Cato Of Utic The Gatekeeper Of Purgatory
Cato of Utica is the gatekeeper of Purgatory because he sought freedom in his life from the evilness what was occurring in his like on earth. He wanted to escape so much that he killed himself “...He goes in search of liberty-so precious, as he who gives his life for it must know”. It is important that we meet him first when Dante arrives in purgatory so we can begin to understand the mercy that God offers us when we do things for the right reason. Purgatory is about freedom and escaping from evil Cato begs the question if they had escaped from Hell, “ … were you set free?, The laws of the abyss- have they been broken”. The four cardinal virtues are causing his face to shine “The rays of the four holy stars so framed his face with light”. The
light of the virtues shine his face because he has tried to achieve them and they are what lead people home to Christ. As Dante continues his travels up the mountain of purgatory, he meets people who have sinned and fallen but are continuing the journey to be home with God. Dante arrived at the three steps which each person in purgatory has had to overcome, including Cato, theses steps allow each person to see where they have failed and where they needed to overcome things. The first step signifies self examination “the first step was white as marble, so polished that I was mirrored there as I appear in life.”, the second represents the correcting of the will it was “made out of crumbling rock, rough-textured, scorched” , and the third and top step is where humans need the most help where penance is done with the help of the Holy Spirit “as flaming as blood that spurts from veins. And on this upper step, God’s angel- seated”. Each soul that is in purgatory has had fault in the love which they had either they had misguided love, deficient love, or excessive love. Humans have either natural love or rational love and one or both can be in error because of our fallen nature and intellect, humans always desire things whether it be physical or emotional.
light of the virtues shine his face because he has tried to achieve them and they are what lead people home to Christ. As Dante continues his travels up the mountain of purgatory, he meets people who have sinned and fallen but are continuing the journey to be home with God. Dante arrived at the three steps which each person in purgatory has had to overcome, including Cato, theses steps allow each person to see where they have failed and where they needed to overcome things. The first step signifies self examination “the first step was white as marble, so polished that I was mirrored there as I appear in life.”, the second represents the correcting of the will it was “made out of crumbling rock, rough-textured, scorched” , and the third and top step is where humans need the most help where penance is done with the help of the Holy Spirit “as flaming as blood that spurts from veins. And on this upper step, God’s angel- seated”. Each soul that is in purgatory has had fault in the love which they had either they had misguided love, deficient love, or excessive love. Humans have either natural love or rational love and one or both can be in error because of our fallen nature and intellect, humans always desire things whether it be physical or emotional.