Free Republic

Just a word to say “Thank you” for posting this photo. We just came back from our own Holy Thursday Mass and adoration so this reminds us how united we are these days. No matter where we are in this world, we will feel ‘at home’ in the Church. Again, thank you for the photo of Benedict (as serene as ever—just looking at him helps you recollect yourself and contemplate).

Along the same lines as the title, his “Sacramentum Caritatis” (Sacrament of Love) is available on the Vatican webpage. A brilliant piece of work but, more importantly, one expressing the piety of a man of God. I highly recommend it if you want to read something substantial before Easter.

Article: "Hans Urs von Balthasar, who was a universalist—that is to say, he believed that Christ’s salvation was universal. According to that view, if there is a hell, it is empty."

I think we're jumping logic here. To believe that Christ's salvation was universal is not the same as believing every single soul actually makes it to heaven. Yes, Christ saved all men and women by the events we're about to commemorate this coming week of Holy Week. In that sense, it is universal. But where there is human freedom, salvation is not 'automatic': salvation isn't universally applied. We are given the chance, we're not forced into it. I realize this is simplifying theological issues but I think this is as condensed as I can make it. We could go into freedom, individual consciences, and all that but maybe you should really review the Catechism again and look at the citations (the references are a brilliant part of the text).

(On a side note, I still think Dante was right in including the inferno in his Comedy. I know there's been a lot of hoopla about the pope speaking about hell recently but that really shouldn't be anything new to educated Christians.)