9 – Perfection and Purgatory

What about Perfection?

Forms of perfect show up fifty-eight times in the NRSVCE Bible. Below are a dozen examples that seem to refer to the possibility of perfection for us. There are others that speak more of the perfection of God, God’s law, and Jesus.

  1. When anyone offers a sacrifice of well-being to the Lord, in fulfillment of a vow or as a freewill offering, from the herd or from the flock, to be acceptable it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it. – Leviticus 22:1
  2. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:48
  3. Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” – Matthew 19:21
  4. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2
  5. Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1
  6. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect – Colossians 3:14
  7. Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God, – Hebrews 6:1
  8. Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. – Hebrews 10:1
  9. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. – Hebrews 10:14
  10. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly[a]of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. – Hebrews 12:22-24
  11. Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; 5 but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: 6 whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked. – 1 John 2:4-6
  12. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. – 1 John 4:12

It is interesting that forms of the word love show up seven times in these verses about perfection. Be aware that the English word love does not have the depth of meaning of the Greek and Hebrew words translated as word. Read about that HERE.

Can we agree that six of these verses (2-7) challenge us to be perfect and two (9 and 10) seem to promise help in achieving that goal.

What About Purgatory?

The word purgatory, name of a fundamental belief of Catholic Christians, does not show up in the English Bible but the related word, purge, shows up 19 times in the Old Testament, usually referring to purging of evil, guilt, filthiness or sin. A popular verse is Psalm 51:7 – Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

I’m not a trained and qualified Catholic theologian so I give thanks for magisterium.com which is an Artificial Intelligence tool seeded with Catholic documents. I asked magisterium.com the following question: What is the Catholic teaching about purgatory? The answer is in italics below.

What is the Catholic teaching about purgatory?

The Catholic Church teaches that Purgatory is a state of final purification for those who die in God’s grace and friendship but are not yet perfectly purified 1. This purification is necessary to achieve the holiness required to enter the joy of Heaven 1.

Nature of Purgatory

Purgatory is understood not as a place, but as a “condition of existence” 2. It is entirely distinct from the punishment of the damned 3 4. Those in Purgatory are assured of their eternal salvation and are immersed in the love of Christ 5 6. The Church’s teaching on Purgatory was particularly formulated at the Councils of Florence and Trent 3 4.

Purpose of Purification

The purification in Purgatory addresses any remaining imperfections or attachments to evil that a soul may have after death 2. While Jesus Christ offers expiation for sins, every trace of sin and imperfection must be eliminated before entering God’s Kingdom 6. This process ensures that the soul achieves the absolute purity required for the encounter with God 2.

Scriptural Basis and Tradition

The tradition of the Church, referencing certain scriptural texts, speaks of a “cleansing fire” 3 4. For example, 1 Corinthians 3:15 mentions a person being saved “as through fire” 7. Saint Gregory the Great also noted that certain offenses can be forgiven “in the age to come,” implying a purification after death 3 4. The practice of praying for the dead, as mentioned in 2 Maccabees 12:46, supports the belief that some souls can be loosed from sins after this life, which would not be necessary for those in Heaven or possible for those in Hell 8.

Relationship to the Mystical Body of Christ

Those undergoing purification in Purgatory remain united with the saints in Heaven and with believers on Earth within the Mystical Body of Christ 6. This unity allows the faithful on Earth to offer prayers and good works on behalf of the souls in Purgatory, providing them with consolation and aid 6 7.

Distinction from Earthly Life

It is important to note that the state of purification in Purgatory is not a prolongation of earthly life, nor does it offer another chance to change one’s eternal destiny 2. The Church unequivocally teaches that each person receives their eternal retribution at the moment of death in a particular judgment 3.

References

  1. CCC 1030 (See below)
  2. General Audience of 4 August 1999 5 / Pope John Paul II
  3. Is Limbo Ready to Be Abolished? Limbo Revisited 10 / Basil Cole, O.P.
  4. CCC 1031 (See below)
  5. CCC 1054 (See below)
  6. General Audience of 4 August 1999 / Pope John Paul II
  7. Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Christ – Our Pascha 250 / Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Couldn’t find this)
  8. Summa Theologiae Appendix II, Q. 1, A. 1, co. / Thomas Aquinas

 

The Catechism on Purgatory

Explanation of Purgatory in the Catechism is in the section on The Profession of Faith titled “I believe in life everlasting,” CCC-1030 through CCC-1032. Also below are CCC-1051 through CCC-1060 titled IN BRIEF for the whole section entitled I Believe in Life Everlasting. CCC-1054 addresses purgatory.

III. The Final Purification, or Purgatory

CCC-1030 All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

CCC-1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.604 The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:605

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.606

CCC-1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: “Therefore Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”607 From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.608 The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.609

604 Cf. Council of Florence (1439): DS 1304; Council of Trent (1563): DS 1820; (1547): 1580; see also Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus (1336): DS 1000.

605 Cf. 1 Cor 3:15; 1 Pet 1:7.

606 St. Gregory the Great, Dial. 4, 39: PL 77, 396; cf. Mt 12:31.

607 2 Macc 12:46.

608 Cf. Council of Lyons II (1274): DS 856.

609 St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in 1 Cor. 41, 5: PG 61, 361; cf. Job 1:5.

IN BRIEF (For the Catechism section titled I Believe in Life Everlasting)

CCC-1051 Every man receives his eternal recompense in his immortal soul from the moment of his death in a particular judgment by Christ, the judge of the living and the dead.

CCC-1052 “We believe that the souls of all who die in Christ’s grace . . . are the People of God beyond death. On the day of resurrection, death will be definitively conquered, when these souls will be reunited with their bodies” (Paul VI, CPG # 28).

CCC-1053 “We believe that the multitude of those gathered around Jesus and Mary in Paradise forms the Church of heaven, where in eternal blessedness they see God as he is and where they are also, to various degrees, associated with the holy angels in the divine governance exercised by Christ in glory, by interceding for us and helping our weakness by their fraternal concern” (Paul VI, CPG # 29).

CCC-1054 Those who die in God’s grace and friendship imperfectly purified, although they are assured of their eternal salvation, undergo a purification after death, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of God.

CCC-1055 By virtue of the “communion of saints,” the Church commends the dead to God’s mercy and offers her prayers, especially the holy sacrifice of the Eucharist, on their behalf.

CCC-1056 Following the example of Christ, the Church warns the faithful of the “sad and lamentable reality of eternal death” (GCD 69), also called “hell.”

CCC-1057 Hell’s principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.

CCC-1058 The Church prays that no one should be lost: “Lord, let me never be parted from you.” If it is true that no one can save himself, it is also true that God “desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4), and that for him “all things are possible” (Mt 19:26).

CCC-1059 “The holy Roman Church firmly believes and confesses that on the Day of Judgment all men will appear in their own bodies before Christ’s tribunal to render an account of their own deeds” (Council of Lyons II [1274]: DS 859; cf. DS 1549).

CCC-1060 At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. Then the just will reign with Christ forever, glorified in body and soul, and the material universe itself will be transformed. God will then be “all in all” (1 Cor 15:28), in eternal life.

Catechism – I BELIEVE IN LIFE EVERLASTING (By clicking Next on each page, it is possible to see and read all 10 pages of this section.)

Personal Reflections

Beginning with the belief that God is divine mystery beyond our understanding and that we believers are always searching for the truth, for greater understanding, I accept the current teaching of the Catholic Church on purgatory. Catholic theology is complicated, probably because of human desire to better understand and 2500 years of study, reflection, and publication. However, I must add that I will not be surprised if I learn eventually, through personal experience, that current teaching was not exactly right, that God had even greater things, even things beyond our human imagination, in store for us.

Given that personal openness to surprises, I am not going to dwell too much on the currently taught details about purgatory but rather on confessing my failures and asking God to help me live in a way that is more pleasing to Him. And I am expecting some purging in purgatory, whatever it turns out to be.

Catholic Theology

This is the ninth post in a series on Catholic Theology. Here are links to the others.

115 – 8 – Bible Love

114 – 7- More on Sola Scriptura

113 – 6- Angels in the 21st Century?

112 – 5 – Mary, Mother of God

111 – 4 – God?

110 – 3.5 – My Theological Journey

109 – 3 – Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium

108 – 2 – Creation of the Universe

107 – 1 – Magisterium AI