This is an odd topic for Pentecost, but this post is on hell. Why I am writing on hell is partly the mystery of grace One reason is that there are too many people who call themselves full of the Spirit but do not believe in hell.
The CCC notes that "The affirmation of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church on the subject of hell are a call to the responsibility incumbent upon man to make use of his freedom in view of his eternal destiny. They are at the same time an urgent call to conversion: 'Enter by the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way easy , that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.'"
Very few, as against the idea of universal salvation-but what does this mean and what does this have to do with Pentecost?
When the apostles left the upper room, they were not only full of the Spirit, but new men, totally dedicated to a new way of life. Did they know what this meant? No, but, like little children being led by the hand, they had to completely leave their old lives and go where God was leading them.
Too many of us want the goodies of Pentecost without the leaving of the old life, and this is a real leaving off of things, people, places. We must be completely detached, even from ourselves.
Only Caleb and Joshua entered the Promised Land, as the others who complained of the difficulties and only wanted the goodies of the new land and not the trials, perished.
Those who lacked courage never entered into the Promised Land, the symbol of heaven.
This is our responsibility, as noted in the CCC. We must allow God to completely convert us, not merely parts of our souls, minds, hearts.
The Calebs and Joshuas of this world enter the narrow gate. They live by Faith, the heritage of Pentecost.
Without Faith, no one is worthy of the grace of Pentecost
Hell is the other side of the coin-the place where the complainers and those who lacked courage go--those who want the fleshpots of Egypt and not willing to enter the Land of Promise.
None of the disciples coming out of the upper room knew where they were going or what they were to do.
But, they knew that the Gospel was about BEING full of the Spirit.
Joshua told his people to choose life, not death.
Choose life. Those of us who are baptized do not have a choice. It has been made.
