The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail: Earth/here/now or After-Life, or Both?

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Something to think about when Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church. Most often people think of hell as something we face once we’re dead/passed away.Or Final judgement. Now, while it is profitable for any soul who can be saved. Even he or she comes getting close to his or her expiration of life due to aging. And starts thinking about going to Confession, receiving the Sacraments more often, and building a prayerful devout life. Yet, there’s’ something often missed. The thought that Hell is not here and now, but something we’re judged to on Judgement day, or when we die.

But, that stands contrary to what Christ said. The Church. the here/now on earth, is what the gates of Hell shall not prevail against. So, does that mean Hell and all of its’ affects are only something we’re faced in the after-life (so-to-speak)? I think not. For, the Church is the Body of Christ. Not the body of people who passed away, are either in Heaven (or going to be), or in Hell. But the Church here and now.

That means, if Jesus founded His Church here with tangible real person’s as the Apostle’s and Disciple’s. Then He is not battling something in the after-life alone. If He did that, then it wouldn’t make sense to tell people to merely repent and be saved. Because, people haven’t died yet. And since the affects of Hell are “experienced in the after-after life” alone. He would had just died, and His Resurrection would had been a spiritual vision (non-tangible.) However, when Jesus conquered death, He walked as the same tangible Christ whom even Saint Thomas the Apostle touched the wounds and said, “My Lord, and my God.”

So, the gates of Hell are here on earth. But why did Jesus state this? What does a gate do? It not only protects from things on the outside. But it keeps things on the inside as well. Then, what were the gates of Hell protecting inside of it? Sin.

Calling people out of the darkness. that’s the start. People who are in captivity who have seen a great light, can attest. Jesus came to take people out of the enslavement to sin. At least by virtue of our birth, were given that through our Baptism. But, there are people not baptized at birth. So we evangelize and testify to this great light/the Truth, to bring people out of their sins and become Baptized. That is at least a start in breaking down the gates of Hell, and freeing people from the confines of Satan’s den/lair.

But, how do we know that Hell exists here on earth? Or at the least the gates and affects of Hell are present, in the here/now? Every social ill, evil, and sin is pretty apparent. And that is a great way as tell tale signs it exists. And every institution, foundation, and body which endorses all those vices/sins, are the affects of those gates. Thus preventing souls from escaping.

The Church’s Mission is to Save souls. That battle will not be let up until Christ comes to lay down the final victory over sin and death in the world. It is when He fights the incarnate person’s, the beast the devil, the harlot, and anti-christ who sets their dominion in the world. And so, as Jesus said, the gates of Hell shall not prevail.

Vivat Jesus!
 
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So, the gates of Hell are here on earth. But why did Jesus state this? What does a gate do? It not only protects from things on the outside. But it keeps things on the inside as well. Then, what were the gates of Hell protecting inside of it? Sin.
The gates of hell means the powers of darkness, and whatever Satan can do, either by himself or his agents. Haydock Commentary Matt 16:18:
18 *And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Ver. 18. Kago. And I say to thee, and tell thee why I before declared, (John i. 42.) that thou shouldst be called Peter, for thou art constituted the rock upon which, as a foundation, I will build my Church, and that so firmly, as not to suffer the gates (i.e. the powers) of hell to prevail against its foundation;

— The gates of hell, &c. That is, the powers of darkness, and whatever Satan can do, either by himself or his agents. For as the Church is here likened to a house, or fortress, built on a rock; so the adverse powers are likened to a contrary house or fortress, the gates of which, i.e. the whole strength, and all the efforts it can make, will never be able to prevail over the city or Church of Christ. By this promise we are fully assured, that neither idolatry, heresy, nor any pernicious error whatsoever shall at any time prevail over the Church of Christ. (Challoner)
— The gates, in the Oriental style, signify the powers; thus, to this day, we designate the Ottoman or Turkish empire by the Ottoman port. The princes were wont to hold their courts at the gates of the city. (Bible de Vence)
 
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