Saints Lightand life everlasting. Amen.
Life everlasting means seeing and loving God forever, together with all the saints, in a renewed creation. Our Amen says we trust this with our whole life.
The Creed ends where every human longing points: life that does not end. Jesus defined it Himself: this is eternal life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Eternal life is not just endless time. It is knowing and loving God, and it begins now, in grace.
Because of Christ, death has a new meaning for a Christian. It is still painful and real, but it is now a passage, a step toward Him (CCC 1010, 1020). At death each person meets Christ in the particular judgment (CCC 1022), and the soul enters heaven, either directly or after purification, or else suffers eternal separation from God.
Heaven is perfect life with the Holy Trinity, with Mary, the angels and all the saints, the final goal of every deep human longing (CCC 1024). Scripture uses many images for it: life, light, peace, a wedding feast, the Father's house. Its heart is the beatific vision: seeing God as He is, face to face (CCC 1027-1028). And in heaven we do not lose ourselves; we find our true identity (CCC 1025).
Those who die in God's friendship but not yet fully purified are assured of heaven, but first they undergo a purification the Church calls Purgatory (CCC 1030-1031). That is why we pray for the dead. The Church also teaches that hell exists and is eternal: a state of definitive self-exclusion from God, chosen by refusing His love to the end (CCC 1033, 1035). God predestines no one to hell (CCC 1037). This teaching is a call to use our freedom well, not a reason to despair (CCC 1036).
Life everlasting is not only about individual souls. At the end, God will make a new heaven and a new earth. The whole universe will be transformed and share in Christ's glory, and God will wipe away all tears (CCC 1042-1047). Nothing good in creation will be wasted.
Then the final word: Amen. In Hebrew it comes from the same root as the word believe, and means firm, solid, trustworthy (CCC 1062). To say Amen at the end of the Creed is to say: I stake my life on this. And Jesus Himself is called the Amen, the faithful and true witness (CCC 1065). Our Amen rests on His.
Key points
- Eternal life means knowing and loving God, and it begins now in grace.
- Heaven is seeing God face to face with all the saints; Purgatory purifies; hell is real self-exclusion.
- At the end, God will renew all creation in a new heaven and a new earth.
- Amen means firm and trustworthy: it seals the Creed with our whole life.
The Word of God
Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.
And to the angel of the church of Laodicea, write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of God:
Catechism paragraphs for this lesson
- CCC 1020-1029
- CCC 1030-1032
- CCC 1033-1037
- CCC 1042-1047
- CCC 1061-1065
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
From the tradition
Q. What is Heaven? A. Heaven is the state of everlasting life in which we see God face to face, are made like unto Him in glory, and enjoy eternal happiness.
Live it this week
Pray the whole Apostles' Creed every morning this week, slowly, and give your Amen at the end real weight. On Sunday, listen for the Creed at Mass (it is usually the longer Nicene Creed) and notice how many lines you now understand.
Check yourself: three questions
1. How did Jesus define eternal life in John 17:3?
- Living forever on earth
- Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent
- Being free from all work
- Being remembered after death
Show the answer
Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. Jesus says eternal life is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3).
2. What is the beatific vision?
- A dream about heaven
- An approved apparition
- A vision granted only to mystics on earth
- Seeing God as He is, face to face, in heaven
Show the answer
Seeing God as He is, face to face, in heaven. The lesson explains the heart of heaven is contemplating God in His heavenly glory, the beatific vision (CCC 1028).
3. What does the word Amen mean?
- Firm, solid, trustworthy; from the same root as believe
- The end, finished
- Peace be with you
- Praise the Lord
Show the answer
Firm, solid, trustworthy; from the same root as believe. In Hebrew, amen comes from the same root as believe and expresses solidity and faithfulness (CCC 1062).
Words to know
- Beatific vision
- Seeing God face to face in heaven, the heart of eternal happiness.
- Amen
- Hebrew for firm and trustworthy; saying it means I believe and stake my life on it.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
For catechists: a one hour class plan
Goal. The group should understand what life everlasting means and why the Creed ends with Amen, and take to heart that eternal life begins now in grace and that their Amen commits their whole life.
Opener. Ask: "What is one line of the Creed that means more to you now than it did when we started?" Let several people answer. This is a good chance to celebrate how far the group has come.
Discussion questions
- Jesus says eternal life is to know the Father and the Son (John 17:3). How does that change the idea that eternal life only starts after death? [It begins now, in grace and friendship with God.]
- What do we hope for in heaven, and what does it mean to see God face to face (1 John 3:2)? [Communion with God and all the saints, in a renewed creation. Avoid clouds and harps clichés.]
- The lesson mentions Purgatory and hell too. How can we speak of them with hope and honesty? [Purgatory is mercy; hell is real self-exclusion. We never say a particular person is in hell.]
- Amen means firm and trustworthy. What does it mean to say Amen to the Creed with your whole life? [Faith lived, not just recited. Invite each person to name what their Amen will look like this week.]
Activity. Pray the whole Apostles' Creed together very slowly, with one person reading each line and everyone repeating it. Then each person writes their own one paragraph "Amen": what they believe and how they want to live it (8 minutes). Invite a few volunteers to read theirs. Point the group to the next course in the app.
Closing prayer. Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we thank You for the faith of the apostles, handed down to us. We believe; strengthen our faith where it is weak. Let our whole lives be our Amen, and bring us one day to see You face to face, with all the saints, forever. Amen.
Timing. Opening prayer 5 min, opener 7 min, read the lesson together 13 min, discussion 18 min, activity (praying the Creed and writing an Amen) 12 min, closing 5 min.
Related lessons
- The End of the Story: Death, Judgment and Heaven (Start Here, free)
- What Is Heaven Really Like? (The Last Things)
- Will Our Bodies Really Rise? (The Last Things)
- Why Does the Church Still Teach Hell? (The Last Things)
Keep your place in the app
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