I would often speak with a victim of one of the most notorious priest abusers. The former priest was then in prison and I reminded the victim his perpetrator was in the best place he would be for all eternity. After he dies, it just gets a lot worse.
I did not say that just because of his crimes but that according to reports, he did not accept that he did anything wrong, including that which was mortally sinful but not a crime.
It is attitude and not sin that leads to Hell.
You often hear online Catholic influencers warn against sins that lead people to Hell, well actually there is no such thing. The way people end up in Hell is obstinately to refuse to repent. This is not the forgotten sin, it is attitude of the sin of pride where one refuses to repent because they refuse to believe they are in sin, even if it should be obvious to anyone else—believer or not.
Meanwhile, many Catholics received the false message that God will cast them into Hell for actions because according to their local amateur theologians, they are all mortal sins. They are not. For example, not sending your children to a Catholic school was once labeled a mortal sin in some circles. It is not.
Someone who sincerely wants to know, love and serve Christ is not going to Hell, period. Meanwhile, the damned may live a devout life but it will always be on their terms and they will not repent of anything they believe falsely are righteous acts. Some have no relationship with God at all. Others consider themselves so holy they condemn others for not being Catholic enough.
Obstinate in sin
I recently read an article describing a couple who ordered a meal and after eating half of it complained and sent it back. They then ordered another meal and did the same thing. They forced the waitress to cater to their actions while they ended up leaving the restaurant after eating parts of over six meals paying for one of them.
That is stealing and is a mortal sin for its injustice to the restaurant, the server and the other patrons. They do not recognize what they did is wrong even though it is obviously a serious sin. Of course, they may have no religious connection at all. This obstinate refusal to see their unjust actions as sin is the road to damnation.
Since the death of Pope Francis, many Catholic fundamentalists stepped up their rhetoric against the penultimate pontiff. They refer to him as an evil sinner and refuse to consider he could be welcomed to Heaven. They bear false witness about him such as he approved blessings for same-sex couples. He did not, he approved blessings for the individuals but not for the couples as a union same-sex or co-habitating opposite sex. They claimed he banished parishioners from parishes, again he did not, he only restricted the celebration of the Latin Mass due to the division it caused in the world, especially in the United States. They spread their hatred of him and others on social media but see nothing wrong with their actions and, therefore, neither can, nor will, repent.
In the story of the Exodus, the greatest sinners are those who grumble. They complain that their suffering is too great and that they had it better in Egypt. This angered God.
I learned that the greatest source of evil is the attitude, “I want my world my way.” This form of grumbling cannot see God’s actions because the complainers remain blinded by their focus on the way they feel the world should be instead of the way it is.
God calls us to be his light to the world, we do that not by being afraid of committing mortal sin but by desiring to do his will in all we do. We need to pray daily, ordained and laity, adult and child so that we may be seek to be channels of his love in our part of the world. Those who demand the world their way, cannot see God’s action in the world and cannot know Christ working through them. They are too focused on the world the way they want it and not what they can do to bring the light of Christ to their world.
So many Catholics worry everyday about committing a mortal sin, and live in fear of damnation, yet they live an attitude of humble repentance. Even when they do sin, they will seek out the sacrament of reconciliation or advice regarding their struggle with sin. They have no intention to offend God and they always seek to be in his good graces. They will not be damned because they have no intention of letting any sin go unrepented. They deserve an honest explanation of their sinfulness or lack thereof. They worry so much needlessly.
The other group will never repent and will stand obstinately before God claiming they are right.
Trust in God
God does all he can that you may be saved. Only those who refuse God’s graces will remain outside his reach. Meanwhile, those who live in terror of ending up in Hell although they try live in God’s graces daily suffer needlessly. To perpetuate their fear of condemnation is to blaspheme against the work of Jesus in his death and resurrection.
The other group will never repent because they refuse to see they did anything wrong. Even if it is blatantly against the commandments. God's grace tries to break through but the solid wall of obstinacy prevents it from entering into the heart of the refusing to repent. They need to hear the doctrine of Hell, even if they will never listen.
To hound the repentant with fear of condemnation is to sin against the saving act of Jesus on the cross to bring salvation to the humble men and women of faith.
Fr. Robert J Carr is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Allston, MA
The parish podcast is at CatholicAudioMedia.com
He is the author of several books including: Christ in Your Humanity
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