What is Hell
In this episode, the concept of hell is explored in depth, beginning with the 1917 Fatima apparition where three children witnessed a vision of hell described as a sea of fire with demons and souls in eternal agony. The episode delves into the theological understanding of hell as complete separation from God, a consequence of rejecting His love and choosing one's own will over His commandments. Biblical references, such as the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 and Jesus's use of the term Gehenna, are discussed to illustrate the reality and nature of hell as a place of fiery torment and eternal suffering. The episode also examines the warnings about hell found in other New Testament writings, emphasizing the importance of repentance and accepting God's grace to avoid such a fate.
Episode Transcript
In 1917, in Fatima, Portugal, 3 children saw the Virgin Mary, and she showed them a vision that shook them to the core, hell itself.
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What is hell? A fiery pit?
Eternal loneliness? And what does the Bible say about who goes to hell? That's what we're gonna dig into on this episode of the Catholic Frequency podcast. The vision of hell that the Fatima children saw was a, quote, sea of fire with demons and souls in agony, burning yet never consumed. It was a glimpse of eternal suffering.
Lucia later wrote, we saw souls shrieking in pain, pierced by demons. The horror was so great. We'd have died without God's grace. In Christian theology, hell is total separation from God, a choice to reject his love. It's not just fire.
It's the total absence of hope and joy. In the famous parable, the separation of the sheep and the goats, which is found in Matthew chapter 25, Jesus plainly describes that he will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. And to some people, he will say, depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The Fatima vision of hell echoes the warning of Jesus. It shows that hell is real and that souls risk going there by turning away from god.
Both Matthew 25 and the phantom of vision call us to wake up and choose wisely. But why hell? Why does it have to exist? Well, god's greatest gift to humanity is free will. We can choose love or reject it.
Hell is the consequence of saying no to god throughout our lifetime, of choosing our will over his commandments. We saw a glimpse of this when Adam and Eve made that famous choice in the Garden Of Eden. They said yes to the temptation of Satan and rejected God's admonition to not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For their disobedience, Adam and Eve were cast out forever from the Garden of Eden, and spiritual death was the result. The story of Adam and Eve choosing their will over God's commandments is a serious warning to us about separation from God.
Jesus frequently uses the term Gehenna, which is from a valley near Jerusalem associated with burning refuse. He uses this term to describe hell as a place of fiery torment. He warns that sin, anger, lust, or unrepentance, can lead to being thrown into hell. Jesus describes this as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth for those excluded from God's kingdom. Mary at Fatima urged repentance, prayer, and the rosary to avoid hell.
Her message? God's mercy is infinite, but we must accept it. Another term, the lake of fire, describes hell. You'll find it in Revelation chapter 20, which depicts a final judgment where death, Hades, and the unrighteous are cast into a lake of fire, the second death reserved for those not in the book of life. Now our modern culture denies that Jesus is anything more than a nice philosopher.
They've made him into a passive, harmless guy. No threat. Not the son of god with the power to save you or cast you into hell. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus warns the wide gate leads to destruction, while the narrow gate leads to life, urging people to choose righteousness. In Mark chapter nine, you'll find Jesus emphasizing cutting off sources of sin, hands, feet, eyes, to avoid hell, where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.
Other New Testament writings, like the epistles, also warn of hell. In second Thessalonians, Paul warns that those who reject the gospel will face eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord. In the book of Hebrews chapter 10, it warns that deliberate sin after receiving the truth, leads to a fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire. The warnings about hell in scripture and visions urge people to turn from sin and accept god's grace. It's the message of Jesus, Saint Paul throughout the epistles, and the visions at Fatima.
Now some will ask, is hell fair? If god is love, he won't force us to love him. Well, that's true. And that's what hell is. Respecting your freedom not to obey god, not to be with him, even if it's a tragic choice.
Hell is very real, as Fatima and Jesus warn, but god does not want you there. In the book of Ezekiel, god says, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His mercy is waiting. Just turn to him. Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell, especially those in most need of thy mercy. This is the Catholic Frequency Podcast. Follow us online at catholicfrequency.com. There, you can sign up for our free newsletter.