Byline: Msgr. Charles E. Pope

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Eternal Life

How To Pray For Those In Purgatory?

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

July 18, 2019 7:45 am July 18, 2019

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Any prayer or pious act applied to the souls in purgatory can be a way to pray for them. The most effective manner of praying is to have Masses offered…

Any prayer or pious act applied to the souls in purgatory can be a way to pray for them. The most effective manner of praying is to have Masses offered for them or to apply the fruits of your own attendance at Mass. The Rosary, too, is a wonderful way to pray for them.

We pray for the souls in purgatory because they are undergoing the final purifications that are necessary for most of us after we die. This is because Scripture says of heaven: “nothing unclean will enter it” (Rv 21:27). Jesus also made a promise to each of us when he said, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).

Most of us realize that few leave this world as perfect or pure, even if they are in friendship with God and in a state of grace. Some final work must be done to take away any final attachments to sin, any rough edges, any sorrows, regrets or hurts. These things are surely disclosed when we appear before the judgment seat of Christ (see 2 Cor 5:10).

How this purification is done is mysterious, but Scripture gives two images, one consoling and the other more vigorous. The Book of Revelation supplies the consoling thought that, regarding the dead, Jesus “will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away” (Rv 21:4). The more vigorous text comes from St. Paul, who speaks of a fiery purgation the dead will pass through on the day of judgment: Each one’s work will become manifest, “for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire [itself] will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Cor 3:13-15).

So on account of this judgment and purification (that seems necessary and is taught), we pray for the dead that this process be swift and that they be in the full glory of heaven soon.

It is the instinct of the Church that our prayers help, which is an ancient practice, stretching back into the Old Testament (see 2 Mc 12:40-46). It is our wish to assist these souls and speed their purifications that may be necessary and that they may be undergoing. We are not always sure of how time here relates to time there, or even if they experience time as we currently do. Yet, still, it is our instinct to pray and assist them in those final finishing touches, as the Lord completes His masterpiece.

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Sin

Misusing “Oh, my God!”

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

June 3, 2019 10:19 am June 3, 2019

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While the phrase “Oh, my God” could be a prayer, it is not usually meant in this way. More commonly it uses the Divine name as a mere expression of…

While the phrase “Oh, my God” could be a prayer, it is not usually meant in this way. More commonly it uses the Divine name as a mere expression of surprise or exasperation. This is not a reverent or prayerful use of God’s name in most circumstances. The word “vain” means empty. And, therefore, the context you cite would usually seem to qualify as using God’s name in vain.

However, in assigning culpability (blameworthiness), it is good to remember that some have developed a bad habit of using this expression. As such, they usually commit the sin in weakness rather than malice, not intending to show disrespect to God.

It should further be recalled that the Second Commandment, “You shall not use the name of the Lord in vain,” has for its first meaning that we should never use God’s name to swear falsely or curse others. Irreverence of God’s name through casual use, such as you cite, is an extended meaning of the commandment. Thus we see that violations of the Second Commandment do admit to some degree of seriousness. It is far more serious a sin to use God’s name to swear falsely than to inadvertently use it to express surprise.

Still, one ought to avoid such vain or empty uses. One way to help break a bad habit that may have developed is for the one who says, “Oh, my God!” to correct themselves aloud by saying, “Oh, I mean to say, ‘May the name of the Lord be praised!’” This makes reparation and also helps break the habit.

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2 min read

The Church

When Was The Church Born?

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

May 9, 2019 9:04 pm May 9, 2019

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The Catechism No. 766 says: “ ‘The origin and growth of the Church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the crucified Jesus.’…

The Catechism No. 766 says: “ ‘The origin and growth of the Church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the crucified Jesus.’ ‘For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the “wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.”’ As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam’s side, so the Church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross.”

Some have called Pentecost the “birthday of the Church,” but that is more of a pious custom and is not an official teaching or declaration. The image is used since, in a way, the Church comes forth from her initial formation in the “womb” of Galilee during Christ’s public ministry. She comes forth now to begin her mission to the ends of the earth.

The problem with this image is that the Church that comes forth is no infant. She has been formed and is now clothed with power from on high to begin a mission, having been schooled, prepared and enabled. The image of birth falls short here, since birth bespeaks a helpless infant in need of complete formation. But the Church at Pentecost was far more mature.

One might argue that in the image of Eve coming forth from Adam’s side she came forth as an adult, not an infant, and thus “birthday” here can be understood in that manner. And this may be fair enough, but it is not the usual manner in which we speak of birthdays. At some point an image with too many qualifiers suggests a possible flaw in the image itself.

What Pentecost surely is, is the commissioning of the Church to go forth unto all the nations. She has been formed, purified, taught, equipped and enabled to go forth with joy and confidence. On the day of Pentecost, a fire fell on the Church. Those who had been frightened, confused disciples went forth with confidence and holy boldness, their minds made clear.

Rev. Msgr. Charles E. Pope is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

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3 min read

Evil

Holy Innocents and the Problem of Evil

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

April 8, 2019 9:58 am April 8, 2019

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When God warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, sometimes asked why God didn’t warn the other families? Some consider it cruel for God to allow this. This…

When God warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, sometimes asked why God didn’t warn the other families? Some consider it cruel for God to allow this.

This goes to the heart of a very great mystery, the problem of evil. It is an unquestionable fact that God permits a great deal of evil to go on in our world and very seldom does He intervene to stop it.

We know that God permits evil as a “necessary” condition of freedom for the rational creatures He has created. Angels and humans have free and rational souls and, if our freedom is to mean anything, it must be that God allows some angels and men to abuse their freedom, and even become a source of evil and temptation for others. Were God to routinely step in every time one person does something God does not want, it could not be said that we are really free. And if we are not really free, we cannot love. And if we cannot love, we are not lovers, nor sons and daughters, but slaves.

As such, this life amounts for us as a kind of test wherein God permits some degree of evil to flourish, yet not without offering us the grace to overcome. It is also clear that, on account of temptations and trials, our “yes” to God has greater dignity and merit than if we lived in an essentially sin-free zone or paradise.

Further, it is a general rule of faith that while God permits evil, He can draw a greater good from it.

Many of us, who have remained faithful to God, are able to look back and see how our sufferings also brought strength to us, and even known goods. Surely, too, there are many unknown goods that God is able to draw from the difficulties and evils of this world.

As for the death of the Holy Innocents and God’s “failure” to warn other families, we can only apply such norms. We are not in a position to really say what was best for God to do. It is clear that God allowed the torture and death of His Only-Begotten Son to bring great good. It is also clear that God has chosen to associate many martyrs with the saving passion of His Son.

We are all called in some way to suffer with Christ, and die with Him, so as to rise to new life with Him (see Rom 6:2-14; 8:17; 2 Cor 4:10). All of us share in the cross of Christ, so as also to share in His resurrected glory. If this seems unfair, remember God offered us paradise.

But Adam and Eve (and all of us have ratified their choice) wanted a better deal where they would call the shots. Welcome to the “better deal.” So God makes use of suffering and death to bring greater life, if we have faith!

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1 min read

Eternal Life

What Will Eternity Be Like?

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

March 22, 2019 1:21 pm March 22, 2019

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We are going to be caught up in to the glorious love of God and the Communion of the Saints. We will rejoice forever, experiencing the love, glory, wisdom and…

We are going to be caught up in to the glorious love of God and the Communion of the Saints. We will rejoice forever, experiencing the love, glory, wisdom and beauty of God. Our union with God and with one another will be perfected and deepened in a way that we cannot even imagine now. The heart of heaven is to be with God who is the true answer to all our longings. We will be complete and lacking in nothing.

Although we will be “at rest,” we ought not think of this as a lack of activity but rather as a rest from the toils of this world. For indeed, within the Holy Trinity there is a great movement of love, a kind procession or dance of love between the persons of the Trinity. The Greek Fathers termed this movement of love the perichoresis. It is reasonable to suppose that we who attain heaven will be caught up into this great experience and joy that is described as a movement or dance.

As for the word “eternity” and the phrase “eternal life,” we ought not conceive of it merely as the length of life, but also as the fullness of life. Thus to have eternal life means that we will be fully alive with God. For now our life can seem wearisome or dull at times. Not so in heaven, where we will be fully alive with God as never before. There will be joy unspeakable, glories untold and life that is full in unimaginable ways.

Can’t wait. Get on your dancing shoes!

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1 min read

Liturgy

“Blessed Be God Forever”

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

March 12, 2019 10:20 am March 12, 2019

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Linguistically, the response “Blessed be God for ever” used at Mass translates the Latin Benedictus Deus in saecula. Benedictus, in Latin, literally means to speak well or favorably about some one or…

Linguistically, the response “Blessed be God for ever” used at Mass translates the Latin Benedictus Deus in saecula. Benedictus, in Latin, literally means to speak well or favorably about some one or something (bene: well; dictus: say or speak). Hence, what we mean by “blessed” and the phrase “Blessed be God forever” is that “It is well that God should be forever praised.” We are not claiming to confer some sort of grace or favor upon God, as is often the meaning of the word “blessing” in English.

Theologically though we can distinguish between God’s intrinsic glory and his external glory. There is not one thing we can add or take from God’s intrinsic glory. He is glorious and blessed all by himself and has no need of our praise.

However, we can help to spread God’s external glory by our praise and acknowledgment of Him before others, as well as by reflecting His glory through lives of holiness, generosity and conformity to the truth. In this sense we can also understand the phrase “Blessed be God forever” to mean: “May God’s external glory and blessedness be extended and experienced in all places and times. May God be blessed (praised) everywhere and unto the age of ages.”

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