What 'A Christmas Carol' Taught Me About Purgatory |
There is a doctrine in Catholicism that not all souls are prepared for heaven at death, and that some must undergo a spiritual purification in a state or location that the Catholic Church calls "Purgatory."
There are a number of biblical references that undergird the notion of Purgatory, including in the Old Testament. In 2 Maccabees 12:46, it says, "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." Souls in the eternal torment of damnation (complete and total separation from God) could not benefit from prayers, nor would souls already in the fullness of the Beatific Vision need them; thus, the concept of a place of purification was discerned and handed down over thousands of years.
As a child, the idea of Purgatory seemed incomprehensible (and I admit that even today, I'm uncertain how I feel about it). But Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story, "A Christmas Carol," shed light on it that has held sway for me ever since.
When I was young, one of our local TV stations played the 1951 film version of the story, "Scrooge," starring Alastair Sim (the best, in my opinion!), every Christmas Eve after the 10 p.m. news. Because we were supposed to be in bed by that time, I would sneak downstairs every Christmas Eve and watch it all by myself in a darkened room. Over time, my brothers and sisters sneaked down with me, and eventually my parents discovered our little secret, whereupon it became an annual family tradition.
The scene to which I am referring takes place when the ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge's deceased former business partner, Jacob Marley, appears to Scrooge. Marley is there to warn Scrooge........