The Pains of Purgatory
1. The tradition of the Fathers and the ordinary teaching of the Church
describe the pains of Purgatory in such a fashion that they should
prompt us to avoid even the smallest sin, not only because it is an
offence against the most amiable God, but also because it will be
severely punished by Him. This teaching, moreover, should move us to
pity for the poor suffering souls who are enduring such torments.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem states that the sum total of the sufferings of
this world is nothing in comparison with the sufferings of Purgatory. He
adds, moreover, that the pains of Purgatory equal in severity the
torments of Hell; the only difference is that the latter are
everlasting, whereas the former will have an end. St. Augustine assures
us that the least pang of suffering in Purgatory is sharper than all the
torments which it is possible to undergo on earth. Moreover, he adds,
in comparison with the fire which afflicts the suffering souls, earthly
fire is hardly even real. St. Bede the Venerable tells us that even if
we could imagine all the tortures to which tyrants subjected the
martyrs, such as iron hooks, red-hot pincers, roasting gridirons, and
boiling pitch, we should still have failed to form any idea of the pains
of Purgatory. But what is the reason for such severe torments? It is
that God loves these souls and desires that they be purified of sin as
soon as possible and made worthy of infinite happiness. The fires of
Purgatory are nourished by a twofold love—the love of God, Who desires
the purification of souls, and the love of these souls, who desire to
expiate their faults in order to become worthy of being united with Him
forever.
2. In the course of her vivid description of
Purgatory, St. Catherine of Genoa writes: "The suffering souls
experience such torments as the human tongue could not describe nor the
human intellect comprehend unless God Himself revealed them by means of a
special grace."
The ordinary teaching of the Church includes
fire as the principal torment. However, the Church has never defined the
nature of this fire, nor determined whether it is physical or
spiritual. It is certain that this fire is as real as the flames of Hell
and is created by God, not to be an instrument of service to men, but
to be a means of expiation and purification. This is why it is a far
more tormenting fire than that which we know and use on earth. St.
Thomas holds that it is actually a physical fire. He meets the objection
that material fire could never touch a spiritual soul by saying that
even as the soul is affected on earth by the suffering of the body to
which it is joined, so it can be subject in the next life to the action
of the fires of Purgatory. (St. Thomas, Suppl., q. 7, a. 3)
3.
When we have considered the doctrine of the Church on this particular
question, we should react in two ways. On the hand, we should have a
great horror of sin, even of venial sin, because it offends the good God
and earns for us such fearful punishment. On the other hand, we should
offer our sufferings on behalf of the holy souls who are now enduring
these torments and who will enjoy one day the everlasting happiness of
Heaven. We shall be able to trust in the power of their intercession for
us with almighty God, the enjoyment of Whose Beatific Vision we shall
have helped them to achieve.
No comments:
Post a Comment