LAST THINGS OR ESCHATOLOGY
Last Things and the Creed
1. What is eschatology?
Eschatology,
from the Greek word eschaton meaning last, refers to the "last
things": our human destiny, death, judgment, resurrection of the body,
heaven, purgatory and hell. These are
contained in the final articles of the Creed.
[glossary, 1001, 1020-1050].
2. Recite the final words of the Apostle's
Creed.
The
ending, or eschatological, words of the Apostle's Creed are: "He will come again to judge the living
and the dead. I believe in the Holy
Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of
saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life
everlasting. Amen." [preceding 185].
3. What are traditionally referred to as the
"four last things"?
It
has been a tradition in the Church to call death, judgment, heaven and hell the
"four last things".
Final Judgment
4. What and when will be the 'final or ultimate
trial'?
Christ
the Lord already reigns through the Church, but all things of this world are
not yet subject to Him. Before Christ's
second coming the Church must pass through a "final
trial" that will shake the faith
of many believers. (cf. Lk 18;8; Mt 24:12).
This will be followed by the triumph of Christ's Kingdom. [680*,
675-77].
5. What will happen at the end of the world?
The
world will end with the second coming of Christ, with the last judgment,
followed by the arrival of the
6. What is Judgment Day?
Judgment
Day is the event when Christ will come to achieve his final triumph of good
over evil; it will be the second coming of Christ in glory at the end of
time. At this judgment everyone will
appear before Christ's tribunal. [glossary, 1059*, 677-79, 1038-41].
7. What will happen at the Final Judgment?
At the final judgment the glorious Christ will judge the living and the dead, revealing the secret dispositions of hearts, and rendering to each person according to his works, and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace. [681*-82*,
678-79].
Communion of Saints
8. What are the three states of the Church?
The
three states of the Church are the faithful now alive on earth, those suffering
in Purgatory, and those members who have reached heaven. These three states are sometimes referred to
as the
9. What is the communion of saints?
One
meaning of the communion of saints is the three states of the Church. The term has also been used to refer to the
unity in "holy things", especially the unity in faith, hope and
charity achieved through participation in the Eucharist. [glossary, 960*-62*,
948, 957, 960, 1474].
Forgiving Sins
10. When did Christ entrust to the apostles the
power to forgive sins?
The
risen Christ entrusted to the apostles the power to forgive sins when he gave
them the Holy Spirit, saying "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven
them" (Jn
11. How are sins ordinarily forgiven in the
Church?
Baptism
is the first sacrament of the forgiveness of sins; all prior sins are forgiven
at baptism. Baptism unites us to Christ,
who died and rose, and gives us the Holy Spirit. The Church ordinarily exercises the power to
forgive sins through the sacrament of penance (reconciliation). [985*-89*, 979-82].
Dying and Death
12. Why must we suffer bodily death?
Suffering
bodily death is a consequence of original sin. We would be immune from bodily
death if Adam and Eve had not sinned. (Rom
13. How has death been conquered?
Jesus,
the Son of God, by freely suffering death for us in complete and free
submission to the will of God, his Father, has conquered death, and so opened
up the possibility of salvation to all people.
[1019*, 1003, 1009].
14. How should we prepare our souls for death?
We
should prepare for death by living our life in the state of sanctifying
grace. We should pray for deliverance
"from a sudden and unforeseen death", we ask the Mother of God to
intercede for us
"at the hour of death"
in the Hail Mary, and we
should entrust ourselves to
15. How should we prepare sacramentally
for death?
When
we are very sick or in danger of death we should receive the Last Rites since
Penance, the sacrament Anointing of the Sick, and the Eucharist as viaticum
constitute an appropriate end of a Christian Life. These are the sacraments that prepare us for
our heavenly homeland, the sacraments that complete the earthly pilgrimage. [1020, 1499, 1523-25].
16. What are the stages that medical science
claims often precede death?
The
five Kubler-Ross stages are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and
finally acceptance.
Particular Judgment
17. What happens to the soul at the hour of
death?
At
the moment of death everyone receives the eternal recompense of his immortal
soul during a particular judgment by Christ, the judge of the living and the
dead. The result of this judgment will be one of three things: eternal glory in
heaven, a temporary stay in purgatory followed by eternal glory in heaven, or
consignment to eternal punishment in hell. Those who die in God's grace and
friendship and are perfectly purified live forever in heaven with Christ where
they view God face-to-face. [1051*,
1053*, 1021-25].
18. What is the particular judgment of God?
The
particular judgment renders the eternal compensation to each soul at the moment
of death, in accordance with the person's faith and works, heaven for the just,
hell for the wicked, and purgatory for those who still need cleansing [1051*, 1021-22].
Heaven
19. What is heaven?
Heaven
is eternal life with God, the communion of life and love with the Trinity and
all the blessed. It is the state of
supreme happiness, the goal of the deepest longings of the human heart. [glossary, 1053*,
1023].
20. What is the beatific vision?
The
beatific vision is the contemplation of God in heavenly glory; it is a
fundamental aspect of the happiness of heaven. [glossary,
1028, 1720].
21. What do we mean by the resurrection of the
body?
By death the soul is separated from the
body, but in the resurrection God will give incorruptible life to our body,
transformed by reunion with our soul. Just as Christ is risen and will live
forever, so all of us will rise at the last day. We sow a corruptible body in the tomb, but
God rises up an incorruptible body, a spiritual body. (cf. 1 Cor
22. Does God desire the salvation of all people?
The
Church prays that no one should be lost.
God "desires that all men be saved" (1 Tim 2:4), and for him
"all things are possible" (Mt
Purgatory and Hell
23. What is purgatory?
Purgatory
is a state of final purification after death and before entrance into heaven,
for those who have died in God's friendship, but are only imperfectly
purified. It provides a final cleansing
of human imperfection before one is able to enter the joy of heaven. [glossary,
1054*-55*, 1030-31, cf. 1472].
24. What is hell?
Hell is the state of self exclusion from communion with God and the blessed. It is reserved for those who refuse by their own free choice to believe and be converted from sin, even toward the end of their lives. [glossary, 1056*-57*,
1033-37].