Some councils have been trying for maybe 1,000 years to get the belief in Purgatory, which is not named in the bible, as part of our faith. For if our sins are to be purged (with suffering, of course) after we are dead, then we are free to insist with God that we live without suffering now.

But then, what about taking up our own cross? This suggests that it might be good to think of Purgatory  as  where we are, not where we will be.  We cannot really expect to live without the cross and then, after we have died to have some kind of easier, maybe not so painful, cleansing of all our sins. 

Look at this, if we can be so bold, the way God sees it.  God is love., St. Joh n taught explicitly (1 Jn 2:8).  In His love, God has mercy for our sins. For our sufferings, God has compassion.  God “earned” that compassion.

For the Second Person of the Holy Trinity  came into our  flesh and  bore our sins  in his body on the cross (1 Jn 2.2:24)  John added, God sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins..  And we are told that our loving God chose through him to reconcile to himself all things  (Col. 1:18).Now, the divine propriation is infinite and our call is to accept it and keep His will without sin

So, we have to be careful not to let the notion of a space (where is “Purgatory?) or time  (but we’ve left time behind) –we can’t let this idea keep us from accepting that the sufferings we go through here and now . Remember what Jesus told the apostles:  If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matt.16:24).  Wee keep trying to figure out a way of not carrying the cross after Jesus.

This is a tough teaching. Of course we are correct to ask the Father to save us from the suffering we face, as Jesus did, Himself. But we need to  remember His whole prayer: not my will but Yours be done. So w hen we suffer—my career unexpectedly ended early, my arthritis is worse, spouses are  growing cold, we can’t afford the new car  we need, our children scattered and never call—these  are my sufferings now, and these are the way the Spirit of the living God is purifying my soul.—now, not later.  For now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation ( 1 Col. 1:22). On condition that we continue in our faith and,  even  bearing our cross, we have firm hope.

Then, cleansed by the cross we bore in obedience to Jesus and in imitation of Him, when He calls us to eternal life,  we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming  (1 Jn. 2:28).

So it might be good to think that , as for Purgatory, we’re I in it!