. 202).
Gregory of Nyssa
"If a man distinguish in himself what is peculiarly human from that which is irrational, and if he be on the watch for a life of greater elegance for himself, in this present life he will purify himself of any evil contracted, overcoming the irrational by reason. If he has inclined to the irrational pressure of the passions, using for the passions the cooperating hide of things irrational, he may afterward in a quite different manner be very much interested in what is better, when, after his departure out of the body, he gains knowledge of the difference between virtue and vice and finds that he is not able to partake of divinity until he has been purged of the filthy contagion in his soul by the purifying fire" (Sermon on the Dead, A.D. 382).
St. John Chrysostom
"Weep for those who die in their wealth and who with all their wealth prepared no consolation for their own souls, who had the power to wash away their sins and did not will to do it. Let us weep for them, let us assist them to the extent of our ability, let us think of some assistance for them, small as it may be, yet let us somehow assist them. But how, and in what way? By praying for them and by entreating others to pray for them, by constantly giving alms to the poor on their behalf. Not in vain was it decreed by the apostles that in the awesome mysteries remembrance should be made of the departed." (Homilies on Philippians 3:9–10, A.D. 402).
St. Augustine
"But by the prayers of the holy Church, and by the salvific sacrifice, and by the alms which are given for their spirits, there is no doubt that the dead are aided, that the Lord might deal more mercifully with them than their sins would deserve. The whole Church observes this practice which was handed down by the Fathers: that it prays for those who have died in the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ… It is not at all to be doubted that such prayers are of profit to the dead; but for such of them as lived before their death in a way that makes it possible for these things to be useful to them after death" (Sermons 172:2, A.D. 411).
"Temporal punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by some after death, by some both here and hereafter, but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishments, which are to follow after that judgment" (The City of God 21:13, A.D. 419).
"That there should be some fire even after this life is not incredible, and it can be inquired into and either be discovered or left hidden whether some of the faithful may be saved, some more slowly and some more quickly in the greater or lesser degree in which they loved the good things that perish, through a certain purgatorial fire" (Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Charity 18:69, A.D. 421).
"The time which interposes between the death of a man and the final resurrection holds souls in hidden retreats, accordingly as each is deserving of rest or of hardship, in view of what it merited when it was living in the flesh. Nor can it be denied that the souls of the dead find relief through the piety of their friends and relatives who are still alive, when the Sacrifice of the Mediator [Mass] is offered for them, or when alms are given in the Church… There is a certain manner of living, neither so good that there is no need of these helps after death, nor yet so wicked that these helps are of no avail after death" (Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Charity 29:109 A.D. 421 ).
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From http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/a94.htm by Kevin Tierney
“The concept of purgatory arose long after the Apostles.” I’d agree with this statement, if we change long after to long before. Jews have always prayed the “Kaddish.” This prayer, which reaffirms faith in God despite the mourner's loss, was thought to hasten the process of purification. So to claim the doctrine was invented long after the Apostles is utterly false. Granted, they did not call it purgatory, but the basis is exactly the same. So the witness of this doctrine existed among the Jews long before the Apostles.
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