Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 159.
(Youcat
answer) Purgatory, often imagined as a place, is actually a condition. Someone
who dies in God’s grace (and therefore at peace with God and men) but who still
needs purification before he can see God face to face is in purgatory.
A deepening through CCC
(CCC 1031)
The Church gives the name Purgatory
to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the
punishment of the damned (Cf. Council of Florence (1439): DS 1304; Council of
Trent (1563): DS 1820; (1547): 1580; see also Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus (1336): DS 1000). The
Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils
of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain
texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire (Cf. 1 Cor 3:15; 1 Pet 1:7): As
for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment,
there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to
come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in
this age, but certain others in the age to come (St. Gregory the Great, Dial. 4, 39: PL 77, 396; cf. Mt 12:31).
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment)
When Peter had betrayed
Jesus, the Lord turned around and looked at Peter: “And Peter went out and wept
bitterly” —a
feeling like being in purgatory. Just such a purgatory probably awaits most of
us at the moment of our death: the Lord looks at us full of love—and we experience burning shame
and painful remorse over our wicked or “merely” unloving behavior. Only after
this purifying pain will we be capable of meeting his loving gaze in untroubled
heavenly joy.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 1030)
All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are
indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo
purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of
heaven.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment