Hell is Mercy – Part 2
In the last post I posted evidence that hell is Mercy. We also established that hell is a separation from God.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire." 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.
We further established that God reluctantly grants the souls in hell their desire to separate from Him.
In this post, I hope to expand further explain how the creation of hell is not meant to be a punishment, but it is an act of love - a sacrifice - on the part of God.
As I discussed in the last post, God allows hell to exist. Hell is a place where God’s grace does not exist. By allowing the existence of hell, God, who is all-powerful, limits Himself. He allows creatures of His own creation to reject Him.
God created heaven and earth from nothing by His word only; that is, by a single act of His all-powerful will.
By limiting Himself, in order to allow man the freedom to reject Him, God indulges man and demonstrates His limitless love.
This act of love can be equated to when God limited himself to being man. He further limited Himself and allowed Himself to be humiliated and rejected by allowing men to crucify Him.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
272 Faith in God the Father Almighty can be put to the test by the experience of evil and suffering. God can sometimes seem to be absent and incapable of stopping evil. But in the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the voluntary humiliation and Resurrection of his Son, by which he conquered evil. Christ crucified is thus "the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." It is in Christ's Resurrection and exaltation that the Father has shown forth "the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe".
458 The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
459 The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me."
While He limits Himself, he further demonstrates His love. His self-limitations do not lessen him but only further glorifies Him.
By the way, the fact that God can limit Himself answers the age-old question: God CAN make a rock so heavy He could not lift it – if He chooses to do so.
Conclusion
Hell is mercy
With the next post I’ll discuss why the mere separation from God causes eternal torment. I’ll discuss the transformative nature of Hell – the only place in any dimension where the grace of God is not felt.
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