The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"""262 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.Him: "Thus far Thou shall go and no farther?"Two thousand years after Abraham s death, ourLord said : I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac,and of Jacob.of the living."lHe is not the God of the dead, butIf it is profitable for you then to pray for yourbrother in the flesh, why should it be useless foiyoo to pray for him out of the flesh ? For, whilehe was living, you prayed not for his body, but forhis soul.If this brother of yours dies with some slightstains upon his soul, a sin of impatience, for instance,or an idle word, is he fit to enter heaven withthese blemishes upon his soul ? No the; sanctity ofGod forbids it, for, nothing defiled shall enter thekingdom of heaven." 2 Will you consign him, forthese minor transgressions, to eternal torments withadulterers and murderers? No; the justice andmercy of God forbid it. Therefore, your commonsense demands a middle place of expiation for thepurgation of the soul before it isworthy of enjoyingthe companionship of God and His saints.God will render to every man according to hit>works," to the pure and unsullied, everlasting>bliss ;to the reprobate, eternal damnation to soul;stained with minor faults, a place of temporary purgation.I have seen a devoted daughter minister withtender solicitude at the sick-bed of a fond parent1Mark xii. 26, 27. aApoc. xxi. 27.