3 QUARTER

rd

CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS ON DEATH

Objectives:
1. Identify the different
characteristics of death
based on the teachings
of the Church
2. Identify the two types of sins.
3. Recognize the seven works of
mercy and Spiritual works of
mercy.
4. Show ways how to carry out
one work of mercy.
When asked “Who wants to go to heaven
when they die?” no hands will be left
unraised. But when asked, “Who wants to
die first?” no one dares to raise.
Death is, maybe, the least thing we want.
Simply because “ we have more to
accomplish” mindset exists. Eschatology.
Have you heard this before? Here is a view
of why this is.
The Catholic Church teaches that
death is not the end. When
someone dies, it is only their
physical body that stops living. The
eternal part of a person, the soul,
may go to Heaven or Purgatory .
Purgatory is where the souls with
unforgiven sins will go, so that they
can be purified and reach Heaven.
Question:
After listening to the
story of Jordan, what is
your perception of
heaven and hell?
 3 QUARTER
rd

CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS ON DEATH

Original Sin:
According to Christian theology,
all humans inherit original sin from
the first disobedience of Adam and
Eve. Death is seen as a
consequence of sin, and it marks
the separation of the soul from the
body.
 We are all born with Original
Sin, the sin of the first man
and woman, passed on to all
people through which we
are weakened in our ability
to resist sin.
Some people don’t believe that just because
our first parents did one bad thing, we all
have to suffer for it.
When we were baptized, we are
born to a new life with Christ and
can have salvation. Through
Baptism we are forgiven of Original
Sin (and all personal sin if older –
babies don’t have personal sin yet),
and become members of the Body
of Christ, the Church.
What is SIN?
Sin in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right

conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God
and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to
certain goods.... It has been defined [by St
Augustine] as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire
contrary to the eternal law."
Sins are our actions,
thoughts, words, or
desires that are contrary
to God’s law. Simply – sin
is saying “no” to God.
All sin is an offense
against God and a
rejection of his perfect
love and justice.
Two types of sin: Mortal sin and Venial sin.
1.Mortal sin is a conscience and free choice to
commit a serious violation of God’s law.
Mortal (or deadly) separates us from God’s
grace.
 A mortal sin is defined as a grave action that is committed in
full knowledge of its gravity and with the full consent of the
sinner’s will. Such a sin cuts the sinner off from God’s
sanctifying grace until it is repented, usually in confession with
a priest. A person who dies unrepentant of the commission of
mortal sin is believed to descend immediately into hell, where
they suffer the separation from God that they chose in life.
Consequences:
•Mortal sin, if unrepented, results in
the separation of the soul from God's
grace.
•Mortal sin endangers the individual's
eternal salvation.
•The sacrament of reconciliation
(confession) is necessary for
forgiveness and reconciliation with
God.
A venial sin usually
involves a less important
matter and is committed
with less self-awareness
of wrongdoing.
While a venial sin weakens
the sinner's union with God, it
is not a deliberate turning
from him and so does not
wholly block the inflow of
sanctifying grace.
Consequences:
•Venial sins do not result in the complete
separation of the soul from God's grace.
•However, they weaken the soul's relationship
with God and can lead to a gradual numbing to
sin.
•The reception of the Eucharist or acts of
contrition can help to remit venial sins.
All sins can be forgiven
A person who repents of their sin,
intends to live a new life of
grace, and receives the Sacrament
of Reconciliation will be
forgiven of all their sins (mortal
sins in particular must be
confessed in the Sacrament).
Our sins can be forgiven,
because Jesus Christ paid for the price of human
sin by dying on the cross for
the redemption of humanity. Jesus Christ, true
man and true God, was the perfect sacrifice for
human sin and as a
result saved those who are baptized, repent and
believe in him.
Itis vitally important that
Catholics confess sins on a
regular basis, especially if
we are in the state of mortal
sin.
A person who dies in mortal sin
cannot enter the kingdom of heaven
and is doomed to eternal suffering in
hell. Even when we have not
committed mortal sin, we are still
obliged to confess our sins at least
once a year.
Christ, in perfect love, laid down his
life so that we may be forgiven of our
sins. The sacrifice of the cross should
not be neglected or taken for granted.
Jesus died for the life of the world and
is thus the light of the world.
consequences of sin
The consequences of sin have to
be faced by the individual who
has committed the sin. If we do
not face them in this life, we will
have to face them in the afterlife
or one of our next lives.
Reflection:
1. Why does a person
commit sin?

2. What could be the effect

of sin in one’s life?