Will most of us go to hell?

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God is omnipotent. If you need to get to confession, He will make sure you get there. “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Seek the grace of the sacrament and you will receive it. Seek it not–remain impenitent–and you won’t.

The shocking thing is not that God won’t forgive a single sin–He will forgive countless numbers of even the worst sins–it is that a person would cling so obstinately to a single sin rather than turn to the mercy of God.

Also, God desires all to be saved antecedently, and so offers to all the means of salvation. But then He consequently chooses not to save those that reject those means. “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
 
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Psychae said:
No, most of us will not go to hell. Most of us will spend a time in purgatory, though.

God is so pasasionately in love with us, and so clever, I’m sure He convinces the vast majority of people to repent before death.
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Jesus disagrees with you, my friend!

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.””. - Matthew 22:11-14
 
I think you’re misinterpreting that.

“Many are called…” Actually all are called, but I’m pretty sure we agree there.

“But few are chosen” You seem to think this phrase means “Only a few people get to heaven.” I disagree, since so much of what I’ve read and know about God makes this very unlikely…

What does “chosen” mean here? You seem to think it means “successful in entering heaven.” Am I right?

I think it means something like “specially marked by God” in a way that most of us aren’t, such as the Saints who have been canonized by the Church.

Just because most of us won’t ever become canonized saints doesn’t mean we won’t be saints 😇

Do you see what I’m getting at?
 
The passage is from the parable of the wedding feast. The wedding feast is a metaphor for heaven, the man without the garment is then thrown out and Jesus says “Many are called, but few are chosen”.

I think the meaning is very obvious.

If that’s not enough for you, Jesus was even more explicit!

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” - Matthew 7:13-14
 
Oh and by the way, saying something like:
whyeyeman said:
Jesus disagrees with you, my friend!
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…is very misleading and kinda prideful and definitely a little insulting. Jesus is famous for speaking in ways which can’t or shouldn’t be interpreted literally.

What you actually mean is that you disagree with me. You aren’t Jesus so… Yeah. 😊
 
Psychae said:
What you actually mean is that you disagree with me. You aren’t Jesus so… Yeah. 😊
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No. The church has already spoken on this issue! And Jesus speaks through his church!

“Meditate on the horrors of Hell which will last for eternity because of one easily committed mortal sin. Try hard to be among the few who are chosen. Think of the eternal flames of Hell, and how few there are that are saved.” St. Benedict Joseph Labre

“The greater part of men choose to be damned rather than to love Almighty God.” St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church

“A multitude of souls fall into the depths of Hell, and it is of the faith that all who die in mortal sin are condemned for ever and ever. According to statistics, approximately 80,000 persons die every day. How many of these will die in mortal sin, and how many will be condemned! For, as their lives have been, so also will be their end.” St. Anthony Mary Claret

“Behold how many there are who are called, and how few who are chosen! And behold, if you have no care for yourself, your perdition is more certain than your amendment, especially since the way that leads to eternal life is so narrow.” St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church

“The number of the saved is as few as the number of grapes left after the vinepickers have passed.” St. Jean Vianney, Patron Saint of Parish Priests

“Many begin well, but there are few who persevere.” St. Jerome, Doctor and Father of the Church

“The number of the elect is so small, so small, that were we to know how small it is, we should faint away with grief. The number of the elect is so small that were God to assemble them together, He would cry to them, as He did of old, by the mouth of His prophet, ‘Gather yourselves together, one by one’ — one from this province, one from that kingdom.” St. Louis Marie de Montfort
 
Here are some more saints:

“I do not speak rashly, but as I feel and think. I do not think that many bishops are saved, but that those who perish are far more numerous.” St. John Chrysostom, Doctor and Father of the Church

“What I am about to tell you is very terrible, yet I will not conceal it from you. Out of this thickly populated city with its thousands of inhabitants not one hundred people will be saved. I even doubt whether there will be as many as that!” St. John Chrysostom, Doctor and Father of the Church

“The saved are few, but we must live with the few if we would be saved with the few. O God, too few indeed they are: yet amongst those few I wish to be!” St. Alphonsus Liguori

“If you would be quite sure of your salvation, strive to be among the fewest of the few. Do not follow the majority of mankind, but follow those who renounce the world and never relax their efforts day or night so that they may attain everlasting blessedness.” St. Anselm, Doctor of the Church

“All persons desire to be saved, but the greater part, because they will not adopt the means of being saved, fall into sin and are lost. … In fact, the Elect are much fewer than the damned, for the reprobate are much more numerous than the Elect.” St. Alphonsus Liguori

“But I tremble when I see so many souls lost these days. See, they fall into Hell as leaves fall from the trees at the approach of winter.” St. Jean Vianney

“Nothing afflicts the heart of Jesus so much as to see all His sufferings of no avail to so many.” St. Jean Vianney

“With the exception of those who die in childhood, most men will be damned.” St. Regimius of Rheims

“Ah, how many souls lose Heaven and are cast into Hell!” St. Francis Xavier

“Christ’s flock is called ‘little’ in comparison with the greater number of the reprobates.” St. Bede the Venerable, Doctor and Father of the Church
 
And some more:

“How many among these uncivilized peoples do not yet know God, and are sunk in the darkest idolatry, superstition and ignorance! … Poor souls! These are they in whom Christ saw, in all the horror of His imminent Passion, the uselessness of His agony for so many souls!” St. Francesca Saverio Cabrini

“It must necessarily happen that, on account of this certainly culpable ignorance in which most men live, an enormous number will come to be damned, because no sin is pardoned which is not detested, and it is impossible to detest sin properly if it is not known as such.” St. Joseph Cafasso

“There are many who arrive at the faith, but few that are led into the heavenly kingdom.” Pope St. Gregory the Great, Doctor and Father of the Church

“How few the Elect are may be understood from the multitude being cast out.” St. Hilary of Poitiers, Doctor and Father of the Church

“Beyond a doubt the elect are few.” St. Augustine, Doctor and Father of the Church

“Some will say, It is enough for me to be saved. ‘No,’ says St. Augustine, ‘it is not enough; if you say that it is enough, you will be lost.’” St. Alphonsus Liguori

“The greater part of men will set no value on the blood of Christ, and will go on offending Him.” St. Isidore of Seville, Doctor and Father of the Church

“Many religious go strait to Hell because they do not keep their vows!” St. Vincent Ferrer

“So many people are going to die, and almost all of them are going to Hell! So many people falling into Hell!” Bd. Jacinta of Fatima

“He who abuses too much the mercy of God will be abandoned by Him.” St. Alphonsus Liguori

“Notwithstanding assurances that God did not create any man for Hell, and that He wishes all men to be saved, it remains equally true that only few will be saved; that only few will go to Heaven; and that the greater part of mankind will be lost forever.” St. John Neumann
 
My friend, heed the words of our Lord and his Saints! We must work out our salvation in fear and trembling! The journey to heaven is not easy!
 
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whyeyeman said:
The church has already spoken on this issue! And Jesus speaks through his church!
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All the quotes you provided were taken from individuals who were completely capable of making mistakes and misinterpreting things, just as you and I are. We are all human.

The Church has not spoken on the issue. The Church has never, and never will, declare it a matter of Faith or doctrine or dogma that “few are in heaven” just like she’ll never declare ex cathedra that Hitler or Judas or Cain is in hell.

You can’t hang your hat on a few things said by a few people and a few Bible passages which are easily misinterpreted. This does not equal “Jesus and the Church”!
 
Perhaps the words of the saints were left to us to elicit a response or reaction: greater trust and hope in God’s Mercy, and greater effort to amend our lives…

Our fate is not sealed yet…
 
They are simply pointing out that the usual way of the world is not the way of salvation. As you say, it should motivate us to turn to the Lord and encourage others to as well. If many people do this, then many will be saved. If few do, then few will.

I always found this passage helpful from St. Leonard of Port Maurice’s famous sermon on the topic:
Brothers, I want to send all of you away comforted today. So if you ask me my sentiment on the number of those who are saved, here it is: Whether there are many or few that are saved, I say that whoever wants to be saved, will be saved; and that no one can be damned if he does not want to be. And if it is true that few are saved, it is because there are few who live well. As for the rest, compare these two opinions: the first one states that the greater number of Catholics are condemned; the second one, on the contrary, pretends that the greater number of Catholics are saved. Imagine an Angel sent by God to confirm the first opinion, coming to tell you that not only are most Catholics damned, but that of all this assembly present here, one alone will be saved. If you obey the Commandments of God, if you detest the corruption of this world, if you embrace the Cross of Jesus Christ in a spirit of penance, you will be that one alone who is saved.

Now imagine the same Angel returning to you and confirming the second opinion. He tells you that not only are the greater portion of Catholics saved, but that out of all this gathering, one alone will be damned and all the others saved. If after that, you continue your usuries, your vengeances, your criminal deeds, your impurities, then you will be that one alone who is damned.

What is the use of knowing whether few or many are saved? Saint Peter says to us, “Strive by good works to make your election sure.” When Saint Thomas Aquinas’s sister asked him what she must do to go to heaven, he said, “You will be saved if you want to be.” I say the same thing to you, and here is proof of my declaration. No one is damned unless he commits mortal sin: that is of faith. And no one commits mortal sin unless he wants to: that is an undeniable theological proposition. Therefore, no one goes to hell unless he wants to; the consequence is obvious. Does that not suffice to comfort you? Weep over past sins, make a good confession, sin no more in the future, and you will all be saved. Why torment yourself so? For it is certain that you have to commit mortal sin to go to hell, and that to commit mortal sin you must want to, and that consequently no one goes to hell unless he wants to. That is not just an opinion, it is an undeniable and very comforting truth; may God give you to understand it, and may He bless you. Amen.
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goout said:
Christ goes to his death in sacrifice to our free will to love him back.
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Goout
I do not know what the above means.

You also wrote “He will not violate your free will, because that is not love and it is not Godly power.” You seem to believe love is payment for a service or gift. Not so, one should love without making a deal or contract. One does not love one’s child or wife because of their obedience to you.
 
Genesis
a non-Catholic does not have access to confession.

Whyeyeman
‘Few are chosen’ means ‘few get to heaven’.
Also we should believe the Church and the Bible not necessarily private revelations and opinions.
 
I kind of have a problem with the concept of hell too. My problem is this: It seems so easy to go to hell and so hard to go to heaven. It also seems wrong that someone who as a murder, adulterer, thief, etc, could go through life like that and repent on his deathbed and get into heaven, while another person who is overall a good person, goes to church, volunteers for good causes, etc, and the worst thing he has ever done is miss mass a few times or used contraception or had premarital sex and not confessed and went to hell. I can think of many people I dislike. I cannot think of anyone that I want to see in hell, and God is 100 times more forgiving and merciful than I will ever be.
 
If I recall right, imperfect contrition is when someone goes to confession for something like premarital sex and says, “I personally don’t think it was wrong, but I know it was a mortal sin and I am afraid of going to hell.” You will still be absolved but is not as good as truly being sorry. You are saved from Hell but will probably have a longer stay in purgatory. Am I right?
 
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RRusso1982 said:
Am I right?
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RRusso

many thanks for your posts. I consider you are basically correct in all your points.

I am pleased now that others share my concerns.

You express clearly, and better than I can, my views.

I wonder are there more people out there you share our thoughts.
 
Guess I’m the only cert. to get to Heaven. My bags are packed. I’m heading to the departure lounge right now…(. In my dreams)
 
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