As someone who is much more familiar with St. Augustine’s view on this issue, I found it very interesting to learn what the Angelic Doctor had to say about it. Thank you for writing this, Father! May God bless you!
Great article! We struggle with the reality of hell. Jesus, God, does not struggle at all. How often does Jesus talk about it! The gate is NARROW., not wide. When we try to side step the reality of hell, we rapidly run into universalism or what I think is worse ... indifference. If Salvation is available outside of the Church, then why evangelize? Our Church has become indifferent to Salvation and so evangelism dies. Look at shrinking congregations. How often have I heard someone say if God is Love and God is infinite Mercy and all are saved because of this why I I need Church. Do we really believe that, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.“ (John 6:63) if so, how can we be indifferent.
Sure we worship out of love of God and not fear of hell. However, we cannot dismiss the reality of hell. Again, our Lord is very insistent on this.
I sympathize with temptations to universalism because it sucks to think that so many people will suffer eternally. This is natural human compassion devoid of a good understanding of what Heaven and Hell are and what the consequences of the thought process entail.
I shortcut this when talking to people by saying that "no one goes to hell who doesn't choose it." It is a little sneaky because it is technically true while allowing people to fill in the blank for what constitutes that choice. If someone were to ask me for clarification on what "choosing hell" means, we can talk about choosing Sin in this life, and what constitutes a sin, or any number of related topics.
The good news, and the salve for any souls troubled by the doctrine of hell, is that God's justice is perfect and reconciliation is available everywhere all the time, and repentance is possible *right now*. There is no secret ritual. Grace is attainable at this very moment.
I like the quote from St Thomas that "it is Narrow because it is narrowed by the law"--this makes perfect sense. Of the infinity of choices available to us as free agents, there is some set of choices that are acceptable according to the law and doctrines of the Church. This set will ALWAYS be more limited than being literally "unlimited".
Law BY DEFINITION limits behavior, and discriminates between good behavior and bad behavior. People who have a hard time with hell may have, by analogy, absolutely no issue whatsoever with an institutional prison system. There's a disconnect there, it seems to me.
>There is no secret ritual. Grace is attainable at this very moment.
Absolutely, although I will also add that the Sacrament of Confession is necessary to restore sanctifying grace to our souls once lost by mortal sin. However, until we are able to make it to Confession, an Act of Perfect Contrition and a true sorrow for our sins "begin the process," so to speak. I could be mistaken on this, but I think if you die before being able to go to Confession and have made an Act of Perfect Contrition and have a true sorrow for your mortal sin, you may not be damned. However, I am just relying on memory for this, so I could be mistaken.
It's always hard to talk about this because while I knew this, I also wondered if that line you highlight would be construed the wrong way. Thank you for the clarification--it is always important to be unequivocal about the necessity of ALL the sacraments.
If anyone is confused or wants to be absolutely safe, in case they are in danger of an unprovided death, frequent recourse to the sacrament of reconciliation before that point is perfectly fine :) reforming ones life such that one sins no more would also be good. If only it were that easy!
Have you read any of Fr. Rooney’s works on this? He has been covering universalism a lot. Although, I think it’s good to point out there was no consensus Patrum on this matter and universalism was condemned only in a type. The Eastern Catholic traditions still follow the cappadocian traditions, which were not infernalist, etc. Rather, held to apokatastasis, a kind of universalism.
This excellent! I think there is a great deal to ponder upon. I agree with the reflection and comments, but I need more time to think and pray upon this reflection before saying much. But let me quote the words of Jesus, "Love God with all your mind, heart and strength, and love your neighbor ( which forJesus includes our enemies) as yourself. This fulfills all the law and prophets". For Jesus law and prophets summarised the whole revealtion of God. In another place Jesus says, " the Holy Spirit will teach you all things". Some Bibles use the word reveal instead of teach. If we, deep within our hearts and minds, put these verses together, we will have our answers. Some will say I over simplify, but I think these words of Jesus go a great deal deeper than we realize or understand. It will take a lifetime to plunge into the full depth of them!
As someone who is much more familiar with St. Augustine’s view on this issue, I found it very interesting to learn what the Angelic Doctor had to say about it. Thank you for writing this, Father! May God bless you!
Great article! We struggle with the reality of hell. Jesus, God, does not struggle at all. How often does Jesus talk about it! The gate is NARROW., not wide. When we try to side step the reality of hell, we rapidly run into universalism or what I think is worse ... indifference. If Salvation is available outside of the Church, then why evangelize? Our Church has become indifferent to Salvation and so evangelism dies. Look at shrinking congregations. How often have I heard someone say if God is Love and God is infinite Mercy and all are saved because of this why I I need Church. Do we really believe that, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.“ (John 6:63) if so, how can we be indifferent.
Sure we worship out of love of God and not fear of hell. However, we cannot dismiss the reality of hell. Again, our Lord is very insistent on this.
I sympathize with temptations to universalism because it sucks to think that so many people will suffer eternally. This is natural human compassion devoid of a good understanding of what Heaven and Hell are and what the consequences of the thought process entail.
I shortcut this when talking to people by saying that "no one goes to hell who doesn't choose it." It is a little sneaky because it is technically true while allowing people to fill in the blank for what constitutes that choice. If someone were to ask me for clarification on what "choosing hell" means, we can talk about choosing Sin in this life, and what constitutes a sin, or any number of related topics.
The good news, and the salve for any souls troubled by the doctrine of hell, is that God's justice is perfect and reconciliation is available everywhere all the time, and repentance is possible *right now*. There is no secret ritual. Grace is attainable at this very moment.
I like the quote from St Thomas that "it is Narrow because it is narrowed by the law"--this makes perfect sense. Of the infinity of choices available to us as free agents, there is some set of choices that are acceptable according to the law and doctrines of the Church. This set will ALWAYS be more limited than being literally "unlimited".
Law BY DEFINITION limits behavior, and discriminates between good behavior and bad behavior. People who have a hard time with hell may have, by analogy, absolutely no issue whatsoever with an institutional prison system. There's a disconnect there, it seems to me.
>There is no secret ritual. Grace is attainable at this very moment.
Absolutely, although I will also add that the Sacrament of Confession is necessary to restore sanctifying grace to our souls once lost by mortal sin. However, until we are able to make it to Confession, an Act of Perfect Contrition and a true sorrow for our sins "begin the process," so to speak. I could be mistaken on this, but I think if you die before being able to go to Confession and have made an Act of Perfect Contrition and have a true sorrow for your mortal sin, you may not be damned. However, I am just relying on memory for this, so I could be mistaken.
It's always hard to talk about this because while I knew this, I also wondered if that line you highlight would be construed the wrong way. Thank you for the clarification--it is always important to be unequivocal about the necessity of ALL the sacraments.
If anyone is confused or wants to be absolutely safe, in case they are in danger of an unprovided death, frequent recourse to the sacrament of reconciliation before that point is perfectly fine :) reforming ones life such that one sins no more would also be good. If only it were that easy!
Have you read any of Fr. Rooney’s works on this? He has been covering universalism a lot. Although, I think it’s good to point out there was no consensus Patrum on this matter and universalism was condemned only in a type. The Eastern Catholic traditions still follow the cappadocian traditions, which were not infernalist, etc. Rather, held to apokatastasis, a kind of universalism.
This excellent! I think there is a great deal to ponder upon. I agree with the reflection and comments, but I need more time to think and pray upon this reflection before saying much. But let me quote the words of Jesus, "Love God with all your mind, heart and strength, and love your neighbor ( which forJesus includes our enemies) as yourself. This fulfills all the law and prophets". For Jesus law and prophets summarised the whole revealtion of God. In another place Jesus says, " the Holy Spirit will teach you all things". Some Bibles use the word reveal instead of teach. If we, deep within our hearts and minds, put these verses together, we will have our answers. Some will say I over simplify, but I think these words of Jesus go a great deal deeper than we realize or understand. It will take a lifetime to plunge into the full depth of them!