Mark 13:36-43: "Then dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He answered, “The one who sows good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are children of the kingdom; but the weeds are children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.

We know that the harvest is the end of the age. This is because at the end of every age, God sends his angels to collect all those who are not saved. These angels are called “harvesters” because they collect all those who will perish, just as a harvester collects and burns weeds with fire.

This passage describes the eternal torment of the unrighteous. This is a picture of hell, but not just because of the fiery furnace, which is a common symbol for hell, but also because of where it will be. Hell is located deep in the ground and so is this fiery furnace.

The word "wailing" can be seen as a representation for the unrighteous who will spend eternity in this hellish place because they have gone against God's wishes and it shows that they will not stop their wailing and screaming and that there will be no relief from their suffering. The word "grinding" can be seen as a representation for what happens to those who go against God's wishes because not only do they suffer in endless torture but also their souls suffer as well as they are ground down.

God is the final judge. He will choose who will be among the righteous and who will be among the unrighteous.

The question of what happens to people after they die is one that has long vexed humankind. This has been especially true since death became largely preventable for most people in the world today. The Catholic Church, however, has always had an answer to this question- that evil is punished in hell, and that good is rewarded in heaven- and it's an answer that many find very comforting.

God is not an unjust judge. He will not condemn the sinner who confesses and repents of their sins.

The fiery furnace in this passage is likely a metaphor for the day of judgment. The wicked will suffer for all eternity while the righteous live in peace and glory, praising God for their salvation.

Jesus loves me. Say it out loud.

Say it again Jesus loves me.


You are never alone. God Bless Brother Philip

Philip@clevelandbenedictines.org

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah chapter 1 verses 16 through 17 "16 Wash and make yourselves clean.     Take your evil deeds out of my sight;     stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do right; seek justice.     Defend the oppressed.     Take up the cause of the fatherless;     plead the case of the widow." Isaiah chapter 1 verses 16 through 17 calls for people to turn away from their evil deeds and seek righteousness. The verses are urging people to repent and cleanse themselves so that they may become pure in the eyes of God. The verses also ask people to do what is right and just, and to defend the weak and vulnerable. It emphasizes the importance of taking care of those who are less fortunate and oppressed by society. Essentially, these verses are a call to action to live a morally upright life and to help those in need. Isaiah chapter 1 verses 16 through 17 still hold relevance in contemporary times as they call for people to turn away from their wickedness and wrongdoings and instead embrace righteousne
Read more
Romans 5:8-9 says, "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from eternal condemnation. Romans 5:8-9 reminds us that God shows great love for us, as sinful human beings, through Jesus' sacrifice. This provides us eternal hope and a way to have an individual relationship with Him. In today's world, it encourages us to embrace and demonstrate God's sacred services to make our societies much better places for everyone.  Jesus loves me . Say it out loud. Say it again Jesus loves me . You are never alone. God Bless Brother Philip Philip@clevelandbenedictines.org
Read more
John 3:5 Jesus answered "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." In John 3:5 Jesus answers the question of Nicodemus, a religious leader and teacher of Israel, about how to be born again. He answers "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." This passage is often interpreted as meaning that baptism is required for salvation. This interpretation is not universal to all Christian denominations. Some believe that it means that without baptism you cannot enter into the church. While others believe it means just what Jesus said: birth from water and Spirit are necessary conditions for entering into the kingdom of God. John 3:5 has always been an important Bible verse for Christians. This is because it clearly establishes the requirement to enter the Kingdom of God. We are all born sinners, but through baptism, Christians have the opportunity to be b
Read more