Why Wait for Purgatory? Letting God's Fire Purify Us Now
If a person can be purified after death, why should we struggle for holiness now? And what does baptism have to do with that change? Who can fathom the mind of God? Still, we know what baptism does to a person. It helps us grow in love and makes us able to do good in the divine sense. Left to ourselves, wounded by concupiscence, we are limited, and our best is never quite good enough. We reach our true potential only in relationship with God. Supernatural love, courage and goodness need divine grace. Baptism gives us a share in the merits of Christ's passion, death and resurrection. We were bought at a great price: God himself took our place. We are freed from the power of sin and death. As Jesus says, "If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). Salvation is more than being kept out of hell. It heals us from the tyranny of sin and moves us from eternal separation from God to eternal union with him. Then we become truly free, able to live life to t...