AM+DG

Hell – The Pain of Sense [65-71]

I. Introduction
a. Hamburg – On 7/28/1943, the British Royal Air Force launched a
massive air attack in the middle of the night on Hamburg, a great
industrial center in Germany, population two million. 729 bombers
dropped a “bomb carpet” in the form of 2,417 tons of high explosives
and landmines. After 30 minutes, two out of three buildings were on
fire in a six square mile area.
Tens of thousands of fires are started. Flames continually rise upward
and outward, seeking oxygen. Number of fires reduced to the
thousands, then to hundreds, then to dozens, until finally there is just
one raging inferno, 1 1/4 miles in diameter.
There is no power, no water, no communication, no street lights, only
flames. The people must escape, but cannot. Eventually, a firestorm is
generated. On the perimeter, winds are blowing at 150 mph.
Temperatures rise to 1400F. Aluminum and lead become liquid; glass
melts. The fire mounts to three miles high, even reaching the planes
dropping the bombs.
People in bomb shelters are not safe either. Utensils are melting inside,
while brick turns to dust and ash. People asphyxiate, becoming mere
puddles. Read second to last paragraph, p. 95.
St. John Chrysostom – “We must descend into Hell before death, if
we do not want to go down there after death.”
b. First Prelude – Composition of Place: length, breadth, and depth of
Hell
c. Second Prelude – Grace: Sense of pain which damned suffer. If I
forget God’s love, at least the fear of pain will help me avoid sin.
II. Meditation – We go down to Hell and feel its effects. We apply the
senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell. Do not think that you cannot go
to Hell. Many, many go there and you could too. There is already a place
prepared; exceptional if everyone in the room went to Heaven.
III. Children of Fatima – Our Lady gave them a vision of Hell. They were
immediately transformed, the sight was so terrible. The only thing that
could console them was Our Lady’s promise that they would go to
Heaven. Jacinta and Francisco performed terrible penances before they
died: prayers, fastings, hairshirts, cords, no amusements, little food and
water. “Save us from the fires of Hell … lead all souls to Heaven.”
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IV. Sin is terrible – Man, a finite creature, can perform actions of infinite
consequences. This is especially true when man offends the infinite God.
Sin is serious and terrible!
STA: “I cannot understand a man sleeping at night with one mortal sin on
his soul.” The doctrine of Hell is mentioned more than any other in the
NT. We must do all we can to avoid it. That is why Our Lord mentioned it
so many times.
N.B. – Hell is a just punishment from God for rejecting His love. God
loves us and wants to save us, but He also wants us to make a free choice
of Him, unlike the devil, who tries to enslave us. Not choosing God is
pure insanity. St. Leonard of Port Maurice: To be saved for all eternity,
to be damned for all eternity, and to not make your every effort to avoid
the one and make sure of the other, is something inconceivable.
V. Hell is eternal – Everything in this world passes. Hell is constant and
eternal torment. This we cannot conceive. Consider our favorite thing to
do, e.g. eating ice cream, going fishing. If we had to do them for a
hundred years, a thousand years, they would become the most terrible
torment for us. But Hell is even worse: eternal torment with no possibility
of escape.
VI. Colloquy of Mercy [71] – Consider the damned of the past: BC,
during the life of OLJC, and AD. They are all dead and gone to their
eternal damnation. I, however, am still alive, even after committing so
many sins. What a great mercy of God! I can still repent, because God has
been patient with me. Thank God. Resolve to avoid Hell at all costs.
Repent for your sins.