Hell is the complete and utter rejection of love. Some say that is impossible but imagine a person who is completely selfish. That person does only what is self-serving, not self-giving. Hell is saying, “I want whatever I want for me and me alone. I don’t care about anyone else!” This is not the way of love.
God gave us life so that we may love. God is love and God invites us to share in his love. That love is shown by the selfless gift of ourselves to others for their benefit. When we reject love through mortal sin, we are rejecting God and others. “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.” (CCC, para. 1857)
If we die in a state of mortal sin, then we have chosen of our own free will to reject God, and we will be eternally separated from God. That separation is the chief punishment of hell.
Read more about hell in the Catechism, paragraphs 1033-1037.
Know your faith. Live your faith. Teach your faith.
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