Foundations of Faith

Session 6 – The Last Things

OPENING PRAYER

1 CORINTHIANS 2:6-9 Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him.”

1 REVELATION 21:1-5 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also 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] He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or Discussion: mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed 1. What words or phrases stuck out to you? away.” The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make 2. Do you find the descriptions of the after all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for life in these passages comforting or they are trustworthy and true.” challenging?

Leader: Glory be the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit All: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, AMEN

QUOTES “At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.”- St John of the Cross

“All the way to heaven is heaven.”- St. Catherine of Siena

FORMED.ORG RESOURCES: Video – Revelation: Heavenly Worship and the End of Time (45 minutes) Video – The Last Things: What Happens After We Die? (41 minutes) Lecture – The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell by Fr. Mike Schmitz (1 hour) Lecture – Why Is There a Hell? What You Should Know about It by Scott Hahn (1 hour)

DID YOU THINK OF A QUESTION? Email David – [email protected]

Foundations of Faith

MAIN POINTS: In the end, we will all stand before God and give an account for our lives.

 Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either Discussion 1: accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ. Our body and are separated How does our secular culture’s  Resurrection: At the end of time, our bodies will be view of death differ from the resurrected and reunited with our . Our own, real, view of a Christian? Material bodies, Glorified  : immediately upon death  General judgment: End of time  Jesus is the source of our Salvation. However, salvation requires acceptance: God will not save you against your will.  He wants us to be participants in our own salvation. Because He LOVES us!  We are saved by Grace. You cannot earn heaven.  To bring about our salvation Jesus instituted the Sacraments and entrusted them to the Church.  Have you been saved?  As the Bible says:  I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5-8),  I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12),  I have the that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9-10, 1 Cor. 3:12-15).  Like the apostle Paul, I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11)  The question is: will you accept God’s grace? we do that by:  Believing (trusting) in Jesus.  Accept God’s graces in the sacraments and be members of His Church  Obey God’s commandments and show our faith in our works.  Hell is eternal separation from God Our choice is final. Hell is forever. Discussion 2:  The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation What images come to mind from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for when we talk about “heaven” which he longs. and “hell”?  God predestines no one to go to hell.  Heaven is sharing in God’s life for eternity.  There we will be fully incorporated into Christ, yet we will retain our true individual identities. The happiness in store for us in Heaven is beyond human imagination. The deepest fulfilment of our being, Our every desire  Purgatory is for those who die in God’s grace and friendship but need purification from venial sin before entering Heaven. Purgatory is necessary because we must be unhindered in our love in order to embrace an all-loving God.

VOCABULARY Justification: is the merciful and freely-given act of God which takes away our sins and makes us just and holy in our whole being