O you young and old, be happy to suffer during your lifetime, rather than be punished eternally
2004; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 79; Issue: 9 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1097/00001888-200409000-00009
ISSN1938-808X
Autores Tópico(s)Healthcare Systems and Challenges
Resumo“A cleric has been bed-ridden for five years and he suffers so much from gout he can't stand it any more; he keeps praying, asking “Lord, what have I done wrong? What are my sins to deserve such punishment?” An angel appears to him, saying: “Have patience, you have only two more years to suffer and thus atone for your sins and be saved!” The man keeps crying and moaning, so the angel tells him: “You may choose: do you prefer to suffer like this for two years or to spend two days in Purgatory?” The cleric rejoices and decides to take the pains of Purgatory, stating: “That must be easier than this disease of mine!” He falls asleep and the angel takes his soul into places of punishment and leads him into a burning furnace. The cleric's soul instantly starts shrieking in utter horror and pain, begging for deliverance. The angel asks: “Why do you cry?” to which the cleric says: “You have tricked me; we have been here not two days, but a thousand years!” But the angel explains that it has been only two hours, and the cleric begs him: “Please, put me back into my sick-bed. I shall gladly suffer my illness till Doomsday, rather than spend two hours in Purgatory!” Therefore, my beloved, if God sends upon you some long-lasting disease you must be content. O you young and old, be happy to suffer during your lifetime, rather than be punished eternally.”Figure 1.: Actual Croatian Glagolitic version of this sermon. From Korizmenjak, Croatian Glagolitic sermon collection (Folio 19). ©1981. Printed with the permission of one of the editors, Anica Nazor.
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