Day 90: Christ Descended Into Hell

Christ went down into the depths of death so that "the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." Jesus, "the Author of life", by dying destroyed "him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and [delivered] all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage." Henceforth the risen Christ holds "the keys of Death and Hades", so that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." CCC 635

In today's reading, the Catechism tells that Christ "descended into hell" after His death on the cross, as we confess in the Apostles' Creed. This was the "bosom of Abraham" that Jesus spoke of in His Parable of the Rich Man & Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31). He did not descend to free the damned but the righteous waiting for Him. As the Catechism Companion, Vol I explains:

This was different from eternal hell, which is permanent separation from God. "Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned" (CCC 633). Those who have chosen against God cannot change their choice. For the righteous waiting for the Lord, the abode of the dead would be a place of peace and rest in the bosom of Abraham. For the damned, it would be the place of torment that hell actually is. (p. 184)

It really speaks volumes about Jesus and His love for us that not only would he suffer and die for us, but He went to hell to bring the souls of the righteous to heaven, for "Jesus' mission was for all men at all times and all places". I also like how the Catechism Companion expands on this:

In the Incarnation, the sacraments, his grace, and his Holy Spirit, God comes to us to deliver us. God did not create us to be prisoners in hell. We choose Jesus. (p. 184)

Finally, some random - perhaps silly - thoughts I've had when thinking of all this: 

• Did Satan know the full truth about Jesus and His mission when he subjected Him to temptation (Lk 4:1-13)?
• I'm sure Satan delighted in the suffering of Jesus and His death on the cross, but did he foolishly think that he had triumphed over God during His three days in the tomb?
• In the episode described today of Jesus descending into hell and freeing the righteous, I almost would love a video to see Satan's reaction. No doubt he was quite... distressed.

The Harrowing of Hell by Petites Heures, a 14th-century illuminated manuscript