Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
During these last few weeks of our liturgical year, which ends with the Solemnity of Christ, the King, on November 24, our Church looks to the end of all things - the end of time on earth. This is traditionally a good time to reflect on the last four things we all must deal with: death, judgment, Heaven and Hell. The following is a continuation from the bulletin article from last week. I encourage you to take some time for personal meditation: Heaven: this is part of what our Catechism states about Heaven:
“Those who die in God's Grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they ‘see Him as He is,’ face to face (Jn 3:2; 1 Cor 13:12; Rev 22:4):
By virtue of our apostolic authority, we define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints… and other faithful who died after receiving Christ's holy Baptism (provided they were not in need of purification when they died,… or, if they then did need or will need some purification, when they have been purified after death,…) already before they take up their bodies again and before the general judgment - and this since the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into Heaven - have been, are and will be in Heaven, in the heavenly Kingdom and celestial Paradise with Christ, joined to the company of the Holy Angels. Since the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and do see the Divine Essence with an intuitive vision, and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature” (Pope Benedict XII - 1336).
This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity - this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the Angels and all the blessed - is called ‘Heaven.’ Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.” (CCC 1023 - 1024)
Hell: here is what our Catechism teaches on Hell:
“We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love Him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against Him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: ‘He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 Jn 3:14-15).’ Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from Him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are His brethren (Mt 25:31-46). To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from Him forever by our own free choice. This state of definitive selfexclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called ‘Hell.’
Jesus often speaks of ‘Gehenna’ of ‘the unquenchable fire’ reserved for those who to the end of their lives refuse to believe and be converted, where both soul and body can be lost (Mt 5:22, 29; 10:28; 13:42, 50; Mk 9:43-48). Jesus solemnly proclaims that He ‘will send His Angels, and they will gather… all evil doers, and throw them into the furnace of fire (Mt 13:41-42),’ and that He will pronounce the condemnation: ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire (Mt 25:41)!’
The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of Hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into Hell, where they suffer the punishments of Hell, ‘eternal fire (DS 76; 409; 411; 801; 858; 1002; 1351; 1575; Paul VI, CPG # 12).’ The chief punishment of Hell is eternal separation from God, in Whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.
The affirmations of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church on the subject of Hell are a call to the responsibility incumbent upon man to make use of his freedom in view of his eternal destiny. They are at the same time an urgent call to conversion:
‘Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Mt 7:13-14).’
Since we know neither the day nor the hour, we should follow the
advice of the Lord and watch constantly so that, when the single course of our earthly life is completed, we may merit to enter with Him into the marriage feast and be numbered among the blessed, and not, like the wicked and slothful servants, be ordered to depart into the eternal fire, into the outer darkness where ‘men will weep and gnash their teeth (Lumen Gentium 48; Mt 22:13; Heb 9:27; Mt 25:13, 26, 30, 31 46).’
God predestines no one to go to Hell (Council of Orange II – 529: Council of Trent -1547); for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church implores the Mercy of God, who does not want ‘any to perish, but all to come to repentance’ (2 Pet 3:9): Father, accept this offering from Your whole family. Grant us Your Peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those You have chosen (From Eucharistic Prayer I).” (CCC 1033-1037)
Let us take time pray with our Lord Jesus on these realities and make every effort through the Sacraments to befriend Him, especially through Confession and the Holy Eucharist.
Through the intercession of the Mary, Queen of Heaven, St. Joseph,
St. Paul and St. Michael, may the Holy Spirit prepare us for Eternal Life!
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Kasel
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