St. Peter Canisius, Confessor and Doctor of the Church

At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. After the universal judgment, the righteous will reign forever with Christ, glorified in body and soul, and the universe itself will be renewed. This “new heavens and a new earth” will fulfill God’s plan to bring all things together in Christ. God will dwell among his people, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. United with Christ, the redeemed will share lasting happiness, peace, and communion with God and one another. As we await this fulfillment, the hope of a new earth should not lessen our concern for this world, but spur us to work for the better ordering of human society. Our earthly efforts, offered according to the Lord’s command and in his Spirit, point toward the eternal kingdom Christ will present to the Father.

In the journey of faith, every person receives an eternal recompense in a particular judgment by Christ from the moment of death. Those who die in Christ’s grace are the People of God beyond death and, on the day of resurrection, will be reunited with their bodies. In heaven, the multitude gathered around Jesus and Mary sees God in eternal blessedness, is associated with the holy angels, and intercedes for us with fraternal concern. Those who die in God’s grace and friendship but are imperfectly purified are assured of eternal salvation and undergo purification after death so as to enter the joy of God. As families, we can commend our deceased loved ones to God’s mercy and pray for them, especially through the holy sacrifice of the Eucharist. We are also called to take seriously the reality of hell, eternal separation from God, while praying that no one may be lost and trusting that God desires all to be saved.