Last week, in the context of the conclusion of the Church’s liturgical year, we reflected on a final theme given to us before the beginning of Advent. That theme is the Four Last Things: death, judgement, heaven and hell. 

 

For each person, those four realities summarize our transition from this passing earthly life to the eternal life, in paradise or in hell, which must be our final end.

 

In a world that distracts us by our sufferings or by temporary pleasures, it is easy to concentrate only on the here and now. When that happens, especially in our modern and scientifically oriented age, there is a great temptation to ignore eternal life. Consequently, many do not even believe in the reality of an unending existence that awaits each of us. 

 

Life is then lived as if our death is the end of everything. In that case, the Bible warns us of shallow thoughts that can follow: “Our lifetime is the passing of a shadow; and our dying cannot be deferred because it is fixed with a seal; and no one returns. Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are here, and make use of creation with youthful zest. Let us have our fill of costly wine and perfumes, and let no springtime blossom pass us by; let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither. Let no meadow be free from our wantonness; everywhere let us leave tokens of our merriment, for this is our portion, and this our lot.” (Wis 2: 3-9). 

 

This attitude is ultimately the basis for life without hope. But it has attracted many throughout the world’s history.

 

Our Catholic faith, telling us about our eternal destiny, gives us the understanding of a deeper meaning of life. Our dignity, and the worth of every person, is linked to our calling to eternal life with God.

 

That being so, it means that every moment of life and every thought, prayer and decision that we make will be taken into consideration as we pass into eternity. Our faith and our actions will be the basis for how we are judged when our life ends.

 

Every person will receive the particular judgement on all of his or her life at the moment of death. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, depending upon how we have referred our life to Jesus in this world, at that moment we will be granted “entrance into the blessedness of heaven — through a purification or immediately — or immediate and everlasting damnation.” (CCC, 1022). 

 

The catechism also reminds us that if we have lived in a manner worthy of heaven, at that particular judgement we will finally encounter the fulfillment of our deepest human longings. Joined to Christ, for the first time we will find and recognize who we are and what we have been meant to be.

 

The particular judgement will be followed, at the end of time, by the last judgement. 

 

First, we will all rise from the tombs where we have been laid. Then, in confirmation of the particular judgements that have already taken place, the good will be eternally separated from the evil, the sheep from the goats, as we read in Matthew 25:31-46.

 

Even more, as the catechism tells us, at the last judgement God will “pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation …” (CCC, 1040). We will see clearly the truth of faith and revelation and that our world has not been guided by randomness or chance but by God’s providence.

 

The end of the Church year calls us to conversion. It reminds us to live life and faith seriously. And most deeply, it urges us to set our sights on the promise of heaven and the fulfillment of our nature eternally with God.