Hell, Purgatory, Heaven

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Hi all. I am currently involved in RCIA. I am an Episcopalian married to a Catholic with three boys we have raised Catholic. My wife and I have Known each other for 17 years and been married 13. She was a "fallen away" Catholic when I married her but over the last few years she has become quite devout. I have adjusted to the doctrine of the Church over the last few months. This has been extrememly difficult as I feel the rules have changed overnight. I have been able to deal with it. I am very impressed with the Church. I do however find a few things that are difficult to deal with given my protestant background. I would say that most protostent faiths seem to ignore Hell and Purgatory. Hell seems reserved for the severely wicked and Purgatory is simply not part of the faith. As an Episcopalian, I never worried about Hell that much. The Catholic faith appears to offer the best blueprint by far of what is required to please God and enter Heaven. The problem I have is that I worry not just about myself but about many people. It seems that if you die with 1 unrepentent mortal sin you are to go to Hell. If you have venial sins or repentant mortal sins you go to Purgatory. The imagery of both Purgatory and Hell is of course misery beyond comprehension. The more I think of the severity of the punishment for the crime the more I become troubled. It is like catching a thief and having a judge sentencing him to a long slow death over 50 years. I realize that I am not pure like God but do millions of souls truly deserve the torments of hell? I am sure this is something many have prayed about and spoken to priests about. My wife just tells me not to worry but it is hard. Please give me your input on how you might understand the truth regarding this issue.

-- David F (dqf@cox.net), November 08, 2003

Answers

Response to Hell, Purgatory, Heavan

Dear David,

The torments of Hell are not something God inflicts in retribution for failing to do His will. Hell is not a "punishment", strictly speaking. Rather, the basis of the very torment of Hell is total separation from God, and therefore from all that God is - goodness, joy, hope, peace, love - everything that completes and fulfills a human being.

It's like a human family in which one of the children, as he gets older, completely rejects the family and its values, cuts off all ties with his parents and siblings, and lives a life totally removed from his family and everything they stood for. They call him and write to him and email him, constantly reaching out to him, but he doesn't respond. Eventually he meets with destruction one way or another - a bullet, an overdose, AIDS. This is the last thing his parents would have wanted for him. They were ready to take him back at a moment's notice; but they could not force him to return. They grieve his loss, but it was beyond their control, completely his decision. We cannot reasonably ask "did he deserve this terrible end?", as though it was somehow inflicted upon him by his parents. Just the opposite is true! They never withheld their love, and they grieved every decision he made which took him farther from their love and closer to destruction.

And so it is with God. It is meaningless to ask "did these souls 'deserve' the torments of Hell?", as though it was something God inflicted upon them. These children of His spent their lives making decisions that moved them farther and farther away from God, and ever closer to eternal destruction. God continued to call them back, to warn them, and to extend the fullness of His love to them, right until their last breath; but they did not respond, choosing instead to cut off all ties. What happened next is the last thing God would ever want for one of His beloved children. But it was their journey, their decision. If they constantly made choices that lead to separation from God, then the obvious destination they were heading toward was complete separation from God, which we call Hell; and when they finally find what they have insisted on seeking for their entire adult lives, the responsibility for their tragic end is entirely their own. God was only the grieving observer of their final end, not the cause of it.

There is also suffering in Purgatory, for Purgatory is likewise a separation from God. But it is nothing like the torment of hell. The soul in Purgatory knows that it is a temporary state, so while he experiences the pain and longing of separation, he also experiences hope. He knows beyond doubt that he is saved, so he experiences joy. He knows that the suffering he is undergoing is in fact an expression of God's burning love, purifying him in preparation for bringing him home, so he experiences inner peace.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 08, 2003.


Response to Hell, Purgatory, Heavan

Dear David F:
I don't know anything significant about what's taught in Episcopalian churches; and I realise you do-- so when you enter the Catholic faith some things may not ''fit'' your past knowledge.

If you could concentrate more on the nature of GOD; now that you've become fully Catholic, and what the Church teaches all of us about HIM--

The other truths must by logic and propriety fall into place. That includes Purgatory, an everlasting hell, and our present condition.

The Catholic Church has taught us from the beginning exactly as Christ taught His holy apostles and disciples. No more, no less. Exactly what they taught, and wrote for coming ages. The greatest truth we have been given, and actually it was already seen in the Old Testament, is:

Almighty God is at such an infinitely unapproachable distance (for want of a better word) from the fallen condition of man; so glorious and unspeakably majestic and holy, that nothing can truly be worthy of His love. Not by any stretch of our understanding is God liable to love our sinful nature; we haven't any knowledge of how to please Him.

That's the main reason Our Saviour had to take on human existence; so that a human being --one out of the entire species; Truly Man --might offer God what is due Him after our first parents' sin in the Garden of Eden. We need a new CONCEPT, or sense of God's holiness, which is without boundary, because He is outside of creation itself and outside of time, with no beginning and no end!

This is the reason, teaches Christ, through the Church-- No flaw can enter into His Almighty Father's infinitely glorious presence. Not an iota of fault.

Only a soul purified by fire-- Purgatory; to become totally Christ-like, can be worthy of entering heaven.

Needless to say, we leave this world most often as forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ, yet NOT Christ-like. This is because the All-Just God proclaimed through the same Jesus His Son, that every deed shall receive its due reward. As we sow shall we reap; and even though we were saved! No leftover penalty for sin, whether behind us, or unrepented for, will fail to receive its just punishment. Because God is All-Holy and All-Just.

We can be thankful at least He is All-Merciful as well. To have given us His only-begotten Son for Redeemer and Saviour.

Yes, and we could go on forever pondering on these truths. But, I believe the proper thing is for you--yourself, to medidtate on these mysteries; and pray Him for wisdom to understand. Just never doubt this; He will exact nothing from us that we did not merit. He is infinitely JUST. Come hell or high water-- or Purgatory. Just have faith in Him!

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), November 08, 2003.


Response to Hell, Purgatory, Heavan

Thanks Paul. I guess the fact is we simply don't know what Hell would be like or who is there. I have read some of the catholic websites which seem to feel it is fire and brimstone. This is certainly borne out in many portions of the Bible. I guess I keep thinking of people who have done good works and have one unconfessed mortal sin. The catechism seems pretty clear that one mortal sin can lead to your being damned. I have seen other catholic sites that have exerpts from papal doctrine that suggest that only through the Catholic Church can you enter Heaven. I can understand the concept of some serial sinners being sent to Hell. It seems only fair that if you worship yourself you get to spent the afterlife with like minded people. What is hard to fathom is the person with 1 mortal sin being condemned to such a fate. I have attended Catholic mass with my family for 10 years (not taking Eucharist of course) but only recently began studying the Catholic faith. It really is a whole different way of looking at existence from what I was taught growing up. I will continue to pray (learning the rosary now) and read. I am a scientist by training and I guess I have trouble dealing with unknowns.

-- David F (dqf@cox.net), November 08, 2003.

Response to Hell, Purgatory, Heavan

Thanks eugene.

To be honest I dont know that much about my own church. The episcopal church doesnt have a catechism or any unity. The church I attended as a youth was very similar to the many Catholic churches I have attended since getting married. When I read the Catechism it was so refreshing. Finally a unified view of the world God has created complete with the Church's stance on all issues. I must admit I wrestled with many of the issues contained within.

I think like many I find the doctrine on procreation to be the most difficult. I personally will and have altered my behavior to obey them. I also see the incredible wisdom in God's stance on sex but it has taken some praying and reading. I now feel it is not just right for me but is right for all.

I will ask the priest directing RCIA some of these questions. I will likely do my first confession with him too. It will be very alien to me but I understand its divine value. I plan on bringing a laundry list (I have confessed directly to God in the past but never to a priest).

-- David F (dqf@cox.net), November 08, 2003.


Response to Hell, Purgatory, Heavan

The only pressure we have on us, confessing; is what we put on ourselves. The priest confessor is able to forgive you in Christ because he himself has been forgiven countless times !/i> He is equally unworthy of forgiveness, and since he knows that, he would never presume to hurt you in confession. In some ways he may seem to challenge you. But not from a personal perspective. Only for the good of your immortal soul.

You are definitely coming as a penitent; which is the Catholic way. All of us are sinners. God forgives us all; just have confidence in Him. He loves you!

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), November 08, 2003.



Response to Hell, Purgatory, Heavan

Hello, David F.

Your humility, openness to truth, and willingness to change are extremely edifying to me. Your good qualities are a rarity nowadays. This poor forum is more often forced to try to deal with Catholics who have lost part of their faith and slipped into other religions or forms of Christianity. So your messages are a great psychological booster shot for those of us who are committed to remaining genuine Catholics.

If I could try to get across one more thing to you, it would be that you should not let your heart be troubled about the concept of being damned for "just one mortal sin." Although there may be some souls in hell who were guilty of just one mortal sin, I strongly suspect that most souls in hell are those of people who were deeply mired in habitual mortal sin, resulting in a final despair and impenitence -- a refusal of the person to say "I'm sorry" to God at the moment of death. That's all God wants, so that he can grant his abundant mercy.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@Hotmail.com), November 08, 2003.


Thanks gentlemen,

I did some praying last night and also spoke with my wife. The most comforting thought was remembering the story of the prodigal son. I imagine someone like Hitler or Stalin in the role. If either of them were truly repentant before their deaths they would have salvation. We know otherwise, but it truly shows God is more merciful than any human could ever be.

-- David F (dqf@cox.net), November 09, 2003.


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