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The Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant is in reference to the Church on earth (militant), the souls in Purgatory (suffering) and the saint who have made it to Heaven (Triumphant).
For over two millennia the Catholic Church has seen itself in a battle on earth. By its very nature the Church is Militant, whilst the Suffering Church are all the souls awaiting their release from Purgatory and Triumphant Church have made it to Heaven. The Catholic Church is seen to be in three places.
In his book “Catholic Christianity: A Complete Catechism of Catholic Beliefs Based on the Catechism if the Catholic Church”, Peter Kreeft states that the
“The Catholic Church exists in three places: “the Church Militant” on earth, “the Church Suffering” in purgatory, and “the Church Triumphant” in heaven.” To gain a better understanding of each of these terms, it is important to break them down individually and then reconnect them to see how they work in relation with each other.
What is meant by the Church Militant?
The Church Militant is our life, here on earth. It entails the battle that we all face to be worthy to enter the gates of Heaven and be greeted with the words of Our Lord:
“His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (St Matthew 25:21).
How we live our life in relation to God’s Commandments and His Church will determine where we spend eternity. This victory into the joy of Heaven is based on the battle here on earth.
But we must be strengthened in this battle and our souls will need to be in a state of Grace i.e. with the presence of God, free from the stain of sin and any worldly attachments.
Therefore, we need to ask ourselves a number of serious and confronting question:
- What is the state of your soul?
- What about the hour of our death?
- How have we been preparing for the afterlife?
- How do we know when we will leave this world?
- Where will we go – Heaven, Purgatory or eternal damnation – Hell?
- How can we be so sure we wake up the next morning?
At the final hour of our life on earth i.e. on our death bed, we are at the most weakest moment of our life and very vulnerable to attacks from the Evil one.
Our current life will determine our eternal destiny and is this a risk worth taking?
Spending eternity away from God is not the aim for each of us. Our aim should be Heaven.
This is a risk not worth taking and leaving to the final hour.
Jesus reminds us by using a parable. The Parable of the Ten Maidens:
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish and five wise. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.
The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.
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Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut. But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not. Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour” (St. Matthew 25:1-13).
Further. Jesus says:
“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’’ (St Luke 12:20)
Now of our judgement following our passing from this life we will hear one of two thing.
Us to God: Thy Will be Done!
Or God will say to us: Thy will be done!
But we need to be battle ready!
Let us look at an analogy of a Soldier required to go to battle or war. The soldier trains weeks, months and years for the mission that is assigned. Often replicating the conditions of the battle. Why?
Because without the hard work and preparation the battle is lost before it begins.
This is the battle here on earth, the Church Militant. When Jesus states that the ‘…. The gates of Hell will not prevail …’ (St. Matthew 16:18), He means that the Church is not just some passive entity waiting to be attacked. The Church, and we as members of the Church, need to take the battle to the forces of evil, the culture of death and the anti-Church world.
What about our spiritual battle?
The ‘Good Thief on the Cross’ (St Luke 23: 39-43) left his conversion to the final moment when he said ‘Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom’. Jesus replied, ‘From this moment you will be with me in Paradise’.
This is an act of God’s Grace, God, however we should never risk our conversion to the last minute, we may be given the same latitude. Whilst God wills the salvation of all, we therefore must never presume or test the Mercy of God.
Our moment is now…we need to be battle ready NOW!
When death arrives and we are not ready, we leave ourselves open to many attacks from the Demons and Satan who want our souls. St Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12-20 that our battle is not about “flesh and blood’ but of ‘spiritual warfare’ and that we need to put on the armour of God to be battle ready.
How do we put on the “Armor of God”?
The Armor of God is pre-disposing and arming we with God’s Graces by living a Sacramental life.
The Catholic Church has the answer and the spiritual weapons to aid in this battle, hence why the Church is Militant. It is important to note that these tools don’t guarantee us Heaven, but they place us on the path to heaven and prepare us for the final battle.
What are the Spiritual Weapons necessary for the Church Militant?
The Armor of God is pre-disposing and arming we with God’s Graces by living a Sacramental life.
The Catholic Church has the answer and the spiritual weapons to aid in this battle, hence why the Church is Militant.
It is important to note that these tools don’t guarantee us Heaven but they place us on the path to heaven and prepare us for the final battle.
What are the Spiritual Weapons necessary for the Church Militant?
The weapons necessary to engage and defend ourselves against the Devil and the many Demons include:
- Learn the Catholic Faith.
- Read the Bible, as St Jerome says “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ”.
- Making an Examination of Conscience.
- Receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation on a regular basis minimum once a month or whenever necessary.
- Attend the Holy Mass every Sunday as a minimum.
- Pray everyday especially the Holy Rosary as requested by Our Lady of Fatima (1917) to the three children Sister Lucy, Saint Francesco and St Jacinta.
- Wear devoutly the following Sacramentals:
- St Benedict Medal.
- Miraculous Medal.
- Scapular.
There are many Catholic devotions and Sacramentals but these are a great start.
Reminder that we will all fail and fail we do on many times, but the key is to pick-up ourselves, wipe off the dust and walk with Jesus Christ.
Our Lord understands our weakness, but He wants us to pick ourselves up and go to Him humbly through confession.
This is the Armor of God for our day.
What is meant by the Church Triumphant?
The Church Triumphant are those who have succeeded the Church Militant and won the victory. They are now enjoying the presence of God (The Beatific Vision), the Blessed Mother, all the Saints and Angels.
However, the souls in Heaven, now Triumphant, will have a greater role in assisting those who remain on earth. For they will intercede for each of one of us.
The words of St Therese of Lisieux a 19th Century Saint, sums it up perfectly,
“I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth”
St Dominic a thirteenth century saint and who was privileged with the Rosary stated to his fellow brothers on his deathbed,
“Do not weep,
for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life’
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states: “The intercession of the saints. “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness.… [T]hey do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.… So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped.”” (CCC956)
What is meant by the Church Suffering?
In an article titled ‘https://eternallycatholic.com/is-there-a-biblical-basis-for-believing-in-purgatory/ the existence of Purgatory is explained and shows the mercy of God.
From Scripture we read about the ‘Rich Young Man’ and the question asked of our Lord,
“Then who can be saved?” (St Mark 10:27)
To which Jesus responded:
“With men it is impossible,
but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
(St Mark 10:28)
St Paul in 1 Corinthians and St Peter present an example of Purgatory, a purging for our sins based on our imperfect work which must pass through fire (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1031 and 1032 speaks of the purging or purification of the elect.
This doctrine was formulated in the Councils of Florence and Trent.
We also find reference in the Old Testament through Judas Maccabeus who made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.
What is the relationship between the Church Militant, Church Suffering and Church Triumphant?
The three places of Church not only exist but are interconnected.
The Triumphant souls in Heaven have the power (as allowed by God) to intercede and represents those humans or their beloved on earth in assisting them to arrive to Heaven.
The people on earth (Church Militant) pray and ask for the souls in Heaven (Church Triumphant) for assistance, whilst the souls in Purgatory (Church Suffering) can both pray for us on earth and we can pray for them, however they are unable to assist themselves.
What role does Satan (Lucifer) play in the Church Militant?
The Church Militant and why is Lucifer such a crucial player?
From the Catechism of the Council of Trent (1852):
“But the Church militant is the society of all the faithful who still dwell on earth, and is called militant, because it wages eternal war with those most implacable enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil.”
Lucifer, otherwise known as Satan or the Serpent or the Fallen Angel or the Prince of Darkness or this World wants nothing more than to have us be pulled down to Hell with all the damned souls and demons.
The truth of the matter is that Satan hates me and you wants to rip us apart. Lucifer brought himself down to eternal punishment in Hell because he refused to serve God: “non-servium” (Latin ) which means ‘I will not serve’ and is filled with pride of Lucifer.
On the earth we will receive many trials permitted either though God’s direct will or passive will. There will be dark times and Job (Job 1:6–2:10) is a perfect example of one who was tested by Satan (allowed by God) and lost everything, but remained faithful God.
Satan and his minions will endeavour to bring you and I down. Those who has gone into Heaven which we call saints, these men women have shown that this battle can be won.
The prize is summed up by St Peter:
“Unto an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven for you” (1Peter 1:4).
Ultimately the choice is ours! Fight the battle and don’t lose faith and hope. As with a physical war, we are in a Spiritual War and we need weapons to help us win the battle.