[Ep 134: Answering atheism Tuesday.]
What is the direction most often uttered by Steve’s GPS? “Please make your next legal U-turn.” I should probably change the accent of my GPS’s humanoid voice, say to a nice jaunty Australian, so it at least sounds better – “Aye mate, while you’re looking for the next chance to swing the car around, I’ll just put another shrimp on the barbie.” The thing is – if I’m not responsible for getting from point A to point B using my own noodle, I completely check out, even to the point of not paying close attention to the GPS.
That will be relevant in a moment…
This week we have been reflecting on Heaven – and the beautiful image of a destination where humility reigns supreme.
We looked a lot at heaven last week as well. And we also encountered hell – Jesus warning that “not all will be strong enough to enter,” and elsewhere warning that many will be cast out to where there is “wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
We arrive again at the question of whether hell is empty.
Here’s what the Catechism says, “The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, “eternal fire.”617 The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”
Make of that what you will. The Church doesn’t say who or how many people are in hell. But Jesus uses the words “many” and “wailing and gnashing of teeth” – not a comforting combination.
Many mystics were given visions and experiences of hell, and it seemed unfortunately well-occupied to all of them.
Here’s a key reason we should take hell very seriously, and not rely on the proposition that “everyone gets saved.” And that’s because all of us have my GPS mentality to one degree or another. If we’re not responsible for something, we tend to check out. For example, if God is bringing everyone to Heaven, come what may, then He certainly doesn’t need anything from us.
But let’s take the opposing proposition – what if it isn’t certain that everyone will be saved? What if people’s final choices truly matter, and we have the freedom to say “no” to God? And what if God really does want to work through us for the salvation of others? Like how Jesus sent the disciples out to preach “repent and believe in the Gospel.” And what if God is counting on us to “pray and fast” to help deliver others from the clutches of the enemy?
The point is – it is very hard to committedly pray and sacrifice for friends, and family, and an entire world, that are far from the Lord. And it is simply part of our fallen nature that we tend to ease up on our urgency and determination (because it is a long-term commitment) if there’s a little voice whispering, “it’s OK – God’s got this covered.”
Yes – God does have it covered – but we might well be a key part of His plan.
This is all the more stirring because of what St. Faustina saw when she was given an experience of hell – and that most of those lost to hell where those who didn’t believe in it (or perhaps were counting on the proposition that everyone gets saved). That is the peril of the atheist and the “joy” of satan – that people deny the reality of hell.
Do we hope for all people to be saved? Absolutely! There is not one person, no matter how wicked their actions in life, that we should ever desire to go to hell.
But we must be steadfast in acting under the assumption that we have an important role to play in one another’s salvation.
How do we maintain that fortitude day in and day out? Well, that’s what we’ve been talking about for the past two weeks – by remaining in God’s light and reflecting often on the infinite joy of Heaven. And … by praying for the desire and strength to help bring as many people along as the Lord desires of us.
After all, there is no higher calling than to participate in one another’s salvation –
Steve
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life