Dear Anne,
Your question about purgatory and its duration is one that many ponder. It’s natural to wonder about the experience, especially when considering loved ones who have passed away. Thinking about “How Long” anyone spends in purgatory can bring up images of endless waiting, much like being stuck in standstill traffic on a sweltering day with no escape in sight. Time, in such moments of anticipation or discomfort, can feel incredibly stretched.
However, the concept of “how long” in purgatory requires a shift in perspective. Purgatory isn’t about earthly time as we measure it. As Pope Benedict XVI clarified in his encyclical Spe Salvi, purgatory is not a physical location but rather a state of purification. This distinction is crucial to understanding its nature and duration.
We, as beings composed of both body and soul, naturally think in terms of space and time. Throughout our earthly lives, our experiences are anchored to physical locations and the passage of time. Death, however, brings a separation from our physical body. At that point, we exist solely as souls, awaiting the resurrection. This soul-state is outside the realm of our familiar physical dimensions. Therefore, conceiving of purgatory as a place with a measurable timeline is a misconception.
Instead of focusing on “how long” in temporal terms, it’s more accurate to consider purgatory in terms of spiritual maturation and healing. Pope Benedict described purgatory as a process of healing, allowing the soul to mature for communion with God. It’s about preparing us for the profound intimacy with God, an intimacy we may have hindered or avoided in our earthly lives due to sin and imperfections.
Spiritual maturation is not quantifiable in hours or days. Think of personal growth on earth – some individuals achieve deep maturity early in life, while others, even in advanced age, may still exhibit a lack of spiritual or emotional development. The “duration” in purgatory is intrinsically linked to the degree of purification and maturation needed for each individual soul to be fully ready for God’s presence.
Crucially, at the moment of death, our fundamental life choices become definitive. The direction we’ve oriented our lives, the character we’ve cultivated – these are set. As Pope Benedict emphasized, some may have so deeply rejected truth and love, embracing falsehood and hatred, that their need for purification will be profound.
A key indicator of spiritual maturity is our capacity to live for others, transcending self-centeredness. Christian maturity elevates this further, urging us to live for Jesus and others more than for ourselves. This echoes Christ’s teaching: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). Our earthly actions and choices directly influence the state of our soul at death and, consequently, the “how long” of our purgatorial experience, understood as the intensity and completeness of purification.
Regarding your friend who did not regularly attend church, it’s important to remember that God’s judgment is ultimately merciful and perfectly informed. We cannot know the reasons behind your friend’s choices, and it is not for us to judge the extent of purification needed. That rests solely with God, who sees into the depths of every heart and judges with perfect righteousness and love. He alone knows what each soul requires to enter into His glorious presence.
This principle applies universally to every soul, regardless of their earthly religious affiliation. Entrance into God’s immediate presence is reserved for those who have lived in complete love of God. This includes individuals who, despite grave sins, have embraced repentance and lived a life turned towards God, culminating in a holy death, like the Good Thief.
To offer a vivid image, think of purgatory as a spiritual car wash, as Sister Arthur once described it. The hard bristles represent the purifying process, scrubbing away the stains of sin from our souls. The “how long” – the extent of scrubbing – varies for each individual, depending on the accumulation of earthly attachments and imperfections.
Ultimately, instead of focusing on “how long” purgatory might be, perhaps a more fruitful approach is to focus on our present spiritual state. Let us strive to be purified of earthly attachments now, through repentance, prayer, and acts of love and service. By embracing spiritual growth in this life, we can hope to minimize the purification needed after death and hasten our joyful union with God. Let us pray for one another, that we may all be ready for heaven when our time comes.
