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CHRISTIAN faith thus expresses this truth: "I believe
in Jesus Christ who will come to judge the living and
the dead." The symbol of St. Athanasius makes this
doctrine more precise: At the coming of the Savior all
men will rise with their bodies and will render an
account of all their acts. Councils [131] teach a
general resurrection, after which Christ will judge all
men, on what they have thought, desired, said, done,
and omitted, and will then give to each according to
his works. Let us see what Scripture says on this
point, and how theology explains this doctrine.
Scripture
Many peoples have transmitted to us their belief in a
supreme justice, which will manifest itself by
sanctions beyond the tomb. This conviction shows the
necessity of an individual retribution, and prescribes
the individual judgment which must determine this
retribution. But, besides this individual judgment we
find, even in pagan religions, the conviction of a
judgment that is to be final and universal. [132]
The first books of the Old Testament, although they
manifest profound faith in the justice of God,
nevertheless speak only obscurely of sanctions beyond
the grave. [133] Yet even in the Old Testament we find
affirmations like the following: "For all these God
will bring thee into judgment." [134]
The prophets offer us a more precise announcement of
this last and eternal judgment. Isaias, speaking of the
eternal restoration of Israel, with "the new heavens
and the new earth," says in the name of the Lord: "All
flesh shall come to adore before My face." [135] He
goes on to announce to the wicked their eternal
chastisement. Daniel speaks still more clearly: "Many
of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake, some unto life everlasting, and others unto
reproach, to see it always." [136] Joel [137] writes:
"I will gather together all nations and will bring them
down into the valley of Josaphat [138] and I will plead
with them there."
The Book of Wisdom [139] speaks in this same fashion.
After describing the punishments reserved for the
wicked after death, it says: "But the just shall live
forever more, and their reward is with the Lord." [140]
10 In the Second Book of Machabees the seven brothers,
martyrs, speak thus to their judge: "The King of the
world will raise us up . . . in the resurrection of
eternal life . . . but thou by the judgment of God
shall receive just punishment for thy pride." [141]
In the New Testament the universal judgment is often
announced by Jesus. [142] "Woe to thee, Corozain! Woe
to thee, Bethsaida! . . . I say unto you, it shall be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of
judgment than for you." [143] "The men of Ninive shall
rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn
it, because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas,
and behold a greater than Jonas here." [144]
This universal judgment is presented as the work of
Christ, above all in the great discourse on the end of
the world, as preserved by the three Evangelists. [145]
"When the Son of man comes in His glory and all His
angels with Him, then shall He sit on the seat of His
majesty. And all nations shall be gathered together
before Him, and He shall separate them one from
another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the
goats." [146] Jesus, speaking of His passion, says to
the high priest: "Hereafter you shall see the Son of
man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and
coming in the clouds of heaven." [147] In St. John's
Gospel [148] we read: "He that despiseth Me and
receiveth not My words hath one that judgeth him. The
word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in
the last days." "Everyone who . . . believeth in Me . .
. hath everlasting life; and I will raise him up in the
last day." [149] "The hour cometh wherein all that are
in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God,
and they that have done good things shall come forth
unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." [150]
In the Acts of the Apostles St. Peter says: "Jesus
commanded us to preach to the people and to testify
that it is He who was appointed by God to be judge of
the living and of the dead." [151] St. Paul writes to
the Corinthians: "For we must all be manifested before
the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive
the proper things of the body, according as he hath
done, whether it be good or evil." [152] Elsewhere
[153] he speaks very clearly of the general
resurrection and of the last judgment. "The enemy,
death, shall be destroyed last.... Then the Son also
Himself shall be subject unto Him that put all things
under Him, that God may be all in all." [154] "There is
no respect of persons with God. . . . (This will be
made apparent) in the day when God shall judge the
secrets of men by Jesus Christ." [155] St. John says in
the Apocalypse: "And I saw the dead, great and small,
standing in the presence of the throne. And the books
were opened . . . and the dead were judged by those
things which were written in the books, according to
their works." [156]
The Fathers, both Latin and Greek, not only teach this
dogma explicitly, but most vividly describe the last
judgment. Let it suffice to cite St. Augustine: "No one
denies, or puts in doubt, that Jesus Christ, as the
Scriptures have announced, will pronounce the last
judgment." [157]
The circumstances of this universal judgment are the
following: the judge will be Jesus in His humanity,
because His merits have opened the gates of heaven for
us. The subject matter of this judgment will be the
life of each one, his thoughts, his words, his deeds,
his omissions, the good and the evil which he has done.
The time of this judgment is certain, but only God
knows it, [158] although He has given in the Scriptures
certain signs of its approach. [159] "Nation shall rise
against nation . . . and there shall be earthquakes in
divers places and famines.... And unto all nations the
gospel must first be preached.... And you shall be
hated by all men for My name's sake," said Jesus to His
disciples. "In those days shall be such tribulations as
were not from the beginning of the creation which God
created.... There will rise up false Christs and false
prophets, and they shall show signs and wonders, to
seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. Take you
heed therefore; behold, I have foretold you all
things.... And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in the clouds with great power and glory....
Watch and pray; for you know not when the time is." St.
Paul [160] adds: "Let no man deceive you, . . . for
unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin
(the Antichrist) be revealed (the judgment shall not
take place)." [161]
St. Peter [162] writes: "The heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
the burning heat. But we look for new heavens and a new
earth [163] according to His (the Lord's) promise, in
which justice dwelleth." St. Paul says: "The creature
waiteth . . . in hope, because the creature also itself
shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption,
into the liberty of the glory of the children of God."
[164] The Apocalypse [165] announces the renovation of
the world where once lived fallen humanity. The world
will then be freed from all stain, and will be re-
established by God in a state equal to, even superior
to, that in which it had been created. The heavenly
Jerusalem here spoken of is the triumphant Church, the
society of saints, established in eternal life after
the glorious coming of its Spouse. "God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes, and death shall be no more;
nor mourning nor crying nor sorrow shall be any more,
for the former things are passed away." [166]
Reasons for the Last Judgment
St. Thomas [167] explains these reasons. First, dead
men live in the memory of men on earth and are often
judged contrary to truth. Spirits, strong and false,
like Spinoza, Kant, and Hegel, are judged as if they
were great philosophers. False prophets and
heresiarchs, such as Luther and Calvin, are considered
by many to be masters of religious thought, whereas
great saints and doctors are profoundly ignored.
Judgment Day will show how much value is to be assigned
to certain histories of philosophies, to many studies
on the origins of Christianity, written in a spirit
absolutely rationalistic. It will show how their
perpetual variations and contradictions come from their
fundamental error, the negation of the supernatural. It
will manifest all lying propaganda. It will unmask
hypocrites who enslaved religion instead of serving
religion. Universal history will no longer be seen as a
mere horizontal line of time, passing from the past to
the future, but as a vertical line which attaches each
event to the unique moment of an immovable eternity.
The secrets of the hearts will be revealed. [168] The
Pharisees, Caiphas, Pilate, will be judged
definitively. Truth will conquer all these lies. It is
clear that, if God exists, truth must be the absolutely
last word.
Further, the dead have had imitators, in good or in
evil. Evil is easier to imitate. Truth and justice must
be vindicated. "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst
after justice, for they shall have their fill."
Lastly, the effects of men's actions last long after
their death. Arius and other heresiarchs troubled souls
for some centuries, whereas, on the contrary, the
teaching of the apostles will exercise its influence to
the end of the world. Only a final and infallible
judgment of God is here sufficient, and this cannot
take place until the end of time.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent [169] says in
substance: Divine justice wills that the good recover
their reputation, often attacked by the wicked who
triumph. Further, the body, as well as the soul, must
receive the punishment or the reward which it merits.
Hence the general judgment must follow the general
resurrection. This judgment will oblige all men to
render homage to the justice of God and to His
providence. Finally, it is fitting that this judgment
be carried on by Jesus Christ, because He is the Son of
man, because men are to be judged, and because He
Himself was unjustly judged by wicked judges.
The day of judgment is known by God alone, because the
end of the world depends simply on the free will of
God. But it will not come until the number of the elect
is complete, and this number cannot be known except by
Him who predestines. [170]
The apostles will judge with Christ, as Jesus
announced; also those who are voluntarily poor, who
have left everything to follow Christ. "He that shall
humble himself shall be exalted.... He hath put down
the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the
humble."
The Proud and the Humble
The author of The Imitation writes: "By what strange
forgetfulness do you go forward without looking ahead
to the day of judgment? Earth can be a grand and
salutary purgatory. Look at the patient man who, more
afflicted by the malice of others than by his own
injury, prays sincerely for them who sadden him and
pardons them from the bottom of his heart.... Better to
purify oneself than to wait unto the next world....
Then every vice will have its own proper torment. Then
the humble will have great confidence, and the proud
man will be surprised. Then we shall see how wise was
he in this world who learned to be despised for Jesus
Christ. Then there will be applause for tribulation
suffered with patience. Then the scorn of riches will
have greater weight than all the treasures of the
earth. Good works will outweigh beautiful words. All is
vanity except to love God and to serve Him. He who
loves God with all his heart fears neither death nor
judgment nor hell, because perfect love gives us secure
access to God." [171]
The Imitation continues: "We must consider the secret
judgments of God, lest we be proud of what we have
done. Let your peace not depend on the judgments of
men. Humbly commend everything to God, who alone knows
all. Reverence the secret judgments of God. Ye that are
humble, rejoice; ye that are poor, dance with joy,
because the kingdom of God is for you." [172]
Blessed those who, like Bernadette of Lourdes, hear
this word: "I promise you happiness, not in this life,
but in the next." This was a special revelation. She
was predestined, but she would have great crosses on
earth. All genuine Christian lives are marked with the
cross. Crosses well borne are a sign of predestination,
says St. Thomas. A rain of afflictions is better than a
rain of diamonds. This truth we shall see clearly after
death. [173] Providence will then appear absolutely
irreproachable in all its ways.
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