Catholicism: Eschatology

The study of the end times

• In the original painting everyone is naked showing how everyone is equal before God’s judgement

• Jesus’ central placement emphasises how Jesus in the most important and the judge of all

• People rising from their graves showing that all people will be raised on judgement day

• People going to Hell have an expression of fear and Hell is shown as a place of darkness without Christ’s light

• The Saints who died horrible deaths are granted new bodies showing that all humans will have new bodies

• The angels blowing trumpets references Revelation where that will symbol the end of the world and Christ’s judgement

Death, judgement, Heaven and Hell

-For Christians death is a transition to new life

-Death is not something to fear because it is the start of eternal life without the limitations of a earthly body

-The soul lives on when the body dies

-The soul is judged by God to either Heaven, Hell or (for Catholics) purgatory

-At the end of time the body and soul will be reunited in a perfect form

-Catholics believe they will be judged after they die

-God will consider everything a person has done in their lifetime

-People will have to accept and take responsibility for their actions

-Because of Jesus’ death people believe God’s judgement will be merciful

-If people are judged favourably they will go to Heaven

-Heaven is a state of eternal happiness with God

-In Heaven God removes all cares and worries

-God wants people to come to Heaven but also wants people to have free will and so gives them the option of coming to Heaven by accepting him

-If people are judged unfavourably they will go to Hell

-Hell is the state of total separation from God

-Christians believe people choose to go to Hell by rejecting God

-People in Hell are aware of what they have thrown away and will live in anger and frustration

“The Outer Darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”- Matthew

“Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels”- Matthew

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." - Matthew 10:28

-“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3)

-“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.”- Matthew 22:2

-”In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”- John 14:2

The anointing of the sick and the commendation of the dying

Because it is a reminder of baptism

-To call down the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fills the person and gives them a sense of peace

-This gives them the power to overcome the doubt and despair the illness may have caused

-The priest asks God to help the person saying “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit”

-The anointing gives hope of new life, whether it’s healing or eternal life with God

This helps them face the future with a clear conscience

It shows that Christ is present with the person , supporting them through their lives

The Viaticum

As a reminder that they are sharing in Christ’s death

The reading assures the person God is with them and The Litany of the Saints ask the saints to pray for the person in their judgement

“Almighty and everlasting God, you have dominion over the living and the dead”

and

“may, through intercession of all your saints, by the clemency of your goodness obtain the remission of all their sins”

It shows that Christ is is with the person on their journey from death to new life

Expresses the hope that the person will be able to experience eternal happiness and peace with God in Heaven after they die

Sanctity of life- All life is holy and belongs to God

-All life is Holy and Sacred

-All life should be respected and valued, life doesn’t become any less valuable when someone is ill or elderly

-All life belongs to God, if someone destroys a human life they are then rejecting God

-People have a duty to give the ill and elderly the care they need

Someone intentionally helps another person to die in order to end their suffering

-It is considered to be murder and morally unacceptable

-Only God has the right to take away life

-Suffering can be seen as a way to share in the suffering of Jesus

-It lowers the value and dignity of life- all live is valuable

-Suffering is a part of being human but may be reduced with medication

-“we, without any way hastening the hour of death should be able to accept it with full responsibility and dignity”- Declaration of Euthanasia conclusion

-” Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”-Genesis 1

-”The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away”

A person’s life should not be deliberately prolonged by treatments if they have no real benefit.

• During the Easter Vigil, baptisms and funerals

• Represents the Risen Christ

• After the sun has set, the priest lights a fire

• The priest traces a design of the Alpha and Omega symbols with his hand, while saying a prayer to worship Christ

• The priest inserts five little holders, each containing a grain of incense into the candle

• The priest lights the Paschal candle from the fire, saying, ‘May the light of Christ rising in glory dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds’

• The priest processes with the candle up to the altar. Light from the paschal candle is used to light the candles held by everyone else in the church

• The light of Christ rising from the tomb, destroying the power of sin and death through his resurrection

• The Alpha and Omega symbols always appear on the Paschal candle. They show Christ is eternal

• The five wounds that Jesus received during his crucifixion

• The light of Christ coming into the world, to overcome the darkness of sin and death

• Shows that all believers are able to share in the risen glory of Christ

• When a person is baptised, they are given the candle to show they have been filled with the light of Christ

• At a funeral, it is lit to show the person has joined Christ in the resurrected life

“The child of yours has been enlightened by the light of Christ". He is to walk always as a child of the light”

• Alpha and omega symbol showing Christ is eternal

• The candle represents the risen Christ

• Five grains of incense represents Jesus’ five wounds at his crucifixion

• Inscribed with RIP

  • Stand for rest in peace to show that the person is enjoying Heaven, enjoying peace and eternal life

• Shaped like a cross

  • Indicates belief in Jesus

  • Hope that the person will be resurrected with Jesus

• Angel carved on them

  • Belief that all people have their guardian angel

  • The angel will present them to God and ask for merciful judgement

• In the past, Christians were buried in sarcophagi with the Chi-Rho symbol on them

  • Shows person believed in Jesus

  • A reminder of the belief that Jesus died so everyone can experience eternal life

• In the middle ages, monuments decorated with skeletons and symbols of decay

  • No matter how important someone is, they face death and judgement like everyone else

An outside area where the ashes of people who have been cremated can be buried. The ashes are not scattered, treated with dignity and buried in a sacred sight.

• Areas of peace and beauty

  • Helps mourners reflect on the peace and beauty of Heaven

• Quite, reflective spaces

  • Helps people mourn for loved ones in peace and feel close to them

• Signalled by cosmic disasters like stars falling from the sky

• Jesus will come to judge creation

• The end of the current world will lead to the creation of a new one

• the Reign of God will be established

“The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give it’s light. Stars shall fall from the sky”

• People believed Jesus’ resurrection meant the end of the world would happen shortly

• All people would then be resurrected and taken to the presence of God

• The world didn’t end so people don’t think the end of the world will happen so soon

• Christians realise they have to live the life of resurrection while they are still alive

• This prepares them for judgement after death

“What is sown is perishable, is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory, It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body”

• Jesus appeared to his disciples- he was resurrected in a physical body- he was not limited by any physical barrier, but was fully present and touchable

• Thomas doubts Jesus alive and says he will only believe when he sees the nail marks in his hands and feet

• “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

• Some people in the presence of God are ashamed of what they have done and what to make up for it even though God has forgiven their sins

• Purgatory is a cleansing process where the effects of sin are removed so the person can feel happy in the presence of God

• Purgatory process can be quickened with the help of prayer from the living

• Happens immediately after a person dies

• God judges a person on an individual basis and the person is judged for all their actions

• Results in a person going to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory

• Happens at the end of time

• Christ will come in glory and judge the whole of creation

• After this the reign of God will be established and everything made perfect

• Those judged favourably by God will stay with him forever in this perfect creation

• All denomination believe in life after death

• Many do no believe in purgatory

• Some believe judgement does not happen directly after death- instead people wait in their graves for the coming of Christ where they will be judged and sent to Heaven or Hell

• Christ will come in glory as judge and saviour

• No one is predestined to go to Heaven or Hell

• God doesn’t send people to hell, the send themselves by rejecting God

• People should constantly be prepared for the end times and should always strive to follow Jesus’ teachings

"Since however we know not the day nor the hour on Our Lord’s advice we must constantly be vigilant”

• “the work committed to us in this world by the Father, and thus work out our salvation”

• We must keep faith and perform good deeds and actions that spread God’s love

• “God predestines no one to go to hell a wilful turning away from God (mortal sin) is necessary and persistence in doing it”

• Do not commit mortal sins as they destroy your relationship with God

• If a person does commit a mortal sin, they should repent and truly be sorry for it

• Body taken to Church in a coffin

  • Represents decease being taken back to God

• At the Church doors, the coffin is sprinkled with holy water

  • Reminder of Baptism

  • Person baptised into Christ’s death and now joins His resurrection

• Coffin placed beside Paschal candle

  • Show light of the Risen Christ is shining on the person

• Mass called a requiem which is a Latin word meaning rest

  • Whole mass centred around praying that the deceased person is now in Heaven

• Readings of Mass focus on the effects of Christ’s resurrection

  • Reflects belief that His death and resurrection made life after death possible

“I am the resurrection and the life… everyone who believes in me will never die”

• Holy water sprinkled on coffin

  • Reminder of Baptism

• Priest waves smoke of burning incense over coffin

  • Represents people’s prayers being offered up to God on the behalf of the deceased

• Coffin is blessed and congregation says “May the angles lead you to paradise”

  • Expresses hope deceased will spend eternity in Heaven

• A prayer is said for the mourners

  • Reflects hope they will meet the deceased person again in Heaven

• At burial/cremation, the Lord’s prayer is said. Coffin is sprinkled win holy water. Prayers said for person’s eternal happiness with God

  • Reflects belief that deceased person was a child of God who has now hopefully been returned to his loving care

• God made the universe perfect and in harmony

• Sin broke this harmony, throwing creation out of balance

• Jesus destroyed the power of sin and death and helped to restore harmony to the world

• Whole of creation will be made perfect at the end of time and the universe will be reconciled with God

“through him God was pleased to reconcile himself all things… by making peace through the blood of his cross”

• A medieval writer who saw visions from Jesus and she asked by sin and hell exists

• Jesus replied: “It was necessary that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well”

  • The first phrase reflects the belief of evil being necessary for free will

  • ‘all shall be well’ shows sin will be defeated and all things made perfect at the end of time

• Wealth makes it easier to forget the needs of others

  • The rich man “feasted sumptuously every day”

• People in hell are conscious and aware of those in Heaven

  • Being aware of those in heaven increases their suffering- the Rich man knows Abraham and Lazarus are in Heaven

• It is not possible to move between Heaven and Hell

  • Abraham tell the Rich man there is a “great chasm” between them

• Having faith in God and following Jesus’ teaching will send you to Heaven

  • “if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead”- Jesus

Catholics believe life begins at conception- removing an embryo is considered murder

• “Before I formed you in the Womb I knew you”- Jeremiah

• “The very hairs on you head are counted. Do not fret, for you are worth more than many sparrows”