Saints LightIs There Hope in the Face of Death?
Death is real and sad, but because Jesus rose, a Christian's death is a passage home to God, and we grieve with hope.
What this lesson teaches
- The Last Things are death, judgment, heaven and hell.
- Death entered through sin and is a real enemy, so grief is not a lack of faith.
- Because of Christ's Resurrection, death for a Christian is a passage to God, not the end.
- Death ends our time of choosing, which gives our life its seriousness.
Catechism paragraphs this lesson cites
- CCC 1005-1007
- CCC 1010-1011
- CCC 1014
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.
Scripture read in this lesson: 1 Thessalonians 4:12 (4:13 in most modern Bibles); John 11:25.
A sample question from this lesson
What does Paul tell Christians about grieving the dead?
- Christians should never feel sad when someone dies
- Grief is a sign of weak faith
- Christians grieve, but not like those who have no hope
- The dead simply cease to exist, so grief is pointless
Show the answer
Christians grieve, but not like those who have no hope. Paul says not to sorrow 'even as others who have no hope'; he allows grief but fills it with hope in the Resurrection.
The lesson in the app has three questions, each with an explanation.
Words to know
- Last Things
- The traditional name for death, judgment, heaven and hell; the study of them is called eschatology.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
Read the full lesson in the app
"Is There Hope in the Face of Death?" is lesson 1 of Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. In Saints Light you get the whole teaching, the Scripture quoted in full, all three questions and a step to live it this week.
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