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Author Topic: Reluctant to shorten my purgatory  (Read 2605 times)

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Offline 800 Cruiser

Reluctant to shorten my purgatory
« on: October 02, 2018, 05:04:15 PM »
I am reading something posted via link to another topic of mine, helping to explain mortal vs venial sin. Under venial sin is a question that suggests my desire to fully pay for my sins and not attempt to shorten my purgatory is a venial sin. Huh??
That seems at odds with my attitude of personal accountability: I committed the crime so I must do the time. 
Am I missing something here?
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Offline Jaynek

Re: Reluctant to shorten my purgatory
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2018, 05:53:37 PM »
Quote from: 800 Cruiser on October 02, 2018, 05:04:15 PM
I am reading something posted via link to another topic of mine, helping to explain mortal vs venial sin. Under venial sin is a question that suggests my desire to fully pay for my sins and not attempt to shorten my purgatory is a venial sin. Huh??
That seems at odds with my attitude of personal accountability: I committed the crime so I must do the time.
Am I missing something here?
We do not fully pay for our sins.  None of us is capable of doing that.  The only one capable of that is Jesus Christ.  All of us deserve to burn eternally in hell and would be certain to do so if not for the grace of God.

As well as our eternal punishment, which Our Lord received in our place, there is temporal punishment.  We can receive temporal punishment in this world or in Purgatory.  It is better to receive it in this world but, if we can't, God allows us to receive it in Purgatory.  Refusing to shorten time in Purgatory is, in effect, the same as trying to avoid sufferings in this world and putting off temporal punishment to the next.  

Acts of self-discipline and mortification are actions we can take now to deal with the temporal consequences of our sins.  By doing this now, it is no longer necessary to do as much in Purgatory.  It is not avoiding punishment or getting away with something.
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Offline 800 Cruiser

Re: Reluctant to shorten my purgatory
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2018, 06:37:59 PM »
My apology. I misspoke. I did not mean that I pay fully for my sins, rather that I pay in full my temporal punishment. Of course I would rather not experience purgatory, however I do not feel right that someone else help to pay my temporal punishment. Ironically, I do not have any issue with helping to pay anyone else’s temporal punishment. 
This is one of those things that I am finding it exceedingly difficult to articulate properly. 
I do not believe or think that I am coming from a place of pride or vanity as has been suggested in my real life, but I grant that is quite possible, facing reality head on. 
If I am made to see that I am wrong on this, I fully intend to amend my way of thinking—I do not desire to be in error. 

I just believe that since I am the one that sinned, and our Lord has paid in blood to accept the sin itself, I should be held fully accountable for my temporal penance. 
Please ladies and gentlemen, help me to explore this and if I am wrong point it out to me how and why. 
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Offline Nadir

Re: Reluctant to shorten my purgatory
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2018, 07:14:40 PM »
Quote from: 800 Cruiser on October 02, 2018, 06:37:59 PM
My apology. I misspoke. I did not mean that I pay fully for my sins, rather that I pay in full my temporal punishment. Of course I would rather not experience purgatory, however I do not feel right that someone else help to pay my temporal punishment. Ironically, I do not have any issue with helping to pay anyone else’s temporal punishment.
This is one of those things that I am finding it exceedingly difficult to articulate properly.
.
We are touching here, I think, on the Communion of Saints. We are all one body. Just as one part will compensate for the other if the latter is diseased so it is with the Church.
.
Truly Holy people are rare and many of us "mean well" but fall often. The prayers and sacrifices of saints has been the means of getting souls into Heaven earlier than they were destined to do. They desire that so many more souls should be in God's presence praising Him forever.
.
Also, remember that, while on earth, we can do much for ourselves and others to get us into Heaven, or avoid Hell, but once in Purgatory there is nothing we can do to help ourselves.
.
So be sure to pray for the Church Suffering while we are part of the Church Militant.
I hope that helps.
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Offline 800 Cruiser

Re: Reluctant to shorten my purgatory
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2018, 07:51:36 PM »
Thanks Nadir. That was a good way to put it to me. It helps me see a different way (change of perspective). 
I love, and at the same time am overwhelmed by, how answers to my questions lead to new questions in unexpected directions. 

E.g.: church Militant, suffering and triumphant. Had no idea about this. New directions to move in and explore. 
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