PURGATORY IS BLASPHEMY! BY SOLA FIDE, WE'RE ALL SAVED! "...fides sine operibus mortua est." (faith without works is dead, James 2:26)

To start with, Purgatory is from Latin term "Purgatorium", which means purification.

My fellow Catholics, perhaps some of you are aware of the concept of Purgatory, but it may not be well-explored since it is not frequently discussed during our Holy Masses. But truth must be told, some of us rarely, if ever, read the Bible. As Christians, it is our duty to acquire at least a reasonable level of understanding about our faith.

Anyway, Purgatory is one of the Catholic Teachings that is frequently debated by our non-Catholic friends. For them, it may not be real, but for us Catholics, we should embrace what I consider to be a "gift from God" for the ultimate salvation of our souls.

Now, let's look at these 4 principles that support the idea of Purgatory. I'll be using Bible passages to support my point and some examples in our today's situation, they may be cut short, but rest assured we'll stay within the context.

Here it says that King David, after all his inequities, although forgiven yet still punished. In today's world, It's like going into prison even if forgiven by the victim.

Nothing unclean! We all know that heaven is a place without errors. No more death or mourning or crying or pain. Even white lies could stain our souls with sin. Imagine a white bond paper, if even a tiny dot is added, it can never return to its original state. Again, heaven is without errors.

Spirits of the righteous made perfect. Emphasis on 'made perfect' suggests that there's a process, a process towards attaining perfection, as seen in the lives of Saints who, just like you and me, are also human beings.

Where might this place be, where we must endure suffering but can attain salvation through the process of purification by fire?

Hell? There's no escape once you're there. (Matthew 25:46)

Heaven? There's no suffering in heaven. (Revelation 21:4)

Hmmm?

Pro Deo et Ecclesia!

"…we ask for their intercessions, just as you ask others to intercede for you."

The intercession of saints is one of the highly debated topics in Christianity, as some of our Protestant brothers and sisters believe that prayers should be directed to God alone, which is absolutely true! Because the saints were long dead, at least in terms of earthly life. If you're a Christian, you've probably heard about the concept of the spirit. And that’s why Catholics like myself believe in the Intercession of the Saints.

If we take a look at Matthew 27:52, it says, "The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life."

Wait! Was there anyone else considered holy apart from God? Yes! We are!

Well, not inherently holy, but we can be holy. St. Augustine of Hippo, a prominent theologian and philosopher, once said, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." This reflects the idea that true holiness is found in union with God.

Got it! People were raised from the dead and have become holy.

In Hebrews 12:22-23, it mentions, "You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect."

We all know that there’s a spirit residing in us, right? And heaven is perfect, right? Therefore, Spirit + Perfect = Holy (Saint).

Also, in Luke 16:27-31, one of Jesus' parables, known as the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. It tells the story of a rich man and a poor man who both died. The rich man ended up in hell, while the poor man in heaven. The rich man begged Father Abraham to send the poor man to warn his family about the consequences of not living a life in accordance with God's will. However, Father Abraham responded, saying, "If they do not heed Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead." This parable emphasizes the idea that faith and repentance should be rooted in a response to God's revealed Word and not solely reliant on extraordinary signs and wonders.

So, the dead can communicate with the saints.

Finally, in Revelation 8:3-4, it states, "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God."

Now, we're talking about the end of times. From this passage, it demonstrates the idea that the prayers of the saints are important and have a spiritual impact. Thus, the prayers of the saints can be expressed as an intercessory prayer for the needs of the world.

My dear Brothers and Sisters, if we ask others to pray for us, then why can’t we ask the Saints who are in Heaven to pray for us if we can actually communicate with them?

As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of All Saints on November 1st, let’s not forget the sufferings and sacrifices they endured for the glory of God and His people. Let's thank them and never be ashamed to seek their intercession.

Pro Deo et Ecclesia!

In today’s complex society, we often find ourselves facing with numerous challenges that leave us questioning, “Why is this happening to me?” Challenges such as financial instability, severe or recurrent illnesses, relationship problems, and emotional disorders just to mention a few. In the face of such difficulties, it’s common for some to doubt the existence of God, wondering if He does exist why would He let us stuck in so many problems. My friends, remember that our Lord Jesus Christ descended from the Heaven and dwelt among us. He suffered and sacrificed Himself for our salvation. He rose triumphantly from the dead, He entered into glory. But have we asked ourselves why did He do all this? It was so that He could guide us to partake in that glory. Sadly, most of us wouldn’t recognize Jesus Christ’s sacrifice as we are too concerned about our own well-being. Too concerned that we have just innocently invited the devil to live with us.

Here in the Philippines, resilience is a hallmark of the Filipino spirit, no doubt to that. As resilient as we may be, we are also vulnerable to superstitions, including the use of lucky charms and seeking guidance from so-called faith healers which we hope to bring us wealth but in reality, we’ve subscribed ourselves to the use of cursed objects and occult practices that will only put out our lives in the hands of the devil.

In Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2116 it says:

However, as the Church has grown more focused on Spiritual Warfare, the devil has found another avenue to intrude into our lives: the manipulation of our sacred images, supposedly with amplified effects.

However, as the Church has intensified the Spiritual Warfare, the devil has also found another way to infiltrate our lives through the manipulation of our sacred images, purportedly with amplified effects. One prime example is the alteration of the original image of the Santo Niño. As a Catholic, one glance is enough to recognize our revered Santo Nino image. But if the image doesn’t depict Him holding the Globe in His left hand, the Scepter in His right hand, and a Crown on His head, then that’s definitely not the Santo Nino we love so much. Such deviations should be rejected!

We all wish to live a better, more comfortable life, but if we compromise our souls in exchange for fortune through occult practices, it will eventually exact its price. Be vigilant! Practice CARE: Confession, Adoration, Rosary, and Eucharist.

When facing life's challenges, the best way to overcome them is by seeking God's help and guidance. Pray! Pray intensely! Pray as if it's your last day; pray as if you are in danger because we are always in danger from the schemes of evil.

Aude Esse Sanctus, dare to be Saint!