Introduction to Book One—the Way of Purification
Whoa. This book is no joke. It jumps right to the meat of things in the very first sentence of the very first section. After I read it, my heart pounded and I wanted to call my priest to go to confession right then and there. It did so by reminding me that “the greatest catastrophe which can befall a man is an unprovided death.”[1] There are commercials on TV advertising life insurance, and the actors are always so worried about the financial burden of their death on their family members. But while one 30-second phone call may provide financial peace-of-mind, only a lifetime of obeying God’s commandments[2] serves as spiritual insurance.
While it is true that God is infinitely merciful, he is also infinitely just. That means that he is more than happy to pour his mercy down upon us and forgive us of our sins, [3] but he is also ready to give us exactly what we deserve at the moment of our death if we do not ask for his mercy. During judgment, there are three places a person can go: straight to Heaven and eternal happiness, to Purgatory to be cleansed for Heaven, or Hell where you have an eternity to suffer for you misgivings.
Some people I talk to say their goal is at least to get to Purgatory. That way they know they will eventually get to Heaven. I used to think that way too. I didn’t feel worthy to go straight to Heaven. That’s something reserved just for the great saints, right? I felt as though I was such a horrible sinner that there was no way I could expiate my sins during my limited lifetime. Surely I would have to suffer the purging, the cleansing, fires of Purgatory.[4]
But that is simply not true! Every person is able to go straight to Heaven. We may not be assumed body and soul.[5] A fiery chariot may not whisk us away.[6] In fact, I can’t really tell you how it will happen, but I can tell you how to make sure it does happen. Reform, conform, and transform. Yes, you will have to make sacrifices, but remember that you are only sacrificing small and ultimately unimportant things. “A spiritual man … seeks to live in such a way that he may never sacrifice his greatest success for smaller and less important successes.”[7] Our “greatest success” is meriting salvation.
The introduction points out, like in so many other texts,[8] that purification is the first and foremost way to get to Heaven. And it doesn’t happen in one day either, folks. On the contrary, it must happen everyday. And don’t think that just because you’ve never committed a mortal sin[9] you’re good to go. Venial sins[10] can add up. Think of your room as your spirit and your dirty clothes as venial sins. Keep piling them up and you won’t be able to walk out of your room and through the Pearly Gates into Heaven.
Frequent confession can help one to eliminate sinful habits. So many people are scared to go to confession, but if you are, make sure it is a healthy fear and for the right reasons. Yes, you must humble yourself enough to think about your sins, and yes, you must admit them to someone. But remember, this keeps our pride in check. Admitting, even to yourself, that you are not perfect is hard. In the confessional, though, you’re not really admitting your sins to another person; rather, you’re admitting them to God via his ambassador, the priest. The priest isn’t going to tell or even judge you. And once the hard part’s over, there are three wonderful things to look forward to.
First of all, the priest can help you to find patterns in your life of sin. He can help you to discover what situations lead you into temptation so you can avoid them. Secondly, he acts as a spiritual coach. He helps you to overcome your sins by offering sound and objective advice. Lastly, and most importantly, he, in the name of God, offers you absolution, forgiveness.[11]
After purification, you should strive to replace your sinful habits with virtuous ones. In other words, we must not only try to stop being bad, but try to become better, to improve our lives. You may start out fleeing to the confessional or doing good deeds because you fear Hell and you want to make up for your sins, but eventually, through grace and time, you will do so because you want to get to Heaven and because you want to do good for good’s sake.
We are only required to confess and receive Communion one time during the year. I, on the other hand, am not setting out to do the minimum anymore. (Keyword: “daily” bread.) Although I’d like to say I’m going to confess every week, I know that may not be a realistic goal. So for me, I’ll say … once a month. I will, of course, talk to my priest and get his advice on my goal too. He may suggest I come more or less frequently.
So there you have it, my game-plan on how to start the self-purification process. What can you do to begin? Start by thinking about which of the three places you might go to if you were to die right now. Satisfied with the results? If not, I suggest you examine your conscience and head to confession! Maybe you’ll see me in line. Then, replace sins with virtuous deeds. Oh, and when you figure out how to do that, be sure to let me know.
[1] pg. VIII
[2] Exodus 20: 1-17, Matthew 19: 16-30, 22: 36-40
[3] You can read all about Divine Mercy in St. Faustina’s diaries.
[4] …which are just as horrible as the fires of Hell. The only difference between the two is that Purgatory is temporary!
[5] CCC 966
[6] 2 Kings 2: 11
[7] pg. VIII
[8] You can purchase it here, or read it here.
[9] A sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent. (CCC 1857)
[10] One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent. (CCC 1862)
[11] Isaiah 1: 18
May 5, 2010
The Spiritual Snacker
Daily Reflections from "My Daily Bread" 