We know that we must all die. When, where and how we shall die is uncertain; but that one day our soul will depart from our body, and that our body will then return to the dust of earth, we are absolutely certain. The allimportant question is "What will take place after death?" St. Paul tells us: "It is appointed unto men to die once but after this comes the judgment" (Hebr. 9.27). Our Catholic faith assures us that we shall appear before God twice to be Judged for the deeds of our lifetime. The first occasion occurs the very first moment after death in the very place where we die. Then, in a single instant Our entire life will be examined by the allknowing, alljust God, and the sentence given that will determine our eternal abode. The soul will be sentenced to eternal punishment if it is defiled by the guilt of mortal sin; if it is free of all sin and from the debt of temporal punishment it will be admitted at once to the joys of heaven; if it is adorned with the supernatural life of sanctifying grace but is in venial sin or is still burdened by a debt of temporal punishment it will go to purgatory until full satisfaction is made and it is made worthy of the presence of God. The souls in purgatory are often called the faithful departed. God punishes these souls, not in a spirit of vengeance, but because He loves them and wills that they be fully purified so that they can be admitted to His presence.
This is the particular judgment, and here the fate of the soul is determined unchangeably. But it often happens that the justice and the wisdom of God are hidden from the eyes of men in the present world. Those who lead good lives frequently have many trials to endure, while those who freely transgress God's law prosper. The question may arise in the minds of some: "How can God be just and good and wise, if He allows these things?" And so, in order that all men may see that God is alljust, and may understand that in the next life, if not in this, every one receives what is his due, there is a final or general judgment, conducted by Our Blessed Lord. He Himself describes this in an inspiring passage recorded in the twentyfifth chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, beginning with the words: "When the Son of Man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory; and before him will be gathered all the nations" (Matthew, 25:3132). Before the judgment, every human being that has ever lived will rise from the dead - that is, the body of every member of the human race will be formed again from the elements of the earth into which it passed after death and will be reunited to its soul, and then in the presence of the entire human race every individual will be judged, and will hear the sentence either of eternal reward or of eternal punishment. With the aid of our body and its senses we did either good or evil; and so, our body will share our happiness or our misery for all eternity.
Every one of us therefore will spend eternity either in heaven or in hell! The most important task of life is to win heaven. To do this the one condition is that we have the state of sanctifying grace when we leave this world. We must expend every effort to avoid mortal sin. If ever we have the misfortune to commit a mortal sin, we must strive to receive pardon as soon as possible, by making an act of perfect contrition with the intention of going to confession.
RESOLUTION: Resolve to examine your conscience every night before retiring as if you were in the presence of Our Lord at the last judgment; and make an act of perfect contrition for all the sins of the day with the intention of confessing them, particularly if you have been so unfortunate as to commit mortal sin.