The Mystery of Redemption in the Parable of the Sower: The Communion of Saints Excerpt: Sacramental Theology of Heaven and Purgatory In view of these things, we really should, again, expect some metaphorical meaning in the 100, the 60, and the 30. Well, there is a really cool solution, it works marvelousl, and it is sacramental. Let’s examine how this works. To begin, there are actually nine total sacramental steps in life: the seven sacraments, and then natural birth and death on either end of the journey. Of these nine steps, six will last forever in heaven at least in principle, and three will not at all. We have just been over this in the last music essay: Musical Mystery in the Sacramental Journey II: Heaven, Purgatory and Hell. Hence, we have six and three, like 60 and 30 of the parable. From here, we have left 10, that is, 100. For now, let us state that there are 10 commandments, and we will examine that later. For now, et us reexamine the nature of the six and three. Again, firstly, there are nine total sacramental steps in life, from birth to death: Natural Birth Supernatural Birth, or Baptism Confession Confirmation Eucharist Marriage Holy Orders Unction Natural Death Six will remain in heaven forever, either literally from effect, or in principle. Three will not. The three that will not are easier to see: Confession Anointing of the Sick Natural Death Three Sacramental Signs shall Never be Again in Heaven, but will be in Purgatory Temporarily Confession: There shall never be sin in heaven ever, nor is there penance or healing to do;, we will have been utterly purged and utterly made selfless. In contrast, in purgatory, whereas sin has ceased, the penance needed for sins persists. Anointing of the Sick: Every tear shall be wiped away; there is no more suffering in heaven, nor need for healing. However, in purgatory, suffering persists until fully atoned for, until one is completely healed of attachment to sin. Natural Death: though we will have to die naturally, our soul first shall partake of the beautiful life that shall never end, then, at the end of time, our body also: “And death and the netherworld were cast into the lake of fire.” [Apoc 20] However, in purgatory, though one has already died, we note that natural death is the final temporal punishment for sin, and temporal punishment persists in purgatory. The other six sacramental components of life will last forever in heaven either literally or in principle. Six Sacramental Signs will Remain Forever in Heaven Natural life: Forever will we live, even supernaturally. Baptism: Forever will we be children of God, the indelible mark of Baptism, members of Christ’s Church; forever will we continue to know and love God, the Baptismal Disposition. Confirmation: Forever will we be a mature member of the Church, sealed with the Spirit, the indelible mark of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost on our Soul. Eucharist: Literal Eucharist will cease, but forever shall we commune with our brothers and sisters, forever shall we feast on God's truth and love and one another's love; forever will the eternal Sabbath last, the supreme day of the Eucharist. Marriage: Literal marriage will cease, but forever will we be spouses of the Christ, both individually and collectively, receiving into our inner being the love and truth of God and offering ourselves back to Him in unfathomable ecstasy. Holy Orders: Forever will we be marked a servant of Our God, whether by the literal, eternal and indelible mark of Holy Orders, or by the vocation that God gave us as servants and handmaids: mediating grace as a priest, as a biological father, as a single lay person in his talents and gifts, or too, in the feminine sense, motherly gifts and service, sisterhood. The Three Dimensions of the Church, the Three Numbers of the Parable of the Sower So actually, these two sections of theology give us two dimensions of the Church, 6 for the six signs of heaven, or the Church Triumphant, and 3 for the three signs of purgatory, or the Church Suffering! What about ten then? Well, again as hinted at above, there are ten commandments, and in this life, keeping the ten commandments is the way of salvation; it is war against the worldly dragon, who fights the ten commandments with his ten horns, like his child that bears his image in the flesh, the beast. And that can explain the ten factor, for in the parable, we have not 10, 6, and 3, but ten times these, or 100, 60, 30. Yes, if a ten-horned dragon and beast are of the world, then 10 x 10,, 6 x 10, and 3 x 10 can image the Church that triumphs over the world in all its THREE dimensions: Church Militant (10 commandments) Church Triumphant (6 Sacramental signs of heaven) Church Suffering (3 Sacramental signs of Purification) The Church brings forth her fruits and redemption of humanity in three great dimensions, 100-, 60-, 30-fold! The communion of saints! And if t hat were not enough, the “-fold” factor implies an overflowing abundance of multiplcation. And where in Catholic theology do we see such in a spiritual sense? That is right, the fuller doctrine of the communion of saints, indulgences! Yes, the treasury of merit in heaven and on earth can be multiplied to assist the merits and punishments of the souls on earth and in purgatory, in a mystical connection! Amen! Awesome! http://www.catholic365.com/article/...ble-of-the-sower-the-communion-of-saints.html
