crusader1234 Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 So, I'm not too clear on Heaven. All I really know is up to Purgatory. I assumed after that we went to heaven, and things were 'peachy keen'. I would just like some clarification on what happens after one dies, as far as official doctrine goes. I can figure out the hell part for myself, but what about once you make it to Purgatory? Then what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q the Ninja Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 Once you make it to Purgatory you are amongst the saved. From Purgatory you don't go to Hell, just to Heaven. Purgatory is where you pay the temporal punishments for the sins you have committed throughout your life. After you have been purified, then you are ready for the Beatific Vision, unless you are the soul to whom the gift of the heroic act of charity has been given. This person will be the last soul in Purgatory and will, according to the Father's will, stay there until the end of time suffering for all the other souls. Heaven is a state of contemplation of God (the highest form of action). You will at that time be a soul, without a body. Death, unless you're completely without sin (in which case you won't die), causes an unnatural separation of body and soul, the two things that make you you. At the end of time, there will be the final judgement where we will receive our bodies, the resurrection of the body, and be complete once again (I'm almost positive the souls in Hell suffer the same fate). Purgatory is the purification for the Beatific Vision in our life to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JeffCR07 Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 great post, Q, I believe you are right, even the damned receive their bodies, for the pain of physical torment exists in Hell along with the spiritual pain of seperation from God. Crusader, just to clarify my previous post, which, if I am not mistaken, spawned this one, I did not say that Heaven is a place of "unhappiness" - it is truly a place of Joy, for anyone who sees the Beatific Vision must be in a state of joy, it is simply not [i]complete[/i] joy on account of the fact that the soul still yearns for the Ressurrection. I will try to give an analogy, I hope it works. When I was little, my sisters and I slept on the 3rd floor of the house, and the main floor, where the Christmas tree and presents were, was the 2nd. On Christmas morning, our parents wouldnt let us come downstairs to see the tree until we were ready, so we would sit on the stairs in anxious anticipation. We were very happy, because, well, it was Christmas morning and we just couldnt wait to get downstairs, however, we wouldnt be [i]completely[/i] happy until we were actually downstairs around the tree. So too with souls in Heaven. They are, and must be, happy and joyful, for they see the Beatific Vision and glory in the victory of God. However, at the same time, they will not be [i]completely[/i] happy until that final Victory of Christ that reunites them with their bodies. - Your Brother In Christ, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusader1234 Posted January 9, 2005 Author Share Posted January 9, 2005 So its like Christmas Eve until the ressurection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quietfire Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Yep. You know its there, you now you're gonna get it, but.... not yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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