Hell Is The Definitive Absence of God
St. Teresa of Avila, a mystic and Doctor of the Church, often spoke of the profound reality of hell, not as an abstract theological concept, but as a terrifying consequence of a life lived apart from God's grace. While she didn't dwell on the specific question of the blessed's knowledge of the damned, her writings emphasize the overwhelming love of God and the sorrow of rejecting that love, a sorrow that finds its ultimate expression in hell. She understood hell as the definitive absence of God, a state of unimaginable suffering. This perspective aligns with the Church's teaching that at the Last Judgment, "the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare" ( CCC 1039 ), implying a full understanding of eternal destinies. For Teresa, the fear of hell was not meant to paralyze but to ignite a fervent pursuit of holiness and an unwavering commitment to God's will, driven by profound gratitude for His mercy. The apparent paradox of the blessed...