chapter 9: the resurrection of the body and life everlasting

Chapter 9: The Resurrection of the Body and Life

EverlastingINTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM

ANTICIPATORY SET Free write on how the passage with the description of the Last Judgment (cf. Mt 25:31–46) relates to the truth that “at the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love” (CCC 1022).

1. The Two Ends of the World (pp. 204-210)

BASIC QUESTIONS What is eschatology? What are the two judgments? KEY IDEAS Eschatology is the branch of theology that deals with

the end of the world. There are two divine judgments for man: each soul’s

Particular Judgment immediately upon death followed by entry into Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell; and the General Judgment of all souls when Christ returns in glory, unites us with our bodies, and publicly judges each person for his or her thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Why is every person destined to die? Death is a consequence of Original Sin, which is inherited. What are the Last Things? The Last Things are death, judgment, resurrection, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and the end of time. They are objective truths, taught in Scripture and reaffirmed by the Church, about what happens at the end of our lives and the end of the world. What is eschatology? The word eschatology is derived from the Greek eschaton, meaning end, and it refers to the branch of theology that studies the end of the world.


GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share using the following question: How should a Christian respond to the statement,

“When you die, you are dead forever”?


FOCUS QUESTIONS Why should each person be concerned about death? The moral state of the soul at death determines how he or she will spend eternity. Why is death a positive thing? Christ became incarnate and died for the sins of all, and if a person is faithful to the end of his or her earthly life, then death will mark the beginning of eternal life. How is the human being unique among earthly creatures? A human being consists of a human body and an immortal soul, endowed with reason and free will.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is death? Death is the separation of the body from the soul. Why do Christians respect the corpse? The body of the deceased deserves respect and dignity because it was created by God and was a temple of the Holy Spirit. Is cremation permissible for a Christian? Yes, as long as it is performed for the right reasons, i.e., not to deny the resurrection of the body or the immortality of the soul.


GUIDED EXERCISE Work with a partner to write and answer three Focus Questions regarding the sidebar, “Do Unbaptized Babies Go to Limbo?”


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the Particular Judgment? It is the immediate judgment of a person by God when his or her soul leaves the body at death. In terms of salvation, what ends at death? The possibility of merit, demerit, or conversion ceases at death. Extension: An action deserving of reward is meritorious. An action deserving of punishment is demeritorious. Conversion means repenting of evil deeds.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What does the reality of death reveal about how each life should be led? A person should make the best possible use of his or her earthly life by employing God-given gifts to do his will so as to enjoy eternity with him in Heaven. What is a good death? It is to die in the grace of God.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the two judgments? The two judgments are the Particular Judgment for those who die before Christ returns in glory, and the General Judgment that takes place for all souls at the end of the world. What are the three possibilities for a soul’s state after Particular Judgment? They are Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Does the hope of Heaven distract the Christian from earthly responsibilities? No. It makes the Christian more urgent in his or her earthly responsibilities. Extension: The hope of Heaven reminds each person that how he or she fulfills earthly responsibilities helps to determine his or her eternal reward. Why is the Church and each Christian a “pilgrim”? The Church and each individual Christian is a pilgrim because the final destination of the Church as a whole and each Christian on earth will only be reached in Heaven. When will the Kingdom of God come in glory? The Kingdom of God will come in glory when Christ returns at the end of time.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the resurrection of the body? When Christ returns, he will raise the bodies of the dead, both good and evil, and reunite each with its respective soul. How will human bodies be different after the resurrection? Bodies will become immortal, taking on a spiritual form, and the bodies of the just will be glorified. Why is it appropriate that a body and soul be reunited? Just as on earth a person performs good or evil with both body and soul, so too throughout eternity, both body and soul will be rewarded or punished together.


FOCUS QUESTIONS When will the end of the world occur? Nobody knows when the end of the world will occur. It is known only by God. What should be the consequence of this uncertainty? We must be ready for Christ’s return at any moment. When did most of Christ’s disciples in the early years of the Church probably think he would return? They probably thought Christ would return within their own lifetimes.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Why did they think his return was imminent? (1) Mankind’s broken relationship with God had been healed and salvation history had been fulfilled. (2) Jesus said that the end of the world would be soon. What did Jesus actually mean about the world coming to an end soon? He meant the Old Covenant had been fulfilled and Jerusalem would soon be destroyed. Extension: The Romans did, in fact, destroy Jerusalem AD 70.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the Parousia? It is the Second Coming of Christ, when “He will come again in glory / to judge the living and the dead” (cf. Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed). What are some other names for the General Judgment? Other names include the Last Judgment, the Final Judgment, and the Universal Judgment. What does it mean to say Christ will come in glory? When Jesus returns at the end of the world, God’s majesty, wisdom, justice, mercy, and final victory will shine forth for all to see.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What will happen at the General Judgment? The virtuous will be invited into the Kingdom of Heaven; the wicked will enter Hell; all creation will be renewed; and the Church will be perfected. Is the General Judgment a “retrial” for those who died before the end of time? No. God will publicly confirm their Particular Judgments, which were rendered at the moment of each person’s death.


GUIDED EXERCISE Perform a focused reading of CCC 1040 based on the

following question: What will be the most important “Revelation” at the

General Judgment and why?


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 1-10 (p. 219) Practical Exercise 2-3 (p. 220) Workbook Questions 1-16 Read “Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory” through

“Conclusion” (pp. 210-216)


CLOSURE Write a paragraph that explains what happens to the body and soul at the time of death and what happens to them at the end of time, distinguishing between the Particular and General Judgments.


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Free write for a few minutes on something you found hard to understand from this lesson to clarify the issue in question.


ANTICIPATORY SET Discuss what Christ’s parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus (cf. Lk 16:19-31) implies about the nature of Heaven and Hell.

2. Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory (pp. 210-216)

BASIC QUESTIONS What is Heaven? What is Purgatory? What is Hell? KEY IDEAS Heaven is the state of eternal happiness with God in

which a person shares in God’s divine life and enjoys the Beatific Vision.

Purgatory is a state of final purification after death but before entrance into Heaven for those persons who die in God’s friendship but who were only imperfectly purified on earth.

Hell is the state of eternal punishment for a person’s unrepentant mortal sins and rejection of God.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is Heaven? Heaven is the state of everlasting life in which people share in full communion with God and enjoy perfect happiness.

What is the Beatific vision? The Beatific Vision is the immediate vision of God enjoyed by those in Heaven. According to the Catechism, no. 1024, what is the relationship between happiness and Heaven? “Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness” (CCC 1024).


FOCUS QUESTIONS How does one reach the state of Heaven? One reaches Heaven either by dying in the full graces of God or being purified of the temporal punishment due to sin in Purgatory. What are the “mansions” in Heaven to which Christ referred (Jn 14:2)? They are the various full capacities of happiness the blessed in Heaven enjoy. Each of the blessed possesses happiness to his or her fullest capacity, although some people will have greater capacity than others due to their more perfect cooperation with grace during their earthly lives.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Can we imagine what Heaven is like? No. “‘No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’” (1 Cor 2:9). What are some scriptural images of Heaven? Scriptural images of Heaven include life, light, peace, a wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father’s house, the heavenly Jerusalem, and paradise. How does Heaven make suffering on earth worthwhile? It is worthwhile to endure an earthly life of intense trial and suffering if it is for the good of salvation and everlasting happiness in Heaven.


GUIDED EXERCISE Work with a partner to complete the following table about the positive and negative dimensions of Purgatory.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is Purgatory? Purgatory is a state of purification for those persons who die in God’s friendship but who either have the stain of venial sins or owe temporal punishments due for sins already forgiven. How is Purgatory unlike Heaven and Hell? Purgatory is unlike Heaven and Hell in that it is temporary and will end when the last souls leave it to enter Heaven. Why is it good to pray for the souls in Purgatory? It is good to pray for the souls in Purgatory because prayers can hasten their entrance into Heaven.


GUIDED EXERCISE Complete the following table summarizing evidence for the state of Purgatory in the Bible.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is Hell? Hell is the state of everlasting suffering and separation from God. What causes souls to experience the state of Hell? Hell is a consequence of dying unrepentant of mortal sin and refusing the love and mercy of God.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the chief punishment of Hell according to CCC 1035? “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” (CCC 1035). How can a good God condemn people to Hell? Those in Hell have rejected God’s love and mercy, and God honors their free choice, which is itself his gift to them. Hell is, therefore, a self-exclusion from everlasting communion with God in Heaven.


GUIDED EXERCISE Work with a partner to compose bullet-point list of various images of Hell.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the Book of Revelation? The Book of Revelation is a cryptic and prophetic view of what will be accomplished with the Second Coming of Christ. What are two keys to understanding the Book of Revelation? Two keys to understanding the Book of Revelation are (1) examining the historical setting in which it was written, and (2) viewing it in terms of the Mass and the heavenly liturgy. Who wrote the Book of Revelation? St. John, one of the Twelve, wrote the Book of Revelation.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What catastrophic events did the Jews experience after AD 67? A new Roman governor brutally persecuted the Jews in Judea and provoked a failed Jewish revolt that culminated in the deaths of thousands of Jews, mass enslavements of the survivors, and the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. What happened to the Jewish Christian inhabitants of Jerusalem? It is thought they largely escaped to the town of Pella.


FOCUS QUESTIONS How is the Book of Revelation structured like the Mass? From the earliest times, the Christian liturgy consisted of a Liturgy of the Word (Scripture readings and a homily) and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (bread and wine changed into the Body and Blood of Christ). The Book of Revelation consists of two parts that reflect these elements of the Mass. What is the “Penitential Rite” of the Book of Revelation? Like the Mass, the Book of Revelation begins with a call to repentance.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the “readings” of the Book of Revelation? The “readings” of the Book of Revelation are the letters to the seven churches. How is the Liturgy of the Eucharist present in the Book of Revelation? The Liturgy of the Eucharist is present in the Book of Revelation through (1) the image of the Lamb who was slain but who is now resurrected; and (2) the image of the wedding feast that follows the victory over the great dragon, the beasts, and the harlot.


FOCUS QUESTIONS How is the Blessed Virgin Mary pictured in the Book of Revelation? She is the “woman clothed with the sun” (Rev 12:1) whose Son the great dragon (Satan) seeks to devour. Although Christ’s victory is assured, what does the Book of Revelation reveal about the dangers of sin? Those who choose not to stay faithful to the Lamb risk being seduced into sin by the beasts. How is Christ portrayed at the end of the Book of Revelation? Christ promises to return soon to repay everyone for his or her deeds, thoughts, words, and omissions.


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 11-16 (p. 219) Practical Exercises 1, 4-5 (p. 220) Workbook Questions 17-22


CLOSURE Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell.


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Work with a partner to explain what St. Ambrose meant when he declared, “Death is, then, no cause for mourning, for it is the cause of mankind’s salvation.”


THE END

chapter 9: the resurrection of the body and life everlasting

Documents

ends ofthe world

focus questions

human body

end of time

general judgment

immediate judgment

basic questions

earthly life