Lesson 20: Hell, Heaven, and the Final Judgment
1. What is the greatest desire of the human heart?
The deepest longing of the human heart, is a longing for happiness and peace. Only God is able to satisfy this deep longing: “You have made our heats for Thee, O Lord; and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” (St. Augustine)
The deepest suffering in hell is that this desire for God will never be satisfied. The deepest joy of heaven is that the soul sees and possesses God.
HELL
2. Why do we believe that there is a hell?
We believe that there is a hell for the same reason that we believe there is a heaven: God has revealed it to us. Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks about hell.
An incident in the life of St Frances Jerome, S.J (1642-1716)
In the process of the canonization of St. Francis Jerome and under oath a large number of eyewitnesses told the following story. In the year 1707, St. Francis Jerome was preaching in the city of Naples. He was speaking of Hell and the suffering there for those who died without being sorry for their sins. Someone was bothered by what he said, so she made fun of him and the doctrine of hell. As she was standing close to the window, he Saint cried out: “Beware, my daughter, of not being sorry for your sins. Within eight days you will be at the judgment seat of God.” The unhappy woman grew louder. Eight days passed, and St Francis Jerome was again near the same house. This time there was silence. The windows were shut. The hearers, with sadness on their faces, told the saint that Catherine had died suddenly a few hours earlier. “Died?” he said. “well, let her tell us now what she has gained by laughing at Hell. Let us ask her.” Followed by an immense crowd, he went up to the room where her dead body was lying, After having prayed for an instant, he uncovered the face of her dead body, and said in a loud voice, “Catherine, tell us where you are now,” At this command, the dead woman lifted her head. Opening her yes, and with a horrible expression of despair on her face she cried out: “In Hell: I am in Hell.” After these words, she fell back again into the condition of a dead body.
“I was present at that event,” says one of the witnesses, “but I never could properly tell the impression it produced on me and those with me, nor that which I still feel every time I pass that house and look at that window. At the sight of that place, I still hear the awful cry resounding: ‘In Hell; I am in Hell.”
3. Who goes to hell?
People go to hell who did evil or omitted to do good, and who died in the state of mortal sin. Although given the opportunity, they did not repent of their mortal sins before death.
Hell, just like heaven, is a possible end for all of us.
The Blessed Virgin told Blessed Jacinta Marto (1910-1920) that more souls go to hell because of the sins of the flesh than any other sin.
4. What is hell like?
Hell is a place of unimaginable suffering, and it will last for all eternity. Jesus often spoke of “the unquenchable fire” of Gehenna. The book of Revelation describes those in hell as being “tormented in burning sulfur… The smoke of the fire that torments them will rise forever and ever, and there will be no relief day or night.” (Rev 14:10-11)
The greatest suffering in hell is not being able to see God, and that this will last for all eternity.
In hell, everyone hates God, themselves, and others. They are constantly sinning, and will do so for all eternity. In hell there is no virtue, and in particular there is no love. If someone in hell began to love, it would no longer be hell.
Saint Jacinta of Fatima who saw a vision of hell said, “If only men knew what eternity was they would do everything possible to amend their lives.”
An incident written in the Diary of St Faustina (1905-1938)
“Today, I was led by an angel to the Chasms of Hell. It is a place of great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is! The kinds of tortures I saw:
The First Torture that constitutes hell is: The loss of God.
The Second is: Perpetual remorse of conscience.
The Third is: That one’s condition will never change.
The Fourth is: The fire that will penetrate the soul without destroying it. A terrible suffering since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God’s anger.
The Fifth Torture is: Continual darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see each other and all the evil, both of others and their own.
The Sixth Torture is: The constant company of Satan.
The Seventh Torture is: Horrible despair, hatred of God, vile words, curses and blasphemies.
These are the Tortures suffered by all the damned together, but that is not the end of the sufferings.
Indescribable Sufferings. There are special Tortures destined for particular souls. These are the torments of the senses. Each soul undergoes terrible and indescribable sufferings related to the manner in which it has sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one form of agony differs from another. I would have died at the very sight of these tortures if the omnipotence of God had not supported me.
No One Can Say There is No Hell
Let the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is no hell, or that nobody has ever been there, and so no one can say what it is like…how terribly souls suffer there! Consequently, I pray even more fervently for the conversion of sinners. I incessantly plead God’s mercy upon them. O My Jesus, I would rather be in agony until the end of the world, amidst the greatest sufferings, than offend you by the least sin.” (Diary 741)
5. Does God want anyone to go to Hell?
In his love and mercy, it is not God’s will that anyone go to hell. This is clear from looking at the death of Christ on the Cross, and his presence in the Eucharist. Nonetheless God respects our freedom. God wants us to love Him, and love requires freedom.
“The Lord is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3: 9)
6. What can we do to save people from hell?
If we are in the state of Sanctifying Grace our prayers and sacrifices have much value to save others from Hell.
Our Lady of Fatima told the three children on August 19, 1917: “Pray, pray very much, and made sacrifices for sinners; for many sols go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.”
The Brown Scapular
The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock on July 16, 1251. She gave him the brown scapular, and said, “Whoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.”
During the Spanish civil way in the 1930’s seven men were sentenced to death because of their crimes. A priest invited them to go to Confession. They refused. The priest prayed to Our Lady, and received the inspiration to bring the men a good meal. After the meal, while all were more relaxed, he asked if each of them would be willing to wear the brown scapular. Six agreed; one did not. Within a short time, all six wearing the brown scapular went to Confession. They went to Confession because Mary was praying for them. These six now joined the priest in asking the seventh to also put on the Scapular. Because of their insistence, he finally put on a Scapular, but would do nothing more. Moring came, and as the moment of execution drew near, the seventh man made it clear that he was not going to go to Confession. He was wearing the brown scapular, and thus Our Lady was praying for him, but sadly he refused to accept her graces. Finally, the command was given, and all seven men were killed by the firing squad. A scapular was found approximately 50 paces from the bodies. Six men died with Mary’s scapular; the seventh man, who had refused to go to Confession, died without it. Having refused Mary’s graces, he also threw off the scapular before he died. If a person wants to die in his sins, he will, but he will not die wearing the brown scapular.
When we are wearing the brown scapular Mary is praying for us. W, on our part, should try to live a holy life with the help of her prayers.
HEAVEN
7. Who goes to heaven?
Those go to heaven who have died in the state of Sanctifying Grace. It. is a place for those who have received mercy from God and given mercy to others.
8. What is heaven like?
Heaven is a place of unimaginable happiness and peace. Every description falls short of the truth: “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the hearts of men, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor 2:9)
The greatest joy in heaven will come from seeing God “face to face.” (1 Cor 13:12)
9. What do souls in heaven do?
These souls never sin. They are holy. They always love and worship God. They love and pray for us. Those in heaven have a mission to help us. As St. Dominic stated at the time of his death: “Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life.”
St Therese of Lisieux’s experience of Blessed Ann of Jesus
In the last part of her life when St Therese (1873-1897) was going through much suffering, she had a dream. In this dream she experienced something of heaven. She saw three Carmelite Sisters from heaven, wearing long veils over their faces. Therese thought how happy she would be if she could see the face of one of these heavenly visitors. As if in reply to her thought, the tallest of the three came over to Therese. As Therese knelt at her feet, the other Carmelite lifted her veil so that it covered Therese, too. Therese recognized the Venerable (now Blessed) Anne of Jesus, the Carmelite who had brought the order from Spain to France, and who had gone to heaven many years before then. Her face was lit by a gentle glow. Anne caressed Therese, who felt moved by this gesture of love to say, “I beg you, Mother, to tell me if God is going to leave me on earth for long. Will He come for me soon?” In response Therese received a tender smile and the words, “Yes, soon… soon. I promise you. “ Therese then begged her, “Tell me, Mther if God is pleased with me. Does He want anything more from of her. Before having a chance to ask for things for some of her sisters, Therese awake. Therese then spoke of the after effects of this experience: “When I awoke… I knew that heaven exists and that souls’ dwell there who love me and look upon me as their child. The realization of this never left me, and it was all the sweeter because until then I had been quite indifferent to the Venerable Mother Anne of Jesus. I near thought of her. But now I know and really understand that she is far from indifferent about me. This knowledge deepens my love both for her and for all the blessed ones in heaven.”
St Therese of Lisieux’s awareness of her future mission in heaven.
As she approached the end of her life, Therese began to have a deep awareness that she was going to have a mission in heaven. “Yes, I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth. I shall not be able to rest until the end of the world… as long as there are still souls to be saved… These words of St Therese proved to be very true. The miracles that Therese did after her life are innumerable.
The following is just one of many extraordinary experiences. One night a wealthy French businessman came into one of the beautiful hotels of Europe. He wanted a room. As he was going to the desk in the lobby to ask for a room, a nun dressed in brown and wearing a white cloak passed him. She gave him a big smile. He was deeply touched by that smile, and tipped his hat to her. A second later, he could not help looking back, but she was gone. HE asked the person at the desk what a nun was doing in the hotel at that late hour. The man at the desk insisted, “There has not been anyone else in this lobby for the past half hour, much less a nun.” The man however knew that he had really seen a nun. Later the man saw a picture of Therese of Lisieux who had died over 25 years before, and who had been recently canonized. Reflecting on this, he began to study her life, and to pray more. HE ended by leaving his good job and becoming a Trappist monk. Thomas Merton met him while he was a Trappist monk and wrote his story.
FINAL JUDGMENT
10. What is the final judgment?
The final judgment will be at the end of the world. Our Lord will pronounce sentence of eternal reward or of eternal punishment on all persons – both human and angels. All, who ever lived, will be present and will receive immortal bodies. Those who go to hell will receive immortal bodies of “horror and disgrace” (Daniel 12:2) that is capable of suffering.
11. What will the final judgment add to the particular judgment?
At the final judgment those who are in heaven will receive an increase in the accidental (non-essential) glory for the help they have given to others even beyond the time of their earthly lives. When we pray to the Blessed Virgin, the saints and the angels we enable them to help us more, and we thereby contribute to their increase in glory.
Those in hell will receive a greater punishment for the evil that they do to others. For instance, the demons who are involved in tempting us will be punished for all the harm they have tried to inflict upon others and us throughout the centuries.
12. What properties will the bodies have of those who go to heaven?
At the final judgment those who go to heaven will have glorified bodies like Jesus and Mary. Theologians give fur different properties of a glorified body.
- Incapability of suffering sorrow, sickness, or death: “And God shall wipe away tall the tears from their eyes; and death shall be no more. Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be no more: for the former things are passed away. “ (Revelation 21:4)
- Subtility or a spiritualized nature: we see this in the body of Christ after his resurrection. He passed through the shroud, the sealed tomb and penetrated closed doors. (John 20: 19, 26)
- Agility, that is, the capability of the body to obey the soul with the greatest ease and speed of movement. The risen Body of Christ, which was suddenly present in the midst of His Apostles, and which disappeared just as quickly at the breaking of the bread in the presence of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, manifested tis agility. (John 20:19, 26; Luke 24:31)
- Clarity, this is, being free from everything deformed and being filled with beauty and radiance, that flows from the sol onto the body. Jesus said: “The just shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:43) A preview of the glorified body is also seen in the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. (Mt 17:2)
