Before I continue on with my post, I would like to thank Jake for offering me to be an author on his blog site. I feel very privileged that I was asked to do this and I'm happy that I can contribute to this amazing blog.
I've pondered all day what I could post on this blog. Jake, in his message to me, asked me to do this as a fourth day thing. I can't say I can do that, but I can say I've tried to be a disciple today. At school, people accused me of skipping school yesterday (jokingly of course) and when we were done joking, they asked me where I went. I of course answered with I had been on a TEC retreat. Obviously they asked what that was, read my shirt and I explained. One I know being a not very religious person. I honestly don't believe I affected him in anyway, seeing as he's always arguing with me for the heck of it and is as stubborn as a mule. But I know that I tried and that's all that matters.
To what I was actually going to post in this blog, Jake already knows about and he agrees. He actually helped me come to this conclusion.
Think for a moment about our Catholic faith and death. What happens when you a major sinner? What happens when you sin a little? What happens when you don't sin (unlikely, but play along)? When you're a major sinner, like a murderer who doesn't care that they did it, you're sent to Hell. When you don't sin, you make it to Heaven. What happens when you only sin a little? But enough to make God have to decide? Our faith says you go to Purgatory.
My question for you is: 'do you really believe in Purgatory?'
I ask this because why would you go to a place with more suffering, when you already suffering from your sins here. The sins you make on this Earth affect you in your life. When you make a sin, not too long after, you're suffering from it. I speak from experience. It might take a day or two or a month or two, but you'll always suffer for it in the end. So, if we're suffering for our sins here; why would we suffer from them elsewhere.
Jake and I agreed on the fact that, if there is a Purgatory, it's here on Earth and not in an 'in-between'.
You don't have to answer to me directly--if you do, wonderful! I'm willing to hear your opinions--but I just want you to ponder my question.
Colleen
Ephesians 6:11
3 comments:
Go you :D great blog :D :D
Thaaaanks(: Helps that I have a variations of writing every day. ;)
Hello Colleen. Welcome to the blog
:-) I appreciate your post, because it brings up an important question. Really, the question doesn't seem to be if we have to be purified of our sins, but whether this happens in this life or the next.
The Catholic Church says that we can in fact make payment for our sins in this life. Thank the Lord! This means that all those daily trials we face actually do count for something!
In Paragraph 1472 of the Catechism, it says that all our sins - both our little venial sins and even the mortal sins we have already repented from - they all still have to be purified. And it says that we "must be purified either on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory." By uniting our suffering to Christ's passion, we can heal our own souls and grow closer to heaven. We can also help those souls in purgatory get to heaven faster by offering our suffering for their healing.
The reason why purification happens both on earth and in purgatory is because we are imperfect in every way. We are great at sinning, but really kinda lame when it comes to making up for it. So God has blessed us with the ability to offer up our suffering as "atonement" for our sins and the sins of others. But when we die, we may not have covered all of it. That is what purgatory is for. And Purgatory isn't so bad, because all people in purgatory are guaranteed a place in heaven. They suffer for their sins just like we do, but they have real hope for heaven, and so should we. But we should also strive to "pick up our cross and follow" Jesus. This is the quickest way to heaven.
i hope that made sense. God bless!
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