What is Purgatory? How can we understand it? Suppose one day the door opens, and a splendid being appears, extremely beautiful, of a beauty that has never been seen on earth before. You are fascinated, overwhelmed by this being of light and beauty, even more so you discover that he is madly in love with you -- you have never dreamed of being loved so much. He has a great desire to draw you to him, to be one with you. And immediately the fire of love is ignited in your heart. You want to throw yourself into his arms. But then you realize at this moment that you haven't washed for months and months, that you smell bad; your hair is greasy and matted, there are stains all over your clothes. So you say, "No, I just can't present myself in this state. I have to go and wash, and then come back." But the love that burns in your heart is so intense and so strong, that the delay is almost unbearable. Purgatory is exactly this, a delay caused by our impurity. In Purgatory, this burning desire and longing for God is what cleanses and purifies us. By celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation we can shorten or even eliminate the time we are delayed in Purgatory.
No comments:
Post a Comment