I had some time to unwind so I thought I’ll utilize it to complete the bit on Shocking Revelation. Of course, there can’t be such thing as completing what I want to convey as there are a great number of events that have happened and would leave us all stupefied if I begin to enumerate each of them. Just like in Part 1 wherein I spoke about a devout atheist, I think one instance would suffice here too. By the way, in the previous episode, the atheist after experiencing the most frightening thing of his life, went home, took his dusty Bible and began to read the Word. He gave his life to God from then on. As for the man who was resuscitated, God had given him another chance and he dedicated the rest of his life to his Maker.

There has long been a debate on the existence of Purgatory, some deny that it exists misquoting the scriptures where the Rich Man in Hades (who all through his luxurious life never wanted to help the beggar, Lazarus lying in rags outside his gate) pleads with Abraham in heaven: “ask Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” To which Abraham replied, “……..And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.” Most people erroneously believe that because the verse says that there is a chasm, there can’t exist a purgatory. This is a total misinterpretation. Here is what it is; “Purgatory is a step before Heaven where believers are cleansed up for the “wedding banquet” of the Lord in Heaven. Not all believers have to go through Purgatory (some go straight to Heaven) but all people in Purgatory eventually make it to Heaven. They are the elect.”

When a person dies, ( say an average Christian who has fulfilled his religious obligations, done charity, lived a righteous life yet has had his minor faults), it would be an underestimation of God’s justice to assume that such a person would be admitted into the kingdom of heaven without making reparation for the small errors which are not usually counted as very serious offenses against God. Inasmuch as the soul cannot enter into heaven without being purged for offenses of less gravity, so it is also impossible for a soul to be damned for minor faults. After all, He is a merciful God, mercy being his greatest attribute.

There are umpteen verses in the Bible clearly indicating the existence of purgatory, although the word hasn’t been used. To quote the most popular one: Mathew 12: 32, … Jesus said, “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Thus you see it can be confidently said that the world to come is nothing but purgatory as there is no forgiveness in hell and there is no need for forgiveness in heaven as the soul has been purified.

This is a true story told about a soul that visited a religious sister after being sent to Purgatory. This is an episode given in Father Rossignoli’s book, Merveilles du Purgatoire.

A painter of great skill and otherwise exemplary life had once made a painting not at all conformable to the strict rules of Christian modesty. It was one of those paintings which, under the pretext of being works of art, are found in the best families, and the sight of which causes the loss of so many souls.

Soon, however, renouncing this pernicious style, he confined himself to the production of religious pictures, or at least of those which were perfectly irreproachable. Finally, he was painting a large picture in the convent of the discalced Carmelites, when he was attacked by a mortal malady. Feeling that he was about to die, he asked the Prior to allow him to be interred in the church of the monastery, and bequeathed to the community his earnings, which amounted to a considerable sum of money, charging them to have Masses said for the repose of his soul. He died in pious sentiments, and a few days passed, when a Religious who had stayed in the choir after Matins saw him appear in the midst of flames and sighing piteously.

“What!” said the Religious, “have you to endure such pain, after leading so good a life and dying so holy a death?”

“Alas!” replied he, “it is on account of the immodest picture that I painted some years ago. When I appeared before the tribunal of the Sovereign Judge, a crowd of accusers came to give evidence against me. They declared that they had been excited to improper thoughts and evil desires by a picture, the work of my hand. In consequence of those bad thoughts some were in Purgatory, others in Hell. The latter cried for vengeance, saying that, having been the cause of their eternal perdition, I deserved, at least, the same punishment. Then the Blessed Virgin and the saints whom I had glorified by my pictures took up my defense. They represented to the Judge that the unfortunate painting had been the work of youth, and of which I had repented; that I had repaired it afterwards by religious objects which had been a source of edification to souls.

In consideration of these and other reasons, the Sovereign Judge declared that, on account of my repentance and my good works, I should be exempt from damnation; but at the same time, He condemned me to these flames until that picture should be burned, so that it could no longer scandalize anyone.”

If such are the consequences of an immodest picture, what then, will be the punishment of the sill more disastrous scandals resulting from bad books, bad papers, bad schools, and bad conversations?

I can only say that we’ll do good by praying for these souls in purgatory as that not only would be the greatest act of charity but also would be what is greatly required of us by Jesus.