- "Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not Him. Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when He shall appear, we shall be like to Him: Because we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:1-2)
Heaven
- What is Heaven? The place of perfect happiness in the next world."Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for those that love Him."(1 Corinthians 2:9)
- Who will go to Heaven? Only those who have Sanctifying Grace in their souls at the moment of death."Then shall the king say to them that shall be on His right hand: Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25:34)
- What is the happiness of Heaven? It will consist in seeing God face to face and possessing Him in divine love."We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part: But then I shall know even as I am known."(1 Corinthians 13:12)
- Why is the happiness of Heaven perfect? Because God made you for Himself and you can find perfect satisfaction in Him alone."Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee." (St. Augustine)
- Will everyone have the same happiness in Heaven? No, the happiness of some will be greater than that of others, but everyone will be as happy as he can be.
- Why will some have greater happiness than others? Because some will see God more clearly."For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will render to every man according to his works."(Matthew 16:27)
- Why will some see God more clearly? Because they died with more Sanctifying Grace on their souls."And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor." (1 Corinthians 3:8)
- How, then, should you spend your time on Earth? Try to get as much Sanctifying Grace in your soul as you can before you die."Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man will give you." (1 Corinthians 3:8) "The night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4)
- Will there be any sorrow or pain in Heaven? No, nor will there be any sickness, temptation, or sin, but complete, unending joy."And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more."(Apocalypse 21:4)
- Will you know your family and friends in Heaven? Yes, and also the Angels and Saints."Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners: But you are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God."(Ephesians 2:19)
- What would keep you from getting into Heaven? Dying with a serious (mortal) sin on your soul."And there shall not enter into it any thing defiled, or that worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they that are written in the book of life of the Lamb." (Apocalypse 21:27)
- How often should you pray to get to Heaven? Every day, since getting to Heaven is the purpose of life."As the heart panteth after the fountains of water; so my soul panteth after Thee, O God. My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?" (Psalm 41:2-3)
Limbo
EXPLANATION OF LIMBO
- What is Limbo exactly? The residence of those souls excluded from Heaven through no fault of there own; because of the ancient belief that it was situated near the confines of Hell. Theologians distinguished a two-fold Limbo: the Limbo of the Fathers (Limbus patrum) , where the just that died before Christ, were detained until Heaven, which had been closed in punishment for the sin of Adam, was reopened by the Savior, Jesus Christ; and the Limbo of infants (Limbus infantium), where those who die in original sin, but without personal mortal sin, are deprived of the happiness which would come to them in the supernatural order, but not the happiness in the natural order.
- What is the chief difference between Heaven and Limbo? The souls in Heaven see God face to face; whereas, those in Limbo do not. Seeing God face to face is called the Beatific Vision. It contains all possible happiness and is unending.
PRACTICAL POINTS
- You will never get bored or used to heaven because God is unlimited in every way. Nothing on this earth can completely satisfy you, whether it is money or fame or pleasure, since everything created is limited.
- Thinking often of Heaven, putting it before everything else, will give you the correct scale of values, as well as peace of mind in this world.
Hell
- "The Son of Man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41-42)
- What is Hell? The place in the next world where the souls of the damned are condemned to suffer forever with the devils."If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth." (John 15:6)
- How do you know there is a Hell? The Bible and Tradition (and Jesus too) often speak of the everlasting punishments of Hell."Then He shall say to them also that shall be on His left hand: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. And these shall go into everlasting punishments: But the just, into life everlasting." (Matthew 25:41-46)
- Who will go to Hell? Those who die with mortal sin on their souls, that is, without Sanctifying Grace."And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the pool of fire." (Apocalypse 20:15)
- Does anyone ever get out of Hell? No, Hell is a place of "everlasting punishment." (Matthew 25:46)"And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever: neither have they rest day nor night." (Apocalypse 14:11)
- What are the pains of Hell? Separation from God, torture by fire, regret, and the companionship of the devils."Before I go, and return no more, to a land that is dark and covered with the mist of death: a land of misery and darkness, where the shadow of death, and no order, but everlasting horror dwelleth." (Job 10:21-22)
- What is the pain of separation from God? To be separated from God, the Source of all love and happiness, will be the greatest pain in Hell."The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with the angels of His power: In a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God, and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction, from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His power." (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)
- Is there real fire in Hell? Yes, Jesus often spoke of the "unquenchable fire" of Hell and says that the damned souls will be "salted with fire" (Mark 9:43), which is "everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:41)."If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth." (John 15:6)
- How does the fire of Hell differ from the fire here on earth? The fire in Hell burns without consuming (it does not burn up your body, so the pain never ends) and can torture not only the body but the soul as well."Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished." (Mark 9:47)"Humble thy spirit very much: For the vengeance on the flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms." (Ecclesiasticus 7:19)
- What is the pain of regret? The pain of regret means that you will be tortured forever with the thought that you had so many chances to save your soul and be happy with God, but lost Heaven because of mortal sin.
- What is the pain of companionship of the devils? Your companions in Hell will be the devils and the other lost souls, who will always hate you and mock you for being such a fool."Then He shall say to them also that shall be on His left hand: Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:41)
- Are the pains of Hell the same for all? All the souls in Hell will have the same type of punishment, but the degree of suffering will differ according to the number and kind of sins committed.
PRACTICAL POINTS
- Think often of Hell and the possibility of your going there. Pray every day that you will not die with mortal sin on your soul. Say the Act of Contrition every night:
- "O my God, I am very sorry for having offended Thee, and I hate all of my sins, because I fear the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all because my sins offend Thee, my dear God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, do penance, and amend my life. Amen."
- Presumption is the sin committed by people who think that a good God will not punish a sinner with the torments of Hell. God, being a just judge, has to reject those who choose to separate themselves from Him by mortal sin.
- The horror of Hell helps us understand the evil of mortal sin. Mortal sin is the greatest evil in the universe.
Purgatory
"And the day following Judas [Machabeus] came with his company, to take away the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen, in the sepulchres of their fathers. And they found under the coats of the slain some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth to the Jews: So that all plainly saw, that for this cause they were slain. Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden. And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought Him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain. And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, (for if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead), and because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." (2 Machabees 12:39-46)
- What is Purgatory? A place and state of temporary punishment in the next world. Hell, on the other hand, is a place of eternal or everlasting punishment.
- What does the word "Purgatory" mean? It means "cleansing" (or "purging"). Purgatory is a place where the soul is cleansed of unforgiven venial sin and/or the "debt" of sins already forgiven but not yet made up for."If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth." (John 15:6)
- How do you know there is a Purgatory? The constant teaching and practice of the Catholic Church, based on the Bible and tradition, and even common sense, prove the existence of Purgatory.
- How does common sense indicate the existence of Purgatory? Only people with mortal sin go to Hell, and on the other hand, no one can enter Heaven with even the smallest sin. Therefore, there must be a place in the next world where lesser sins can be taken off the soul.
- Who will go to Purgatory? People who die with Sanctifying Grace in their souls, but --
- who die with venial sin on their souls, or
- who have not completed (satisfied for) the punishment still due to their already forgiven sins.
- What is meant by the "punishment still due to sin"? This means that, even though God forgives your sins, He still requires that you be punished for them (i.e. "pay" for them), either in this life or in the next.For example: A boy playing ball in his yard breaks his neighbor's window. He goes and tells the lady he is sorry, and she forgives him but she tells him he will still have to pay for the window.
- Do you suffer in Purgatory? Yes. Besides not being allowed to see God face to face, the souls in Purgatory suffer a great deal. "The fire of Purgatory",says St. Augustine, "is more terrible than man can suffer in this life."
- How long will you have suffer in Purgatory? That depends on the number and seriousness of the sins to be atoned for."My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God." (Psalm 41:3)
- Where do you go when you leave Purgatory? To Heaven to see God and enjoy Him forever."Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not come out from thence till thou repay the last farthing." (Matthew 5:26)
- Will Purgatory ever end? Yes, at the Last Judgment. After that all souls will be in either Heaven or Hell forever.
- Can you help the souls in Purgatory? You can shorten their stay by having Masses said for them, by praying for them and by doing good works for them."Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord hath touched me." (Job 19:21)
- Does the Bible say anything about praying for the dead (doctrine of Purgatory)? YES! The Bible teaches (a) that some sins are forgiven in the next world; (b) that some souls are saved in the next world "by fire"; (c) that it is useful and beneficial to pray for the dead.Matt. 12-32: "And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, NEITHER IN THE WORLD TO COME." (Some sins can therefore be forgiven after death.)I Cor. 3, 13 and 15: "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 15. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, YET SO AS BY FIRE."2 Machabees, 12-46: "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins."
We also read that Judas Machabeus, "sent twelve thousand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifices to be offered for the sins of the dead." (2 Machabees 12:43)
(This is one of the Old Testament books omitted from the Protestant Bible).COMMENT: As nothing defiled can enter Heaven (Apocalypse 21-27), there must necessarily exist a state of cleansing or purgation usually called "purgatory." - How can you avoid Purgatory? Avoid even the smallest faults, do penance for sins already forgiven, gain indulgences and receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction.
PRACTICAL POINTS
- All Souls' Day is the day set aside by the Church for special prayers and Masses for all the souls suffering in Purgatory. It is celebrated every year on November 2.
- The souls in Purgatory cannot help themselves. We should help them by our prayers and sacrifices. They, in turn, can and do pray for us.
- The souls in Purgatory are known as the Poor Souls
The Church Suffering
SERMON: PURGATORY
THE HOLINESS OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
HOW TO AVOID PURGATORY by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan
