[Greek] καθαρός (katharos), [Latin] mundus, [Latin] purus, [Latin] purgatorius,[French] propre, [French] pur

[Greek] καθαρός (katharos), [Latin] mundus, [Latin] purus, [Latin] purgatorius, [French] propre, [French] pur: clean, clear, pruned; 28 scriptures

The Trinity with Souls in Purgatory: painting by Corrado Giaquinto (early 1740’s)

Background information:

Greek Hellenism:  This term means clean, free from stain, guilt, and affliction, moral purity, spotless, and without blemish.

Old Testament: This term means clean, pure, flawless, ritually clean, renewed, restored, and perfect.

Does God forgive the guilt of sin and still require punishment?

2Sam.12:13-14: “The Lord has removed your sin. You shall not die, but since you utterly spurned the Lord by this dee, the child born to you will surely die.” (God forgave the guilt of David’s sin, but He still required reparation in the form of suffering [the child dies].

What can be a simple modern day version of this? A father forgives a teenager for breaking his window. (The man will insist that the teen to pay for the damages [paying for it or doing chores to (work it off) in reparation for this damage])

New Testament: This term means clean, clear, and pruned.

Scripture:

Mt.5:8: “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” (Only one whose “heart is clean” can take part in the temple worship. To be with God in the temple is described as “beholding His face.” The promise for Christians is that they will see God in the coming kingdom.)

Mt.23:26: “Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.” (The ritual washing of utensils becomes a metaphor for excessive concern for outward appearances, while inner purity is ignored. The scribes and Pharisees are like carefully washed cups on the outside but filthy within. Our motivations [inside ourselves] often define who we are.)

Heb.10:22: “Let us approach [into the sanctuary] with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.”

1. Through Christ’s priesthood and sacrifice, we have direct and confident access to God through the person of Jesus.
2. One should approach God with sincerity and faith, in the knowledge that through baptism sins have been forgiven.
3. The sprinkling refers to the Mosaic rite of cleansing from ritual impurity (external purification).
4. The sprinkling of Christ’s blood cleanses the conscience.
5. Washed in water refers to baptism.

Acts 18:6: “When they opposed and reviled Paul, he shook out his garments and said to the Jews, “Your blood will be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Paul essentially says about his mission with the Jews, “I’m done!” Paul’s shaking out his garments indicates his repudiation of his efforts to the Jews.)

1Tim.1:5: “The aim of this instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” (Paul was warning against false doctrine. Paul was telling Timothy to instruct certain people from not teaching false doctrines and myths that promote speculations rather than God’s plan.)

1Tim.3:9: “[Deacons] holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” (This should apply to all people in upholding the faith with a clear conscience.)

Catholic perspectives on purgatory:

1. A person (with sin) cannot enter into heaven [a sin-free zone] (being in the presence of God).
2. It is unclear whether purgatory is a temporary place, process, or state of mind.
3. Purification is a manifestation of God’s mercy and grace.
4. Purgatory provides the means for this process by which souls can “burn off” or “purge” impurities.
5. Only imperfect people in a state of grace can enter into purgatory.
6. Purgatory is not a second chance place for those who die in unrepented mortal sin.
7. Everyone is purgatory will eventually go to heaven.
8. Scriptural support for purgatory: 1Cor.3:15 (purifying fire), 2Macc.12:45 (praying for the dead), Rev.21:27 (nothing unclean will enter God’s presence).

Going down the word origin “rabbit hole”: [Why does the Greek mundus mean both clean and world???]

1. [Latin verb] ornare: to adorn, to furnish, to decorate, to make rightly ordered ==> ornament, ornate
2. [Latin verb] mundare: to clean, cleanse, to make ordinary, to make worldly ==> mundane
3. [Greek verb] kosmeo: to order, to adorn, to decorate, to make right ordered (beautiful) ==> cosmic, cosmetic
4. [Greek noun] kosmos: world, order, adornment ==> cosmos

Conclusion:

Mundane, proper, pure, purify, purification, catharsis, cathartic

Update: Mt.5:8 (clean heart), Mt.23:6 (inner motivations), 1Tim.3:9 (clear conscience in upholding the faith) all provide the necessary first steps for making it into heaven. Purgatory seeks to complete this process.

Many of us have been quite alarmed and fed up by the Modernists’ efforts to remake Jesus’ Church into a synodal Church made in the image of man. The Modernists are even admitting these new innovations are essentially creating a new Church.

All of us must remain faithful to the tradition Church teachings even against these Modernists efforts. These efforts may involve opposition, obstruction, persecution, cancellation, and even “white” or “red” martyrdom.

Quotes on purgatory:

“To assist the souls in purgatory is to perform the most excellent of the works of mercy.” St. Francis de Sales

“Only we can come to their aid…I asked the souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice: their greatest torment was longing for God.” St. Faustina Kowalska

“If, during life, we have been kind to the suffering souls in purgatory, God will see that help be not denied us after death.” St. Paul of the Cross

“Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur” (The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived.)

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