Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 4th Sunday during Lent.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The fifth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “Jesus Christ descended into Hell, and rose from the dead on the third day.” There are five (5) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 637.
Sacred Scripture does not use the old English term ‘Harrowing of Hell’ to describe this mystery of our Faith. Rather, we read that Jesus ‘preached to those spirits that were in prison’ (1 Peter 3:19) and that Jesus ‘led captivity captive’ (Ephesians 4:8).
Two (2) parts to this mystery include Christ’s victory over Satan and the liberation of those who died with sorrow in their hearts for their sins while awaiting the coming of Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10). Jesus, in His soul and Divinity, went to liberate those who had already died before His saving death but who nevertheless had awaited the coming of the Messiah as we read in 1 Peter 3:19 and Ephesians 4:8.
Following the Lord’s assurances about the preservation of the Church from the ‘gates of Hell’ (Matthew 16:18) the Lord Jesus entrusted the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Saint Peter (Matthew 16:19). Christ Jesus the Lord is the one with the power to grant admittance to Heaven, to draw us near the throne of the Most High in prayer, without any spot or wrinkle (cf. Revelation 8:3; 14:5). Saint Peter’s successors are the Bishops of Rome: Benedict XVI, John Paul II before him… the Bishops of Rome and those other bishops in union with them and under them, preach and believe this mystery (and all the mysteries of faith). The Cross is Christ’s key to both secure tightly the gates of Hell and open wide the pearl gates of Heaven (cf. Revelation 21:12-15, 21).
Saint Thomas Aquinas, OP, (+1274) treats the ‘Harrowing of Hell’ in his Summa Theologiae III Q.52, A. 1-8. When each of us die we appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Christ, in His soul and divinity, went immediately upon His saving death on the Cross when His body and soul were separated, to visit those who had died before Him. The eternal Divine Person of the Son remained united to both the body and soul of Jesus all the while.
The poet Dante Alghieri (1265-1321) who based his writings on Saint Thomas Aquinas writes about those who were liberated by the Lord Jesus in Inferno IV:46-61. Dante mentions among those being raised to the blessed station of redemption by Christ’s descent into Hell: Adam, Abel, Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, Rachel together with many others. Before Christ’s mysterious descent into Hell there were no other human souls which had achieved salvation.
Those who die after the Resurrection and Ascension get to face the Lord Jesus at least as Judge, hopefully for all eternity in His mercy. Jesus’ descent into Hell gives us real hope for Heaven.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr