PURGATORY MAKES SENSE. AND HERE IS WHY!

The Church's teaching on Purgatory highlights the boundless and limitless love and mercy of God. It demonstrates God’s tireless effort to redeem his children. It reveals the extent God can go to save and rescue those purchased by the precious Blood of his Son, Jesus Christ. For those who do not believe it, here’s my take on it. When the bible says that “Nothing impure will enter the Kingdom of God” (Rev. 21:27), it means no single impurity will enter it. God expects purity from his children. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” Jesus teaches. This suggests that God expects 100% from each of us. But what happens to those who have 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and even 99%? Is God going to throw them into eternal hell of suffering and punishment? What will happen to that faithful mother who loved God and the people of God? She served God and the people of God. She loved her children and husband. She was faithful almost till the end. But due to human weakness, she fell into sin like every one of us. But before she could seek for forgiveness and reconcile with our loving God, tragedy struck and she died. When she gets to heaven, is God really going to cast her into hell because of that sin she is yet to seek for forgiveness? Well, the Mother Church says no. We serve a God of second chance. That woman will be given a second chance of going through purification. In purgatory, the souls of the faithful, who are not completely ready, not completely pure will undergo a process of purification. Why? Because nothing impure will enter into it. If our human parents, who are not perfect, who are not as loving and compassionate like God will admit an imperfect son or daughter, why should we expect less from God? God’s love is infinite. Those who embraced his love and cooperated with it while on earth, but somehow fell short, will not be rejected everlastingly by God’s surpassing love and mercy. Do not forget, the name of God is Mercy. The Mercy they sought on earth, will not abandon them. 

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

On the Commemoration of All Souls

Wednesday, November 2, 2016