In Principio

‘The Sight of Hell’ by Rev. John Furniss, C.S.S.R.; 1882; Chapter XXVI; Pages 13; ‘The greatest pain of hell…’

Chapter XXVI ~ The Third Dungeon

The Red Hot Floor

Look into this room. What a dreadful place it is! The roof is red hot; the floor is like a thick sheet of red hot iron. See, on the middle of that red hot floor stands a girl. She looks about sixteen years old. Her feet are bare, she has neither shoes nor stockings on her feet; her bare feet stand on the red hot burning floor. The door of this room has never been opened before since she first set her foot on the red hot floor. Now she sees that the door is opening. She rushes forward. She has gone down on her knees on the red hot floor. Listen, she speaks!

She says; "I have been standing with my feet on this red hot floor for years. Day and night my only standing place has been this red hot floor. Sleep never came on me for a moment, that I might forget this horrible burning floor. Look," she says, "at my burnt and bleeding feet. Let me go off this burning floor for one moment, only for one single, short moment. Oh, that in the endless eternity of years, I might forget the pain only for one single, short moment." The devil answers her question: "Do you ask," he says, "for a moment, for one moment to forget your pain. No, not for one single moment during the never-ending eternity of years shall you ever leave this red hot floor!" "Is it so?" the girl asks with a sigh, that seems to break her heart; "then, at least, let somebody go to my little brothers and sisters, who are alive, and tell them not to do the bad things which I did, so they will never have to come and stand on the red hot floor." The devil answers her again: "Your little brothers and sisters have the priests to tell them these things. If they will not listen to the priests, neither would they listen even if somebody should go to them from the dead."

Oh, that you could hear the horrible, the fearful scream of that girl when she saw the door shutting, never to be opened any more. The history of this girl is short. Her feet first led her into sin, so it is her feet which, most of all, are tormented. While yet a very little child, she began to go into bad company. The more she grew up, the more she went into bad company against the bidding of her parents. She used to walk around the streets at night, and do very wicked things. She died early. Her death was brought on by the bad life she led.

Image: Gabrielle Dell'Otto ~ Dante's Divine Comedy ~ Inferno

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"Look into this room. What a dreadful place it is! The roof is red hot; the floor is like a thick sheet of red hot iron. See, on the middle of that red hot floor stands a girl. She looks about sixteen years old. Her feet are bare, she has neither shoes nor stockings on her feet; her bare feet stand on the red hot burning floor."

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Instaurare Omnia in Christo

Thank you In Principio for posting things that matter. Catholic and good things to wake us up and to teach or re teach us. To keep reminding us. May GOD Bless you abundantly for all the work you do and all the help you give us.

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In Principio

Instaurare Omnia in Christo Thank you for the kind words! I'll post more about the Purgatory/Hell as Josefa Menendez requested. I think it is a good idea.

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God the Eternal Father to St. Catherine of Siena about eternal punishment for unrepented mortal sin: " "The soul’s guilt is infinite because it was committed against Me, who am infinite Good. Therefore, it deserves infinite punishment."

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chris griffin & mccallansteve Why the punishment in Hell is infinite (Chapters 40 & 78 of the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena) - ChatGPT answer (the best among four altogether) :
"
In The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena, the explanation of why the punishment in hell is eternal is found primarily in First Treatise: Treatise on Divine Providence, specifically within the sections addressing God's justice, sin, and the state of souls in the afterlife.
The core of God's explanation rests on two main theological principles: the infinite offense caused to an infinite God, and the fixity of the human will after death (souls in hell cannot repent).
Here is the key passage where God explains this to Catherine (drawing from standard translations, such as that by Suzanne Noffke, O.P.):
From The Dialogue (Chapter 40 / Section on Justice and Hell):
"And their pain cannot be undone. Why? Because the soul cannot undo its guilt, having lost the time of mercy. For just as the tree falls, so it lies. If it falls toward the south—that is, in a state of grace—there it will remain, united with Me and sharing in My infinite good through its affection. And if it falls toward the north—that is, in mortal sin—there it will remain. Because it died in mortal sin, its guilt is unchangeable."
"The soul’s guilt is infinite because it was committed against Me, who am infinite Good. Therefore, it deserves infinite punishment."
Further Elaboration in Chapter 78 (Why the Pain is Eternal):
God expands further on why the soul's suffering never ends, explaining that because the soul refused to align its will with God during its earthly life, it is locked in a state of eternal hatred and rebellion against Him:
"The soul’s malice, then, is infinite because it offended Me, who am infinite. Therefore, the pain it suffers is infinite. Not that the pain is infinite in the sense that the worm of conscience ceases or that the fire goes out, for neither fire nor worm ever dies; but it is infinite in the sense that every pain they feel is multiplied beyond measure, according to the measure of their guilt."
"They would like to find mercy, but they cannot, because mercy was scorned by them in this life. They made their choice, and death sealed it. Since their will was evil when they left the body, it remains evil forever, hating My goodness and gnawing themselves in their despair."
Summary of the Theological Argument in The Dialogue:
Infinite Offense: Sin is an insult to God, who is infinite. Therefore, the weight of the sin is infinite.
The Loss of Time for Merit: Earth is the only place where a person can change their will and seek mercy. Once physical death occurs, the soul's orientation (toward God or away from Him) becomes permanent.
Immutability of the Will: The damned souls continue to hate God in eternity. Because their will remains turned away from God, they continue to generate their own suffering, and since they cannot repent, the punishment must last as long as their rebellion does—which is for eternity."

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mccallansteve

No pain in hell will ever come within a light year of being deprived of the sight of God for eternity. The physical pains are almost nothing compared to that.

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In Principio

mccallansteve We are created by Him and for Him. Only after death we realize that - even non-believers know it then but often it is too late.

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chris griffin

I cannot understand why a 16 year old should be punished horribly for all eternity. Hitler yes, a 16 year-old.... no.

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"She says; "I have been standing with my feet on this red hot floor for years. Day and night my only standing place has been this red hot floor. Sleep never came on me for a moment, that I might forget this horrible burning floor. Look," she says, "at my burnt and bleeding feet. Let me go off this burning floor for one moment, only for one single, short moment. Oh, that in the endless eternity of years, I might forget the pain only for one single, short moment."

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