Very poor advice, indeed. Especially now that most of our recorded information is now only a sufficiently powerful electronic pulse away from erasure.
In a way Sartre had a point. "Hell is other people". More precisely, it is other persons, human and angelic. The damned, ultimately by their own knowledgeable choice, end up in a society of the nastiest beings imaginable, one utterly devoid of love. Our own earthly societies, for all their faults, do not consist only of nasty people, nor are they completely without love. Yet look at the state of them. The point has been made that such is the despair in eternal Hell, that the pains of its fires are a merciful distraction.
One can draw something towards oneself, but if that something possesses a will, it may resist. If resistance continues, the freedom of that will shall be respected.
The only statement that can be taken from above as irrefutable is that of Saint Veronica Giuliani. The Church does not claim to know how many are in Hell. I don't think the Church ever made that claim. However, if you're a saint (something of which I claim no knowledge) and wish to make an impression on sinners, this uncertainty allows a lot of scope, if one wishes to make an impression that might be heard. And heeded. Saying that few will end up in Hell (and there's no evidence of that), is not likely to stop too many sinners in their tracks. It's a balance, made in uncertainty between Justice and Mercy. Between Hope and Despair. St Pio, not a minor saint, was not as pessimistic as those saints quoted above. He was certainly no universalist, and knew Christ intimately,while also having frequent and tortuous experiences of the denizens of Hell, but he had a greater hope of Christ's Mercy than the saints above can be perceived to have had (I say that in the sense that they may, in their wisdom, have chosen to keep their hopeful cards close to their chests in order to have a greater metanoic effect on their flocks of sinners). May the Lord God have Mercy on us all.
Too much negativity can be almost as risky as presumption. If I fully accepted that my odds of getting to Heaven were 5 in 33,000, knowing myself I could very easily take the following views: 1/. I have no hope, there is no point in continuing my struggle against sin. 2/. The same odds apply to my nearest and dearest. My best chance of remaining with them for Eternity is certainly not in Heaven. I prefer to leave it to my God that humiliated Himself unto His appalling death for me and mine, on the Cross. I hope, on that basis, that the odds are better. Simultaneously, it is good to be knocked back on one's heels from time to time. Quite often, in my case.
After having been an atheist for many years, I accepted the Catholic faith and was baptised over ten years ago. I converted mainly due to the miracles of Fatima, Akita, Lourdes, the scientifically tested eucharistic miracles, the Shroud of Turin, and scientific research about near-death-experiences by Michael Sabom. The sun miracle of Fatima on 13 October 1917 was witnessed by tens of thousands of people, including sceptics. Their testimonies are well documented. On this basis, I have accepted all Fatima miracles as truth, including the (particularly cruel) vision of hell given by Our Lady on 13 July 1917. Moreover, I have accepted the entire Catholic faith. As St. Paul indicated, from the basis of reason/evidence I make a "leap of faith" and accept all Catholic teachings as true, including the teachings about hell. Generally, the Catholic faith makes complete sense to me. It explains every aspect of life, the very the meaning and purpose of life, even some of the unresolved questions of science (origin of the Big Bang, free will/consciousness in a universe that is generally based on scientific laws, etc.). But I do not understand the Catholic teachings about hell. It does not make sense to me that a loving God (He is love itself, according to the Holy Bible) would condemn some people to punishments for all eternity. What the saints (whom I greatly respect) have been saying about hell sounds incredibly cruel to me. If God is love, isn't this eternal cruelty a contradiction to love? Some say that those who are in hell have chosen so by themselves. But the reality is that most people do not even believe in hell and live their lives as if God did not exist. It is not my intention to offend God, to fall into apostasy, or to spread heresy. I do accept all aspects of the Holy Catholic Church and her magisterium including the parts about hell. All I am saying is that the teachings about hell do not make sense to me. I know that I am not alone in this. I suspect many atheists, agnostics, followers of Eastern religions, new-agers, etc., cannot convert to Christ because of the teachings about hell. God bless!
Micheal Pio, I do understand your feelings about the Catholic teaching of Hell, but you must understand that Jesus Himself taught this, and the Church does not have the authority to change Jesus teachings, so they stand. Having said that, I think God pursues almost everyone in this life that is headed for hell until He knows that they are determined to go there. Or basically that they do not want to be with Him. Perhaps they SAY they want to be with God, but think wrongly of Him and refuse to get to know Him, like being unjustly angry with Him for the existence of hell for example. Some people I know seem to blame God for every bad thing that happens in their life! So we have to understand that Truth is Truth and there is no other. If a person hates going to Mass, they will not like being in Heaven, so if we can understand that it truly is chosen by the person, and that God pursues them until the end it makes more sense.
All quotes and mystical private revelations regarding numbers in hell are subject to fallibility, meaning that no mortal man knows for sure the proportion of those who go to heaven vs. hell. The Saints and Mystics are simply giving their perspectives and opinions based on their studies, or in some cases simply relating their mystical experiences. I realise, St Alphonsus Liguori wrote about the 4 doors of hell and gave homilies regarding hell however in his book "The Glories of Mary" he concedes at the beginning of Chapter VIII It is impossible that a servant of Mary who faithfully honours her and recommends himself to her should be lost. This proposition at first sight may appear to some persons extravagant. Please see The Glories Of Mary by ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI CHAPTER VIII ET JESUM BENEDICTUM FRUCTUM VENTRIS TUI NOBIS POST HOC EXILIUM OSTENDE. And after this our exile, show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. SECTION I. MARY RESCUES HER SERVANTS FROM HELL. Concerning mystical experiences of hell, some mystics like St Faustina and Sr Josefa Menendez who were taken in spirit on numerous occasions to hell, have a different view in regards to the numbers in hell. To Sr Josefa Menedez, for example. Jesus reportedly said to her: "Oh, all you who are steeped in sin, and who for a time more or less long have lived as wanderers and fugitives because of your crimes ... if the offences of which you have been guilty have hardened and blinded your hearts . . . if to grant satisfaction to one or other of your passions you have sunk into evil ways ... Ah! when the motives or accomplices of your sin have forsaken you, and you realize the state of your soul, oh then, do not yield to despair! For as long as a breath of life remains a man may have recourse to mercy and ask for pardon. "If you are still young, if already the scandals of your life have lowered you in the eyes of the world, do not be afraid. . . . Even if there is reason to treat you as a criminal, to insult and cast you off . . . your God has no wish to see you fall into the flames of hell. ... On the contrary He ardently desires you to come to Him so that He may forgive you. If you dare not speak to Him, at least look at Him and let the sighs of your heart reach Him, and at once you will find His kind and fatherly hand stretched out to lead you to the springs of pardon and life. "Should it happen that you have spent the greater part of your life in impiety and indifference, and that the sudden approach of the hour of death fills you with blinding despair . . . Oh! do not let yourself be deceived, for there is still time for pardon. If only one second of life remains to you, in that one second you can buy back eternal life!" (Words of Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez) St Faustina wrote in her Diary: "I, Sister Faustina Kowalska, by the order of God, have visited the abyss of Hell so that I might tell souls about it, and testify to its existence...the devils were full of hatred... It is a place of great torture. " However, Jesus said to St Faustina "Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My merciful Heart. I use punishment when they themselves force me to do so; My hand is very reluctant to take hold of the sword of justice."
Yes DeGaulle, For the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "God predestines no one to go to hell; 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." (CCC, 1037) Those who go to hell specifically choose to reject Jesus and His mercy and salvation that is offered to them, and they themselves actively choose to go to hell by their own rejection of God. Is it reasonable to think that the Kingdom of heaven would be smaller in population (ie.-contain less souls) than the kingdom of hell? Would God, knowing humanities fate in advance, having thus created humanity in His image and likeness, knowingly permit more souls be damned than be saved, making Satans kingdom greater than His own, and more souls lost to Jesus death on the Cross than those who are saved? To me such an outcome simply does not stand to reason. In Revelation 12, we read how 1/3 of the angels were cast into hell for all eternity. Echoing Lucifer, one third declared that they would not serve God, choosing for themselves to be separated from Him forever. This writer wonders: Could humanity be saved/condemned in similar proportions as the Angels (ie.: one-third condemned???). Nevertheless, likewise it is for us in that we ourselves choose to accept or reject God's love, mercy and salvation. God does not so much as cast us into hell as we ourselves freely choose heaven or hell by accepting or rejecting God's love, mercy and salvation, either uniting ourselves or separating ourselves from Him by our own free choice. And no one will be saved in spite of themselves--one has to truly be sorry and repentant for ones sins, and firmly desire God's forgiveness, mercy and love. Thus a "Reprobate" is not so much someone who is rejected by God, as it is someone who themselves reject God. And we can see that this rejection of God is the "reprobate mind" that St. Paul talks about in Romans 1:28. Our Lord Jesus said “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." Matthew 7:13-14 ....And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." (Luke 13:23-24) Our Lord Jesus also said 17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:17-27 And again ........25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19: 25-26 It is of course Gods great Mercy to the repentant soul! for even the greatest saints rely on His Mercy for salvation. ETA Much of the above is taken from Glenn Dallaire Mystics of the church
It’s not exactly that they are choosing hell, they are choosing to be apart from God, which by definition is hell.
Yes, and maybe even more precisely, they are choosing to do their own will, rather than God's will (the 10 Commandments). Essentially, their position is that of Lucifer's: non serviam (I will not submit to the Law of God). If one thinks that refusal to follow the 10 Commandments is uncommon in our world, one needs to get out more.
Thank you for this excellent post. You have expressed perfectly my feelings reading these terrifying comments by saints. It is good to be knocked back on my heels once in awhile( I need it!) But this kind of fear can be paralyzing. I am sure Our Lord's words to St Faustina are meant to create this balance. "Jesus i trust in You" covers all these fears. God's mercy is above all His works, scripture tells us. In the year 2000 I received a scripture--no doubt in my mind that it was given to me as I pleaded in prayer for my children. I was begging Our Lord not to let them be the devil's booty and I turned to my Bible and there right in front of me was Isaiah 49. " that you may know that I am Yahweh and no one who hoped in Me was disappointed. Will the body be snatched from the warrior? Will the tyrant give up his captive? Yes! The warrior will give up his captive and the tyrant will give back his BOOTY for I myself will fight those who fight you. And I Myself will save your children." (Jerusalem Bible) This scripture gives me great comfort. I feel these words were directly given to me. I think we must hold on to the hope that no one who trusts in Him will be disappointed.
I would say "other persons" affected by the demonic. Some don't know anything else, sadly, possibly having no experience of a life of true freedom. That's where, imho, they need to see there is a better way by the lives of those truly trying to follow Christ. Too much negativity is just as bad as too much presumption. That's why we're told to stay on the "narrow" path and hopefully enter by the "narrow gate". Imho, the path in these days, especially for Catholics, is like walking a tightrope because of everything going on around us, both in the world and in the Church. Scary times indeed, but not hopeless. I saw the following on "X" this morning, and found it worth saving. I'll share it below. I'm looking at a "trifle" as something that could be either negative or presumptuous, but blown way out of proportion. Either way, one is blown off course. "What could have happened? In your head it grew into such a big thing that you could not see it all at once. It’s all the enemy’s doing. . . He swells every trifle into a mountain that overwhelms you. You cannot describe what it is. I would tell you there is nothing to describe. The enemy is up to his old trick of confusing our mind with uncertainty. He knows how to cover the grief he causes and his foolish comforts with illusions so that people, not seeing anything definite in them, nonetheless think they are something great. All is deception. The enemy makes a mountain out of a molehill in everything. I repeat to you once again, “ See then that you walk circumspectly!” May the Lord bless you! " St. Theophan the Recluse
I would add to the above, in a broader sense, that we are being told by the "powers that be" that we are the ones making the mountains out of molehills. But really, those mountains are now reality; we are literally walking in the valley of the shadow of death, but we should fear no evil. And when we fall, brush ourselves off (confession!) and keep moving.
I think it best to clarify that the hell mentioned in the Apostles Creed is not the hell of damnation or the one included in the vision seen by the children of Fatima. Rather it is the abode of the dead: Sheol. In the context of the Apostles' Creed, hell does not mean what we understand by the word today. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this point as follows: "Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, "hell"-Sheol-- in Hebrew or Hades in Greek-because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God. Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the redeemer (no. 633). Jesus was not going into the place of the damned, "but to free the just who had gone before him" (ibid.). Jesus went into hell to preach the Gospel to the dead. As the Catechism puts it, "The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment. This is the last phase of Jesus' messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ's redemptive work to all men of all times and all places" (no. 634).
