THE PAINS OF HELL:
"My CHILD,
God have proven His goodness by His numberless gifts to men. They cannot mention a single good thing in their daily life which does not BELONG TO HIM. His love for them was proven by His earthly life of labor, work, suffering and prayer to obtain forgiveness for their sins. Anyone who takes time to think of what He deserves, cannot deny that he owes God more than what he can ever repay.
Yet, in spite of God's goodness and love, some people choose to walk away from Him. They REFUSE to follow His directions. As a result they FALL INTO SIN. Though He made them for Heaven, they shall never see it because they REFUSE TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THERE.
HELL was made for the devil and his rebel angels. Man was made for Heaven. In refusing to live for Heaven, a man CHOOSES TO EXIST WITHOUT GOD. He shall have his wish - he shall JOIN THE REBEL ANGELS IN HELL.
In refusing to follow God's Law, a man TURNS HIS BACK ON HIM as the fallen angels did. If HE DIES IN THIS CONDITION, HE CONDEMNS HIMSELF TO HELL. The jury that convicts him is HIS OWN SINFUL LIFE. God merely pronounce sentence on what he himself has chosen.
There is nothing on earth which can compare with hell. It is beyond all description. One must see it to know it. Though God may try to give you some small idea of it, remember, this is a tiny, very imperfect idea of the real thing.
Words fall far short of the reality which is hell. God make no threats here. He simply want you to face the fact: UNLESS YOU LIVE FOR HEAVEN, YOU SHALL ONE DAY BE IN HELL.
All the sufferings known to man are as NOTHING in comparison with sufferings of hell. The wise man would rather bear any trials on earth than place himself in danger of hell. One single hour of hell will be harder than a hundred years of suffering on earth.
In this earthly life, people have some rest from their labors and trials. They get some measure of consolation from their friends. In hell, however, THERE IS NO REST, NO CONSOLATION, NO FRIENDS.
The fires of hell will never die. There will be no end to suffering. One will find no comfort in knowing that he has been there a thousand years. He can never hope for an end to his tortures. All the other sufferings would be bearable if only the damned could HOPE for relief. DESPAIR is hell's BITTEREST PAIN.
In hell a man will be punished through the same faults by which he sinned on earth. Each sin will have its own particular torment. The lazy will be made to work continuously. The glutonous will be tormented with extreme hunger and thirst. The proud will be filled with confusion, and the greedy will feel the pinch of miserable want.
And yet, the WORST pain of hell is none of these. The people in hell would gladly bear all of this and much more if only they can hope for God's friendship and love, no matter how long it might take, be it even a billion years from now.
Their keenest torment is that THEY HAVE FOREVER LOST GOD, THE SOURCE OF ALL TRUE JOY AND PERFECT HAPPINESS. THIS SUFFERING MAKES HELL THE HOME OF DESPAIR AND UNDYING HATRED.
My CHILD, FOLLOW GOD'S WILL IN YOUR DAILY LIFE AND YOU NEED NEVER FEAR HELL.
In fact you have every reason to be joyful and merry if you are following God's Commandments and using His Sacraments.
DO NOT CONDEMN YOURSELF TO HELL BY REFUSING TO OBEY GOD'S DIRECTIONS. HE LOVES YOU DEARLY.
DO NOT PREVENT HIM FROM TAKING YOU TO HEAVEN."
- Fr. Anthony J. Paone SJ
MY DAILY LIFE (1954)
