Have you never even considered the possibility of universal salvation? What if it is true? Could you accept it if God made it happen? Or would you consign yourself to your own private hell, telling God, “I can’t be in a heaven with all these notorious sinners and unbelievers! I can’t accept that you would bring them to repentance and acceptance of the truth, not when I know how bad they were!” Then perhaps God would have to open your eyes to the reality of love and mercy, as I hope happens for all of us. Or, would you rejoice instead, when you come to see that all of us sheep who were lost were indeed found in the end, and that the Good Shepherd, through a love and mercy more powerful than we can ever know now, and through his undeniable will that none be lost, brought us all home?
These are all great questions for reflection on the matter. We can begin with knowing that the Father wills all to come to Him and reconcile, that He cares deeply, carving our names into the palm of His hand.
Some of us are graced with a human experience of unconditional love and forgiveness. My own parents forgive this way, and many people I talk to, if not most, also experience forgiveness in this way and forgive others without condition. Indeed, as the A.A. tradition holds “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die”. When a person practices such forgiveness, the thought of God not doing the same seems bizarre.
As the Linns say, (paraphrased) “If you hear or read something that sounds like God loves you less than the person who loves you most, something is amiss.”
In the mean time, we cannot
know that there is universal salvation, so Bishop Barron’s position remains the humble and best approach. Also, AFAIK, there is no “mortal sin” in the optimistic
belief that all will be united, that all will be reconciled to God. Indeed, such a position is merciful and is consistent with a choice to love all God creates and seeing it as good (note: such seeing is supported by Sts. Augustine, Thomas, and Ignatius.)
I notice the very first blog commenter corrects Father about that teaching.
It’s obviously a point of controversy for some. Have you ever experienced unconditional forgiveness from someone?
Their choice against God is definitive.
This does not make it a sin to pray that all will be reconciled to His Love.
The Church condemned Universalism as a heresy. It is a mortal sin for a Catholic to hold any heretical belief.
I think Hans van Balthasar and Bishop Barron have good approaches.
