Quick question on the resurrection of the dead

[hockeyfan]

One of my best friends girlfriends was asking me some questions the other night. I was able to answer most of them but there was one I promised to get back to her on. (She was open minded of letting me look for the answer)

She had heard of the resurrection of the dead but was confused about why it applies to purgatory. I mean, do we go to Purgatory/Hell when we die to be risen and finally judged? Or, do we go those places after we are judged? If it is the second, that happens to us between death of the body and Judgement Day?

By the way, I just thought that about a friend I have who has been trying to convince me that the Bible argues that when we die, our soul dies. Then on our resurrection we regain life. Could I have some Biblical cases on these topics? Thank you.

 

[itullian]

Although physical human bodies die, human souls never die. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that every spiritual soul “is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection” (CCC 366).

So at the moment of death the soul separates the body, is judged immediately, and enters either heaven (immediately or through purgatory) or hell. “Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven—through a purification or immediately,—or immediate and everlasting damnation” (CCC 1022). (For scriptural evidence of this see Lk 16:22 & 23:43; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23.)

Every soul will unite with its resurrected body just prior to the Last Judgment (“judgment day”), when Christ returns:

“In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare. The Last Judgment will reveal even to its furthest consequences the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life…

“The Last Judgment will come when Christ returns in glory. Only the Father knows the day and the hour; only he determines the moment of its coming. Then through his Son Jesus Christ he will pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation and understand the marvelous ways by which his Providence led everything towards its final end. The Last Judgment will reveal that God’s justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death” (CCC 1039-1040).

 

[hockeyfan]

Although physical human bodies die, human souls never die. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that every spiritual soul “is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection” (CCC 366).

So at the moment of death the soul separates the body, is judged immediately, and enters either heaven (immediately or through purgatory) or hell. “Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven—through a purification or immediately,—or immediate and everlasting damnation” (CCC 1022). (For scriptural evidence of this see Lk 16:22 & 23:43; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23.)

Every soul will unite with its resurrected body just prior to the Last Judgment (“judgment day”), when Christ returns:

“In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare. The Last Judgment will reveal even to its furthest consequences the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life…

“The Last Judgment will come when Christ returns in glory. Only the Father knows the day and the hour; only he determines the moment of its coming. Then through his Son Jesus Christ he will pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation and understand the marvelous ways by which his Providence led everything towards its final end. The Last Judgment will reveal that God’s justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death” (CCC 1039-1040).

That answer does help a lot. Just a little follow up. If we are judged immediately, then why are we judged again on Judgement Day? I get the idea that there is a Resurrection where soul and body are reunited but why would there be a second judgement. I also like the citations of the catechism, but one of the people I will be giving this to will be Bible only. I already texted him the Luke 23, will compile the other Luke one and the 2 Cor one for later. Still, I don’t see how the Philemon relates. Maybe I am seeing it wrong.

I will later look those paragraphs up in the Catechism to read it’s Biblical citations. Anyhow, thank you so much and may you walk with God.