Receive what you choose

Good News ReflectionWednesday of the Fourth Week of EasterMay 6, 2009
Today's Readings:Acts 12:24 -- 13:5aPs 67:2-6, 8John 12:44-50http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050609.shtmlAudio:http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_06.mp3
Receive what you choose
In today's Gospel passage, Jesus explains how people end up in hell.
Many Catholics get confused about this. We've been taught that immediately upon our death we "receive" our Particular (i.e., personal) Judgment and that our soul immediately goes to its reward or punishment. But if we misunderstand the divine meaning of "receive," we assume that our fate is entirely up to the Judge and how he chooses to sentence us.
We assume that God either gives us heaven (with purgatory first if we're not perfectly holy when we die) or he gives us hell if we've committed mortal sin (without repenting and going to Confession) and/or if we reject belief in Jesus.
And from this, we get the impression that God is a harsh father who is eager to punish his bad little children, and then from this we assume that anything bad that happens to us is because we are bad and God is punishing us. In this mindset we fear that, because we are not perfect, we might lose our salvation. And (I hate to admit this) we hope that the unrepentant sinners who greatly irritate us will finally get their just rewards of God's hellish condemnation.
Right? Aren't you actually hoping that this world, because of its increasing immorality, will be soon be chastised and severely punished by divine intervention? To some extent we all would like to see evil-doers get punished. But Jesus did not come to condemn the world. He doesn't have to. We condemn ourselves. Hell is not what God wants for evil-doers; it's what they want for themselves.
When we die, Jesus comes for us and clears our minds all of misconceptions about how we've lived our lives and about who he really is. Then, fully understanding, we receive what we want. If we want to be like him, we're purged of everything that's not like him. If we prefer to be unChrist-like, we don't want to live forever with him. God gives us what we want.
(This is further explained in my online Catechism course "Life After Death: The Eternal Easter Season"; see http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/Catechism. You can also research this by yourself if you look up the word "salvation" in the Catechism; see http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/index/s.htm.)
God does not sentence anyone to hell, because Jesus took the punishment for us and for the whole world. God won't reject anyone who wants to live with him forever, but neither will he reject our free-will decisions. This is why he added: "Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words is judged — not by me — but by the word I spoke."
What is the word that condemns people? "I love you. I really, really love you. I love you so much that I died for you." To reject that is to prefer hell.
© 2009 by Terry A. ModicaFor PERMISSION to copy any of my reflections, go to:http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?To sign up for your own subscription, go to:http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections
Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is my employment through which I provide my writing services; the income from this (although very small at these early stages) will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
______________________________________________________________This is the "Good News Reflections - Early Edition" mailing list.MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION:Change your addressUnsubscribe