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beehumble
Guest
If I “make it” in through the narrow gate, I am promised eternal joy. But how can I be happy if my brother does not make it and is suffering abominable torments forever?
How can i be happy in heaven knowing my beloved brother is suffering forever in hell?
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geovet
Guest
One of those mysteries of God. Every tear will be wiped away. If your brother is still alive, it would be wise to always pray for him. Remember St Monica’s prayers. St Ambrose told her that with all her tears, her son would be saved.
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NewEnglandPriest
Guest
When you’re tempted to worry about such things remember that before you can worry about that you first need to worry about making sure the opposite doesn’t happen!
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OKAstro
Guest
I have thought about this too. I don’t think the answers you received here went far enough.
How could we be happy in heaven (if by God’s grace we get there) but close family members/friends who have passed away are not there.
Perhaps if you post this under ask an Apologist, a priest will give you an answer.
How could we be happy in heaven (if by God’s grace we get there) but close family members/friends who have passed away are not there.
Perhaps if you post this under ask an Apologist, a priest will give you an answer.
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Thoughtfulone
Guest
I know I’m going to take flack for this but this is why I believe that God will show infinite mercy and eventually allow all souls into Heaven after they have been duly purified. The demons and Satan of course will remain in Hell, but I do not think that we can really fully understand God’s mercy and what happens to us at the moment of death.
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St_Francis
Guest
God is infinitely merciful but He is also infinitely just. The souls suffering the torments of Hell chose their destination and God will not override their choice.
The reason we will be happy in Heaven despite our loved one’s being in Hell is that we will see God’s justice and understand. We will see that this person will have formed his soul away from God and he would be just as if not more miserable with God than he is in Hell.
This is why it is so very important to pray, fast and offer up bodily mortifications, and be generous towards others, as well as having Masses said for your loved ones and using the Green Scapular which our Mother Mary gave to us, *while they are still living. *The more we do these things, the more grace will flow, and the more help your loved ones will get towards their conversion.
Think about a family with young children and one older child who is doing drugs and all sorts of bad things. She is violent towards her family, and brings men home. The family has tried everything, used up all their insurance putting her into rehab, been through counseling, and finally they realize that they have to stop enabling her and kick her out until she can behave better. The very youngest ones might be very sad about this, but those who understand what was going on see the justice of this action. We are like the young children while we are here, but we will be like the older children after the General Judgement.
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runningdude
Guest
I wouldn’t go so far as that…
To the OP, I think that God Himself would be sad that one of His creations was lost to sin. But by mysteries known only to God, He turns suffering into a means of purity and grace.
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JJHIII
Guest
I think that here on Earth we look at our blood relations as our “true family.” I myself do this. But to be honest, for the Christian, their family is none other but fellow Christians. THey are blood related through the blood of Christ. Fellow, practicing, in the State of Grace Christians are our true family.
When we are in Heaven I would have to assume that we no longer think of physical relation as “Family.” Instead we will consider only those who are saved to be our family. We will ony care about those, who like us, ran the race and obtained a Crown.
I myself am guilty of not seeing all Christians as my family. But i believe that is how the Scriptures indicate
When we are in Heaven I would have to assume that we no longer think of physical relation as “Family.” Instead we will consider only those who are saved to be our family. We will ony care about those, who like us, ran the race and obtained a Crown.
I myself am guilty of not seeing all Christians as my family. But i believe that is how the Scriptures indicate
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daeve
Guest
I think that while on earth, we cannot possibly know what happened to someone who is already dead. We may think they were living saints or terribly sinners, but we can never see into their hearts and souls…but God can. He alone decides our fates, and we can only trust that when He promises perfect happiness for those with Him in heaven, that’s what they’ll get.
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TheDoctor
Guest
I know this is horrible to think of, but you are thinking of it in human terms. Yes, you love your brother, but the love you have for your brother pales in comparison to the love God has for you (and for him). Once you see God, once you experience the Beautific Vision, God’s love will so overwhelm you that you will not know sadness, fear, hurt or longing. You will see all your brothers and sisters in the clarity that God sees them, so, the best thing to do is to work to get yourself there and to bring along everyone else you touch.
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LilyM
Guest
Even if he’s not still alive, of course, you should still pray for him - we constantly pray for the souls of the deceased.
God is beyond time, remember, so even now our prayers can avail for the departed. St Padre Pio once remarked that he prayed for a happy death for his father - who had died twenty years or more before he said this!
It’s a comforting thought.
Myself, I think we will be blessed with far more insight in heaven than we can possibly currently possess. Not only will we experience God’s infinite goodness, but also the infinite offence to Him that even our seemingly (to us) small sins cause.
And the infinite justice and mercy of God in allowing those who are not prepared or able to endure His presence to remain outside it. After all, imagine spending eternity in the company of someone whose presence you cannot endure! Possibly it would be worse torture for them than being damned.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
How about the opposite? What if you end up in hell but you look up and see your child in heaven. Would that make hell less painful?
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Rawb
Guest
Read “The Great Divorce” by C. S. Lewis (a short and easy story). If someone is in hell, they don’t WANT to be in Heaven. We would have to drag them, kicking and screaming, into Heaven and then they would constantly be looking for a way to escape.
We tend to talk of God sending people to hell, in actuality people refuse Heaven.
We tend to talk of God sending people to hell, in actuality people refuse Heaven.
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Trishie
Guest
Your brother is in God’s hands. Only God can judge souls, none of us really know the secrets of another’s heart. God will remember any kindness your brother has done, and God alone knows the true state of his spirit. God can save in the very last instant of life, unknown to us. Trust in God’s mercy
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NeedImprovement
Guest
This sentiment is not foreign to God’s own Heart , as his words to St. Faustina reveal (1st day of Novena to the Divine Mercy) :
"Today, bring to Me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me."
But we must trust his words in Revelation [7:17 , 21:4] that He will wipe every tear from our eyes and we must believe Him when he tells us that [Matt. 19:26] " …With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible…"
… so well put by Trishie : “Trust in His Mercy” . We are asked to put our faith in Him.
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TikiTokiguy
Guest
What about purgatory? Instead of hell he could just spend an extra long time in purgatory being purified. What separates one from being sent to purgatory and hell anyway?
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Hell it total separation from God. Purgatory is for people who just need to be prepared for being with God in heaven, but will be in heaven nonetheless.
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runningdude
Guest
I’m going to have to sound a bit harsh, so please accept my apologies. To end up in Hell, one must have forsook all that is kind and loving. Seeing one’s child in heaven might torment more, because from the warped perspective of Hell, one would see the child as more desirable than God.
Such a parent would be forever locked in the sins of jealousy and hatred of God. One would literally burn
with envy of the child and his happiness.Such is why Christ went through such great pains (again quite literally!) to give us a church and sacramental graces to save us from Hell!
An Act of Contrition
O my God,
I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because I dread the loss of heaven,
and the pains of hell;
but most of all because
they offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and
deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
with the help of Thy grace,
to confess my sins,
to do penance,
and to amend my life.
Amen.
ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/contrit.htm
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Robert_Burns
Guest
Who do you love most?
GOD
or your Brother?
If your brother is in Hell - he is in Hell for one reason. He made himself an enemy of GOD and a Friend of Satan.
He has no one to blame but himself.
It isnt your fault and it isnt GOD’s Fault.
Its his fault.
Each of us is called upon to get to heaven and to put GOD first in all things. The Beautific Vision makes everything else unimportant. Whatever love we have for anything is nothing when compared to the love of GOD both from us and from him. The love we feel for anything in this life is nothing compared to the Love that comes from GOD to those that love him. Its an infinite love. Its not measured. I think sometimes that people forget what we are talking about when we talk about going to heaven. Heaven isnt like here.
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Robert_Burns
Guest
Hell is Dogma There will be people in Hell. Its unpleasant to think about - buit Hell is a reality.
GOD is infinitely merciful - buit likewise infinitely just as well.
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