207. What is life everlasting?
(Comp
207) Eternal life is that life which begins immediately after death. It will
have no end. It will be preceded for each person by a particular judgment at
the hands of Christ who is the Judge of the living and the dead. This
particular judgement will be confirmed in the final judgment.
“In brief”
(CCC 1052) "We believe that the souls of all who die in
Christ's grace… are the People of God beyond death. On the day of resurrection,
death will be definitively conquered, when these souls will be reunited with
their bodies" (Paul VI, CPG § 28).
To deepen and explain
(CCC 1020) The Christian who unites his own death to that of
Jesus views it as a step towards him and an entrance into everlasting life.
When the Church for the last time speaks Christ's words of pardon and
absolution over the dying Christian, seals him for the last time with a
strengthening anointing, and gives him Christ in viaticum as nourishment for
the journey, she speaks with gentle assurance: Go forth, Christian soul, from
this world in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name
of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name
of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you. Go forth, faithful Christian!
May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God in Zion, with Mary,
the virgin Mother of God, with Joseph, and all the angels and saints.... May
you return to [your Creator] who formed you from the dust of the earth. May
holy Mary, the angels, and all the saints come to meet you as you go forth from
this life...May you see your Redeemer face to face… (OCF, Prayer of Commendation).
On reflection
(CCC 1524) In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the
Church offers those who are about to leave this life the Eucharist as viaticum.
Communion in the body and blood of Christ, received at this moment of
"passing over" to the Father, has a particular significance and
importance. It is the seed of eternal life and the power of resurrection,
according to the words of the Lord: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my
blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (Jn 6:54).
The sacrament of Christ once dead and now risen, the Eucharist is here the
sacrament of passing over from death to life, from this world to the Father
(Cf. Jn 13:1).
No comments:
Post a Comment