The Last Things

What Happens After Death?

What do Catholics believe happens at death?

At death, each person is immediately judged by God. We will be judged according to our actions here on earth, as Jesus describes in the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46) If we die spiritually in union with God, we will be eternally united with him. If we die spiritually separated from God, we will be eternally separated from him by our own free choice.

How does one become united with God?

Baptism is the normal way that God has chosen to make us a new creation and give us the gift of his divine life. We are then in a state of union and friendship with God. We can strengthen this union with God through prayer, acts of love, and accepting the daily opportunities he offers us to grow closer to him. When we sin, we need to repent and ask the Lord for his forgiveness.

What will heaven be like?

People often imagine heaven as a sort of endless amusement park, where one can do all the things one likes to do on earth. This is not the case, thankfully; any earthly activity would get boring quickly! Heaven is a state of perfect union with God, for whom our hearts were made, and it is this union that is the cause of our rejoicing in heaven. We will know and rejoice with everyone else in heaven, the angels and the saints.

How can a loving God send people to hell?

Since heaven is the state of being united to God, only those who actually love him can be part of it. Even God cannot force anyone to love him, since authentic love cannot be compelled. Hell is a state of eternal separation from God, and it is this separation that is the primary source of hell’s misery. If a person is in hell, it is not due to a lack of love on God’s part, but rather to that person’s own free decision to reject God’s love.

Don’t Catholics believe in something called purgatory?

Yes. Many who die in a state of union with God, and therefore are destined to heaven, still have a number of spiritual faults and sinful attachments. Nothing unclean or impure can enter heaven. (Rev. 21:27) Thankfully, in his great mercy, God allows us to be spiritually cleansed or purified prior to entering heaven, and it is this cleansing that we call purgatory. Everyone being cleansed in purgatory is happy because they are being prepared for heaven.

Where can I learn more about such topics?

In these messages we are necessarily limited in the detail we can go into on any particular topic. To learn more about particular Catholic teachings, it is helpful to go straight to the source. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, an official summary of all Catholic teachings, can easily be read online. Catholic Answers (www.catholic.com) is another very helpful place to find answers to particular questions; just type in a question or subject!

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Faith & Love

How Are We Saved?

How does one receive the gift of salvation?

At the end of his first sermon in Acts, the Jewish crowds asked Peter what they should do. He answered, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:37-38) This is still the same answer Catholics would give a crowd of questioners today. We need to turn away from sin and acknowledge our need for Jesus, and gratefully ask him to cleanse us of sin and give us new life through Baptism.

Why would Baptism be important?

At Baptism, we share in the Lord’s death and Resurrection, and are washed clean from sin and given a new life. (Rom 6:4) Jesus was referring to Baptism when he spoke of the need to be “born again by water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5) He himself said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16) This understanding of Baptism is clearly evident in Acts and has been practiced since the earliest centuries of Christianity.

Why do we need Baptism if we are saved by grace alone?

We are saved by grace alone, by the freely offered and undeserved gift of God. God can give his gifts in any manner he chooses, and he has chosen to offer us these spiritual gifts through Baptism. As an example, say a friend comes to your front door with a present. You have done nothing to “earn” the gift; you can only benefit from the gift by opening the door and accepting it. When we repent and have faith in Jesus, we open the door of our hearts, and when we allow ourselves to be baptized, we allow God to place his gift into our arms.

Doesn’t Paul say that we are saved by faith, not works?

In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul writes, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” To this, Catholics say, “Amen!” We cannot earn our salvation by doing good deeds. It is through faith that we are moved to request God’s gift of new life in Baptism, freely given by God and completely undeserved.

What does Paul mean when he writes of works?

In Paul’s letters, when he refers to works, he is not speaking of Baptism. He is referring to circumcision and other works of the Jewish law, such as observing the dietary laws. He is clarifying that such actions are not required for Christians, and they do not bring about new life in Christ.

What is the Catholic understanding?

After explaining again that circumcision does not have value for Christians, Paul wrote, “The only thing that counts is faith working through love.” (Gal 5:6) This is a great summary of Catholic belief: one must have faith that is expressed through acts of love. This is what the apostle James meant when he wrote that we are not saved by faith alone. (James 2:24-26) In other words, to have the abundant life which God desires for us, we must have faith in Jesus and also remain united with him in love. This, too, is the understanding embraced by Christians throughout all of Christian history.

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Beyond Our Strength

Saved by Grace Alone

What do Catholics believe about salvation?

Along with most of our fellow Christians, Catholics believe that humanity has been separated from God by sin. In our own way, each of us has chosen to turn away from God through selfishness and pride. Spiritually, it is as if we are standing on one side of the Grand Canyon and God is on the other. It is beyond our power to take a shovel and fill in the Grand Canyon; repairing the spiritual damage separating us from God is equally beyond our strength.

How does separation from God affect us?

God loves us and created us to be in union with him. Whether or not we recognize it, our hearts yearn for God. Separated from him by our sins, we do not experience the fullness of life that he intended for us. Sin hurts and enslaves us, as one can see in cases of addiction. We are like the people of Israel during their time in Egypt, enslaved and suffering cruelly, unable to free ourselves. This is why we needed Jesus to come into the world as our Savior.

How is Jesus our Savior?

To save the human race from our spiritual brokenness, God chose to enter the world himself. He became man as Jesus of Nazareth. Because Jesus is fully God and fully man, he is able to heal the division between God and humanity. In the time of the Exodus, God sent Moses to free the Israelites and bring them to a Promised Land. When Jesus gave his life for us on the cross, he was a “new Moses,” breaking the bonds of sin and offering us freedom and new life.

What if Jesus had not come into the world?

Without Jesus, we would have no hope of being healed from sin. Our separation from God would continue after death, for God cannot force us to love him. This state of separation is called hell. When we say that Jesus is our Savior, we mean that he forgives our sin and offers us the gift of eternal union with him one day in heaven. But as wonderful as this is, there is even more to salvation than this!

What more does Jesus desire for us?

As Jesus said in the Gospels, “I have come that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) In other words, he does not just want to save us from hell; he wants us to experience a fullness of life right now. He wants to transform us into adopted sons and daughters of God the Father, with hearts that gradually become more like his heart. We can have freedom from our old sins and evil habits, and have a new life. Like Paul, we can rejoice, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)

Do I have to earn this gift of salvation and new life?

Imagine parents looking at their newborn child: they love their child, even though there is absolutely nothing that the child has done to earn their love or the gift of life. The same applies to our relationship with God. He loves you more than the best parents ever loved their children, without any conditions, no matter what you have done in the past. You do not have to earn his love or his gift of new life: he offers it to you freely! We are saved by grace alone. (Eph 2:8-9)

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A Shepherd for the Flock

Why Do Catholics Have a Pope?

Why do Catholics have a pope?

In most churches, there is a pastor who leads the congregation on behalf of the Lord. The Catholic Church is the same way. We are one church spread across the world, and the pope is our lead pastor. Jesus set it up this way, giving Peter special authority to lead the Church after Jesus returned to heaven. Jesus would work through Peter and his successors to keep his Church united and faithful to the Gospel.

When did Jesus make Peter the leader of the Church?

In Matthew 16, Jesus promises to build his Church upon Peter. He will give him the keys to the kingdom of heaven, with powers to loose and to bind in his name. (Matthew 16:18-19) These are terms associated with the royal steward, who in the Old Testament would lead the kingdom on behalf of Israel’s king. As the king of heaven, Jesus calls Peter to be his royal steward, leading the Church on his behalf. Jesus later reaffirms this special calling, commanding Peter three times, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17) Peter’s leadership can be seen throughout the Acts of the Apostles, especially in Acts 15.

Wouldn’t this leadership role end once Peter dies?

The royal steward was an ongoing office, because the king would always need a steward. Jesus intended Peter’s office to continue through each generation, for he knew his flock would always need a visible shepherd. The “keys” of authority will be passed from generation to generation. Peter was the first bishop of Rome, and all of the popes are his successors as bishop of Rome. The other bishops continue the ministry of the apostles, too, and work with the pope.

Can the Pope teach whatever he wants?

No, the pope is not like a medieval king, able to do or teach whatever he likes on a whim. He cannot make up new teachings or change the Gospel; his duty is to ensure that we are staying faithful to the truths of our Christian faith. When questions arise about an important issue of faith or morals, God can work through the pope and bishops to clarify the question and keep the Church united in truth, as in Acts 15.

Haven’t there been many sinful popes over the years?

Of the 266 popes so far, most have been good and holy leaders, thanks be to God! There are eight or so popes who are infamous for living sinful and hypocritical lives. Catholics find this disappointing, but not a surprise. Our leaders are human beings, with a need for God’s mercy and healing like the rest of us. Jesus did not promise that Peter and his successors would be sinless, but that he would guide the Church through the centuries, despite human weakness and sin.

Can’t Christians decide for themselves what is true or false?

Remember that Jesus taught only one Gospel, and the truths he revealed enable us to be united with him in love, now and in eternity. Thus, the truths of Christianity are not created by personal opinion or changed by popular vote; rather, they are treasures to be received with humility and joyfully lived out. Jesus left us a living family of faith, led by a visible shepherd, in order that his teaching may be proclaimed clearly and fully in every generation, so that we may know the truth, and the truth shall set us free. (John 8:32)

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Full of Grace

Mary

What is so special about Mary?

God chose Mary to play an extremely important role in the salvation of the world. Speaking through the angel Gabriel, God called Mary “full of grace” and asked her to be the mother of Jesus. Mary freely said yes to God’s request, and Jesus was conceived in her womb through the Holy Spirit. As one saint said, “No Mary, no Jesus.”

Doesn’t Jesus want us to care about him alone?

Imagine a young man starting to consider marriage. Wouldn’t he want his girlfriend to meet his parents and develop affection for them? Surely he would not say, “Sweetheart, I don’t want you to pay any attention to my parents or get to know my friends. I only want you to care about me.” When someone loves us, we are happy that they also develop love for those whom we care about. In the same way, Jesus is happy for us to care for his mother and others he loves.

Do Catholics worship Mary?

No, Catholic Christians only worship God. Mary is a human being created by God, like all of us. We do not worship her, but we honor her as the mother of Jesus and the greatest of all the saints. She is the best example in Scripture of humility and obedience to God’s will.

What are Scriptural examples of giving honor to others?

Honoring someone means that we have respect and admiration for that person. Our highest respect and admiration goes to God, of course. But God also commands us to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12), church leaders (1 Tim 5:17), the emperor (1 Peter 2:17), and others in political authority (1 Tim 2:2). God foretold through Mary herself, “From this day, all generations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48) From the earliest centuries up to the present day, Christians have fulfilled this prophecy in our honor of Mary.

Why do Catholics ask Mary to pray for them?

Catholics pray directly to Jesus every day. He is our closest friend, and we come to him with our worries and needs. But as discussed in a previous message, we can also ask those in heaven to pray for us. The saints are not dead, but even more alive than we are, and closer to God. Scripture indicates that they are still aware of what is happening on earth and that they pray to God on our behalf. So we find it very natural to ask the saints to pray for us, and particularly Mary as the Lord’s mother.

How can Mary help in our walk with Jesus?

Just as affection for one’s mother-in-law does not weaken one’s relationship with one’s spouse, but strengthens it, so too an appropriate affection for Mary helps us to love Jesus even better. Mary always points us to her son, just as she did during the wedding at Cana: “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5) One is not obliged as a Catholic to honor Mary, but countless Christians have discovered that Mary’s example and intercession have led them to experience an even deeper love of Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

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Family Portraits

Statues and Religious Art

Why do Catholics have art in their churches?

Our churches often have depictions of Jesus, angels, saints, and Bible scenes. Such art goes all the way back to the earliest centuries, when persecuted Christians created frescoes of Jesus and religious scenes in the catacombs. Historically, art has been an important way to teach the faith to those who are unable to read, in much the same way as children’s Bibles today often contain pictures. Art also adds beauty to our worship and serves as holy reminders of heavenly realities.

How can works of art be holy reminders?

Think of how our national monuments feature statues or portraits of American heroes. Standing before Lincoln’s statue at the Lincoln Memorial, we are inspired to fight for truth as he did. Similarly, when Catholics stand before a crucifix depicting the death of Jesus, we remember the tremendous love with which Jesus gave his life for us. Religious art helps us turn our heart and mind towards God.

Are Catholics worshipping the statues?

No, Catholics do not worship statues or any other works of art, any more than visitors to the Lincoln Memorial are worshipping “Honest Abe.” We only worship the blessed Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We are well aware that a crucifix is simply a hunk of plaster and wood, for example, and not really Jesus himself. When we pray in front of a crucifix, we are not worshipping it, but praying to Jesus whom we cannot see.

Why have statues of people besides Jesus?

As we explained in our previous message, Catholics see the saints as our brothers and sisters in Christ. Just as people often have portraits of family members in their homes, Catholics often have images of the saints in our churches, since they are part of our spiritual family. Their lives inspire us in our love for Jesus. When we see an image of Saint Paul, for example, we are inspired to preach the Gospel courageously as he did.

Didn’t God forbid statues and images?

When God gave the Ten Commandments, he was not forbidding the creation of all religious art, but rather the creation of idols of false gods. (Exodus 20:3-6) The Israelites were not to create such idols like their pagan neighbors, for God is the only true God and they must worship him alone. On many occasions, however, God does command his people to create statues and other art for use in worship.

What are examples of God commanding images to be made?

God commanded Moses to create a bronze serpent for the healing of the Israelites. (Numbers 21:4-9) He ordered that golden angels be made to adorn the Ark of the Covenant. (Exodus 25:17-22) By God’s command, the Temple in Jerusalem was full of sacred art, including enormous statues of angels, as well as carved images of palm trees, flowers, lions and oxen. (1 Kings 6-7) Such examples show that God does not prohibit all religious art, but only the worship of false gods. It is proper for Christians to use nativity scenes, illustrated Bibles, crosses, and other works of art to help draw us closer to him.

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Heroes of Faith

The Saints

What is a saint?

“Saint” comes from the biblical word meaning “holy.” A saint is someone who is holy, someone who is closely united with Jesus in love. Everyone in heaven is a saint, and so we should all hope to be saints one day. But each of us is also called to be a saint right now in our daily lives, becoming holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). If we give ourselves wholeheartedly to Jesus in love, he can slowly transform us into the saints we are meant to be, intimately united with Jesus in this life and in eternal life.

Why are some people named saints, like Francis of Assisi?

These are Christians who lived such heroic lives of holiness that the Catholic Church holds them up as examples of faith to inspire the rest of us. Thousands of people have been officially recognized as saints in this way over the centuries, such as Saint Francis. We believe that they are with Jesus, and we want to follow their example and eventually join them in heaven, rejoicing in God’s presence.

Do Catholics worship the saints?

No, Catholics do not worship the saints. Catholics only worship the blessed Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We see the saints as our brothers and sisters in Christ, much like our brothers and sisters in faith here on earth. We honor the saints and seek to follow their example of holiness, just as Jesus and the apostles would have honored Moses and other heroes of Scripture.

Why not focus only on Jesus?

The saints do not distract us from Jesus, but rather the opposite. They are ordinary people whose lives were transformed in amazing ways as they gave their hearts entirely to Jesus. Much as a young athlete might be inspired by a sports hero, the saints are our spiritual heroes who inspire us to give our hearts entirely to Jesus. Just as a beautiful mountain does not detract our focus from God, but leads us to praise his grandeur and power, the beautiful workings of divine grace in the saints move us to more heartfelt praise of God.

Do the saints in heaven care about us here on earth?

Of course they do! They are not dead; they are actually more alive than we are, and closer to God. Christians have always believed that those in heaven are aware of what is going on here on earth, and that we can still talk to them as our brothers and sisters in Christ. For example, recall how Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:30), or his words about the rejoicing in heaven when a soul repents (Luke 15:7), or how those in heaven are depicted lifting up prayers to God on our behalf (Rev. 5:8, 8:4).

Why do Catholics talk to saints?

We feel very comfortable asking them to pray for us, just as we ask each other here on earth to intercede on our behalf. For example, if your father is sick, you might ask a friend from church to pray for him. You are not worshipping your friend, but asking for her to pray to God on your father’s behalf. To Catholics, it makes perfect sense that we would similarly ask those in heaven to pray for us, too, before God.

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Common Questions Catholics Are Asked

Are Catholics Christians?

Yes, Catholics are Christians. Catholics believe what has always been at the core of the Christian faith: that Jesus of Nazareth is divine. God loves us so much that he entered the world and became a human being, in order that we may know him and love him. Since this is the case, we want to make Jesus the center of our lives. In him alone is found true joy and peace in this life, and eternal salvation after death.

Why do you call yourselves “Catholic”?

“Catholic” comes from the Greek word meaning “universal” or “shared by all.” By the end of the first century, this word started to be used by Christians to refer to the worldwide Christian Church, founded by Jesus and built upon the apostles. For the rest of the first millennium, the terms “Christian” and “Catholic” were used interchangeably.

Why are there many different Christian groups?

The first long-lasting division among Christians happened in 1054, when separation occurred between the Catholic Church and the churches we now know as the Eastern Orthodox. The next significant division occurred in the 1500s with the Protestant Reformation, when various new churches separated from the Catholic Church. As disagreements in doctrine or practice arose, these Protestant churches have continued to split over time, leading to the hundreds of different denominations one finds today.

What do all Christians have in common?

Although there are important differences, there is a great deal that most Christians share in common. We share a belief in the true humanity and true divinity of Jesus. We believe in the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We share the same New Testament, as well as the Ten Commandments and much of our moral code. Catholics see other Christians as our brothers and sisters in Christ, and there are many opportunities for us to work together to serve those in need and share the good news of Jesus.

What are differences between Catholics and Orthodox?

The Orthodox churches are extremely close in doctrine and worship to the Catholic Church. For example, they have bishops and priests, celebrate sacred liturgy, and believe that Jesus is truly present in Holy Communion. From our perspective, the main difference is that their bishops do not accept the leadership of the pope; each bishop is essentially the pope of his geographical area.

What are differences between Catholics and Protestants?

There are various differences in belief and practice, many of which we will explore in this message series. From our perspective, the biggest difference is that Catholics believe that Jesus created a family of faith, the Church. Through this family of faith, Jesus intended to continue his ministry until the end of time. He continues to teach us, nourish us, and guide us in every generation. Since we love Jesus, we want to be part of this family and receive all the gifts he intended for us! We are Catholic because we believe that the Catholic Church is this spiritual family begun by Jesus.

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