There is a common argument used against the idea of purgatory in some circles which goes like this: "St. Paul says that 'to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord' (2 Cor. 5:8). It's that simple: If you're a Christian and you aren't in your body then you are with Jesus in heaven. There is no room for purgatory in St. Paul's view. Purgatory is just a Catholic fable--a 'man made tradition.'"
Is this true?
It turns out that if you examine what St. Paul really said, the whole argument is based on a misquotation. St. Paul said nothing of the kind.
Furthermore, if you look elsewhere in St. Paul's writings--to the very same church he was addressing in his "absent from the body" passage--you find strong evidence for purgatory.
Far from being a Catholic fable, purgatory is rooted in the thought of the Apostle Paul himself--as I show in the following video.
I've also been working on a special mailing for the Secret Information Club where I "interview" John Paul II on the subject of purgatory. In the interview, I pose questions, and the answers are taken from his writing. Current Secret Club members will get it automatically.
Purgatory is a controversial subject that Catholics are often attacked over, so if you'd like to receive the special interview with John Paul II on purgatory, just sign up for the Secret Information Club by Friday, June 29th, and you'll have it in your inbox on Saturday morning.
You should sign up at www.SecretInfoClub.com.
If you have any difficulty, just email me at jimmy@secretinfoclub.com.
Here's the video!
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A clear & succinct explanation of the topic
Love this video! I love thinking that is clear and concise but also puts premises in the context so necessary in our search for the fullness of truth.
Very nicely done; as usual, Jimmy speaks clearly and on point. I think his presentation would win me over if I didn’t already believe it. I could wish, however, that he would have address one issue. He ends with quotes from Scripture and the Holy Father showing that “time” in Purgatory cannot be related to time on Earth, and that the purgation process could (and likely does?) occur in a moment of our time. If that is so, where does praying for the souls in purgatory fit in? If the process takes only a moment of our time, it would be completed before we could form the openning words of our first prayer.
Jimmy, since we cannot measure this purification in earthly time and purification can happen “in the twinkling of an eye” —is it even worth praying for people in purgatory? We don’t even know if they (or anyone) is actually there. I am still convinced that any idea of purgatory seems more slanted toward my (self centered) “works” rather than the completed work Jesus did for me at Calvary.
Like some of the other commenters I agree that Jimmy did a great job. I thoroughly enjoyed and learned from the video. I do think it is very much worth praying for souls in Purgatory even though the duration of a soul’s time spent there is in question - even if that’s but a twinkling of an eye. Trying to decipher the length of this transition would be as Pope Benedict puts it unproductive. It is after all a mystery and beyond our human comprehension.
If I may share, Sr. Faustina had a vision of this place in her diary recordings when she said of Purgatory:
” ...I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames, which were burning them, did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in Purgatory. The souls call Her “The Star of the Sea”. She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering. [I heard an interior voice which said] ‘My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it. Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls.’” (Diary, 20)
So indeed, let us continue to pray and intercede for these poor souls in Purgatory that Our Lady will continue to bring them refreshment.
+JMJ+
The problem with trying to get around the time issue in regards to purgatory is that their a number of teachings in the church that do speak of time in purgatory. Sabbatine Privilege promises that the scapular wearer can be delivered from Purgatory on the first Saturday after their death…
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