Purgatory: Service Shop for Heaven [Ecumernical]

Ignatius Insight ^ | Reverend Anthony Zimmerman

[phatus maximus]

“While I do not recall the story to which your refer, I did recall one of my favorite gospels of Lazarus and the rich man, Luke 16:19-31. In this story, we see that the dead rich man is suffering but still feels compassion for his brothers and wants to warn them of his place of suffering. But there is no suffering in heaven or compassion in hell because compassion is a grace from God and those in hell are deprived from God’s graces for all eternity. So where is the rich man? He is in purgatory.”

Sorry to bump into your conversation but had wanted to add this...

Respectfully stated:

I find it odd that you are ignoring verse 23 and 26 which says this:

23In hell [c]( Greek Hades ) where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.

I think we can agree that hades is at best a precursor for entry to hell, if not hell itself and in no way could be construed as purgatory, would you agree to that? If not then verse 26 would show that no one could cross over from purgatory and that would be a horribly destructive thing to the concept of purgatory being the purification for entry to Heaven.

Consider this:

If it was purgatory was where the rich man was, why would the rich man want to warn his brothers about that? If he was in purgatory that would mean he was saved but suffering while being purified for Heaven. If he knew that he was saved he’d have no reason to warn his friends about not repenting and coming to this place as Abraham goes on to say:

29”Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30” ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31”He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ “

If Abraham knew that purgatory was the destination the saved would go why would he say what he says in verse 31? That does not fit the context of purgatory but rather the context of damnation. Put another way, does a priest warn people of purgatory in the sense that you don’t want to ever be there? Maybe? I don’t know, but I would think not since it is widely accepted by Catholics that those who are saved will be going thru purgatory for sometime before entry to Heaven is allowed, correct?

I hope my comment makes some sense, I’m a bit tired as it’s 1:30am. Again, this is all respectfully stated and I in no way intend to be rude. I pray I have not been.

Blessings in Christ.

P.M.