The Four Last Things (part III of IV)

11-10-2024Letter from the PastorFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we continue to focus our prayers for our beloved deceased brothers and sisters during the month of November, we also reflect on the “the four last things” - death, judgment, heaven, and hell. Growing in awareness of the four last things can lead one to peace, as well as help a person to grow in humility and trust in God’s love and mercy.

Hell is something most would rather not discuss, think about, or even acknowledge its existence. The Catholic Church's teaching on Hell is rooted in the understanding of it as a state of eternal separation from God, primarily for those who die in a state of mortal sin without repentance. Hell has been affirmed as a real and eternal state. It is described as the ultimate consequence of sin, where individuals who freely choose to reject God's mercy and love find themselves eternally separated from Him.

Pope John Paul II once stated: “God is the infinitely good and merciful Father. But man, called to respond to him freely, can unfortunately choose to reject his love and forgiveness once and for all, thus separating himself forever from joyful communion with him. It is precisely this tragic situation that Christian doctrine explains when it speaks of eternal damnation or hell. It is not a punishment imposed externally by God but a development of premises already set by people in this life.” (General Audience address on July 28, 1999). The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the primary punishment of Hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone humanity can find true life and happiness. (CCC, 1035)

Does the Church teach that Hell is a punishment imposed by God? No. The Church teaches that separation from God for all eternity is a result of the individual's own free choice. Those who die in a state of unrepented mortal sin have chosen to exclude themselves from communion with God. This choice is confirmed at the moment of death, sealing their fate for eternity. Christ proclaimed this reality with the words, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41).

What can one expect to experience in Hell? The suffering experienced in Hell is often described in terms of fire and torment, symbolizing the anguish of being cut off from the source of all goodness and joy. The principal suffering of Hell is eternal separation from God. However, it is essential to understand that this suffering arises from the individual's own rejection of God's love. Rejection of God and His love means that the soul is outside the order, the connection, and the harmony in which it was created to be by God. Separated from God, the soul will experience the chastisement and torture that arises from warring with itself and feel punished by its own disordered condition.

Thinking about the possibility of Hell can serve as a sobering experience. The teachings on Hell should remind us of the responsibility each person has regarding their eternal destiny. The Church encourages individuals to make use of their freedom wisely, urging conversion and a life aligned with God's will. The imagery of the narrow gate leading to life versus the wide path leading to destruction underscores the importance of making conscious choices in life.

Here is the good news. While Hell is a reality, it is also emphasized that God desires all to come to repentance and be saved. His infinite goodness and mercy are always extended, but He respects human freedom, allowing individuals to make their own choices, even if those choices lead to eternal separation from Him. God, while desiring “all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), nevertheless has created the human person to be free and responsible; and He respects our decisions. Therefore, it is the human person who freely excludes himself from communion with God if at the moment of death, he persists in mortal sin and refuses the merciful love of God. (Compendium of the Catholic Church, 213)

In summary, the Church's teaching on Hell includes Divine Justice, human freedom, and the consequences of sin, all framed within the context of God's desire for the salvation of every soul. While it is true that God gave us free will so that we might choose Him, Our Lord also respects our free will. Of course, Our Lord calls us to embrace Him. He is the “Hound of Heaven” who loves us with perfect love, but He will not force us to love Him. The choice is up to each individual. If a person uses their free will wisely and chooses God, then God is waiting with open arms to receive you into His Kingdom. If a person uses their free will wrongly and chooses that which is not God, then God will accept your decision.

A few last thoughts to ponder. If you want to imagine what Hell feels like, then think of everything in your life that has any meaning. Imagine everything good which anyone ever gave you, loaned to you, gave you with joy. Now imagine all of that taken away. Take away all the loves in your life. Then take away all the ways in which those loves in your life fill your days with pleasures and joys and the vision of God to even the slightest degree. Take those pleasures, joys, and visions of goodness all away so that all that is left is yourself, and all that you gave yourself, and nothing that anyone else gave you and place yourself on a single planet in the galaxy and imagine yourself there with only yourself for all eternity. That is Hell.

To be continued…

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline