Over a glass of wine one evening, a friend flatly stated that she did not believe in hell. She argued that if God loves us unconditionally then no one would ever be sent to such a dismal place for eternity. She is not alone in thinking that. Jesus shares the same hope that no one would end there but he also knows that not everyone will listen to his message of salvation. He often cautions that our ultimate destiny depends on the choices we make. God doesn’t reject sinners; rather sinners reject God, so hell should be seen as a place for those who reject God’s ways.
In our times a false gospel has arisen, which has won many hearts and minds to its misguided ethic that could be called the “Gospel of Nice.” It never mentions “hell” because that might hurt someone’s feelings and it never corrects anyone’s wrongdoing for fear of losing human respect or friendship.
The Church’s mission is very clear: the salvation of souls is its highest objective. This guides every other decision in the life of the Church. To achieve this goal, Christ aids the Church with scripture and tradition. They stand together as sources of revelation, the truth that guides the Church in upholding matters of morals and faith.
The gospel suggests that there are many pathways to God. “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me,” Jesus told his disciples. Nonetheless we believe our Church is founded by Jesus and for this reason the Church sees its role as offering the fullest means for obtaining one’s salvation.
Other denominations have emerged in due time at first to protest some truth, teaching or practice of the Catholic faith, which is why most non Catholic Christian churches are called Protestant. Our Catechism notes, “All who have been justified by faith in baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have the right to be called Christians.”
Still the Church airs a word of caution to those who presume all churches to be the same. “They could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse to enter or remain in it.” Why make such a statement in light what Jesus said to John? Is the Church being defensive? I hardly think so.
The Church sees itself as upholding moral truths that steer us away from sin and toward God. Even though our moral teachings are all based on scripture, many who even see themselves as good Christians have rejected some of them.
Because they, including some Catholics, refuse to accept all of God’s truth, our society has developed a nonchalant attitude toward morality and sin. Conduct that was deemed socially unacceptable in the past hardly ruffles them today, but that doesn’t mean these choices have become morally right in the sight of God. An act that is legally acceptable is not always morally acceptable. With the image of a millstone, Jesus cautions us, “If anyone leads people away from the truth, that person would be better off dead!”
Today’s gospel passage speaks of removing every “obstacle” to salvation. With graphic images, Jesus is telling us that nothing should matter more to us than resisting the temptation to sin. He paints a frightening picture of hell, comparing it to the unquenchable fires of Gehenna, the city dump on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Despite such imagery, many people remain indifferent to the reality of sin. Jesus addresses the reality of hell in order to inform his disciples that they must take responsibility for their actions and realize that the consequences of their sin could be eternal separation from God and all that is good. Sin is what James is speaking of in his letter when he talks about social injustice and lack of concern for those in need.
Discipleship is demonstrated by our behavior rather than our identity. How we act is crucial to discipleship since our actions reflect our convictions. Jesus teaches that free and wholehearted service to the poor, the hungry and the thirsty are good works.
The corporal works of mercy, as simple as offering a glass of water to someone who is thirsty, reflect interior holiness. The lesson for us is that we must turn away from whatever is inconsistent with acting in his name. We avoid sin and scandal by rejecting the near occasions of sin. Otherwise, if we fail to root sin out of our lives, it is by our own choice that we will find ourselves in hell, the unquenchable fire pit.
Just as we think of heaven as an eternal communion of love with God, hell is best pictured as the state of being utterly alone in a self imposed isolation, the destiny for one who is unwilling to love anyone else, including God. Hell is for those who care for no one except themselves.
To ignore the reality of sin is to ignore the words of Jesus. If heaven is where we want to spend eternity than the reality of hell must never be denied. We must not dismiss the potential of sin to separate us from God and others. Daily we must live our baptismal promises to renounce Satan and all his empty promises, for as attractive as any of them may be at first, ultimately temptations lead us to sin, which can never render us the lasting serenity, love and joy that can be ours only in God’s heavenly kingdom.