The soul’s state beyond the grave is the continuation of its earthly condition... When the soul is kindled by the desires of the flesh, all these lusts accompany the soul into eternity, constantly devouring him, urging him to fulfill them in deed, even though he no longer possesses a material body as its tool, as was the case during its earthly existence, therefore enduring an even more unbearable burden than before, when these cravings, having been satisfied through the body, conveyed to the soul the illusion of their quenching, thus offering a false impression of peace and gratification. But immediately after the body’s demise, these lusts stir in the released soul a blazing flame of cravings and desires, which torment him just as much as excruciating thirst would torture someone passing through the Sahara desert without finding even a single drop of water... Every passion that the soul held dear, but is now unable to fulfill, will stir itself up more and more, growing stronger and stronger, tormenting him forevermore with increasing heat and power. There is no deliverance from this agonizing suffering caused by the never-ending growth of lusts and passions, since the soul is immortal, and unable to terminate its own existence.
Father Arsenie Boca, The Way of the Kingdom
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