Highways, Driveways, and Purgatory

Here is a morning picture of the RV after we spent the night on the side of Highway 40 heading towards Oklahoma. Almost there... but not yet. (Stick with me, Mary, I'll show you the world!)

Now we're parked in the driveway of our house but since there is no furniture inside, we're still living in the RV.
Almost there... but not yet.

Purgatory is no joking matter, and I do not intend to be disrespectful in any way but I just can't help pondering life situations as a way to help explain or explore a teaching or a belief; it is just my nature - so here goes...

I likened being parked in our driveway but not being able to be in our house as something like Purgatory. The bittersweet aching that goes with almost being somewhere but not quite being there... yet. Like how hard it is to sit in your desk at school when you know Spring vacation is coming. Almost there... but not yet. . Friends from other traditions have the hardest time with the concept of Purgatory but it is not that hard to imagine.

In Revelation 7 we read "...they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb..." To think there is a chance we can tidy up a bit before entering the wedding feast is another aspect of God's infinite mercy to me.

Purgatory is less about punishment; more about mercy.

I am not always in the best of moods and if I were to leave this earth in the middle of a bad day or pity party or before I've had a chance to rid my heart of any residual bitterness or complete an act of forgiveness to someone who has wronged me, it is a comfort to think I may have a chance to set aside my misconceptions or flawed opinions in order to see God more perfectly.

Not that we can't begin doing that here and now. The Lenten meditations are all about that. If you're like me, you've had a hard time finding 10 minutes a day to ponder the weekly meditations. Just 10 minutes! Amazing. But take heart and do not give up the effort. Even a few minutes a day pointing in the direction suggested in each meditation can be a benefit. Maybe you can begin using the meditation given for a week as one for each day until Holy Week.

God bless you with patience in whatever circumstance you find yourself in right now. If what you ache for is of God you can find comfort in knowing that ache will in some way some how come to fruition. If what you ache for is not of God; be rid of it now. We pray for grace and keep our eyes on God while trusting in his wisdom and his timing; not our own.