Eschatology: The Catholic Study of the Four Last Things

By Matthew R. Plese

Eschatology is the study of the end of life, the end of time, and the Final Coming of Christ. In Eschatology, Christian Theology focuses primarily on the “Four Last Things” that comprise its study. They are Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. In addition to these areas, Mr. Plese explores as part of the five-part series on these topics, Purgatory, the place of temporary purification after death for souls that die in the state of grace (i.e. are destined for Heaven) but are not yet perfect and able to enter Heaven.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781105627019

Book preview

Eschatology: The Catholic Study of the Four Last Things

Matthew R. Plese

ISBN:  9781105627019

Copyright © 2015 The Goldhead Group Ltd

Distributed by:

Lulu Inc.

Raleigh, NC

Third Edition: July 2021

Front Cover:  Saint Augustine by Antonio Rodriguez

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Death

Chapter 2: Judgment

Chapter 3: Hell

Chapter 4: Purgatory

Chapter 5: Heaven

Acknowledgments

This text on Eschatology is taken from the online course offered by the same name at CatechismClass.com.  For that reason, you will notice some repetition in the prayers of this text, as we seek to learn and memorize the prayers for the Holy Souls.  Additionally, the quiz questions in this book do not have an answer key.  If you would like to test your answers, please subscribe to the CatechismClass.com online Eschatology course in order to test the quiz answers on the website and see the results.

On behalf of the editors, writers, and staff of CatechismClass.com, welcome and thank you for reading this latest book published by CatechismClass.com. CatechismClass.com is at the forefront of providing religious education to Catholics around the world. Founded in March 2004, we have led the charge to bring the highest quality education to Catholics of all ages.

CatechismClass.com operates with the singular goal of being the best Catholic catechesis program in the world. All actions of our company are ultimately directed to the sole purpose of saving souls. In the words of the holy apostle Paul, And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14).

As a result of our programs, it is our goal for parents, pastors and bishops to possess the capacity to educate the students in their care with the highest quality, most authentic catechetical product possible, with the ability to utilize it in the most convenient, state of the art, and fully accountable manner available.

Integrated throughout this book are sections from the best of instructors—the saints, the Popes and the Catechism. These writings are valuable resources and should be in every Catholic home. We refer you to the original sources and excerpt material here in order to bring together these various resources in one place. Many of these materials are now in the public domain. All images are in the public domain unless otherwise noted.  Additionally, this book heavily quotes from Four Last Things by Fr. Martin Von Cochem whose English translation was originally published by Benzinger Brothers in 1899 and is no longer copyrighted.

The only materials in this book that belong exclusively to The Goldhead Group Ltd (DBA CatechismClass.com) and the author are the Introduction, Lesson, Activity, and Quiz sections. The purpose of this manuscript is for personal and educational use. All excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2nd Edition, the Compendium to the Catechism, and other Vatican documents are used with the express, written permission of the Vatican.

In Christ,

Matthew R. Plese

Chapter 1: Death

Eschatology 1

Introduction:

Eschatology is the study of the end of life, the end of time, and the Final Coming of Christ. In Eschatology, Christian Theology focuses primarily on the Four Last Things that comprise its study. They are Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. In addition to these areas, we will explore as part of the five-part series on these topics, Purgatory, the place of temporary purification after death for souls that die in the state of grace (i.e. are destined for Heaven) but are not yet perfect and able to enter Heaven.

Our first lesson in this series is on Death. For the Christian, death is never the end. All souls — those destined for Heaven and those destined for Hell — all must die. But life is not ended at death — it is transformed into life everlasting. Whether a soul is in Heaven or in Hell, it will live forever.

We should always live in the state of grace, as we never know the day or hour of our death. And let us keep in mind that as we pray the Hail Mary and say "Pray for us now and at the hour of our death, the hour of our death will one day occur and the now" and the hour of our death will be one and the same. Be vigilant. Be ready. Keep your soul prepared and help others to be prepared for a holy death. What is a holy death? It’s a death in the state of grace after receiving Extreme Unction (Last Rites) and the Holy Eucharist for the last time (Viaticum).

Opening Prayer:

Prayer

We begin this lesson in prayer, as all of our daily actions should begin in prayer. And, no prayer is more fitting for us at this time than the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Rosary has been rightfully called the second greatest of all prayers, second only to the sublime Sacrifice of the Mass, instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ Jesus, in which the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary takes place.

Let us pray the 1st Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony of our Lord in the Garden, on the night before His death. Let us offer this Rosary for the intention of a holy and provided for death.

OTHER PRAYERS FOR THIS LESSON:

Simone Barabino - The Death of Saint Joseph

The Death of Saint Joseph by Simone Barabino

THE REASONS ST. JOSEPH IS THE PATRON OF THE DYING

There are three reasons why St. Joseph is the special patron of the dying:

He is the foster father of the Eternal Judge, Who can refuse him no request.

He is terrible to the demons; the Church calls him the Terror of demons and Conqueror of Hell.

His own death was most beautiful, for he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary; this is the principal reason why he is the patron of a happy death; the death no other Saint was so happy, so glorious.

St. Francis de Sales was of the opinion that St. Joseph died of the love of God; St. Alphonsus Liguori considered this most reasonable.

PRAYER FOR A HAPPY DEATH

O Glorious St. Joseph, behold I choose thee today for my special patron in life and at the hour of my death. Preserve and increase in me the spirit of prayer and fervor in the service of God. Remove far from me every kind of sin; obtain for me that my death may not come upon me unawares, but that I may have time to confess my sins sacramentally and to bewail them with a most perfect understanding and a most sincere and perfect contrition, in order that I may breathe forth my soul into the hands of Jesus and Mary. Amen.

ANOTHER PRAYER FOR A HAPPY DEATH

O BLESSED JOSEPH, who yielded up thy last breath in the arms of Jesus and Mary, obtain for me this grace, O holy Joseph, that I may breathe forth my soul in praise, saying in spirit, if I am unable to do so in words: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul. Amen

Scripture:

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Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Matthew 5:4

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.

Psalm 34:18

The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall offend.

Psalm 34:22

And this is the will of my Father that sent me: that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have life everlasting, and I will raise him up in the last day.

John 6:40

Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live: And every one that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this?

John 11:25-26

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying to me: Write: Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord. From henceforth now, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; for their works follow them.

Revelation 14:13

And 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.

Revelation 21:4

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Psalm 116:15

And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. 

1 Corinthians 15:22

Catechism References:

References in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

References in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

II. DYING IN CHRIST JESUS

1005 To rise with Christ, we must die with Christ: we must be away from the body and at home with the Lord.[1] In that departure which is death the soul is separated from the body.[2] It will be reunited with the body on the day of resurrection of the dead.[3]

Death

1006 It is in regard to death that man's condition is most shrouded in doubt.[4] In a sense bodily death is natural, but for faith it is in fact the wages of sin.[5] For those who die in Christ's grace it is a participation in the death of the Lord, so that they can also share his Resurrection.[6]

1007 Death is the end of earthly life. Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment:

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, ... before the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.[7]

1008 Death is a consequence of sin. The Church's Magisterium, as authentic interpreter of the affirmations of Scripture and Tradition, teaches that death entered the world on account of man's sin.[8] Even though man's nature is mortal God had destined him not to die. Death was therefore contrary to the plans of God the Creator and entered the world as a consequence of sin.[9] Bodily death, from which man would have been immune had he not sinned is thus the last enemy of man left to be conquered.[10]

1009 Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and free submission to his Father's will.[11] The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing.[12]

1010 Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.[13] The saying is sure: if we have died with him, we will also live with him.[14] What is essentially new about Christian death is this: through Baptism, the Christian has already died with Christ sacramentally, in order to live a new life; and if we die in Christ's grace, physical death completes this dying with Christ" and so completes our incorporation into him in his redeeming act:

It is better for me to die in (eis) Christ Jesus than to reign over the ends of the earth. Him it is I seek — who died for us. Him it is I desire — who rose for us. I am on the point of giving birth.... Let me receive pure light; when I shall have arrived there, then shall I be a man.[15]

1011 In death, God calls man to himself. Therefore the Christian can experience a desire for death like St. Paul's: My desire is to depart and be with Christ.[16] "He can transform his own death into an act of obedience and love towards the Father, after the example of Christ:[17]

My earthly desire has been crucified; ... there is living water in me, water that murmurs and says within me: Come to the Father.[18]

I want to see God and, in order to see him, I must die.[19]

I am not dying; I am entering life.[20]

1012 The Christian vision of death receives privileged expression in the liturgy of the Church:[21]

Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.[22]

1013 Death is the end of man's earthly pilgrimage, of the time of grace and mercy which God offers him so as to work out his earthly life in keeping with the divine plan, and to decide his ultimate destiny. When the single course of our earthly life is completed,[23] we shall not return to other earthly lives: It is appointed for men to die once.[24] There is no reincarnation after death.

1014 The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death. In the ancient litany of the saints, for instance, she has us pray: From a sudden and unforeseen death, deliver us, O Lord;[25] to ask the Mother of God to intercede for us at the hour of our death in the Hail Mary; and to entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death.

Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out. Death would have no great terrors for you if you had a quiet conscience.... Then why not keep clear of sin instead of running away from death? If you aren't fit to face death today, it's very unlikely you will be tomorrow....[26]

Praised are you, my Lord, for our sister bodily Death,  from whom no living man can escape.  Woe on those who will die in mortal sin!  Blessed are they who will be found in your most holy will,  for the second death will not harm them.[27]

References in the Compendium of the Catholic Church:

References in the Compendium of the Catholic Church

70. Where does the soul come from?

The spiritual soul does not come from one’s parents but is created immediately by God and is immortal. It does not perish at the moment when it is separated from the body in death and it will be once again reunited with the body at the moment of the final resurrection.

77. What other consequences derive from original sin?

In consequence of original sin human nature, without being totally corrupted, is wounded in its natural powers. It is subject to ignorance, to suffering, and to the dominion of death and is inclined toward sin. This inclination is called concupiscence.

78. After the first sin, what did God do?

After the first sin the world was inundated with sin but God did not abandon man to the power of death. Rather, he foretold in a mysterious way in the Protoevangelium (Genesis 3:15) that evil would be conquered and that man would be lifted upfrom his fall. This was the first proclamation of the Messiah and Redeemer. Therefore, the fall would be called in the future a "happy fault because it gained for usso great a Redeemer" (Liturgy of the Easter Vigil).

205. What happens to our body and our soul after death?

After death, which is the separation of the body and the soul, the body becomes corrupt while the soul, which is immortal, goes to meet the judgment of God and awaits its reunion with the body when it will rise transformed at the time of the return of the Lord. How the resurrection of the body will come about exceeds the possibilities of our imagination and understanding.

206. What does it mean to die in Christ Jesus?

Dying in Christ Jesus means to die in the state of God's grace without any mortal sin. A believer in Christ, following his example, is thus able to transform his own death into an act of obedience and love for the Father. This saying is sure: if we have died with him, we will also live with him (2 Timothy 2:11).

References in the Baltimore Catechism:

References in the Baltimore Catechism

Q. 150. Why did God make you?

A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

Q. 151. Why is it necessary to know God?

A. It is necessary to know God because without knowing Him we cannot love Him; and without loving Him we cannot be saved. We should know Him because He is infinitely true; love Him because He is infinitely beautiful; and serve Him because He is infinitely good.

Q. 152. Of which must we take more care, our soul or our body?

A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body.

Q. 153. Why must we take more care of our soul than of our body?

A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body, because in losing our soul we lose God and everlasting happiness.

Q. 154. What must we do to save our souls?

A. To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope, and charity; that is, we must believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him with all our heart.

Q. 155. What does worship mean?

A. Worship means to give divine honor by acts such as the offering of prayer or sacrifice.

Q. 156. How shall we know the things which we are to believe?

A. We shall know the things which we are to believe from the Catholic Church, through which God speaks to us.

Readings from St. Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises:

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491 - 1556), founder of the Jesuits

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491 - 1556) Painting by Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1620

For nearly 500 years the meditations devised by St. Ignatius have been guiding prayer seekers in deepening faith. Although the systematic sequence of meditations was originally designed to be used during a four-week retreat, it is now possible to follow these meditations in a shorter time. The excerpts provided here can help us meditate on the humanity of Jesus as He guides us to understanding His divinity. If you are not familiar with these meditations, which are extremely important since St. Ignatius received these meditations directly from the Blessed Virgin Mary, please check out the CatechismClass.com lesson on these Meditations.

FIRST EXERCISE

IT IS A MEDITATION WITH THE THREE POWERS ON THE FIRST, THE SECOND AND THE THIRD SIN

It contains in it, after one Preparatory Prayer and two Preludes, three chief Points and one Colloquy.

Prayer. The Preparatory Prayer is to ask the grace of God our Lord