Snow In Cairo?

First snow in Cairo, Egypt in 100 years, AFP-Getty Images

SNOW in Cairo? Ice in Israel? Sleet in Syria?

For several years now, the world has watched as natural earth events ravage various regions from place to place. But is there a link to what is also happening in society en masse: the ravaging of the natural and moral law?

One has to be careful, of course, not to take a single event as unquestionably some kind of harbinger. Harsh weather has always accompanied man since the fall of Adam. But we are living right now in the most extraordinary of times. As I’ve written in my book and shared here, not only have the apparitions of Our Lady, but the popes themselves have been warning that we are living in that period known as the “end times” (see Why Aren’t the Popes Shouting?).

Before I answer the question of a link between nature and mankind, what are the parallels between us right now?

I. Shifting Poles

Nature: The earth is presently in the process of shifting poles; geometric north is becoming south, south is becoming north.

Mankind: With the French Revolution, when a “charter of human rights” became the moral foundation for the State, a new era of relations between Church and State began. Now we see the State no longer basing human rights on the inherent dignity of the human person and unshifting natural and moral law, but on the demands of vocal minorities, judges and politicians with agendas, and the whims and moods prevailing in culture. The moral compass is literally being turned on its head as right becomes wrong, and wrong becomes right.

This struggle parallels the apocalyptic combat described in [Rev 11:19-12:1-6, 10 on the battle between” the woman clothed with the sun” and the “dragon”]. Death battles against Life: a “culture of death” seeks to impose itself on our desire to live, and live to the full… Vast sectors of society are confused about what is right and what is wrong, and are at the mercy of those with the power to “create” opinion and impose it on others.  —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Cherry Creek State Park Homily, Denver, Colorado, 1993

In this regard, the reproach of the Prophet is extremely straightforward: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Is 5:20). —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Evangelium Vitae, “The Gospel of Life”, n. 58

II. Dying Oceans and Animals, Birds and Bees

Nature: The news has been awash with stories of mass die-offs of everything from fish to birds, dolphins to moose. While there are often natural causes, there are sometimes no satisfactory explanations either. Among the species, most notably is the dying of huge bee colonies ^[1]cf. “Deepening honeybee crisis creates worry over food supply”; cbsnews.com whose role is intrinsic to the pollination of crops and fruit trees. As the saying goes, no bees, no food.

Mankind: At the same time, we are seeing mass die-offs of mankind, but much of this is not only preventable, but intentional. Some 15-18 people die every minute from malnutrition—that’s about 25,000 people every day. ^[2]United Nations report in 2007; www.factcheckinginjusticefacts.wordpress.com It’s avoidable because, while wealthy nations do not hesitate to intervene in nations where oil reserves are at stake, very little or not enough is done to stave off starvation. Abortion, birth control, vaccination programs, and other poisons, whether in the air, water, food chain, or pharmaceutical “drugs” have also “reduced populations” such as many are now below birth-replacement levels. This Friday alone, there have been over 125,000 abortions, according to the World Health Organization. And that number does not account for chemical abortions through means of birth control or the “morning after pill.”

The Pharaoh of old, haunted by the presence and increase of the children of Israel, submitted them to every kind of oppression and ordered that every male child born of the Hebrew women was to be killed (cf. Ex 1:7-22). Today not a few of the powerful of the earth act in the same way. They too are haunted by the current demographic growth… Consequently, rather than wishing to face and solve these serious problems with respect for the dignity of individuals and families and for every person’s inviolable right to life, they prefer to promote and impose by whatever means a massive programme of birth control. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Evangelium Vitae, “The Gospel of Life”, n. 16

The collapse of eco-systems, often responsible for the mass deaths of fish, animals, and insects, is likewise paralleled in the continuing collapse of the world’s economies due to greedy monetary policies and a profit-centered financial system that is now imploding. ^[3]cf. theeconomiccollapseblog.com

III. Massive Flooding through Storms and Tsunamis

Nature: Massive flooding has been recorded throughout the world with several “storms of the century,” whether they are hurricanes, super-typhoons, or tsunamis generated by earthquakes.

Mankind: There has likewise been what I call a Moral Tsunami and Deluge of False Prophets in our times with powerful anti-life, anti-marriage, anti-freedom agendas in the name of “tolerance”. ^[4]cf. Deluge of False Prophets Part I and Part II This explosion of propaganda, which is quickly swaying the status-quo toward a programme of “inhuman humanism,” ^[5]Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, n. 78 is largely due in part to the flood of the “anti-gospel” through the internet, social media, mass media, and influence of Hollywood.

This fight in which we find ourselves… [against] powers that destroy the world, are spoken of in chapter 12 of Revelation… It is said that the dragon directs a great stream of water against the fleeing woman, to sweep her away… I think that it is easy to interpret what the river stands for: it is these currents that dominate everyone, and want to eliminate the faith of the Church, which seems to have nowhere to stand before the power of these currents that impose themselves as the only way of thinking, the only way of life. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, first session of the special synod on the Middle East, October 10th, 2010

IV. Fallen Stars

Nature: “Shooting stars” have been darting through the skies since the birth of the universe. But in the last year or two, there seems to have been a marked increase in the sighting of massive fireballs lighting the skies—not the least, the one that exploded over Russia last year damaging buildings and injuring hundreds.

Mankind: The Book of Revelation refers to the leaders of the seven churches symbolically as angels or “seven stars.” ^[6]Rev 1:20 Likewise, the dragon of Chapter 12 sweeps a “third of the stars” from the sky with his tail. This is understood to be symbolic of a third of the Church swept away in apostasy. Today, we are witnessing the fall of many “stars”, both within and without the Church today. ^[7]cf. When Cedars Fall Brilliant men and women with great gifts and potential have tumbled down the steps of temptation, from movie and music stars to bishops.

Interestingly, the battle in Chapter 12 of Revelation is also between Our Lady, “Star of the New Evangelization” and the dragon, Lucifer, that fallen star in the book of Isaiah:

How have you fallen from the heavens, O morning star, son of the dawn! How are you cut down to the ground, you who mowed down the nations! (Isaiah 14:11-12)

V. Sinkholes

Nature: I have been following for quite some time now the sinkholes that are appearing all over the world. Some of them are explainable, such as the burst of a water main that erodes the sidewalk above it. Others are being caused by mining and drilling techniques, such as “fracking.” And yet others, some of them massive, are mysteries. What is certain, though, is that they are beginning to appear all over the world at an alarming rate. ^[8]cf. The American Dream

Mankind: In nation after nation, there is what Benedict XVI has referred to as a collapse in the “moral consensus.” For example, we see nation after nation now caving in to the demands for “reproductive rights”: abortion on demand and birth control. We also are seeing, like a seismic chain reaction, the crumbling of the moral and natural law that has stood for thousands of years when it comes to marriage and the protection of the dignity of human life.

If foundations are destroyed, what can the just one do? (Ps 11:3)

The Holy Father compared this collapse to that of the Roman Empire noting that then, as now, it was accompanied by signs in nature:

The disintegration of the key principles of law and of the fundamental moral attitudes underpinning them burst open the dams which until that time had protected peaceful coexistence among peoples. The sun was setting over an entire world. Frequent natural disasters further increased this sense of insecurity. There was no power in sight that could put a stop to this decline. All the more insistent, then, was the invocation of the power of God: the plea that he might come and protect his people from all these threats. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Address to the Roman Curia, December 20th, 2010

VI. The New Ice Age

Nature: Several years ago, I read a report by a scientist who, unlike the champions of so-called “global warming”, was warning that the world, in fact, is entering a new “mini-ice age.” He based his theory on examining past ice ages, solar activity, and the natural cycles of the earth. Since then, he has been joined by scientist after scientist who also, examining the strange quiet activity of the sun (when it should be bursting with sunspot and flare activity) predict that, as of this year into 2014, a “Little Ice Age” has begun. The effects of this could be catastrophic leading to failed crops, famines, and even wars as battles for resources ensue. Here are just a few of the headlines that have been appearing:

• Climate scientists struggle to explain warming slowdown
• Russian Academy of Sciences Warn of Imminent Cold Period
• Climate Expert warns of impending global cooling crisis
• Global warming proof is evaporating
• Report: Scientists predict a century of global cooling
• Sunspots and Global Cooling
• Global Cooling is Here “for the next three decades”
• Sun’s Current Solar Activity Cycle Weakest in a Century

Mankind: One of the most important “signs of the times” that Jesus told us to watch for is, I think, one of the most prevalent:

…because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold. (Matt 24:12)

Have you ever stopped to read the comments on YouTube or on a public forum? Have you listened to how radio and television commentators and their guests treat one another and their political opponents? Have you noticed the increase in “road rage”, impatience, impoliteness, and general coldness that has subdued our streets?

“Perfect love casts out all fear,” wrote St. John. One could then say, “Perfect fear casts out all love.” We are living in an era where people are afraid to walk alone at night, where we lock our doors, bar our windows, install security systems, install metal detectors in our schools, spy on people’s email and phone calls, and wait for the next “code” from the federal government regarding the current terrorist threat. Americans are buying guns and ammunition now in record numbers ^[9]cf. theguardian.com. Violent crime increased in the United States by 15% and property crime by 12%, just last year. ^[10]cf. newsmax.com People will climb over and punch each other at Walmart for a $20 gadget in what is a parable of what Pope Francis calls “unbridled consumerism”; ^[11]Evangelii Gaudium, n. 60 Wall Street continues to ignore the poor through what he calls the “absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation”; ^[12]Evangelii Gaudium, n. 202 and now there is the new game of “Knockout” spreading from city to city, so far just in the U.S., where you try to knockout a stranger with a single punch. Didn’t St. Paul say that this game would be played in the “last days”?

…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. (2 Tim 3:1-4)

…lack of respect for others and violence are on the rise, and inequality is increasingly evident. —POPE FRANCIS, Evangelii Gaudium, n. 52

As a side note, there is also a precedent in the Book of Revelation for some kind of “ice age” effect that forms part of the chastisements of those days:

Large hailstones like huge weights came down from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail because this plague was so severe. (Rev 16:21)

And thus, even against our will, the thought rises in the mind that now those days draw near of which Our Lord prophesied: “And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold” (Matt. 24:12). —POPE PIUS XI, Miserentissimus Redemptor, Encyclical on Reparation to the Sacred Heart, n. 17 

THE LINK

THERE are powerful analogies between what is happening in nature and what is happening morally in our present world. And the link between the two is unmistakable:

For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now… (Rom 8:19-22)

And Jesus was explicit as to what the labor pains would be:

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes from place to place. All these are the beginning of the labor pains. (Matt 24:7-8)

St. Paul wrote that in Christ, “all things hold together.” ^[13]Col 1:7 So, as we remove Christ from our families, laws, and nations, all things begin to come apart. There is no longer an absolute by which we are guided, and thus, nature and man himself become “disposable” for the benefit of a few. Nature is responding to mankind’s sin since nature itself is tied to “all God’s saving plans.” The earth is not just a parking lot for humans, but is intrinsically tied to the salvation of mankind and the making of a “new creation in Christ.” ^[14]cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 280

To human beings God even gives the power of freely sharing in his providence by entrusting them with the responsibility of “subduing” the earth and having dominion over it. God thus enables men to be intelligent and free causes in order to complete the work of creation, to perfect its harmony for their own good and that of their neighbors. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, 307

It depends upon man’s repentance:

The humility of God is heaven. And if we approach this humility, then we touch heaven. Then the earth too is made new... —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Christmas Message, December 26th, 2007

Until then, man must pass through this winter of purification.

More snow in Cairo.

RELATED READING:

• To understand why evil seems to be gaining ground, read a prophetic “word” that a Canadian bishop asked me to share: Removing the Restrainer

• How not only the Church, but creation itself will experience renewal during the coming “ear of peace”: Creation Reborn

• The Last Judgments