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#MyCatholicFaith | 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄?
— The doctrine of the existence of purgatory is not only reasonable, but its negation is eminently contrary to reason; it is taught in Holy Scripture, and has been taught by the Church from the very beginning.
After a battle, Judas Machabeus ordered prayers and sacrifices offered up for his slain comrades (2 Mach. 12:43-46).
𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘁. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱.
The doctrine of Purgatory was given solemn definition by the Council of Trent as follows: “There is a purgatory, and the souls there detained are assisted by the suffrages of the faithful, but especially by the most acceptable sacrifice of the altar.”
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. 𝗜𝗳 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹, 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱, 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻? 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘁: “𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱” (𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗰. 𝟮𝟭:𝟮𝟳), 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹? 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁.
Therefore reason concludes the existence of a middle and temporary state of expiation, where the soul is cleansed from all stain of sin before it can be admitted into the perfect holiness and bliss of heaven. “Amen, I say to thee, thou wilt not come out from it until thou hast paid the last penny” (Matt. 5:26).
