Although the Catholic Church proclaims the concept of Purgatory, I see that today a majority of people are not believing in purgatory. Most people see purgatory as a place full of punishments and sorrow, something like locking up the souls and beating them. Some others see it as a place of comfort as they can attain Heaven, after spending sometime in purgatory, just like a holiday resort. Many doubts and misconceptions arise in most people nowadays, as not much is taught about it at churches and during caticism.
Purgatory is the place where most of the souls go after death. I say this, because even the saints are going to heaven after spending some time at purgatory. The difference is only in the duration of the time they have to spend there.It is a place where the soul is given pains, but it also represents a state of love, hope and peace. Because if a soul needs to be with God in heaven after death, it must have attained complete purity. Thus we understand that God made purgatory because of His abundant love for us.
“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10). Thus if one needs to be with God, he/she has to be made pure in the flames of sacrifice. And if this purification doesn’t happen if he is in his earthly body, then it happens after death at purgatory.
The selfish love we have for ourselves increases the distance between us and God. At purgatory, this selfish love is burnt and destroyed completely. Thus by submitting ourselves completely to God, only God’s love remains in that soul. Thus it becomes eligible to join God and live in eternity.
Sins, their trails, selfish love for ourselves all these impurities make a HARD CRUST on the surface of our love to God. But we are not even knowing the formation of this crust. Whenever we do sins, refuse God and do things against His will, we are increasing the thickness of this hard crust.
Only the selfless love to God can melt down the hard crust formed. All saints throughout their lives were constantly trying to melt down this crust completely. For this, they prayed a lot and did a lot of deeds of penance. These will melt the hard crust very easily. Yes, our sins are forgiven through confession, but to clear the debt of our sins, deeds of penance are needed. Thus the saints were able to go either directly to heaven or spend only a very little time at the purgatory.
See the picture above? It shows Mother Mary helping souls in purgatory. All souls are seen there together with their own guardian angel (Fravashi), who help them at the purgatory.
So actually what does a soul experience at the purgatory? What is happening when we pray for them? A hundreds of questions may arise in your mind. Be patient. I will be writing on those very shortly. Keep checking back this site for The Purgatory – Part 02.
Mary is a mere human being, she is blessed among all women because God chose her to be the mother of Christ, but she was never given the authority to be co-redemptrix. In fact, during Christ’s ministry, Mary merely stood in the background, not once stepping forward to spearhead or be “assistant minister” to Christ. It’s sad how people actually believe that Mary is the mother of God, and that she was crowned queen of heaven and that she remained a virgin for life… Mary bore children from her marriage with Joseph and thus, she did not remain a virgin all her life. If you will study carefully the accounts of Mary in the bible, you will see that these are very few and does not even hint at her being Christ’s co-redemptrix. She did not patron anyone to Christ, she was an ordinary woman who was blessed among all women. But that’s just about it. It is a folly to pray and venerate Mary. There is only one way to the kingdom of heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ alone. Not Mary or any other saint.
There is only one way to the kingdom of heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ alone. Mother Mary and Saints show us that way.
John 14:6 is very clear: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
1 Timothy 2:5 also says: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ”
Galatians 1:9 furthers: “As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”
The Bible is very clear on this matter, any other gospel preached aside from what is written in the Scriptures will curse the one who preaches it. Obviously, there is nowhere in the Scriptures will anyone find that Mary shows us the way to the kingdom. There can only be one mediator, one channel and one patron and that is Christ. And anyone who teaches otherwise, as Paul said, let him be accursed.
This is not an attempt to teach anybody or to preach anything. These are my views, based on the teachings of the Church.
Hazel, you’re correct in that the bible is clear and other things shouldn’t be done outside of what the bible says, for the most part. You see, Catholics also believe in tradition, as did Jesus. He taught us to live by His teachings and as well as tradition.
The problem is in interpretation. You say the Virgin Mary is but a mere blessed woman. I cannot even fathom the idea of how God feels when people say that about the only woman He chose to be the mother of His only begotten Son.
At the wedding in Cana, did Jesus not do what His mother commanded (changing water into wine), even though as Jesus had said, “my time has not yet come.” Jesus obeyed the wish of His mother, which is why we as Catholics, know we can ask her to intercede for us to her Son, and He will do it. Even though Jesus wants to give us all we ask for (so long as it does not hinder our salvation), many things He does at the mere request of His mother.
Mary has always been in the background. Always there for her son, always there for us. She was not an Apostle because it is only proper that men do the work, not women. That’s why we have only male priests. I’m sure you can agree there are great differences in how men and women think and ‘go to business.’ Women tend to use their hearts, men, while having a supreme intellegence, don’t let matters of the heart get in the way.
Yes, there is only one way…through Jesus. But understand this, whatever Mary asks, Jesus will do. Just like a family on earth. Because of their pure love, whatever the Mother asks for from her Son, He will do, and the same goes with the Father.
wow!!! nice
I notice you don’t support your claims with Scripture. That’s because there isn’t Scriptural evidence of the place you refer to as purgatory. I was raised in the Catholic church, and this doctrine of purgatory is without evidence seen in the word of God. The place Christians go when they die is the intermediate Heaven; in the intermediate Heaven,a person will await the time of Christ’s return to the earth, our bodily resurrection, the final judgment,and the creation of the new heavens and the New Earth. If you and I fail to grasp this truth, we will fail to understand the biblical doctrine of Heaven. Try reading the book called Heaven by Randy Alcorn. This book is written by a man who did his homework, for he supports his views in regards to Heaven with Scripture. Where is purgatory written about in the Bible? Please be specific. Your claim regarding purgatory being a “place where most of the souls go after death” has no support from the Holy Bible – the Holy word of God. Jesus doesn’t speak of this place you call purgatory, and yet, he makes reference to both eternal dwelling places – Heaven and Hell – plenty of times. I’m sorry, until your thoughts and ideas of this place called purgatory are true to Scripture, you have nothing to stand on.
Many catholics will point to this obscure passage, mary did not ask Jesus to give them wine, she merely said they are out of wine. and in John 2:11 it mentions that Jesus did the miracle so that His diciples can put their faith in Him. Not to please His mother.
When you read passage like Matt 12:46-48
Disciples told Jesus, your mother and brother are here to see you, did Jesus rush out? no, instead in Vs 48He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
Purgatory doesnt exist in the bible,i have never seen it there.
The verse from Isaiah that you quoted is taken out of context.
There is only one life to be right with God and that is now.
If in this life one is not right with God through Jesus then that is it,the next life is to meet God and stand in for Judgment.
Hazel i completely agree with you
Why all this hipe about Mary? She was chosen by God yes and highly blessed, but no where in God’s word (the scriptures) does he place mary in a place of authority. Mary was born like you and I and died like you and I will. What I see is a lot of tradition being talked but no support through scripture as to what she can do. She was born with a sinful nature just like you and I (sorry if this offends you that is not my goal). Rom 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—. Mary also admits to her needing a savior
Luke 1:46-47 “My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,. And what about mary being the mother of God! As if God needed a mother. I know “if Mary is the mother of Jesus and Jesus is God then that makes Mary also the mother of God right? WRONG! Let me ask a question and you ponder upon it. Who came first Mary or GOD? Common sence and the scripture will answer that. But if you are living in a world of tradition then the church is higher than God. Thats the problem, to much emphasis (sp) on the church and not enough on GOD. Sooooooo sad!!
I quote this from my fellow Catholic. I respected his view and God bless him. (Dear Sarah, Hazel.. I totally understand where your coming from, please I totally do, but can people like you for once in your life give it a rest about going on that there is no purgatory can you just have some respect for a change for us that believe.
We chose to believe out of our faith, and upbringing just like anyone else who has a believe in a religion and lives by it. Just like the way you came to believe what you believe, surely one of the functions of religion is to help bring about tollerance for others and respect their way of living, and believing, not forcing folk over to the way you live and experience prayer and God.. and if they dont they are wrong in your eyes and not right with God, because of their religion,,
I love the faith and the love of the word that other christians have it helps me greatly to grow in faith. I love the openess to the Holy Spirit too in the other christian churches and the whole lot. But the one thing that really gets to me is staunch tight christians who quote , attack, and try to divide the body of Christ over their views towards the faith that catholics live by and just always hung up on the Purgatory thing and Mary,, all i ask is we are all on the same side working together for the Kingdom of God, and if someone gets saved and becomes a Born again Christian so be it let it be , it is a very good thing and i have been fead and encouraged, and helped, by the Born again Christians all through my life even tho I am devout Catholic,, I love all the churches and all i ask is that people like yourself would come to see the whole picture of the Catholic religion,, there is to many negitive mind sets that it clouds your judgement when you only focus on one subject like Purgatory ,, we are brothers in Christ … May God bless you kindly and open your mind to all the good things God has given to our process of Christian Living amen)
Declaring that “what is written in the Bible is the only the facts or the teachings by Jesus Christ” is incorrect friends.Catholic religion or any religion for that matter is based on NOT only some books but also tradition.This tradition came into existence not merely by someone’s say but after thorough search and discussions sometime through revelations.The Marion honor was in vogue since the first century,as per the history of Christianity.A religion is a FAITH not subject to scientific proof on every matter. If purgatory is unbelievable ,it is OK.But you will see it yourself when you reach,if there is a chance.Ample proof is given in the article .If your conscience does not want to believe,let Jesus Christ himself present before you to give testimony.
You don’t think the God had the most beautiful perfect angels with him before creation and some turned on him. Who’s to say that wouldn’t happen again if God let all who believed in him enter heaven without being totally purified to the point of wanting nothing more than to give glory to God? That they would go through that kind of pain and still want nothing more than to be with God. Then there’d be no doubt that we would remain faithful in heaven and not turn on him as Satan did.
I am so thankful that there is a Purgatory and that God has such mercy, he is willing to let us cleanse ourselves even after death to be totally perfect. “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt5:48
His light shines brighter that the sun, and just as our eyes are blinded and burn when looking directly at the sun, so it is if we were to look upon God with even a shadow of sin or regret upon us. It would not just burn our eyes, but burn us to the depths of our soul.
If I had but one small stain of sin upon my soul at the time of death, I don’t think I’d be able to look at God in all his glory. May God be praised in all his wondrous Mercy. Amen!
Come on people, GROW UP! Just because purgatory is not specifically mentioned in holy scripture. Dose not mean it dosen’t exist. Cars trains planes rockets, organ and sex transplants or what the surface of mars or jupiter or pluto or plastic looks like. But,,they are real. People like this probably have a problem with the Rosary or the Scapular. Stop being a kindergarten catholic.
for the ways of God is beyound human understanding.. i advice dat we all shld hold strongly in what we believe in as long as our ways please God.as long as we understand a similar message the bible is passing unto us which is trust God and do the right.thank you all
Niehter is the word BIBLE Mentioned in the Bible. Oh and the JEWS as well believe in Purgatory… Wasn’t jesus a JEW? Isn’t this their Religion?Last time I checked we all pray to the God of Abraham so In my opinion if the Jews believe in Purgatory there’s credibility right there
Oh and yeah Mary isn’t anything special; right. She was only the Mother of our Savior; right? No big deal;right? I mean God would of choose any woman to birth and raise Jesus because i mean well she was no big deal; right? She’s a sinner like you and me; right? Well I beg to differ. She was chosen for a reason and GOD doesn’t play with DICE .So if there’s no Purgatory tell me what happens if is commit sin yet not break a Commandment? DO I go to HELL?or Heaven? In the BIBLE “Nothing IMPERFECT enters Heaven” so…. Contradiction right?