What is your take on purgatory? Is it real? Based on scripture?
Me, it think it is like a metaphysical "time-out" where our soul goes to make that awful wait until we get into the Pearlies....you know, we weren't so danged awful bad on earth to deserve the H-bomb....but sure as shootin' we weren't no angels either...so we do NOT get a "Pass Go and collect $200 heavenly bucks for expenses" once we shuffle off this ole mortal coil.
Gotta pay the piper for our stupidity and hubris and thinking we knew more than the Big Guy.
So, there we sit, seeing St. Peteys open door policy for those who have served their time, but knowing we are not worthy just about yet, and it is painful...not as painful as sitting on the front stove burner, but not nearly as great as meeting the Lord.
Still, we know we snuck in the doggy door when the Gatekeeper wasn't lookin', and every dog has his day, so ...that has to count for something.
I also really do not think those who die get right in, like the eulogists are wont to say at funerals....not even saints.... they have some down time too...a lot of them were some first class sinners in their day....why else would we pray for the dead, except to get the Boss to go easy on them..?
So.....What do you think?
I know I'll be pleased as punch to get my big toe in the back porch door....
Once you're in, your're in, baby.
4 comments:
If nothing unclean can enter heaven, and even if our sins are forgiven, the effect of those sins leaves some trace on our soul, then there must be some place or time when that stuff is burned away before we enter heaven clean.
I figure I will be in purgatory, but I will be among friends.
Maggie
I haven't got a clue about any of this stuff. So purgatory sounds like the waiting room at the doctors office. What do you have to do to get in, how long do you have to stay there??
I guess the only thing i think is that if you haven't killed anyone or done anything that bad you're in.
I will be happy to be in purgatory. For there is only going up after then. My goal is to make it to Heaven and without purgatory it would be so hard. The pains are purgatory are greater than the worst pains for the martyrs but infinitely better than one moment in hell.
Thanks for this post, Tom. It's not often that people post on purgatory, but it's very important. It's also very important to pray for those in purgatory now. I belong to an online Yahoo prayer group for the Holy Souls in purgatory.
I've always wondered if it might not be a "place" but rather a sudden flash of insight in which we will see all the wrongs we have comitted and the times we have hurt God. The pain might be that searing sense of guilt and sorrow we experience in that instant.
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