When was the last time you heard a homily that dealt substantively with death, judgment, and hell?

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Death, judgment, heaven, and hell collectively are known as “The Last Four Things.” In my time, I have heard many, many, many homilies about heaven (especially at funerals), but never one that dealt with the other three last things: death, judgment, and hell. :confused:

Are death, judgment, and hell no longer part of scripture or of the catechism? :confused:

When was the last time you heard a homily that dealt substantively with death, judgment, and hell?
 
Probably about 35 or 40 yrs ago or so…when I was a teenager…seriously…have not hear one like that in many many years…:confused:
 
Amazingly, just yesterday. It was an equal amount of discussing hell, sin, confession and the extreme importance of the Holy Eucharist. I was completely inspired that it actually brought me to the verge of tears. It felt so good to hear it all, especially when it came to the extreme reverence he spoke of the Eucharist. He was a Fransciscan helping out with the country parishes where there is a large priest shortage.
 
Lepanto said:
Death, judgment, heaven, and hell collectively are known as “The Last Four Things.” In my time, I have heard many, many, many homilies about heaven (especially at funerals), but never one that dealt with the other three last things: death, judgment, and hell. :confused:

Are death, judgment, and hell no longer part of scripture or of the catechism? :confused:

When was the last time you heard a homily that dealt substantively with death, judgment, and hell?
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That’s a really good point. Now that I come to think of it, I don’t ever remember hearing that in a sermon. I’m sure I have, but it’s been such a long time that I don’t remember.

Where I go to Sunday Mass, the homilies are usually more academic in nature, explaining about the Gospels. Where I go to weekday Mass, the priests talk about the nature of spiritual improvement and working better to follow the Gospel. Last week, at Sunday Mass, we didn’t even have a proper homily – an archbishop from the Philippines visited and appealed for us to help him because one of his priests had an accident and it brought them into deep debt.

So I guess we have to ask, *why *is it like this? It seems sort of Americanistic to me – they don’t want to dwell on the negative things. Perhaps the way they see it, talking about Heaven and hell isn’t respectable, because the society in which we live doesn’t like to think otherworldly and people treat the afterlife as a fairtytale regarding eternal punishment and reward. To many people, it looks too Fundamentalistic, and they make it as if we’re trying to scare people away from hell and bribe people to want to get into heaven. Atheism continues to try to creep into our Catholic culture. It fails in the big picture, but it has these little victories.

You are right – it is an important thing. Visions of Jesus and Mary to Saint Faustina and the children at Fatima stressed the horrors of hell.
 
In fifteen years (I’m became Catholic after growing up with no religion), and having been in many different parts of the country, as well as in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, I can with 100% accuracy and complete honesty say that I have NEVER heard such a homily. :confused:

However, I was lucky enough to take the Eschatology class from Dr. Regis Martin at Franciscan University…EXCELLENT!!! 👍
 
Lepanto said:
Death, judgment, heaven, and hell collectively are known as “The Last Four Things.” In my time, I have heard many, many, many homilies about heaven (especially at funerals), but never one that dealt with the other three last things: death, judgment, and hell. :confused:

Are death, judgment, and hell no longer part of scripture or of the catechism? :confused:

When was the last time you heard a homily that dealt substantively with death, judgment, and hell?
Click to expand...
In all honesty it was the last time I attended the EF locally.
The Priest here (FSSP) gives excellent talks. And He doesn’t pull punches in my opinion.

Peace
James
 
Actually, I heard it yesterday. My parochial vicar talked about the importance of loving God and, how, at the Last Judgment, we will be the ones to decide if we want to join Him or not. His take on it is that the Mass prepares us for heaven. If we don’t like the Mass then, we won’t like heaven. If we refuse the Bread of Life, we refuse heaven.

He also talks about the four last things every November (the entire month). He uses the example from the Brothers Kosmonov, Chekoff’s novel, as a way to describe heaven and hell. It seems that a large group of people are seated at a sumptous table with rich foods and choice wines. However, they can’t get to the food. There are large forks and knives, but, the distance is to great for them to get the food into their mouths. As hard as they try, they just can’t do it. The people are glum and miserable. That is hell.

Then, there is another banquet. It’s the same set up, including the huge flatware. The big difference is that people are sharing and enjoying themselves. They are using the ginormous knives, forks and spoons and feeding the people on the other side of the table. That is heaven.

My friend and parochial vicar always ties each homily to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He is arguably the finest homilist in South Texas. I hate to say this, but our ordinary pales in comparison. It’s like listening to a young Joseph Ratzinger (boy, that must have been a trip for the Germans! Boy, would I have loved to have been a fly on the wall:thumbsup: ).
 
I’ve never heard one. But I’m reading St Alphonsus’ Preparation for Death, so I’m still getting the catechesis. 😉
 
Pani_Rose said:
Yesterday! :extrahappy:
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The last one I heard, which wasn’t long ago, left me far more sobered than that emoticon is.
I can understand being pleased that you aren’t getting a filtered version of the Gospel, but still: the prospect of souls being lost is very grave, don’t you think? There is not a more serious topic.
 
Lepanto said:
Death, judgment, heaven, and hell collectively are known as “The Last Four Things.” In my time, I have heard many, many, many homilies about heaven (especially at funerals), but never one that dealt with the other three last things: death, judgment, and hell. :confused:

Are death, judgment, and hell no longer part of scripture or of the catechism? :confused:

When was the last time you heard a homily that dealt substantively with death, judgment, and hell?
Click to expand...
Last Sunday, at the Cathedral. The bishop was the celebrant. 🙂
 
EasterJoy said:
The last one I heard, which wasn’t long ago, left me far more sobered than that emoticon is.
I can understand being pleased that you aren’t getting a filtered version of the Gospel, but still: the prospect of souls being lost is very grave, don’t you think? There is not a more serious topic.
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It is sobering, to those who have forgotten or were unaware of it.

Celebrating orthodoxis of the clerics, however, is a reason for joy! Especially in the era of scandal after scandal.

Now, if only we could get all of them to exhbit both orthodoxis and orthopraxis…
 
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