Catholic Faith Refresher Course

"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." (2 Machabees 12:46)

DIRECTIONS TO THE STUDENT Christianity would not make sense without the doctrine of Purgatory. But many deny the doctrine of Purgatory because they do not understand it. From this lesson you should get a clear understanding of what purgatory is.

A. WHAT IS PURGATORY?

Purgatory is a place of temporary punishment in the next world. The word "purgatory" means cleansing. In purgatory we are cleansed from our venial sins and the punishment due for all of our other forgiven sins. You do not remain in purgatory forever as you do in hell. After your soul is cleansed in purgatory, you go to heaven.

B. WHO GOES TO PURGATORY?  Those people go to purgatory who die in the state of grace, but who have venial sins on their souls or who have not completed the punishment still due to forgiven sin. The "punishment still due to sin"means that even though God forgives all sinsofaperson who is truly sorry , He still demands that the person be punished, either in this life or in the next. For example, a boy breaks his mother's cookie jar. His mother forgives him because he is sorry for it. But if she is a wise mother, in order to discourage him from doing it again, she will make him pay for it out of his allowance. So also God is a wise Father: He threatens us with the punishment of purgatory to discourage us from sinning again and to make us pay for our sins.

C. PROOF FROM THE BIBLE THAT PURGATORY EXISTS

The Bible tells us clearly that there is a place of temporary punishment for sin after death.

"Every man's work shall be manifest. For the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in him. And the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)

The best proof perhaps is from the Old Testament, the story of Judas Machabaeus, (2 Machapees 12:39-46). Judas Machabaeus was commander of the Hebrew army. The Jews had a bloody battle with Idumeaites. After the battle Judas Machabaeus sent his officers to prepare the dead for burial. Under the coats of the dead soldiers they found trinkets stolen from the pagan temple at Jamnia. This was a venial sin. The rest of the army prayed to God to forgive the dead soldiers. Judas took up a collection of l2,000drachmas (about $8,200.00) which he sent to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead. " And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachmas 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.) It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." (2 Machabees 12:43-46)

The Bible tells us that these soldiers were punished by God for small sins before they entered heaven.

D. PROOF FROM THE ANCIENT TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THAT PURGATORY EXISTS

Tradition and the constant teaching and practice of the Church proves that there is a purgatory. Early Christian writers of the second and third centuries spoke of praying for the dead.

For example, Tertullian, who lived about 200 A.D., said: "The faithful widow prays for the soul of her husband and begs for his repose."

Prayers written on the walls of ancient underground cemeteries in Rome prove the same belief.

Prayers for the dead are a very ancient practice in the Catholic Church, Catholics have always believed in praying for their dead.

E. PROOF FROM COMMON SENSE THAT PURGATORY EXISTS

Only people who die in mortal sin go to hell. But no one can enter heaven with even the smallest sin. "There shall not enter into it anything defiled or that worketh abomination or maketh a lie: but they that are written in the book of life of the Iamb." (Apocalypse 21 :27) So there must be a place in the next world where a soul with venial sin can go; where small sins can be cleansed from the soul.

We have a natural desire to help our dead; we can do this if they are in purgatory .What a great consolation to reach beyond the grave and help our dear ones! Go to a Catholic wake. All the people kneel down and pray to help the dead person. His soul is still living. What a wonderful thing to be able to help him! Go to a non-Catholic wake. There is no kneeling bench, no crucifix,

What a pity that these non-Catholics have been deprived of the true teaching of God!

F. THE PUNISHMENT OF PURGATORY.   The principal punishment of purgatory is the fact of not seeing God face to face until the time of punishment is over. Durin all this time the soul in purgatory keenly feels the desire to see God. The other pain of purgatory is (probably) real fire. St. Augustine, who lived in the fifth century , said: "The fire of purgatory is more terrible than all that man can suffer in this life

G. THE LENGTH OF THE PUNISHMENT IN PURGATORY

The length of time you must spend in purgatory depends on the number and seriousness of the sins for which you must mak amends.

For example, you steal a nickel and I steal a dime; we both die with the sin on our souls. I will probably spend more time in purgatory than you. "AmenI say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing." (Matthew 5:26) Th soul goes to heaven after its release from purgatory .

H. PRAY FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

You should pray for the souls in purgatory in order to shorten their suffering there. Besides your personal prayers, have Masses offered for them and do charitable works in the name of Jesus Christ. Judas Machabaeus sets us an example; he had sacrific offered for the souls of his dead soldiers.

"And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection." (2 Machabeus 12:43)

All Souls ' Day, November 2nd, is a special day set aside by the Church for prayers and Masses to be offered for all souls in purgatory .But you should pray every day for those souls, especially for your relatives and friends. For centuries special prayer for the dead have been included in the Mass; and so today each time a priest offers Mass, he prays for the dead.

I. YOU CAN AVOID PURGATORY

You can avoid purgatory by guarding against the smallest sins and faults, and by doing penance for your past sins. You can do penance by patiently accepting trials and hardships, by doing things you don't like to do, and by giving up things you like( However : "Be not without fear about death and add not sin upon sin." (Ecclesiasticus)

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW OF THIS LESSON

1. What is purgatory?                                     
2. Is purgatory different than hell?                       
3. Who goes to purgatory?                              
4. Does the Bible tell us that there is a place called purgatory?
5. Is it wrong to pray for the dead?