FR. TIM MCCAULEY

This question is of paramount importance because it deeply affects our view of God. Fear of punishment is a serious obstacle for Catholics in developing a close, intimate, secure and trusting relationship with God the Father. The fear of punishment is not usually associated with Jesus or the Holy Spirit, but in our relationship with the Father, and the frequent misconception of Him as a distant, angry and punishing God, looking down upon us with a critical gaze while scrutinizing our every step.

To begin, let us first examine the testimony of Jesus in the Gospels on this whole issue of sin and punishment.Frequently in the New Testament, Jesus warns His listeners of the punishment of hell.For instance, in the Gospel of Matthew, we read that ‘the Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and…