There was a profound lesson I’ve learned while watching the Korean Series “Hellbound” on Netflix. In the said series, people who have committed serious sins were given notice by an angel of the exact time that they will be taken into hell. When that time comes, dark beings come to kill the person in a horrifying way for all to see. Since people don’t know where those beings come from, they assume they’re from God and they form a sort of religion out of it saying it is God’s justice to bring righteousness on earth.
While we may think that such events could transform people and make them turn away from evil, just the opposite happens. Each person assumes he or she has the right to judge other people and even take upon their own hands such judgment. More people become evil instead of being good.
The series made me think of the reason why God has not shown the torments of hell to those who are still living. Maybe now we think that showing it to the world would change people, and even St. Jacinta, one of the children in the apparition at Fatima who saw hell once said:
“Why doesn’t Our Lady show hell to sinners? If they saw it, they would not sin, so as to avoid going there! You must tell Our Lady to show hell to all the people.” — Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words
But God’s wisdom is such that He knows what is best for us. God knows that even showing hell to people won’t change people’s hearts. In a way, it could even make people more stubborn in their sin.
Why then has He shown hell to many saints? Perhaps the saints don’t need to see it to believe in heaven and in God. They already have the faith. They were shown hell so they could make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. They have also been chosen as witnesses to tell people about the truth. And as in all matters of faith, it is up to people whether to believe or not. This is not the same as actually showing people the horrors of hell.
In the book Revelations to St. Bridget, we get a more direct reason why God does not show hell to people:
“For if I wanted, I could speak my words so that the whole world hears them. I could also open up hell so that everyone may see its torments, but this would not be justice, since all men would then serve me out of fear, when they should serve me out of love. For no other than the one who has love shall enter the kingdom of Heaven.” — Jesus to St. Bridget of Sweden
Heaven is not about fear as it is about love. We may be able to avoid some sins out of fear of punishment, but that does not establish a loving relationship with God. And only that kind of love could ever save our souls and give us joy for all eternity.
“If My death has not convinced you of My love, what will? …There are souls who despise My graces as well as all the proofs of My love. They do not wish to hear My call, but proceed into the abyss of hell. The loss of these souls plunges Me into deadly sorrow. God though I am, I cannot help such a soul because it scorns Me; having a free will, it can spurn Me or love Me. You, who are the dispenser of My mercy, tell all the world about My goodness, and thus you will comfort My Heart.” — Diary of St. Faustina
“It is not because I have been preserved from mortal sin that I lift up my heart to God in trust and love. I feel that even had I on my conscience every crime one could commit, I should lose nothing of my confidence: my heart broken with sorrow, I would throw myself into the Arms of my Saviour. I know that He loves the Prodigal Son, I have heard His words to St. Mary Magdalen, to the woman taken in adultery, and to the woman of Samaria. No one could frighten me, for I know what to believe concerning His Mercy and His Love. And I know that all that multitude of sins would disappear in an instant, even as a drop of water cast into a flaming furnace.”? St. Therese Lisieux of Lisieux
The thing about hope is that it’s a positive force that shines the most when it’s dark. When everything’s going well, we hardly notice it’s there. But when things go against us, when our dreams fade and when we see no immediate reprieve from our troubles, that’s when hope does its best work for us.
"Where Hope Can Be Found"