I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
“I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.” John 12:46-49
INTRODUCTION
In a few weeks we will celebrate the Liturgical Season of Advent. Advent is primarily about the coming of Christ on Christmas day. But just as we have remembered the Saints in heaven and Holy Souls in Purgatory, we are reminded Life on earth will come to an end for all of us. some sooner, some later. We know not when, nor how, but God does.
We are reminded throughout Scriptures to be ready to welcome Jesus at all times. Our short lives on earth are a sowing time. Life on earth is the time when the seeds of the risen body are planted. Death puts an end to the time we have to choose, accepting or rejecting divine grace manifested in Christ.
When the Church is attending to one who is dying in the sacrament of anointing, She speaks of pardoning and absolution over the dying Christian, seals him for the last time with a strengthening anointing, and gives him Christ in viaticum as nourishment for the journey home and speaks with gentle assurance:
Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you. Go forth, faithful Christian! May you live in peace this day,
may your home be with God in Zion,
with Mary, the virgin Mother of God,
with Joseph, and all the angels and saints. . . .
May you return to your Creator
who formed you from the dust of the earth.
May holy Mary, the angels, and all the saints
come to meet you as you go forth from this life. . . .
May you see your Redeemer face to face.
DEATH is one of the four last things we face. The others are JUDGMENT, HEAVEN, and HELL.
The New Testament not only speaks of judgment at the end of times but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith. New Testament texts speak of a final destiny of the soul immediately after death–a destiny which can be different for some and for others. the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, “Amen, I say today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42
Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification or immediate and everlasting damnation. Catechism of the Catholic Church #1022. (CCC)
THE PARTICULAR JUDGMENT
To die in grave sin, without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love, means remaining separate from God for all eternity. The state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and his blessed is called Hell. God predestines no one to hell. Only a free will choice on our part and a persistent state of unrepentance leads one to hell. God respects our free will and will not force us to act righteously.
Those who die in the grace and friendship with God and who are perfectly purified from sinfulness will see God face to face as He really is and live with Christ forever. This perfect life with the Blessed Trinity, Mary, and all the saints is called Heaven, a state of supreme and definitive happiness forever.
RESURRECTION OF THE BODY
At the end of time we will have resurrected bodies glorified in the manner of the resurrected Jesus. St. Paul says: “What is sown is perishable, but what is raised is imperishable; what is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; what is sown is weak, but what is raised is powerful; what is sown is a natural body, and what is raised is a spiritual body” 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
The resurrection of all the dead, the just and unjust, will occur just before the Last Judgment when all who died hear the Son of Man’s command to come forth. Then the bodies will reunite with their souls. This will be “the hour when all who are in the tombs will hear the Son of man’s voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.” CCC #1038
In the resurrection we will have spiritual bodies. St. Paul says: “as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man [Adam], so we shall bear the likeness of the heavenly one [Christ]” 1 Corinthians 15:49 Jesus came to dress our perishable nature with imperishability and our mortal nature with immortality 1 Corinthians 15:53.
LAST JUDGMENT
The Last Judgment will come when Christ returns in glory. Only the Father knows the day and the hour; only he determines the moment of its coming. In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare. The Last Judgment will reveal even to its furthest consequences the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life.
Then, through his Son Jesus Christ, God will pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and understand the marvelous ways by which his Providence led everything towards its final end. The Last Judgment will reveal that God’s justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty, you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” MATTHEW 25:31-46
LAST JUDGMENT SHEEP AND GOATS
THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH
At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. After the universal judgment, the righteous will reign forever with Christ, glorified in body and soul. The universe itself will be renewed: Sacred Scripture calls this mysterious renewal, which will transform humanity and the world, “new heavens and a new earth.” Revelation 21:1
JOHN PROPHECIES IN BOOK OF REVELATION
I saw the holy city, a New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. .I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God..
Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water….On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month…Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it…They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. REVELATIONS 21:2
JOHN THE EVANGELIST BOOK OF REVELATIONS
REFLECTION
The message of Judgment calls men to conversion while God is still giving them “the acceptable time, the day of salvation.” Isaiah 49:8 We are reminded that we will be judged after death regardless of when we die and our destination will be known then. There are no do overs. Our decision making is over. Are we ready to meet our maker? Is that suitcase of ours for our final journey home filled with blessings or curses?
PRAYER FOR HAPPY DEATH
Heavenly Father, now here on earth, at home in our bodies, we know we are far away from you, for we walk by faith and not by sight, but one day we hope to see you face to face, we pray that our bodies will rise in glory on the last day through the merits of your only begotten Son, Jesus, who goes before us to prepare a place in His heavenly Mansion, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen
JOSEPH PATRON OF A HAPPY DEATH PRAY FOR US