Welcome to the End of Western Civilization

Yep, I’m convinced, Western Civilization is in its death throes. When will the end come and what form will it take? I can only guess, but that’s all it would be, a guess. I’m no prophet, just an observer who’s old enough not to fret about his own future in the face of this dystopian offing. Please do not assume I’m a pessimist, because that would be far from the truth. My understanding of Creation is long-range, an eschatological view that accepts the Church’s Biblical teaching on the end times. The end will be preceded by conflict, persecution, and unspeakable evil before our God brings all of His Creation to its fulfillment. So, if you believe I’m a pessimist, realize that any pessimism is strictly short-term. My long-term understanding of the world is unquestionably optimistic. The Judge of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, will prevail so that “all things work for good for those who love God.”

I think I’m observant enough to see and read the signs, especially when they’re big and bright and flashing like a neon Broadway of the 1950s. Again, what I have to say are just my personal guesses, so let me share a few of them. 

I’ve recently celebrated (quietly) my 79th birthday, but believe I’ll still be around for this societal collapse, at least for its beginnings. I’m pretty sure it’ll happen quickly because these days everything happens quickly. Why should the utter destruction of a civilization be an exception. Neither will the end come quietly. Why should it? Our society, indeed, our world, has become increasingly violent and violence is rarely quiet. There’s no reason Western Civilization should just fade away like MacArthur’s old soldiers. No, it will probably be surrounded from without and penetrated from within and then slaughtered, all done rather quickly, much like the catastrophes experienced by the Russians in 1917 and the Chinese in 1949.

Let me tell a story…a true story. In November 1976 our ship, USS Okinawa, arrived in Sydney Australia. After a long stint at sea, four or five of us, all 30-something naval aviators, were in a crowded hotel elevator heading, predictably, to the rooftop bar when a local woman, knowing we were Americans, suddenly began to complain about American voting habits. Jimmy Carter had just been elected, although only 53% of eligible voters bothered to go to the polls. This, she said, was horrible. She then informed us that Australians who didn’t vote in elections were fined. (I don’t know if this was true then or still is, but she certainly said it.) Having made her point, she waited for an answer. As a true red, white, and blue American, I simply replied, "For Americans, to vote so we can select those who represent us is a right. Because it is a right, we can choose to vote or not to vote. To force citizens to vote is just a first step toward totalitarianism. Enjoy your future.” With that the elevator door opened and we all rushed to the bar where we enjoyed a couple of overpriced beers.

When the "free world" begins to reject freedom, you know we're in serious trouble.

Another sign of rapid and massive decay is the educational system in the West, especially in the US. The vast majority of students in our so-called institutions of higher learning graduate completely uneducated. Some few have received adequate training to enter and perhaps even succeed in specific professions — e.g., engineering and technical fields — and yet they too remain uneducated. Yes, even these have been indoctrinated into the left’s hatred of all things good. Just look at what’s happening on college campuses this week as a result of the violence in Israel. The hatred is visceral, animalistic, and screamed out in profanity laced irrational language. Totally unconcerned with the truth, the useful idiots on campus unthinkingly spew the slogans and lies they have been taught. They are historically, economically, politically, and morally ignorant because they and their parents were willing to pay huge amounts of money to ensure their indoctrinators are paid well. Yesterday, on the “global day of jihad”, we saw this clearly manifested in our streets and on the campuses of American colleges. I was, however, pleased to see that at least one college, Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, instead or supporting terrorists, organized an all-night Eucharistic adoration to pray for peace in Israel. (Our eldest graduated from TAC.) Here’s a link: Thomas Aquinas College

As a nation — indeed, as a civilization — we have neglected the “permanent things” (read T. S. Eliot and Russell Kirk) that give our lives real meaning. When a civilization or society turns away from these, it ceases being human and becomes bestial. Sadly, too many believe we will be saved by politics or economics, but these are not the source of our problems. In fact, they become mere tools that will be used against us. In truth, our troubles are both cultural and spiritual, but to address these has become “politically incorrect.” We have forgotten or neglected the wisdom of our ancestors and the eternal truths that guided their words and deeds. In other words, we have become suicidal, a disease that has infected both liberals and conservatives, thanks to the intelligentsia who have taken control of large and influential segments of bureaucracy, media, academia, and even our military. 

I find it consoling that in many Catholic parishes in the United States — including my parish here in Florida — parishioners are once again praying Pope Leo XIII’s prayer to St. Michael the Archangel after each daily Mass. Many Catholics, then, realize the nature of the threats faced by both Church and society. Pope Leo composed the prayer as a result of a vision he experienced at Mass on October 13, 1884, exactly 33 years before the great miracle of the sun at Fatima. Add this prayer to your daily devotions, for Michael will be the one called to do God’s work during these trying times.

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who prowl throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Human history offers a record of civilizational decline, so we have no guarantee that Western Civilization will somehow survive the fate that befell all others. Pray for our nation, for our civilization, and for the world.

What's Going On?

Too often these days people ask me, “What’s going on, deacon? The Church seems to be self-destructing.” I suppose they ask me this and similar questions because I’m a deacon and they assume I must understand everything that’s happening in and to the Church. Of course, I don’t. My thoughts and my opinions on these and most other subjects are just that, my thoughts, my opinions. I am not a prophet, and I’m certainly not infallible. I do, however, accept and try to teach the truth as it has been revealed to us through Sacred Scripture and Apostolic Tradition. But I also try not to be tendentious, and struggle to identify what are simply my opinions and not declare them as revealed truth. What follows, then, are the opinions of a man who happens to be a deacon who loves his God and His Church, nothing more.

Too many Catholics, and almost all non-Catholics, when they think and speak of the Catholic Church, see only the hierarchy: the pope, bishops, priests, and maybe even the deacons. But the hierarchy is not the Church. The Church is the "People of God," the community of all the baptized faithful, coming together in faith to worship, to evangelize, and to love God and neighbor by living the lives that God desires of us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also reminds us that...

"The Church draws her life from the Word and the Body of Christ, and so herself becomes Christ's Body" [CCC, p. 871].

Yes, we are the Body of Christ, one Body with Christ as its head. And it is from Jesus Christ that the Church was given its mission – “the Great Commission" -- when He instructed the apostles:

"All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" [Mt 28:18-20].

In the beginning [Acts 1:15], the Church consisted of little more than a hundred people, and yet it already had a hierarchy. This hierarchy, instituted by Jesus Himself, is a necessary element of the Church. It provides the structure and the avenues of sacramental grace necessary to accomplish the Church's mission in a spirit of unity. Although a divinely created institution, one guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church is made up of human beings who are subject to all human failings and sinfulness. We see vivid evidence of this among the apostles themselves, men who didn't hesitate to reveal their own sinfulness [Lk 5:8]. 

This applies as well to those who, through apostolic succession, make up the Church’s hierarchy today, men who sometimes reject or ignore the guidance of the Spirit. So don’t expect popes, bishops, priests, and deacons to be sinless. They aren’t. Not only aren’t they sinless, they also make mistakes and will proclaim or teach things that simply aren’t true. As do I, they occasionally confuse opinion with truth. St. Paul said it best when he declared:

"There is no one righteous, not even one..." [Rom 3:10]

...and that -- gasp! -- includes even the pope himself. And, trust me, Pope Francis would be the first to agree.

But what about papal infallibility, doesn't that come into play? Isn't the pope infallible? Isn't the Church infallible? The quick answer: Yes, but there are conditions. Once again, we turn to the Catechism, which quotes Lumen Gentium, Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution of the Church:

"The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys the infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful -- who confirms his brethren in the faith -- he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals...The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium," above all in Ecumenical Council [CCC: 891; cf. Lumen Gentium 25].

The pope, therefore, is infallible only when "he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith and morals." He must, then, make that proclamation from the Chair of Peter, clearly stating that he speaks infallibly, a rare occurrence indeed. Less rare, however, is the infallibility of the Magisterium -- the pope, together with his bishops -- exercising “the supreme Magisterium.” The 21 ecumenical councils of the Church are the best examples of this form of infallibility, the result of Jesus’ promise to the Apostles:

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of Truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you…The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name – He will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” [Jn 14:16-17,26].

This is really wonderful, isn’t it? The Holy Spirit cannot be constrained by men. He can speak to the world through the Church despite the sinfulness of those He calls. In the same way the Holy Spirit showers us with His divine grace through the sacraments, despite the unworthiness of His minister, the state of his soul. No, He cannot be constrained, something of which we should be mindful as we move into what could be a darker time, for He will be with us “until the end of the age.”

Popes, bishops, priests, and deacons can teach error and preach nonsense simply because they are men, very fallible men, who like other men are often driven by personal agendas and not by God's will and the needs of the Church, the People of God.

Many issues that seem to occupy the time and thoughts of some members of the hierarchy – for example, climate change, economic systems, national sovereignty, migration, etc. – are actually for more complex than they seem to believe, and remain open to legitimate debate. One cannot, for example, state with any assurance that it is morally evil for a nation to protect its borders. Such issues are very different from an inherently evil act such as abortion.

How should the faithful respond to the pope or to a bishop who makes what seem to be definitive pronouncements on such issues? First, we should listen. Don’t accept the secular media’s reporting but go to the original words or document and read it. Second-hand reports often focus on the headline-grabbers and miss the truth as well as all the subtle nuances of the teaching. (Note: The secular media is almost always inaccurate or biased in their reporting on the Catholic Church.) Realize, too, that many of these issues are exceedingly complex and generate significant disagreement among recognized experts. We must pay heed to what Church leaders say on such issues, but also understand that they are not speaking infallibly. Your own knowledge, combined with a well-formed conscience, can be a good guide when it comes to issues that fall outside the deposit of faith and definitive Catholic moral teaching.

I’ve encountered Catholics who are considering leaving the Church (or have already left) because they are disgusted by the sins of a bishop or priest, or disagree with something a member of the clergy has taught. At the risk of insulting them, let me say only that this is the height of foolishness. We don’t leave Jesus Christ because of what men have said or done. And that’s what is done when one leaves the Catholic Church: he or she leaves the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council weren’t kidding when they stated that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” Jesus confirmed this with His words to the doubters in Capernaum:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me” [Jn 6:53-57].

Yes, members of the clergy, from deacons to cardinals, have committed horrendous sins. Sexual abuse of children, blatant homosexual relationships and not just between “consenting adults,” greed and theft, and so much more.

But there are also spiritual sins, including teachings that lead God’s people astray. One that’s’ near and dear to my heart involves some modern biblical scholarship. Far too many biblical scholars do not accept the Gospels as true descriptions of Jesus’s life and teachings. To be blunt, they assume the evangelists did not tell the truth, but that the Gospels were rewritten, edited…whatever by later redactors to fit the evolving beliefs of the Christian community. In other words, the Gospels as we have them do not really reflect the reality of Jesus’s life and teaching. Of course, by taking such an approach they undermine our belief of everything in Sacred Scripture. If the Gospels aren’t true, well, then, what is? As you might guess, some of these same scholars reject Christ’s divinity, His bodily Resurrection, and many other tenets of the Faith.

But, again, these are the sins of men, not the sins of the Church. Let’s assume, then, that you’re not planning on leaving the Church, and return to our original question: Is the Church self-destructing?

No, it’s not. But there are people in the Church, even some in its hierarchy, who think not of the Church, but of themselves. I've known more than a few. They want the Church to change its foundational beliefs, its immutable deposit of faith, or to loosen its firm grasp of morality, so it will conform to their beliefs or support their sinful lifestyle. They will, of course, fail. They will fail as all previous heresies have failed to change that which makes the Church what it is: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.

Believe me when I say the Church has encountered many serious challenges in the past. For example, probably half of the Church rejected the truth and accepted the false teachings of the Arian heresy, and this lasted for centuries. I expect we will encounter similar, probably greater challenges in the future, perhaps the near future. The Church, however, will survive, although I expect it will look very different. As Pope Benedict XVI wrote back when he was a young priest:

“The Church will be a more spiritual Church, not presuming upon a political mandate, flirting as little with the Left as with the Right. It will be hard going for the Church, for the process of crystallization and clarification will cost her much valuable energy, It will make her poor and cause her to be the Church of the meek” [Faith and Future, p. 116-118].

St. Paul, writing to Timothy, is a bit more explicit as he relates what we will face in these last days:

“But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power. Reject them” [2 Tim 3 1-5].

Are we in the “end times”? I don’t know. But we must all live as though we are, so we will be ready to greet the Lord, either when He returns or when He calls us.

As one writer (I’ve forgotten who) once wrote: “We will not be able to live in the time that is to come.” That might well be true for those days of tribulation will certainly be worse than anything humanity has suffered so far. But take faith in the fact that the Church, the Body of Christ, will survive until Jesus Christ brings all of Creation to completion.

A Pessimistic Optimist

Yep, that's me: a short-term pessimist, but a long-term optimist, or maybe I should say, a pessimist in the world, but an eternal optimist. What follows should explain this.

In just the past month or so I've been asked by four or five people if we are in the last days or the end times. Some have asked if I believe the Lord is returning soon, or if the antichrist is here, or if there will soon be a "Rapture." It's been a few years since anyone has asked these questions of me, so I would guess many Christians are concerned that the signs of the times point to Jesus' return. There also seems to be a trace of fear, or at least anxiety, behind some of these questions.

Let me say first that we are in the "last days", but not necessarily the "end times." I know, that's a bit confusing, but the Church has always taught that the last days began with the Incarnation. In fact, St. Peter taught this as he preached that remarkable sermon on the first Pentecost Sunday [Acts 2:14-41]. As for the end times, they might well be right around the corner, but we can only wait and watch in faith. As St. Peter reminds us, God's sense of timing is a bit different from ours, but it's all a sign of His enduring love:

"But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some regard 'delay,' but He is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" [2 Pt 3:8-9].

How loving and forgiving is our God, that He would wait in divine Hope that we all "come to repentance." Now there's something we should pray for daily. Indeed, that's exactly what we do after each decade of the Rosary when we pray, "...Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of your mercy."

More about this issue of end timing later.

Let me turn now to the question about the what many of our Protestant brothers and sisters call the Rapture. The Rapture is a common belief among Christians that the elect, both living and dead, will join Jesus when He returns and be "caught up" with Him. The belief is based on an interpretation of several verses in Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians:

"For the Lord Himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord" [1 Thes 4:16-17].

Until the 19th century virtually all Christians believed this event would occur with Christ's Second Coming, after the great tribulation. This remains the teaching of the Catholic Church, although the term "Rapture" has never been used by the Church. 

But then, in the 1800s, certain Protestant Fundamentalists and some Evangelicals claimed that the Rapture, the raising of the dead and living Christian elect, would occur either before or during the tribulation. Some have even expanded this to claim that there may well be a series of Raptures occurring at various times with respect to the tribulation.

Any version other than the long-held, pre-tribulation belief does not respect either Scripture or Apostolic Tradition. Mark, Matthew, Luke, and Paul all describe the Second Coming as occurring after the tribulation. Here's how St. Mark quotes Jesus:

"But in those days after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky" [Mk 13:24-27].

We find much the same in the Gospels according to Matthew [Mt 24:29-31] and Luke [Lk 21:20-28]. St. Paul, too, assures us that Jesus's Second Coming will follow the tribulations [2 Thes 2:1-12]. 

I suppose it's comforting for some folks to believe they will be raised up with Jesus before the world undergoes tribulation, but it's not what Jesus and His Church have taught from the very beginning. Here's link that offers a brief overview of the Catholic teaching: Rapture

The Church's teaching on tribulation and Christ's Second Coming is clearly described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 675-677.

Now, as for all the other questions about the Second Coming, about all I can say is, "I don't know." I take Jesus at His Word when He tells us:

"But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be Watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, on in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'" [Mk 13:32-37]

If you want to get a better sense of the tribulations that will occur before Our Lord's return, just turn to the Gospels: Mt 24; Mk 13; Lk 21. And, yes, the world will experience severe tribulations for Jesus doesn't pull any punches as He describes them.

As for how we should respond to persecution, I've always relied on St. Peter who echoes what Jesus has already revealed:

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out" [2 Pt 3:10].

But Peter continues, offering us a comforting explanation and encouraging us to ready ourselves spiritually for the Lord's coming:

"But according to His promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him, at peace...since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory now and to the day of eternity" [2 Pt 3:13-14, 17-18].

St. Peter has much more to say about the Lord's Coming and especially how we should respond to the persecutions we will face. Take some time to read and meditate on his words in the First Letter of Peter, Chapter 4 [1 Pt 4].

Jesus, too, prepares us for the persecutions Christians will suffer throughout these last days, persecutions that began soon enough with the Apostles themselves. Jesus prepared them for this in His last discourse by making clear their position as disciples of Jesus:

"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you" [Jn 15:18-19].

He tells them so much more in these last discourses [Jn 14-17], words we should all read and pray about on a regular basis, if only to strengthen ourselves for what we might be called on to face.

Some people find these truths shared by Jesus disconcerting and try to ignore them or explain them away. But we must always remember that the world will place us Christians on the wrong side of history, where we will remain until the Lord's return. 

J.R.R. Tolkien said it well when he described the task of Christians on their journey of faith as, "We fight the long defeat." And it may appear to be a defeat as we witness evil winning what seems to be victory after victory in our world. But those "victories" will disappear instantly when the Son of God returns in His great, eternal triumph.

As the great G. K. Chesterton, in his wonderful novel, The Ball and the Cross, wrote, "The Cross cannot be defeated because it is Defeat." Yes, indeed, Jesus turns all that the world believes on its head. He asks only that we accept His gift of faith, live that faith, and trust always in Him. This is what our loving God has been telling us for thousands of years:

"Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I with strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand" [Is 41:10].

Do not fear, brothers and sisters. Wars and pandemics and persecution are nothing to fear for those who are faithful.

COVID-19 Bible Study Reflection #1: God's Presence

I wrote this reflection today for the regular participants of my Bible Study sessions conducted weekly at St. Vincent de Paul Parish. Because the pandemic has caused us to cancel these sessions, as least for the time being, I thought perhaps I should send our participants some Scripture-related thoughts on a regular basis. The following is my first attempt. 
____________________

There’s nothing like a pandemic to get people asking questions about God and why such things as this nasty virus happen. 

Did God cause this disease? Did He inflict COVID-19 on the world? Or did He simply allow it to spread? Why? Is there some divine purpose behind all this, or is it the work of Satan? Is it a sign that the end times are upon us? 

In recent weeks I’ve been asked every one of these questions, and a few dozen more. I think, perhaps, the best way to address these concerns is to turn to Sacred Scripture. After all, the Bible actually has a lot to say about plagues and sickness and healing and end times.

First of all, let’s address the last: pandemics as signs of the end times. The most important thing to remember when it comes to the end times is that no one knows when Jesus will return. I’m always amazed by the number of people who are convinced they know when God will bring His creation to its fulfillment. How many books have been written, how many movies made, how many sermons preached, all telling us that Jesus’s return is imminent? Some even give us specific dates. Not only are they always wrong, but they also contradict the Word of God. We can safely dismiss them all.

And yet, at the same time, we are told that pandemics should not be ignored. As Jesus revealed to His disciples when addressing the end times:

“There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky” [Lk 21:11]

Yes, indeed, among other signs, we can expect plagues as we approach the end. But notice that Jesus immediately adds something else:

“Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony [Lk 21:12-13].

I suppose one could make a good case that the persecution of Christians is at an all-time high, but God’s People – both the Israelites and the Church – have suffered persecution for thousands of years. The persecution of God’s people is nothing new. In the West today, the persecution of Christians and Jews is perhaps a bit more subtle than that which they experience in other parts of the world. Anti-Christian political correctness, because it manifests itself largely through social and psychological intimidation, can seem almost benign. But far too many Christians react by turning inward, as if their faith is strictly personal. Of course, it isn’t: “It will lead to your giving testimony.” We cannot hide our faith under a bushel basket, folks [Mt 5:14-16]. We are called to evangelize. 

Plagues, too, have been with us since the beginning. We get our first taste of this very early in Genesis, when God describes the effects of the sin of our first parents. Unlike the bodily immortality with which God originally blessed them, they would now suffer hardship, pain, and death [Gen 3:16-19]. In other words, disease is one of the results of our fallen nature. 

We encounter plagues throughout the Old Testament, with perhaps the most famous being the “plagues” suffered by the people of Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus. Of course, a number of the Egyptian plagues were not diseases at all, but extreme manifestations of otherwise natural events. But we can lump some of the others – livestock epidemic, boils, and the death of the firstborn – into the category of disease or other physical ailment. 

In Exodus we are told why God inflicted Egypt with this series of calamities when He instructs Moses to tell Pharaoh:

“Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to serve me, for this time I will unleash all my blows upon you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me anywhere on earth. For by now I should have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with such pestilence that you would have vanished from the earth. But this is why I have let you survive: to show you my power and to make my name resound throughout the earth! Will you continue to exalt yourself over my people and not let them go?” [Ex 9:13-17]

Although God allowed these plagues, His purpose was not to destroy the Egyptians but “to show you my power…” so the entire world would come to recognize His sovereignty. Remember, too, that God displayed that sovereignty by sparing His people from the effects of these plagues:

“But for you the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thereby, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you” [Ex 12:13]. 

Today as our society struggles to deal with the current crisis, perhaps we will come to realize that this virus, this tiny piece of God’s creation, is also a manifestation of God’s power. Unlike the Egyptians we might actually understand and accept the message God sends us. Because He has blessed us with intelligence, we have the capability to overcome this disease. But our application of His gift of intelligence and the knowledge that results are always imperfect. In the meantime, then, many will die. 

This, of course, leads to our next question: Why have we been inflicted with this virus? Is God sending us a message, as He did the Egyptians? Is He punishing us for our sins, for our lack of faith? Or is this pandemic simply another consequence of our fallen nature?

I suppose the best answer to these questions is “Maybe” or a qualified “Yes.” The truth is, you and I do not know the mind of God, but we can get at least a glimpse if we turn to His Word. Let’s turn to the New Testament and find those wonderful signs of hope that God offers us.

It’s important to realize that no plague, no illness, no affliction can withstand the Word of Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate. Matthew put it beautifully:

“Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness” [Mt 9:35].

He did it all, didn’t He? “Every disease and illness” covers the waterfront. But notice that these cures, all that healing, did not take place in isolation. Jesus also taught and proclaimed the kingdom. In other words, the cures offered proof that the Word the people heard was indeed the Word of God. In his Gospel, John calls these miraculous manifestations of God’s power “signs.” And signs they are, because they point to something greater than themselves. They point to the divinity of Jesus, the Son of God. They point to the salvation and hope Jesus offers us through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. They point to His Church and the grace manifested by the Holy Spirit through its sacramental life. And they point to Jesus’ continued Eucharistic presence, a presence that will remain with us “until the end of the age” [Mt 28:20].

The question for us: How should we respond? Most importantly, we should not fear. Faith and fear cannot coexist in the human heart. Indeed, fear is the great enemy of faith and leads us to despair. Buoyed by the gift of faith, we come to accept that God is always in charge, that He has sovereignty over all things. You and I, the medical profession, the scientific community, and yes, even the government, are all called to respond in faith. And because God gave us intelligence, we must also be prudent and use our intelligence wisely. By ignoring the obvious, by refraining from doing what is necessary to stop the spread of this virus, we would, in a sense, be putting God to the test [Mt 4:6-7], something we should never do.

And finally, realize that a living faith, a faith that demonstrates our love for God and for each other, always leads to the good. How did Paul famously proclaim this truth?

“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” [Rom 8:28].

We don’t fully understand God’s purpose, but we do know that when we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, only good will result. Let us not forget this during these challenging times.

Too many people, including too many Christians, fall prey to panic and pessimism, which leads only to fear. Instead, we must always remember what awaits. Jesus came to redeem us from our own sinfulness; he will come again to lead us to eternal life:

“Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him” [Heb 9:28]. 

Once again, remember those words of Jesus: “It will lead to your giving testimony” [Lk 21:13]. Accept this pandemic as an opportunity to respond to Jesus’ call to evangelize, to ease the fears of others, to share God’s sacred Word, and to be carriers, not of a virus, but of God’s love.

The End Is Near...Or Is It?

A lot of people just flat-out don't like what the Church teaches. A few weeks ago, as I was pushing my grocery cart down the frozen food aisle of the local supermarket, a man, apparently recognizing me from church, approached and asked why deacons were allowed to preach. When I explained that we, too, were clergy and had been lawfully given faculties to preach by our bishop, he expressed amazement. "You can't be clergy," he insisted. "You're married and have jobs just like the rest of us." And so I took a moment to explain the diaconate as briefly as possible, ending with a comment like "...and that's what the Church teaches." He just looked at me and muttered, "Well, it's stupid," and walked away. Interactions like this make one want to avoid the grocery store.

Of course, such attitudes aren't restricted to just one end of the theological (or ideological) spectrum. Just a few days ago an acquaintance informed me, "I have prayed extensively about this, and realize now that the Holy Spirit wants me to fight the Church actively on these issues [women's ordination, homosexual marriage, celibacy, et al.]." It would seem that she believes the Holy Spirit works in her but not in the Church...except perhaps through her.

Such events seem to be occurring more frequently; that is, these encounters with people who just can't tolerate the fact that the Church doesn't reflect their personal beliefs on one issue or another...and then get quite upset about it. Instead of praying that the Holy Spirit will lead them to come to an understanding and acceptance of what the Church teaches in truth, they seem to believe they are actually holier than the Church. It's all very interesting...and more than a little sad. Perhaps we should remind them of how Paul described the Church: "the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth." (1 Tim 3:15)

Similarly, I have recently encountered more than a few Catholics who apparently accept millenarianism and such concepts as the rapture. Some, influenced by popular fiction addressing the end times, are truly shocked when I tell them that the Church has consistently condemned these doctrines as false. Others learned about these doctrines while attending non-denominational bible study programs where such beliefs are not uncommon. I always encourage them to come and join our parish's Scripture study, so they will learn what the Church teaches.

Talking about the end times is, of course, interesting to most Christians, and always leads to a lot of discussion. In our parish Bible Study we've spent months making our way slowly through the Gospel of Matthew. I actually facilitate two sessions each Wednesday, one in the morning and a second in the evening. They're not quite in sync, with my morning session running a few chapters behind the evening session. Considering the fact that we've been studying Scripture together for at least five years now, and keeping in mind that each group has a very distinct personality and approach to Scripture, I'm amazed that the two sessions are both studying the same book.

Anyway, last Wednesday the evening group began Matthew 24 in which Jesus gives His disciples some glimpses into His Second Coming and the events that will precede it. Among many Christians there seems to be an overwhelming  need to predict or, at the very least, to know exactly when all these things will come to pass. I have never understood why so many are determined to slap a date and time on these eschatological events. It's a fascination that escapes me, especially since Jesus was so clear about telling us He will come at a time we can neither know nor expect. As Matthew relates Jesus' words:

"But of that day and hour mo one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Mt 24:36)

...and later, after telling the disciples to be prepared always, He said:

"So, too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." (Mt 24:44)

...and again, as He summarized the Parable of the Ten Virgins, He said:

"Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour." (Mt 25:13)

And yet, despite Jesus words, some Christians simply can't resist predicting the end. The latest to do so is radio evangelist Harold Camping, who has declared that the beginning of the end will take place on May 21, 2011. That's only two months away, folks, and a good year sooner than the 2012 date supposedly predicted by the ancient Mayans. Camping isn't new to this end-of-the-world prediction business. Almost twenty years ago, he called for the end on September 6, 1994. Apparently he was wrong, the result, Camping believes, of a mathematical error on his part. But this time, based on his 70 years of studying the Bible, Camping claims that his calculations are spot on. It would seem he believes the so-called "rapture" will take place on May 21 and the end of the world on October 21.

Camping may have been studying Scripture for 70 years, but the Catholic Church has been studying it for nearly 2,000 years, and the Church is pretty certain we are not in the final stages of the end times, those days immediately preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. And as I stated above, the Church has also condemned those doctrines -- various forms of millenarianism -- popular among some Protestants that declare the coming of Jesus, followed by a thousand-year reign, and His departure. Jesus, the Church teaches, will come again in one definitive, triumphant and everlasting reign. It will not be limited in either time or extent. Oh, yes, and the Church also teaches that there will be no "rapture" as it is popularly depicted today.

Of course Camping is not alone. There have been hundreds of similar predictions over the years. I recall one author -- Michael Drosnin, who wrote an odd book, The Bible Code -- and who predicted that a global nuclear war would kick off the end times in either 2000 or 2006. And then there were all those people caught up in biblical numerology who divided 2000 by 3 and got the ominous Satanic result of 666.666666..... This was obviously a sign that the end would begin with the Y2K crisis. Oh, there have been more, many more, but probably my favorite was a bizarre story going around back in the 90s that Pope John XXIII had predicted in 1962 that we would be visited by aliens arriving in chariots of fire. They would eliminate all disease and help us live to be 200 -- a prediction obviously buried someplace among those documents of Vatican II. How weird.

Although all these end-times predictions can be humorous, some of these false prophets are very charismatic individuals who attract quite a following. And all too often they seem to develop a form of egomania that leads to tragic results. Jim Jones, David Koresh and Marshall Applewhite are some recent examples that come to mind. Yes, it's all very sad, which is why I don't encourage people to spend a lot of time reading all those popular books -- many of them written by Catholics -- that focus on the end times in a sensationalist sort of way. It would be much better if we spent our limited time on earth preparing for our own end of the world, the day we stand before Jesus in judgment. I have a hunch -- certainly not a prediction -- that for all of us alive today, that day will come before the day the world ends.

Pax et bonum...

.