We finish our reflection on the meaning of hell. We also consider the virtue of hospitality, acknowledging that activity (of whatever kind) can get in the way of our focus on why we engage in various activities.

Treatment of eschatology continues with a consideration of hell, where jokes fall flat. There has been a lot of name-calling in state government lately; we must consider the fact that labeling people is a foolish excuse for not responding to people spontaneously with love.

Today is my fiftieth birthday. It's a time somewhat like Dante's mezzo del cammin di nostra vita (the middle of the walk of our life) and it was then that he looked into the "last things" in writing The Divine Comedy. Today I complete my look at Purgatorio. We also consider the meaning of fulfillment in life. -- Well, I found an English translation of yesterday's motu proprio of Pope Benedict XVI and I can tell you that I don't like it one bit.

Freedom is the opportunity to choose a direction for one's life. Jesus knew that he was proceeding resolutely to Jerusalem and an appointment with a cross. Our challenge is freely to embrace everything that comes with the path of holiness.

Zechariah was unable to speak. That doesn't mean he was unable to hear. So why are the good fellows around him communicating in some sort of sign language? Self-consciousness in difficult social situations can lead us to to do strange things (may I say "dumb" things?). We recognize the un-self-consciousness of John the Baptist, whose vocation was to point to Jesus, Messiah and Savior.

Finally we get to a post-death "destination" -- although it's not a final destination. Purgatory is the antechamber to heaven, and the concept of this state of purification is difficult to understand. More to the point are the words of Jesus to Simon the Pharisee and of Nathan the prophet to King David. God is merciful.

In this time-bound existence of ours, we touch the timeless as we open our hearts to our God. The Holy Eucharist proclaims to us that we are fed and nourished in Jesus' Paschal Mystery in ways which are not readily perceivable. We remember that sacrament and mystery are equivalent terms.

How well developed is your sense of play and celebration? Can you experience life with the enthusiasm of God the Creator? He made us that we might in some way reflect the love shared among the persons of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit is at work through the words of Sacred Scripture. It is important for all of us to read the Bible in its entirety. We also need to let Scripture guide our prayer. Our liturgical experience of the proclamation of Scripture is a dramatic way in which we experience the Word of God being addressed to us in a way that responds to the drama of our life.

A lot was going on today. We begin "Eschatology" with "Limbo." What experiences do we have that give us a sense of the peace of "dwelling in the house of the Lord"?