41. BITESIZE CATECHISM: THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED & CHURCH TEACHING ON PURGATORY

 

APPETIZER: Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ. The New Testament affirms that each person will be judged immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith. Each receives their eternal retribution in their immortal soul at the very moment of death, in a particular judgment that refers their life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven immediately or through a purification (purgatory) beforehand or everlasting damnation (hell). 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.  The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.   This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore Judas Maccabeus made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." (2 Maccabees 12:46) From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.  (See CCC 1021, 1031-1032)

MAIN COURSE: The month of November has long been set aside in the custom of the Church as a period of focused prater for the faithful departed.  We begin the month by celebrating those in Heaven (All Saints Day) but then on Nov. 2 commemorate the deceased in Purgatory (All Souls Day) and remain in this prayerful period for the next 28 days.

There are many and various opinions about Purgatory, some almost denying its existence while others see it as God’s torture chamber where we pay back for our selfishness. But neither extreme is a reflection of authentic Catholic doctrine. The Catechism actually says very little about Purgatory because the pope and bishops over the past 2,000 years have taught very little about it. So, my recommendation is that people stay away from the extremes and focus on what we know to be true.

At the end of our earthly lives, I think that most of us Christians leave this world with faith in God.  But I am sure we also are aware that we have fallen-short of having become the persons we were created to be. Most of us would readily admit that we’re not perfected in love enough to enter right away into Heaven, where Scripture says only the sinless may reside.  But on the other hand, if we have lived our lives in a right relationship with God we know that Hell is not our destiny. 

So where does that leave us? This would present quite a dilemma to us if our only after-earth choices were Heaven or Hell. And this is exactly why God, in his great love for us, has given us purgatory. It’s a beautiful expression of his mercy, but I think that many of us are a bit fuzzy on what we mean by purgatory and exactly what we can do for those who have died. So, let’s take a quick look at some things about life after death we should know as Christians. 

Catholics believe in an experience after death called Purgatory.  Purgatory purifies the soul before the soul’s grand entrance into heaven. It isn’t considered a spiritual jail or hell with parole. And Catholicism doesn’t teach that everyone goes to purgatory. On the contrary, the Church believes that people can be purified or purged of sin and selfishness in this life if they offer up their sufferings and struggles out of love for God and in union with Jesus' Passion and do their best to live the Gospel.

Purgatory, like both Heaven and Hell, are not the exact same experience for everyone. The immensity of our happiness in Heaven, of our purification in Purgatory, or of our torment in Hell are directly related to how we lived our lives on planet Earth. Think of it like this: Joe and Max were both born on the same day and both died on the same day. Joe was a gambler, boozer, and womanizer, and he was dishonest, lazy, and undependable. Max, on the other hand, spent his life obeying the 10 Commandments, practicing virtue, and loving God and neighbor. Just before dying, Joe repents of his old ways and accepts the Lord into his heart. Should Joe and Max both go to heaven at the same time? Catholicism teaches no. The Church believes that Jesus’ death allows everyone the possibility of heaven, and his mercy grants forgiveness, but his justice demands that good be rewarded and evil punished — in this life or the next. If one man struggles all his life to be good while another lives a life of selfishness, greed, and comfort, both can’t walk through the pearly gates side by side at the same time.

A sincere Catholic, after committing a sin, regrets it and is remorseful. He or she confess their sins and believe that God forgives them in the Sacrament of Penance. However, many times they still have some leftover attachment to the sins, which means, on some level they are glad they did it. Catholicism teaches that the souls in purgatory are being rid of such leftover attachment to sin so that they can love God more fully.  Catholic doctrine consists of the conviction that God’s mercy and justice must be kept intact and upheld. God’s divine mercy refers to the fact that he forgives any sin as long as the sinner is truly repentant and sorry. God’s justice, however, is that good is rewarded and evil punished. Catholics believe that purgatory evens the score and fulfills justice while accommodating mercy. They believe that purgatory isn’t a place but a spiritual state of the soul in which it’s purified before entering heaven. Known as the Church Suffering, the souls in purgatory are definitely and absolutely going to heaven, just not yet.

Catholics don’t see purgatory primarily as a place of pain and torment. Instead, it’s considered a place of expectant and joyful hope mingled with deep suffering because they desire so very much to be with God yet are unable to enter into his Presence for a time.  The purification of purgatory is all about love and relationships, not pain and punishment.  Due to bad theology by some, scary tactics by others, and sensational books on the topic, many have been led to think about purgatory as if it is God’s torture chamber where we experience payback time for all our selfishness.  A kind of temporary Hell. Instead of this frightful image, a marvelous mystic, St. Catherine of Genoa, who had spiritual experiences of purgatory said that it is all about love and relationships. 

She said that the suffering of purgatory is a spiritual emotional kind of suffering.  She compared it to the pain of loss we feel we have to part from a dearly beloved person in our life. Our hearts are pierced with this pain and we long to be together with them again.  We count the days as we await to be reunited with them again! St. Catherine says that this is how the faithful departed feel in their purification. After death, they had caught a glimpse of God and now they desperately await their reunion with the Beauty and Goodness and Love that they briefly experienced.  What a beautiful alternative to the idea of purgatory as a kind of supernatural concentration camp!

It is important for us to know that we here on earth can indeed help the souls who are undergoing their purgatory by our prayers and having Masses offered for them. They are not out of our lives when we walk away from the cemetery. When it comes to praying for the faithful departed, I find it helpful to remember that my prayers are a way of “being there” for someone in their time of need. You know how it is when someone is going through a difficult time and there’s nothing you can do except to be there, to support and encourage them, to keep them company and cheer them on. That’s what our prayers are like for the holy souls in purgatory. 

It is also important to know that the souls in Purgatory can also pray for us! While it is true that they can no longer help themselves by their prayers (the time for that was on planet Earth), they can and do pray for us who they have left behind. Some think that this is one way that the faithful departed leave behind any selfishness and grow in love while in Purgatory,  And I am sure that one of the things they ask God for us is that we will grow in our love for him and our neighbor so that we can join them in Heaven one day.  Many testify that a novena to the faithful departed is a powerful form of being on the receiving end of intercessory prayer in their lives,

There are a few different ways that we Catholics refer to our deceased loved ones.  We call those who have left this world in friendship with Christ the "faithful" departed because they have remained loyal to Jesus. We call those who are undergoing Purgatory either the "Poor Souls" or the "Holy Souls".  We use the word "poor" because they are deprived of the ability to help themselves by prayer and so depend upon us t pray for them. We call then "holy" because they know that they are saved; they know that they are on the direct path to Heaven where they will live with the angels and saints forever.

I hope that as we progress into the month of November, we can take with us the words of St. Catherine that death does not end the relationships we have with those who have gone before us.  And I hope we will remember every day of this month to be there with them by the offering of our prayers, works, joys and sufferings in union with Jesus.  Let’s ask God, in his great mercy, to speed up their purification and bring them soon into the full glory and joy of Heaven. We loved them in life so let’s continue to love them in death.

DOGGIE-BAG: A little something to take with you for spiritual snacking...

Novena Prayer to the Souls in Purgatory

Holy Souls in Purgatory, we look to you as pilgrims who have traversed this world before us. As you go through your purification, we ask that you remember our intentions. (Mention your intentions here) Merciful Father, we ask that You have pity on those who are being purified in Purgatory, especially those who stubbornly resisted Your love and turned from You in especially grave ways, but repented and turned to You before the end of their lives. Ease their suffering and hasten their purification that they may soon join You and all the saints for eternity in Heaven. Amen.

Scripture Verse to Memorize: "It is a good and holy thought to pray for the dead that they might be released from their sins." (2 Maccabees 14:46)