Galadriel
Well-Known Member
I recently listened to a mission talk given by a priest concerning the Four Last Things. It was amazing.
The Four Last Things are:
DEATH
What is Death?
Death is the separation of soul and body. The body will decay and return to dust (Genesis 3:19) but the immortal soul will exist in eternity.
Why must we die?
We must all die because death is the consequence of Original Sin. It is appointed for men to die once...(Hebrews 9:27)
Do we know when where, and how we will die?
No. This is why it is important to love God, serve Him and obey His commands, and to pray. We must persevere in a state of grace until death.
Is it charitable to tell the dying person to prepare for death?
Yes, in fact it's of the utmost importance because eternal happiness or eternal misery is at stake.
Can a person merit or demerit (spiritual reward/punishment) after death?
While a person is alive (body and soul), he has the opportunity up until the moment of death to either turn to God and receive His grace, or turn away from God and remain in a state of mortal sin. When a person dies, he is a separated soul, and therefore cannot merit, demerit, or repent.
What happens after death?
When a person dies, his soul is immediately judged by Jesus Christ and is either taken to Heaven (even via Purgatory) or descends to Hell for eternity.
JUDGMENT
What is this judgment (of the individual soul after death) called?
This is called the Particular Judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) It is appointed for men to die once, but then after comes the judgment.
Who is the judge at the Particular Judgment?
Jesus Christ is the Judge (John 5:22)
On what will each person be judged after death?
Every intention, desire, thought, word, deed and omission committed during one's temporal life. (Matthew 12:36)
Who will be present, where will it take place, and how long will it take?
Only God and the separated soul will be present, and it will take place where the person has died--the judgment will be instantaneous.
When and what sentence will be pronounced after death?
At the moment of the soul's separation it is enlightened by God, seeing without error all it had done, said, and thought, both good and evil. Freed from the body, the soul will by Divine Power have its spiritual eyes opened to see clearly its destiny, the infinite Being of God, what eternity is, how abominable sin is, how beautiful virtue and grace are, and that it was created for God. The enlightened soul will fully understand how Jesus Christ is judging it and that Christ has passed a true judgment: Heaven or Hell.
When does the Last Judgment (aka General Judgment) take place?
At the end of the world, after the resurrection of the dead. It is called the Last Judgment because no further judgment will ever take place again; it is also called General Judgment because all peoples of all ages will be judged.
When will the world end?
No one but God the Father knows (Matt. 24:36)
Who will come to judge at the Last Judgment?
Jesus Christ will come in His Humanity and judge in the order and power of God.
Who will be present at the Last Judgment?
All people from all ages and the angels and demons, but only men will be judged.
If one has been already judged at death (Particular Judgment), why will there be a General Judgment?
Yes:
All men will rise, both good and bad, and their souls united to their bodies forever. The just will rise in glorified bodies while the wicked in the damned bodies.
What characteristics will all the resurrected bodies have?
Identity, Entirety, Immortality. However, ONLY the bodies of the just will be glorified. The bodies of the damned will be hideous and repulsive.
What will be the characteristics of the glorified bodies?
To be continued: Hell and Heaven
The Four Last Things are:
- Death
- Judgment
- Heaven
- Hell
DEATH
What is Death?
Death is the separation of soul and body. The body will decay and return to dust (Genesis 3:19) but the immortal soul will exist in eternity.
Why must we die?
We must all die because death is the consequence of Original Sin. It is appointed for men to die once...(Hebrews 9:27)
Do we know when where, and how we will die?
No. This is why it is important to love God, serve Him and obey His commands, and to pray. We must persevere in a state of grace until death.
Is it charitable to tell the dying person to prepare for death?
Yes, in fact it's of the utmost importance because eternal happiness or eternal misery is at stake.
Can a person merit or demerit (spiritual reward/punishment) after death?
While a person is alive (body and soul), he has the opportunity up until the moment of death to either turn to God and receive His grace, or turn away from God and remain in a state of mortal sin. When a person dies, he is a separated soul, and therefore cannot merit, demerit, or repent.
What happens after death?
When a person dies, his soul is immediately judged by Jesus Christ and is either taken to Heaven (even via Purgatory) or descends to Hell for eternity.
JUDGMENT
What is this judgment (of the individual soul after death) called?
This is called the Particular Judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) It is appointed for men to die once, but then after comes the judgment.
Who is the judge at the Particular Judgment?
Jesus Christ is the Judge (John 5:22)
On what will each person be judged after death?
Every intention, desire, thought, word, deed and omission committed during one's temporal life. (Matthew 12:36)
Who will be present, where will it take place, and how long will it take?
Only God and the separated soul will be present, and it will take place where the person has died--the judgment will be instantaneous.
When and what sentence will be pronounced after death?
At the moment of the soul's separation it is enlightened by God, seeing without error all it had done, said, and thought, both good and evil. Freed from the body, the soul will by Divine Power have its spiritual eyes opened to see clearly its destiny, the infinite Being of God, what eternity is, how abominable sin is, how beautiful virtue and grace are, and that it was created for God. The enlightened soul will fully understand how Jesus Christ is judging it and that Christ has passed a true judgment: Heaven or Hell.
When does the Last Judgment (aka General Judgment) take place?
At the end of the world, after the resurrection of the dead. It is called the Last Judgment because no further judgment will ever take place again; it is also called General Judgment because all peoples of all ages will be judged.
When will the world end?
No one but God the Father knows (Matt. 24:36)
Who will come to judge at the Last Judgment?
Jesus Christ will come in His Humanity and judge in the order and power of God.
Who will be present at the Last Judgment?
All people from all ages and the angels and demons, but only men will be judged.
If one has been already judged at death (Particular Judgment), why will there be a General Judgment?
- to vindicate God's providence in the governing of the world: to clear the Holy Name of God, and in the presence of all creatures to glorify His mercy, justice, goodness, and sovereignty. In the presence of all men and all angels and demons, all the good and evil deeds will be revealed, and on the other hand all the salvific deeds, graces, helps, admonitions and warnings, and countless other gifts of God will also be revealed to show how many men rejected them and chose the false wisdom of the world which led to their own damnation. The wicked who seemed to have prospered on earth and "gotten away with it" will have their just punishment revealed, and the oppressed and suffering will be publicly vindicated.
- to have the world give to Jesus Christ the honor denied Him at His first coming, and to acknowledge Him as Lord, God, and Redeemer
- to give to just men the public honor due to them, and to publicly confuse and shame the wicked
- to have both body and soul participate in the person's eternal reward
Yes:
- The Gospel will be preached throughout the whole world
- There will be a Great Apostasy
- The reign of the Anti-Christ
- There will be the return of Enoch and Elijah
- There will be the conversion of the Jews
- Extraordinary perturbations of nature will occur
- Consummation of the world by fire
- The trumpet will sound and the dead will rise
- The Sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens
All men will rise, both good and bad, and their souls united to their bodies forever. The just will rise in glorified bodies while the wicked in the damned bodies.
What characteristics will all the resurrected bodies have?
Identity, Entirety, Immortality. However, ONLY the bodies of the just will be glorified. The bodies of the damned will be hideous and repulsive.
What will be the characteristics of the glorified bodies?
- Impassibility- the body will no longer be subject to pain, suffering, disease or death
- Brightness (Glory)- the body will shine and carry its own light
- Agility- the body will move with the utmost quickness, wherever the soul wishes
- Subtlety- the body will be able to penetrate material substances
To be continued: Hell and Heaven