What will take place on the day of the Last Judgment?
On the day of the Last Judgment: (1) All of us will be revealed, “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10); then (2) “those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:29).
1. On the day of the Last Judgment, all of us will be revealed, “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
The office of judging all mankind at the end of the world is given to our Lord Jesus Christ, not only as God, but also as Son of Man, or Messiah. Our Lord Himself taught us that He would be the judge of mankind.
“The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” (John 5:22–23).
The divine reward of eternal life requires our faithfulness to God. Freed from sin and made servants of God, we receive, as the fruit of our good works, an increase of personal sanctification and, in the end, eternal life, which is the greatest gift of God. St. Paul says: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:22–23).
2. On the day of the Last Judgment, “those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:29).
Our Lord will reward each of us according to our works on the day of the general judgment, and will give an eternal life of happiness to those who have persevered in good works to the end. He will punish unrepentant sinners. St. Paul says: “For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” (Romans 2:6–7).
In Heaven, the blessed shall be absorbed in possessing the infinitely perfect God, the greatest love that exists. The keenest human love is but a pale shadow of this love. They shall also see Christ, the God-man, in His glorified manhood, and shall live in community with the angels and the saints.
Happiness in this life is neither perfect nor complete. God, Who is infinitely good, would not place in our hearts the desire for perfect happiness if there were no way in which that desire could be fulfilled. Union with God in Heaven will be more complete and joyous than we can ever imagine. St. Paul wrote about the wisdom that God has predestined to be our glory: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
The blessed shall also know their loved ones in Heaven who have died in the grace of God, and they shall rejoice at their presence.