Absolute must read!
'May God console you! . . . What saddens you . . . is the fact that others have occupied the churches by violence, while during this time you are on the outside. It is a fact that they have the premises - but you have the Apostolic Faith. They can occupy our churches, but they are outside the true Faith. You remain outside the places of worship, but the Faith dwells within you. Let us consider: what is more important, the place or the Faith? The true Faith, obviously. Who has lost and who has won in the struggle - the one who keeps the premises or the one who keeps the Faith?'
St. Athanasius
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Somethings about Suffering and Purgatory
I started reading again the Purgatory book by Fr. F.X. Schouppe. It reminded me of my time in the active duty Army...no not like that but here's the thing. Those in Purgatory suffer in essentially 2 ways. One is obviously punishment due for the sins each has committed. The other is pain of loss the denial of the Beatific Vision of God. The latter is what caused me to think of my military time, imagine that.
When we had our field exercises there was a place referred to as the contonement area, which could easily be thought of the confinement area. This place, as was possible, was kind of it's own torture. From this location would were close to going home. It was worse when you were in the field for 2 weeks or more then you had 4 more days to go in the contonement area because that is the last place before you leave. From there you could even see the interstate. How many times did the thought pass that "IT'S JUST RIGHT THERE LET US GO!" but nope you still have 1,2,3,4 more days. I suppose it was it's own torture. So close yet so far. I believe that is the real suffering that those souls in Purgatory must endure. Keep in mind the suffering for sins committed is deserved. The suffering is deserved because we place our love of self over the love of God, but still the suffering. I think that so close yet so far suffering is really what causes so much pain to the Suffering Souls in Purgatory.
When we had our field exercises there was a place referred to as the contonement area, which could easily be thought of the confinement area. This place, as was possible, was kind of it's own torture. From this location would were close to going home. It was worse when you were in the field for 2 weeks or more then you had 4 more days to go in the contonement area because that is the last place before you leave. From there you could even see the interstate. How many times did the thought pass that "IT'S JUST RIGHT THERE LET US GO!" but nope you still have 1,2,3,4 more days. I suppose it was it's own torture. So close yet so far. I believe that is the real suffering that those souls in Purgatory must endure. Keep in mind the suffering for sins committed is deserved. The suffering is deserved because we place our love of self over the love of God, but still the suffering. I think that so close yet so far suffering is really what causes so much pain to the Suffering Souls in Purgatory.
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