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But he welcomes us in order to transform us Romans Therefore, our relationship with Jesus is a cooperative struggle in which his Holy Spirit helps us fulfill the promise of holiness planted in our hearts in baptism. This process is well described by Peter, who writes "By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1: Sanctification will continue, according to Paul, until "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
In short, God will not rest until we are completely blessed and happy. If the process is not finished when we die, then God completes it in Purgatory. That is why Purgatory is not a "second chance". All who are in Purgatory have, in fact, died "in God's grace and friendship" as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says.
All the souls in Purgatory are absolutely assured of seeing God's face. They simply do not yet see it fully. Peter's mention of suffering and "testing by fire" sounds ominous.
Isn't the Christian life supposed to be about victory instead of suffering? That's a bit like saying the athletic life is supposed to be about trophies instead of running. Trophies, as Paul notes, are awarded at the end of the race 2 Timothy 4: Purgatory does indeed involve pain, just as training for a race or running 10 miles does. But pain is not the point of Purgatory. The healing, joy and ecstasy of heaven are. Our Lord and his apostles all suffered. So have many Christians since then.
This page was last edited on 8 December , at In August Pope Francis established the Study Commission on the Women's Diaconate , to determine whether ordaining women as deacons should be revived. Retrieved 29 December Essential Resources Catholic Encyclopedia Invaluable resource for understanding basic questions of the faith. Archived 6 September at the Wayback Machine. In short, God will not rest until we are completely blessed and happy. Church Fathers on the Assumption of Mary Documents illustrating early belief in the bodily assumption of Mary.
So does everybody else. As Job says, "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward" Job 5: Our Lord never promised a painless existence. Rather, he promised a joyful one in which nothing-not even pain and death-is wasted and everything is redeemed and turned into glory. What is remarkable about the Christian life is not its notable lack of suffering, but that Christ gives us the grace to suffer pain unto life and even unto joy. The opposite of damnation unto death. In baptism and confession , the guilt of sin is forgiven and friendship with God is restored by the grace of Christ.
But the fact that sin is forgiven does not mean that sin ceases to have effects on us and on those around us. God's forgiveness does not mean all bad habits are magically repealed, all back taxes cancelled and the people we hurt are suddenly restored to perfect physical, emotional and spiritual health just because we are believers. Instead the Church says, in effect, "If you break someone's window in a hissy fit and repent, you shall certainly be forgiven.
But you must still pay for the window and do something about that nasty temper. You must, in the words of Paul, 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. This is why Jesus commended Zacchaeus for paying back the money he stole, even though his sin of theft was forgiven Luke This is why repentant murderers stay in jail, repentant fornicators must still deal with the effects of a sexually transmitted disease and repentant addicts must go on struggling against their cravings.
Forgiven sin continues to have effects both on the sinner and on those against whom he sinned.
The difference is that, with grace, these struggles do not have the effect of hardening sinners in their sin, but of liberating them from it. This is precisely why Paul writes that "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" Romans 5: The suffering of sanctification produces not remorse, but repentance, not wallowing in guilt, but joy at liberation. As Paul says, "Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death" 2 Corinthians 7: What's the point of sanctification and Purgatory if you are basically a good person?
Wouldn't a God of love accept us as we are? An excellent collection of resources on questions ranging from salvation to annulments.
You don't have to remain silent anymore when Protestants and other non- Catholics tell you (or your kids) that Catholic teachings go against the Bible!. Editorial Reviews. Review. A magnificently comprehensive guide to the book that the Catholic Scriptural Roots of Catholic Teaching by [Epie, Chantal].
Catholic Doctrinal Concordance A good quick reference. Catholic Evangelism A good site, with an emphasis on the biblical basis of Catholic belief. Catholic FAQs 1 A handy guide to frequently asked questions concerning the faith. Catholic Online Saints Probably the largest listing of saints on the internet. Be sure to check out these other offerings from Catholic Online: Church Fathers on Infant Baptism A collection of documents illustrating the practice of infant baptism in the early Church.
Church Fathers on Purgatory Texts from the early Church that show belief in the existence of Purgatory. Church Fathers on the Assumption of Mary Documents illustrating early belief in the bodily assumption of Mary. Church Fathers on the Immaculate Conception Documents illustrating that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin.
Church Fathers on the Sacrament of Extreme Unction Anointing of the Sick Texts that show that the early Church believed in the sacramental nature of the anointing of the sick. Church Fathers on the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony A collection of texts that shows the early belief that Christ elevated marriage to a sacrament.
Church Fathers on the Sacrament of Penance This collection of texts illustrates the practice of priests hearing confessions in the early Church. Doctrinal Comparison Compares the teaching of the Bible and the early Church Fathers with the teachings of the Catholic Church and with various Protestant denominations. Eucharist, Holy Meal Scott Hahn brings to life the biblical background of the Eucharist as a sacrifice and as the establishment of the New Covenant. Focusing on the Biblical concept of covenant, he explains how the Eucharist is the way in which God swears His final and eternal promise to His children.
Marriage and Holy Orders Scott Hahn explores the meaning of these sacraments and offers biblically based advice for young men considering the priesthood and young couples pursuing marriage. Grace is For-Giving and For-Getting The sacraments, Scott Hahn explains, are the solemn oaths by which God binds human beings to Himself and makes of them a holy family.
History of the Doctrine of Penance Solid history. Penance and Anointing of the Sick Scott Hahn shows how these sacraments offer spiritual healing.
Infallibility From The Catholic Encyclopedia, an excellent overview of the history and true meaning of this teaching. See also, by Akin: Mary, Holy Mother Dr. Scott Hahn, founder of The St. Purgatory in the Bible A good consideration of the Scriptural evidence. Purgatory, Holy Fire Dr. A short, thoughtful look at key Bible texts.
Baptism and Confirmation Scott Hahn shows how through these two sacraments human beings respond to the divine promise of covenant by pledging themselves to God in Christ. Sola Gratia, Solo Christo: The Roman Catholic Doctrine of Justification A look at the Catholic understanding of justification from the perspective of an evangelical protestant. The Authority of Scripture in the Church Fathers A collection of quotes that shows the Church Fathers believed that Scripture could not be isolated from the tradition of the Church.
The Bible and the Assumption of Mary A helpful historical overview.
The Bible and the Church: Both or Neither Dr. The Church Fathers on Scripture Short quotes, well organized. The Church is One Scott Hahn explores why, unlike the various Protestant denominations, the Catholic Church has always emphasized its fundamental unity.