Discussion: I'd be glad to tell you how I go about this, but please keep in mind that these discussions have not aimed to "give answers." Rather, Bible Talk has focused on helping us to resolve within ourselves some issues or concerns that have no clear biblical answer.

With that understanding, my first step in finding out what the Bible has to say about any subject is to, yep, look in the Bible. To speed the process, I might check the concordance for scriptural references to the topic, but, usually, I begin with Internet websites that will allow me to do a word search. For instance, one of my favorite translations, the Revised Standard Version, has been printed in full with excellent search capabilities on http://quod.lib.umich.edu/r/rsv/.

For Douay-Rheims, http://www.drbo.org/ also allows searching for a word, phrase, or topic, and the site offers a number of hotlinks to activate additional readings too. If you already know which book, chapter, and verse you want to investigate, the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops — http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/ — offers easy access to the New American Bible (NAB.) You'll find excellent footnotes on that website, too, since our American Bishops are the very persons who requested and approved this translation, which, therefore, deserves respect whether we like it or not. Personally, I do because the NAB with the footnoting of the St. Joseph's edition was the first Bible I ever read cover to cover in a few weeks' time, thus resolving issues and finding questions that led me into the Roman Catholic Church. I'm also fond of the lively translation and interesting footnotes in The New Jerusalem Bible but haven't yet found a user-friendly site for an online copy of NJB.

Even if I feel sure about what the Bible says on a subject, I look up the verses to double-check and verify information. Often, this tiny bit of extra time brings a new insight or reveals something subtle. If so, I might meditate on that aspect of the topic, pray about it, and look for more information.

Sometimes a search leads me to a plain old dictionary but, more likely, to a Bible atlas, Bible dictionary, or Bible encyclopedia with most investigations also including the Catechism of the Catholic Church. At first, that book seems overwhelming, but like the encyclical letters of the Popes found on the Holy See website http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm, the Catechism is remarkably easy to understand. More importantly, the book compresses into a single volume the teachings and wisdom of the Church, including quotations cited from countless books that span many centuries. For in-depth research, those citations lead to other resources on a topic, while the "Subject Index" in the back of the Catechism provides a quick view of the headings and subheadings related to the subject. For those of us who knew the Bible first and the Church's position later, it's good to note that the Catechism remains consistently and blessedly in accordance with Holy Scripture. If you want to check it out online, you'll find full copies posted on the Internet.

Finally, I hope you'll check the archives on Catholic Exchange too, especially if you've missed a question I promised to discuss in this column. I believe those questions have now been researched and covered in conversations on Bible Talk as I intended before returning to my book-writing that's been on hold. I'd appreciate your prayers about that work, and you certainly have mine. In fact, I pray right now that God blesses your New Year and your ongoing search for a closer relationship with Christ and one another in keeping true to Christian love, the Bible, and the Church.

[Editor's note: Due to health challenges that she and her husband are facing, Mary Sayler has decided that keeping up with her publisher commitments will be demanding enough without continuing this column that she has donated to Catholic Exchange for nearly a year. On behalf of CE and our many readers who have enjoyed her fine and interesting contributions, I want to extend to Mary Sayler our warmest thanks and best wishes. Mary, the door is always open for you at CE should things change.

Dear Readers, her articles will be permanently archived here and our new search engine (going online within a couple of weeks) will enable her articles, along with the 40,000 others in our archives, to be accessed by keywords. ]

Discussion: Thank you for this excellent question, not only because of its importance in drawing closer to God but also its timeliness as we consider our priorities, choices, and activities for the New Year.

Keeping the Sabbath holy first means worshiping God, not just anywhere but within the Church where — in body, mind, and spirit — we take part in the Body of Christ. Attending Mass sometime between Friday night and sundown Saturday would be in keeping with the Sabbath hours originally set for the seventh day of rest. For a once-a-week assembly though, the Catechism established what most Christians continue to do: Come together each Sunday in honor of our Resurrected Lord's first appearance on Easter. This special time of receiving Eucharist truly re-Members the Sabbath as Members of the Body of Christ become one through Christ's own body and blood.

As you pointed out though, Mass may take only 45 minutes, so what about the remaining hours? Do we still have to keep the whole day holy to the Lord? In some ways, every day needs to be holy to God, for instance, by praying, forgiving, and seeking God's will in our lives. However, Hebrews 4:9-10 addresses need for more than this by saying, "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for whoever enters God's rest also ceases from his labors as God did from his" (Revised Standard Version.) You might say, then, that remembering the Sabbath is a time to forget our own work or anything that's part of our regular workday routines and, instead, focus on God's work in and around us.

At first peek, the Catechism seems to offer little guidance on how we're to go about this, but actually, its contents have been as highly compressed as a poem, which often requires three or more readings to reveal its mysteries. At any reading rate, the Subject Index of the Catechism lists a number of references under "Sabbath, Sabbath rest," while Article 3 of "Part Three: Life In Christ" focuses entirely on "The Third Commandment." Each of those several pages warrants a prayerful and careful reading, but the subheading, "A day of grace and rest from work," offers the most direct response to your question.

For instance, 2184 says: "Just as God 'rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done,' human life has a rhythm of work and rest. The institution of the Lord's Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familiar, cultural, social, and religious lives." That word "cultivate" emphasizes the ongoing need to nurture the relationships vital to a well-rounded life — a life meant to include family, community, society, and religion. With those key words to direct us, we begin to see some personal answers for appropriate use of our prime-time Sundays. And I say "personal" because God gives each of us a variety of gifts and a variety of options for using them. So, depending on each unique combination of our spiritual gifts and means, we might feel led, for instance, to spend time in prayer, take Eucharist to a home-bound parishioner, go on a "date" with our spouse, phone a family member, visit a child in the hospital, invite a lonely neighbor to lunch, baby-sit for an overwhelmed parent, attend a concert of uplifting music, participate in a Bible study group, restore something in the environment, or make amends in a broken relationship. Seldom, however, will any single individual do all of the above since remembering the Sabbath also remembers our own need to rest.

Generally speaking, the Catechism says, "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body…" (2185.) After reminding us to be mindful that other people need rest too, 2186 goes on to say, "Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life."  So, regardless of whether our regular workweek has taxed us physically, mentally, or spiritually, a day of Sabbath rest encourages us to rest — in every way — in God.

Discussion: Since your last question has specific biblical answers, let's start with why Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden: Sin brings consequences. Not only does wrongdoing affect the people involved, the cause-and-effect of sin can cause effects for generations to come. So when sin entered the garden, the intimate relationship between God and humankind immediately changed, causing all sorts of disruptions and, likely, making a more discernible distinction between the holy and the unholy. In other words, this perfect place became a holy place where no "unholy" person could live comfortably or at ease. (Dis-ease most likely entered the world then too.)

Besides those biblical concepts, the Bible text itself provides this answer: "And he (God) said: Behold Adam is become as one of us, knowing good and evil: now, therefore, lest perhaps he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever. And the Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to till the earth from which he was taken. And he cast out Adam; and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubims, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3:22-24, Douay-Rheims.) As Christians, we now know that, in the fullness of time, Jesus Christ became The Way — the Saviour from sin, the Redeemer of God's people, and the Tree of Life through whom we enter into the eternal life our loving God wants us to have. 

Regarding the location, no one can be sure where to find the Garden of Eden because the names and even maps of Bible places often differ from those we have today. If you want to investigate the possibilities though, Genesis 2:10-14 offers a starting place for research aided by a Bible atlas, Bible encyclopedia, and/or map of ancient terrains.

As far as Adam and Eve being the first cavemen/women, Genesis places them first in the Garden, then gardening outside that idyllic place with some of their descendants, eventually moving toward a nomadic lifestyle that may or may not have involved caves. That said, Genesis in particular and the Bible in general do not focus on world history but on God's ongoing relationship with us in developing our Judeo-Christian history of faith.

Question: A friend asked me a couple of questions that I could use help answering. The first is asked frequently, I'm sure, and that is …. How did other people come to exist to marry Seth, Cain, etc? The other question is, we talk about God making us in His image and likeness. If God is pure spirit, how can He have an image? I told her that the only way we know God's image is through Jesus, when God took human form. I'm not sure if that is how it is explained by the Church, so I just wanted to get your take on it.

Discussion: Regarding our being made in God's image, I always took that to mean our spiritual selves, for instance, with our God-given capacity for love and forgiveness. In researching your reference to Genesis 1:26 now, though, I see that a footnote in Douay-Rheims adds, "This image of God in man, is not in the body, but in the soul; which is a spiritual substance, endued with understanding and free will. God speaketh here in the plural number to insinuate the plurality of persons in the Deity."

A footnote to that same verse in the New American Bible published on the website of the United States Conference Of Catholic Bishops further explains, "Man is here presented as the climax of God's creative activity; he resembles God primarily because of the dominion God gives him over the rest of creation." To clarify that often-misunderstood concept of dominion, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God's infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment (339.)

Regarding your question about the existence of other people, Genesis 1:26 records this account of creation: "And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them" (Douay-Rheims.) Then Genesis 2:7 goes on to say how God formed man from the earth and breathed life into him so that "man became a living soul." The Bible doesn't explain beyond this, but to see what the Church says about the origins of people, look in the index of the Catechism for key words, such as "Creation" and "Man," the latter of which yields almost three columns of references. For instance, under the heading of "Man," you'll find the subheading, "resemblance to God," with additional references that bring us back to our origins in God's own image. To see what the Catechism says about that, "Section One: Man's Vocation, Life In The Spirit" offers inspired insights, such as 1702, "The divine image is present in every man. It shines forth in the communion of persons, in the likeness of the union of the divine persons among themselves." Amen.

Discussion: King David had several God-given tasks to accomplish: He needed to unify the Twelve Tribes of Israel, establish neighborly policies, and obtain the sort of peace that made it possible to build the first Temple in Jerusalem. David's success helped his son Solomon and the people of Israel enjoy a time of peace like nothing they had ever experienced or ever saw again. This peace also gave David the opportunity to stockpile building supplies, find artisans, and organize rituals of worship to be later used. So as it turned out, Solomon's reign became the best window of opportunity for a concerted building effort, especially since the kingdom fell apart soon after his death. Undoubtedly, God knew that would happen, but the events also show how God might raise up a person for one job and not another. Surely God knew, too, that Solomon would need to keep his great mind occupied with a great work. However, the most significant aspect of the story may be this: God did not ask anyone to build the Temple in Jerusalem!

According to II Samuel 7, the whole thing was David's idea. God responded by saying, "…the LORD will make you a house" (II Samuel 7:11, RSV, italics mine.) The next few verses go on to show that God made this promise to King David even while anticipating "iniquity" (wickedness) from Solomon: "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He (Solomon) shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men with the stripes of the sons of men; but I will not take my steadfast love from him…. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever" (II Samuel 7:12-16, RSV). Since Jesus Christ came through that Davidic line of the Tribe of Judah, this promise continues to be fulfilled in Him.

Another thought may help our understanding too: i.e., King David's personal and political ups and downs strengthened his faith, thereby producing a spiritual sensitivity beautifully expressed in poetry-writing. So even though David did not build the "permanent" Temple building, which no longer exists, he had the honor of writing about half of the Psalms, all of which have been a consistent part of Judeo-Christian worship for two to three thousand years. As the primary prayer book used by the Jews, by Jesus, and by the first Christians, we continue to worship God today with those same poems, songs, and prayers.

So, God remained faithful to David and his promise to the Davidic line of the Tribe of Judah, but as you said, David's son Solomon eventually turned away. At the beginning of his reign, though, Solomon prayed this wonderful prayer recorded in I Kings 3:7-9: "And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people?" (Revised Standard Version, RSV.)  Chapters 8 and 9 of I Kings go on to discuss the building and Solomon's prayer of dedicating the Temple to the Lord. Ultimately, the wise king made unwise choices, but the accounts of him in the books of Kings and Chronicles give us the impression that Solomon may have remained faithful to God until after the first Temple in Jerusalem had been completed.

Question: I just finished reading I & II Chronicles and am now reading Ezra, so I'd like to know more about the Temple in Jerusalem. Where in the Bible can I find the history or main references to the building, rebuilding, and destruction of the Temple?

Discussion: The chapters mentioned in the above discussion refer to the first Temple built in Jerusalem about a thousand years before Christ. However, Exodus 25 records an even earlier episode that occurred about a thousand years before this when God asked Moses, a leader of the priestly Tribe of Levi, to prepare a portable "Tent of Meeting." Not only did God ask for that place of worship, he did so before giving Moses the Ten Commandments, indicating that worship comes before right-and-wrong matters of law.

Centuries later, when King Solomon completed the first Temple in Jerusalem, furnishings from the original tent of worship became the sacred relics mentioned in I Kings 8:4. What was meant to be a "permanent" building, however, did not stay that way. Around 587 B.C., the Babylonians ruined the magnificent structure then took the Jews into captivity. After that exile in Babylon ended, the Jews returned to their homeland and began their rebuilding projects as recorded in Ezra, somewhere around 515 B.C.

Although smaller than Solomon's Temple, this "Second Temple" expanded over the years until Pompey besieged the building around 63 B.C. Then a couple of decades before Jesus' birth, Herod The Great (who had Jewish roots) began renovating and expanding the building that Jesus visited as a child and as an adult. After Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, however, the "Temple" of God once again became "portable" as Christians themselves housed the Holy Spirit, given on Pentecost. By then, though, Jesus Christ had become the final Passover and perfect sacrifice given once for all, thereby making animal sacrifices on the Temple altar no longer needed or desired.

As Jesus had forewarned in Matthew 24, the last destruction of the Jerusalem Temple occurred in 70 A.D., and the structure has never again been rebuilt. Instead, an Islamic mosque stands on the site, while Christians and Jews alike await the Third Temple foreseen by the prophet Ezekiel. Whether this will be a physical building or a spiritual place has yet to be revealed, but for clues, read Ezekiel 40 to 48.

Discussion: Yes, Jesus instructs us in what He asks us to do. And, yes, the Bible includes additional writings on the subject, as the Apostles and early Christians continued to work out the details. For instance, the Corinthian church consisted of many people from highly diverse backgrounds, sort of like our local parish in Florida. Paul's letters helped them to know how to conduct themselves and make right judgments, not according to cultural upbringing or personal preferences, but in accordance with the unique oneness in Christ.

Although you didn't mention the Catechism, it's interesting to note that the only listing in the index was "Judgment, rash." Also, many biblical references to judging can be found in the Old Testament, while the books of James, I Peter, and Revelation bring New Testament light to the subject. Including every quotation or full book would take a book, but if we focus primarily on what Jesus Himself said, we can look at those words here, excluding overlaps or quotations that appear irrelevant.

The very first Gospel account I could find that mentions judging occurs as part of Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison" (Matthew 5:21-22, 25, Revised Standard Version, RSV).

In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus' words of caution add crucial instructions on how we can "see clearly" in our judgments: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" (RSV).

The Gospel of Luke records the same teaching or a similar word placed in this context: "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back" (Luke 6:35-38, RSV.)

In a discussion recorded in Luke 12:56-58, Jesus told the crowd, "You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison" (NAB).

In John 7:24, Jesus said, "Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly" (NAB.) That same chapter goes on to record how some religious leaders (Pharisees) debated among themselves about how they were to deal with Jesus until Nicodemus, a member of their group, pointedly asked, "Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?" (John 7:51, NAB).

The following chapter, John 8, begins with religious leaders (Pharisees, again) bringing an adulterous women to be stoned, then ends with the group trying to stone Jesus! In between those episodes, Jesus told them, "You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he (God the Father) who sent me" (John 8:15-16). Regarding religious people who kept trying to trip him up, Jesus said in verse 26, "I have much to say about you and much to judge…."

In John 12:46-50, Jesus told the crowd, "I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me" (NAB).

Jesus' word on "the Father told me" resounds the same word that went into the making of true Old Testament prophets, who told the people exactly what God had first told them. Occasionally, though, fake prophets arose to confuse God's people. Since that possibility can still occur, Jesus informs followers about phony spokespersons for God, producing in the process an example that likely gave us the concept of Christians as "fruit inspectors." As recorded in Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits" (RSV).

Apt "fruit inspecting" may be an accepted form of "passing judgment," but Romans 2:1-3 offers a strong word of caution for those who judge others without inspecting themselves first: "Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?" (NAB).

As mentioned, the letters to the Corinthians offer us valuable light and insight on this tricky topic. For instance, I Corinthians 2:11-16 says: "For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit. The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 'For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ."

Having the "mind of Christ" is a vital prerequisite to all types of judging or "seeing clearly," but most particularly as we endeavor to keep I Corinthians 6:1-7 in context: "When one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life! If then you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are least esteemed by the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between members of the brotherhood, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?" (RSV).

That passage concerned "the world," then or now, in which Christians live. Regarding Christians judging one another, the biblical example in I Corinthians 11: 13-16 concerns the need to determine appropriate conduct within a local group, such as whether people will be allowed to wear short-shorts: "Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears his hair long it is a disgrace to him, whereas if a woman has long hair it is her glory, because long hair has been given (her) for a covering? But if anyone is inclined to be argumentative, we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God" ( NAB).

In addition to the letters of the Corinthians, other books mentioned earlier reflect "the mind of Christ" on the subject of judgment. For example, James 2:8-13 says: "If you really fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' said also, 'Do not kill.' If you do not commit adultery but do kill, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy; yet mercy triumphs over judgment" (RSV).

Again, reflecting Jesus' teachings, James 4:11-12 says, "Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. Whoever speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save or to destroy. Who then are you to judge your neighbor?" (NAB).

Another key verse occurs in James 5:9: "Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the doors." Verses 19 and 20 continue, "My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (NAB). That phrase also brings to mind a lasting word from the mind of Christ as recorded in I Peter 4:8: "Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins" (NAB).

Question

Discussion: You'll find an overview in II Peter 3, but all three chapters of that short book offer insights on how Christians are to live prior to Judgment Day. Words of warning and words of assurance about the coming judgment can also be found in many other scriptures, such as I Thessalonians 5, Hebrews 10, the short book of I John, and the one-chapter book of Jude. To research additional references, just look up related words or phrases in a concordance. If your edition of the Bible does not provide that study help, most bookstores can order a Bible concordance in separate book form in various translations, including the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and New American Bible (NAB). Also, some Internet copies of the Bible allow you to do a word search online.

Obviously, we don't have the space to discuss all of the scriptures about Judgment Day, but if we focus on a few, we might glimpse a big picture. Let's look, for instance, at the most popular verse in the Bible, along with the next one, since, together, they address your question: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:16-17, KJV). Those two verses provide a clear statement of God's general thoughts on judgment as well as the divine plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Similarly, 679 of the Catechism explains, "Christ is Lord of eternal life. Full right to pass definitive judgment on the works and hearts of men belongs to him as redeemer of the world. He 'acquired' this right by his cross. The Father has given 'all judgment to the Son.' Yet the Son did not come to judge, but to save and to give the life he has in himself."

The crucial point is that Jesus — Son of Mary, Son of God — totally gave himself to love, removing all barriers between us and God. Although wholly perfect, Jesus Christ took on sin that was not even His, but ours. Jesus also overcame death even though He had the power to soar into heaven without the discomfort of dying, much less enduring the excruciating pain of the Cross. Since He did all of this for us to overcome death and to show us the way to unending life, we might ask ourselves if His actions show that He wants to get rid of us or cast us into hell? Clearly not! Jesus Christ wants us with Him forever. So, even though He has the God-power and God-authority to judge us severely, His perfectly loving solution was to take onto Himself all of the judgment we deserve.

Now and forever, our hope resides in that One True and Holy Love. Therefore, we might want to see what Jesus Himself said for us to expect on Judgment Day. For example, in Matthew 12:36-37, He gave this vital warning: "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned" (NAB.) Those verses clarify our need to assess each remark that comes from our mouths as we become truer in knowing what we think, then saying what we mean and meaning what we say. As I Peter 4:8 says, "Love covers a multitude of sins." Conversely, a "careless word" has a potentially harmful effect, not unlike the wounding deliberately caused by hateful, cruel, or spiteful words.

Unfortunately, most of us have discovered that a word, a look, or even a bad thought about someone can come across as judgment, but the Bible cautions us against actually judging anyone. For example, Romans 14:7-13 (NAB) says: "None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why then do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written: 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.' So (then) each of us shall give an account of himself (to God). Then let us no longer judge one another, but rather resolve never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother." 

God the Father gave God the Son the final word on everyone, and so should we. In John 5:22-23, Jesus explains, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." In verses 24-27, Jesus Christ goes on to assure us, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man" (KJV).

The right and ability to judge people's motives and actions belongs to Christ alone. Also, the biblical admonitions against judging anything before its time warn us about placing a final verdict on ourselves. As the Apostle Paul says in I Corinthians 4:4-6 (NAB), "It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord. Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God." Wow! Those who remain true to our Lord Jesus Christ might receive God's praise on Judgment Day, and what a glorious day that would be!

Discussion: Although the Bible does not speak directly of purgatory, you'll find related scriptures and three primary statements about the subject in "III. The Final Purification, or Purgatory," 1030-1032 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

To explain for readers who haven't heard the Church's voice on this doctrine of faith, Article 12, 1030 of the Catechism says, "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." The next statement in 1031 assures that purgatory "…is entirely different from the punishment of the damned," then cites references to Matthew 12:31, I Corinthians 3:15, and I Peter 1:7. Similarly Article 12, 1032 cites II Maccabees 12, which refers to the time before Christ when Judas Maccabeus made atonement for the dead. In addition, 1032 states, "The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead." Finally, a quote in 1032 from St. John Chrysostom refers to Job 1:5 then concludes, "Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them."

To summarize Church teaching, we've been given an active role to pray and to do good works on behalf of those who have gone before us in death. As to your question about what you can do to get yourself out of purgatory, the strongest, clearest opportunity for actively influencing your eternal state occurs in the choices you make and actions you take during this lifetime. For example, keep company with Christ through the Eucharist and prayer, get to know the Bible and the Catechism well, go to Confession as needed, and make friends with a lot of praying people! Once in purgatory, the most likely action will simply be to wait.

Question: That kind of leads me to my next question. When someone dies, most priests talk about that person as if he or she is already in Heaven. In scripture it tells of the "ones who have fallen asleep" or those who will be judged on the last day. If you look at scripture, I think it means that if you die you will be in purgatory and waiting for Jesus to return to judge the living and the dead. Is this your understanding also? If you look at scripture it seems that only a few are already up there, like the Apostles and the Prophets and the Holy Family.

For me it is not an issue of will I be in Heaven when I die; it is when will I be able to see Jesus vouch for me at the Right Hand of God and hear my name in the Book of Life? For me, I pray more in an anticipation of Jesus' return and the last judgment so that all may see his face than of me going straight to Heaven when I die. Although I strive to be holy everyday and to spread the Gospel in my words and actions, I am pretty sure I will have to wait to get there…….until the Day of Judgment.

Discussion: When scripture refers to "falling asleep," that's usually a euphemism for death or dying, not judgment. Lord willing, we'll investigate that Day of Judgment and also the Second Coming of Christ in upcoming Bible Talks.

Meanwhile, none of us knows exactly when we'll see Jesus. However, many Christians who remain close to God believe this happens at the very instant of death, assuming, of course, that Christ has not returned to earth prior to that particular moment. Again it's a matter of waiting to find out — not passively though, but actively as loving, forgiving, and forgiven members of the Body of Christ.

The Virgin Mary and the Apostles surely understood this, but to clarify, a previously quoted portion of the Catechism (1030) bears repeating: "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." With italics added for emphasis, the phrase "imperfectly purified" implies that, at the moment of death, some people, such as Mary, the Apostles, and other Saints, may already be perfectly purified with no unconfessed sins to confess and no anchors (such as grudges or other areas of unforgiveness) to weigh them down spiritually or separate them from the joy of heaven. Faith floats. A pure heart stays buoyant. So, yes, after death you might have to wait for a cleansing spiritual lift to see Christ face to face, but then again, maybe you won't.

Discussion: To learn what's yet to come, people often try to decipher the book of Revelation, which has some rather heavily coded clues. Besides that last book of the New Testament, the apocalyptic book of Daniel in the Old Testament speaks figuratively and mysteriously of the end times too, but Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Joel, or Habakkuk may be somewhat clearer. To hear what Jesus says about the subject, check out the Gospels, especially chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew and chapter 13 of Mark. In addition, some biblically-recorded writings to the early Church, such as I John and II Peter, talk about times still to come.

To locate further references, you might look up phrases like the "Day of the Lord," "judgment day," or "later time(s)" in a Bible concordance. Or find the Bible posted in full on the Internet then search for verses that include the above phrases or relevant words like "end," "times," or even "not yet."  For instance, that type of Internet search of the Revised Standard Version (RSV) produced Isaiah 46:9-10, which says, "Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose'."

Meditating on such verses or reading the related footnotes in a study Bible will give you more information and also a sweeping view of what to expect. You might investigate another potential puzzle piece, too, by researching the Jewish feast days that have not been clearly or ultimately fulfilled. As previously suggested in Bible Talk, the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit obviously fulfilled the Feast of Lights, Passover, and Pentecost.

Some scholars also see a Christian equivalent existing for the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles), but if those connections do not seem readily apparent, it could be because the remaining feasts foreshadow events yet to come. For example, this could be the "judgment day" or "day of atonement" each person faces at his or her own death, while ultimate fulfillment might occur with Christ's return. Regardless of the interpretation, as you investigate topics related to the end times, consider how the remaining Jewish feast days might point to the day or possibly the season when the Lord Jesus comes again.

No one, of course, knows exactly when that will be. As Jesus himself said in Mark 13:32, "But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come." But, just in case the last trumpet sounds during the Feast of Trumpets or Judgment Day fulfills the last Day of Atonement, you might watch September and October as they are the months on our present-day calendar in which those feasts occur.

Inevitably, discussions about the future involve a certain amount of speculation or interpretation and, for some, fear. For Christians though, the Bible's encouraging word on the end times comes in countless assurances given to those who remain faithful to God. For example, the last chapter gives lasting words of comfort, but those final verses also include warnings that indicate the ongoing choice we're given — to be faithful to God or not. As Revelation 22:16-20 (RSV) says: "'I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.' The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let him who hears say, 'Come.' And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price. I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

Discussion: The books of Exodus and Leviticus give the origins of the rites and reasons for Jewish feast days that began about fifteen centuries before Christ. Originally, the sacred days included Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets (later known as Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year), The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur (the Hebrew word yom means day), and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. In addition, biblical accounts of Esther describe the conditions that gave rise to Purim. Then somewhere between one and two hundred years prior to the birth of Jesus, the historical events recorded in Maccabees resulted in Hanukkah, the Feast of Lights celebrated each year around the 25th of December.

Besides those special days, the Sabbath honored God's rest on the seventh day with a Sabbath Year occurring every seventh year. During those twelve months of rest, even the land was to remain fallow, which kept the nutrients in the soil from being depleted. After seven of those Sabbath Years, the next one heralded the Year of Jubilee, which brought God's people an opportunity every half-century to forgive debts, free slaves, and return repossessed lands to their original owners. Similarly, the Church last celebrated the Year of Jubilee in 2000 as a time of spiritual awareness and renewal.

Question: Do we, as Christians, commemorate any of the annual Jewish feast days?

Discussion: Yes, but usually for recharged reasons. For example, the Jewish Passover began when the Angel of Death passed over each home that had been marked with the blood of a lamb. After that night, the Jews had to get out of Egypt faster than yeast bread could rise! So God instructed them to make unleavened bread to take with them. Those events became key to Judaism with annual celebration of Passover and also the Feast of Unleavened Bread helping the people recall how God had saved their lives and freed them from slavery. Then hundreds of years went by until the blood of Christ, sacrificed once for all, became the Blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ became our Passover, and now, at each celebration of Eucharist, the resurrected Christ becomes our Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Another important example comes in our celebration of Pentecost. Prior to Christianity, God's chosen people gathered fifty days after Passover for a harvest festival known as Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. This celebration occurred each year, so by Jesus' lifetime, thousands of people would typically crowd into Jerusalem to thank God for the season's crops. Fifty days after Christ's resurrection, however, Pentecost took on new meaning as God spiritually "seeded" those who had gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks. On that day, the ancient harvest celebration became the occasion for both Jews and Gentiles to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, which gave birth to the Church as the Body of Christ on earth.

Regarding other Jewish feasts that have not yet been fulfilled, consider "Looking Into End Times." Lord willing, we'll do just that in an upcoming Bible Talk.

Discussion: In The New Catholic Answer Bible, a footnote for the verse says, "…the word of God brings judgment as well as salvation," which, like a two-sided sword, can cut either way. Hopefully, that answers your question because other references to the word of God and/or sword also come sheathed in imagery, typically using the figurative language of metaphor ("This is that") or simile ("This is like that.")

In the Revised Standard Version (RSV), for instance, Wisdom 18:14-16 poetically states: "For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, thy all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stern warrior carrying the sharp sword of thy authentic command, and stood and filled all things with death, and touched heaven while standing on the earth." In other words, this all-powerful word leaps with life yet has the power of death. Notice, too, how the "sharp sword" speaks God's command authentically as would a prophet, who, while standing alive on this earth, also "touched heaven."

In Isaiah 49:2, the simile of a sword describes the role of a prophet as a spokesperson for the word of God: "He (God) made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away" (RSV). A later example in Ephesians 6:17 describes the sword as part of the protective armor of God that Christians wisely put on for spiritual protection: "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (RSV). 

Figuratively and prophetically now, but literally in times to come, Revelation 1:13-18 places the sword into the hand and future context of the returning Christ: "Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw…one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast; his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades'."

Again, judgment comes from the sword and the word, but so does salvation. To amplify this assurance, the first verse of the first chapter of the Gospel of John says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Since this refers to Jesus, the Word of God can mean either the divine person of Jesus Christ or the holy word of Holy Scripture.

With both meanings in mind, God's Word reveals and heals, for example, by cutting through falseness, pointing out the truth, and exposing inner motivations. It's as though the Holy Spirit utilizes a laser beam or a super sharp point of truth to remove spiritual growth in the wrong direction. So, like a double-edged sword, God's Word has the power to bring death or, most mercifully, to restore life through the power, authority, love, and forgiveness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.