The End of Time
one
We know from Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium what will occur before the end of time. We find them in the Catechism (673-677)
In Luke 24:14 Jesus said: This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations (Gentiles); and then the end will come.
So the first thing that must take place before the end of the world is that, The Good News of Jesus Christ must be proclaimed to the whole world and all the Gentiles (non-Jews) who are going to be converted will be so that the full number of Gentiles, become
Christian. (CCC 674)
What will be the sign that we are getting close to the completion of step one? Jesus gives a clue when he said: “Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are finished.” Luke 21:24
Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were removed from Israel in the year 70 and again 132 AD
● In 638 AD the Holy Land was conquered by and fell under the control of the Muslims until the beginning of the 20th century
● It was not until 1948 that the State of Israel established
● And now the Jews have control of both Israel and the West Bank territories
So for the first time since 66 AD, Jerusalem is no longer “trodden down” that is, under the control of the Gentiles” – that should give us something to think about…
two
The second thing that must occur before the end of the world is that, very soon after the full number of Gentiles enter the covenant with God, the Jews will recognize Jesus as the Messiah and become Christian.
CCC 674 The "full inclusion" of the Jews in the Messiah's salvation, in the wake of "the full number of the Gentiles", will enable the People of God to achieve "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ", in which "God may be all in all".
In Romans 11: 25-26 Paul writes
One section of Israel has become blind, but this will last only until the whole pagan world has entered, and then after this the rest of Israel will be saved as well.
However, the conversion of Israel is delayed because the full number of Gentiles are not entering the covenant. And why not? Because Christians are not living their Primary mission to Go and make disciples of all nations.
● We have created a Catholic Welfare State
o Passive recipients of benefits at best
o Very few workers in the vineyard
● All the Baptized are to be Disciple Makers
● People come to God through other people, so we are all called to be Apostles of Friendship and help people to Jesus by living a simple way of live. We call it friendship, good conversation and the Rosary.
three
Then will come the supreme deception of the Antichrist
CCC 675 Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers.
The Anti-Christ will offer people an apparent solution to all their problems at the price of rejecting Christianity.
The CCC says the Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made that we can find perfect and permanent happiness, justice and peace in this world apart from Christ. Cf. 676
Have we given in to this deception? Do we seek our hope for happiness and security in our health or wealth; science and medicine; politics and economics; or even human relationships?
Only in Jesus can we find the perfect and permanent happiness we long for. Everything else comes to an end!
Where your treasure is there will be your heart as well.
What is your treasure?
four
Then comes the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world
In his second letter, Peter writes, “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then with a roar the sky will vanish, the elements will catch fire and fall apart, the earth and all that it contains will be burnt up.”
That is why I don’t do lawn care!
He continues, “Since everything is coming to an end like this, you should be living holy and saintly lives while you wait and long for the Day of God to come, when the sky will dissolve in flames and the elements melt in the heat.
“What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home.
So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace.”
In the martyr’s hope four elements are joined together.
1. The one thing truly hoped for is eternal life and not the temporary happiness found in the world.
2. The second is the active “Yes” like Mary, to play your part, take up and fulfill your responsibility
3. The third element is the acceptance of a catastrophic end to the world of history. (Pieper, Josef. An Anthology p. 26).
4. Finally, as Peter saud, God will create a New Heavens and a New Earth where we will live forever in peace, justice, and perfect delight.
five
The World will NOT end soon
Many saints, mystics and the messages of approved apparitions have prophesied there will be a minor apostasy, a falling away from the faith, which we are experiencing now throughout Europe, North and South America
● There are 100 million people that were Baptized as Catholics in the U.S
● Of those, only 10-15% go to Mass regularly. It’s far less in Canada, Europe, and South America.
This minor apostasy is to be followed by a world-wide purification of which Our Lady warned us at Akita, Kibeho, San Nicolas and others…
Then comes the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Era of Peace promised at Fatima.
St. John Paul II foresaw the "New Evangelization" and a "Civilization of Love" in the Third Millennium of Christianity
This would place us in the period just before the world wide purification and Re-evangelization of the entire world – Not the End of the World.
Our Lady has given 10 secrets to the Visionaries at Medjugorje. The only thing Mirjana will say about the secrets is this: “Our Lady is planning to change the world. She did not come to announce our destruction; she came to save us, and with her Son, she will triumph over evil.” At Medjugorje Our Lady is Reported to have said: “What I started in Fatima, I will complete in Medjugorje. My heart will triumph.
We often look back at history and think of our own times as boring by comparison, but I promise you, this is a very exciting time to be a Christian!