Mary and those who fell asleep in hope: Part I
Establishing ConceptsBy heaven we understand the place where God sits on the throne: “The Lord is in his holy place, his throne is in the heavens. His eyes observe, his eyelids question the sons of men” (Ps 11:4). “The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of men” (Ps 115:16). It is from this same place that God descends: “The Lord descended upon Sinai, upon the peak of the mountain. The Lord called Moses to the peak of the mountain, and Moses went up” (Ex 19:18-20). However, the Scriptures recognize that neither heavens nor earth can contain God: “But will God dwell on earth? The most high heavens cannot contain him, much less this house that I built” (1 Kgs 8:27). In this paradox about God’s ‘dwellings’ is also added that Christian hope foresees new heavens and a new earth at the end of times: “According to his promise, we await new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness will dwell” (2 Pet 3:13). In brief, we can conclude that heaven is the state where the blessed will dwell forever with God through the glorified humanity of Christ: “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess 4:17). “And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that where I am, you also may be” (Jn 14:3).
Through “inferno” we understand the state where demons and sinners who died without repentance suffer forever, varying according to the sins committed, as they are excluded from the presence of God. These ecclesial notions are based on passages from the New Testament, such as in Mt 13,36-43. 25,31-46, and emphasize the possibility of hell for those who with real malice reject to love God and their neighbor. However, a bond exists between God and man, which is the salvific love: “but when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all” (1Cor 15,28). “For this is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all” (1Tm 2,3-6).
By purgatory, we understand the purification (katarsis) that is the state of those who die in communion with God, but still need their personal sins to be expiated (through the merits of Christ) and must grow spiritually before they can enjoy the beatific vision. Although we can cite numerous verses from Sacred Scripture like 2 Mac 12,38-46, Mt 5,25-26, 1Cor 3,11-15, these do not precisely define purgatory (= purification). To understand its meaning, we must turn to elements of Christian tradition, such as divine justice, Christian prayers for the dead, dating back to the 2nd century, and the celebration of the Eucharist on the dies natalis (birthday) of those who have fallen asleep in hope. Church Fathers like Clement of Alexandria (d. 215), Origen (d. 254), John Chrysostom (d. 407), Tertullian (d. 225), Cyprian (d. 258), and Augustine (430) wrote about various modes of post-mortem purification and our communion through prayer with our beloved departed. The practice of praying for the dead spread mainly in liturgical settings in both Western and Eastern Christianity. The Council of Lyon (1274) and later the Council of Florence (1438-1445) began to affirm the idea of a purifying suffering endured after death by those not yet worthy of the beatific vision and the value of prayers and good works as suffrage for those suffering great pain. We must understand that there is no mention of fire in these Councils regarding purgatory. During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther (1483-1546) would reject the value of indulgences for the departed and even the existence of purgatory. The Counter-Reformation of the Council of Trent (1545-1563) would firmly reaffirm the doctrine of purgatory, without clarifying its duration and nature, the value of prayers, and especially the Eucharist for those remaining in purgatory. In our time, the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) affirms the communion of the Church in pilgrimage with all those who purify themselves after death, reaffirming the conciliar statements of Trent and Florence, when it says: “while the Lord does not come in His majesty and with all His angels (cf. Mt 25:31) and, having overcome death, submits all things to Him (cf. 1 Cor 15:26-27), some of His disciples are pilgrims on earth, others, after this life, are purified, and others, finally, are glorified and contemplate God the Trinity and One, as He is. Yet, all of us, in various ways and degrees, share in the same love of God and of our neighbor, and all of us sing the same hymn of praise to our God. Indeed, all who are of Christ and have His Spirit are united in one Church and linked to one another in Him (cf. Ef 4:16). And thus, far from being broken off, the union of those still on earth with their brothers who have fallen asleep in the peace of Christ is strengthened by the communication of spiritual goods. The blessed, being more intimately united with Christ, more firmly establish the Church in holiness, enhance the worship offered to God on earth, and contribute in numerous ways to the more extensive building up of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-27). Received into the heavenly homeland and living with the Lord (cf. 2 Cor 5:8), they do not cease to intercede for us, through Him, with Him, and in Him, presenting the merits they attained on earth, thanks to the unique mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Tm 2:5), serving the Lord in all things and completing what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, for His body, which is the Church (cf. Col 1:24). Our weakness is thus greatly aided by their brotherly concern.”
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