Part 10
APOSTASY AND
ANTICHRIST ACCORDING TO THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE CHURCH
ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS
AND ETERNAL TORMENT
(Exerted from a booklet published by Holy Trinity Monastery,
Jordanville, NY in 1992, no longer in print.)
After the final and decisive sentence has been passed at the
universal judgment, the eternal blessedness of the righteous in the kingdom of
heaven will begin, as well as the eternal torments of sinners in hell (Lk.
16:23), a place of all woes, sufferings and punishments, where there is only
disorder, terror and confusion, where there is no joy of any kind nor any hope
whatever of any alleviation (Mk. 9:44, 46-48).
Eternal separation from God and deprivation of all God’s gifts,
tormenting pangs of conscience, eternal disgrace and shame, reproaches, mockery
and cursing from those who had been drawn into sin by the condemned; the
onslaught of demons, living together with them and with all the condemned –
will bring about that “gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 22:13) which the Saviour
mentions. For the righteous, on the contrary,
a great reward is prepared. They will be
led into the most perfect and beautiful place, which in Holy Scripture is
called paradise (Lk. 23:43, heaven (Mt. 6;9), and the heavenly kingdom (Mt.
5:3). Here the righteous will enjoy the
direct vision of God, seeing Him “face to face” (I Cor. 13:12). This means that the glory and majesty of the
Lord will become accessible for the righteous; in God they will see all that is
most majestic, elevated, sacred and perfect, and will take the impression of
the majesty of God and the Son of God directly upon themselves. In this contemplation they will find complete
satisfaction for the mind, will and heart, and an inexhaustible source of
eternal enjoyment and blessedness; eternal joy and eternal gladness will be their
heritage. Contemplating God, the righteous
will see the whole world in its proper form, will fathom the mystery of our
redemption and will enjoy the fullness and perfection of divine knowledge, as
the Apostle says: “Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face;
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (Cor.
13:12). Beloved of God, they themselves
will come to love God with the most holy love.
The righteous in heaven will be like the angels of God (Mk. 12:25). Then the thousands of angels will receive men
into their midst as brothers, and will share with them their feelings of love
and thanksgiving towards God (Heb. 12:22,23).
Each one of the righteous will likewise be united in a close and
unbreakable union of love with all the saints (Mt. 8:11). They will all make up the one flock of Christ
(Jn. 10:16), or one family, united by pure love (Jn. 17:21).
The terrible scourges of the human race, the spirits of
malice which have brought men to death and hell, will then receive their reward
for having killed each and every person in the most torturous way. They offered the cup of murderous poison both
to the innocent child and to the old man crowned with virtues so that, after
their death, they could gain power over their souls. However, this torment will not continue
eternally. Death! Where is thy sting?
Hell! Where is they victory? Death and hell will deliver up the dead which
were in them” (Rev. 20:13). “And death
and hell were cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14).
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, ‘Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall
be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God’”(Rev.
21:3). The sounds of heavenly words and
hymns are so wonderful and joyous that it is impossible to compare such harmony
of sounds with earthly music. Then will
be fulfilled that which has been foretold: “And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away
(Rev. 21:4). Amen
End
