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Jvette, beautiful commentary on Purgatory, one of the strongest draws to the CC for me (I was Missouri-Synod for 33 years!).

"What? It was a strong draw to Catholicism that you'd burn for uncounted years to pay for sin that Jesus died to remove, instead of believing that Jesus paid it all and there is no punishment left for us to bear?"

JV - She obviously didn't read your post either time. She just used it as a framework to air one of her beefs with Catholicism....twice. Its no wonder she failed her Catechism classes as a child.

I beg to differ. We suffer punishment for our sins all the time. And FYI, suffering punishment is not same as paying and freedom from suffering for our sins is not what Jesus’ death gained for us. What we gained by Jesus’ death and the remission of our sins is deliverance from the wages of sin which is DEATH. What we gain is eternal life in heaven.

Look closely at the world and the people in it and tell me there is no punishment for sin. That’s what people don’t understand about the Ten Commandments. God gave them to us for OUR good not His. He had no need of them, HE is PERFECT already. We however, suffer greatly when we sin against those commandments.

Before Jesus the gates of heaven were closed to us. We could not be in heaven, no matter how closely we followed the law. The uncleanliness of sin barred our entrance. Jesus, tore the veil so that we may one day be able to praise God in the Holiest of Holies.

What? It was a strong draw to Catholicism that you'd burn for uncounted years to pay for sin that Jesus died to remove, instead of believing that Jesus paid it all and there is no punishment left for us to bear?
Sins of scarlet! Sins of scarlet! Yes, Purgatory was a strong draw for me. Its existence also gave me hope for my own fallen family members, that they could be saved through my sufferings and my prayers.

When my mother passed away a couple years ago, her MS-Lutheran friend (they were friends for almost 70 years), said, "Well, there's nothing I can do for your mother [MS-Lutheran as well] now; I tried, believe me, I tried when she was on earth," while her daily-Mass/daily Rosary-reciting friend, whom she played cards with, said to me last year, "Don't worry, I've been praying [she leads the Rosary after daily Mass] for your mother every single day since she died ... to make sure she's in position at the table for Pinochle when I get there."

Purgatory and those who believe in same can bring hope to anyone who has ever sinned, which means all of us, save Mary. Christ died for us on the Cross, it is true; now it's up to us to show Him (through love, hope, faith & works, patience, suffering with joy ...) that we are grateful for his Passion.

Holy Souls in Purgatory, while we pray for you, please pray for US ...

It was a strong draw to Catholicism that you'd burn for uncounted years to pay for sin that Jesus died to remove, instead of believing that Jesus paid it all and there is no punishment left for us to bear?

It was a strong draw to Catholicism for ME that in Purgatory, every spiritual flaw and tendency to sin that I have will be removed (yes, my sins are paid for, but my flaws still exist as I suspect yours do also) and I will become perfectly the woman God intended me to be.