Does Hell exist?
Hell is addressed in particular in Article 12 of the second section (The Profession of the Christian Faith, The Symbols of Faith) of the first part of the Catechism, numbers 1033 to 1037.
Discover the main questions and answers around hell.
At the end of this reading, we invite you to discover other great questions of faith.
Does Hell exist?
Like it or not, hell is a reality. At least that's what catechism number 1035 tells us: “The Church's teaching affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. ”
This number adds that: “The souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend immediately after death into hell, where they suffer the pains of hell, 'eternal fire.' (No. 1035).
This same number explains that: “The main punishment of hell consists in the eternal separation from God, only in whom man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he aspires. ”
Should we be afraid of hell?
If we lead a “consistent” Christian life, we have no reason to be afraid of hell. Indeed, the number 1037, tells us that “God does not predestine anyone to go to hell, it requires a voluntary aversion to God (a mortal sin), and persist to the end. ”
Moreover, the same number reminds us that in the Eucharistic liturgy, the Church “implores the mercy of God, wants that no one perish, but that all come to repentance”. (No. 1037).
What is all this calling us to?
Living our baptism through the sacraments
The reality of hell, from heaven, invites us to live by our baptism and to attend the Sacraments, including the Eucharist, source and summit of the Christian life, and the Sacrament of Penance.
Catechism number 1035 tells us that “the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend immediately after death into hell.” To learn what mortal sin is, we invite you to read our article on the subject. We also recall the teaching of the Church which invites every believer to confess at least once a year” (No. 1457), and furthermore that “whoever is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences great contrition, without having previously received sacramental absolution “(No. 1457).
A good use of our freedom and conversion
This reality, which is hell, calls us to make good use of our freedom and to seek conversion, as article 1036 of the catechism tells us below.
“The affirmations of Sacred Scripture and the Church's teachings about hell are a call to the responsibility with which man must use his freedom for his eternal destiny. At the same time, they constitute an urgent call for conversion: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13 -14).
While it is a call to conversion, it is also a call to vigilance: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13).
Number 1036 of the Catechism tells: “Unaware of the day and the hour, we must, following the warning of the Lord, remain constantly vigilant to deserve, when the single course of our earthly life is over, to be admitted with him to the wedding and counted among the blessed of God, instead of being, like evil and lazy servants, pushed aside by the order of God towards eternal fire, towards that darkness from outside where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ”
To evangelize
To the extent that God wants “all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth” (Tm 2: 4), since he does not want anyone to be lost (John 6:39), we have a duty to evangelize. We are reminded of this duty in number 905 of the catechism (and in many other texts of the Magisterium), which recalls that by virtue of our baptism, we are prophets, that is to say that we must proclaim the Gospel (“Their prophetic mission the laity also accomplish through evangelization, that is to say the proclamation of Christ made by the testimony of life and by the word. ”).
With Hozana, let us pray for the salvation of souls and bear witness to the Gospel!
With Hozana, you can pray the rosary for the salvation of souls, and for all those who do not yet know Christ. You can also pray 10 minutes with Jesus every day, pray to become holy, or join a week of prayer for missionary vocations.
