THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 12th, 2013
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Liturgical texts here
(Selected: Rev 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab; Judith 13; Luke 1:39-47)
Jump for Joy, by Corby Eisbacher
SOMETIMES when I’m speaking at conferences, I will look into the crowd and ask them, “Do you want to fulfill a 2000 year old prophecy, right here, right now?” The response is usually an excited yes! Then I’d say, “Pray with me the words”:
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 11th, 2013
Liturgical texts here
MANY people define personal happiness as being mortgage free, having plenty of money, vacation time, being esteemed and honored, or achieving big goals. But how many of us think of happiness as rest?
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 10th, 2013
Liturgical texts here
IT was a freak snowstorm in the middle of May, 1987. The trees bent so low to the ground under the weight of heavy wet snow that, to this day, some of them remain bowed as though permanently humbled under the hand of God. I was playing guitar in a friend’s basement when the phone call came.
Come home, son.
Why? I inquired.
Just come home…
As I pulled into our driveway, a strange feeling came over me. With every step I took to the back door, I felt my life was going to change. When I walked into the house, I was greeted by tear stained-parents and brothers.
Your sister Lori died in a car accident today.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 9th, 2013
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Liturgical texts here
IT would be easy to hear today’s Mass readings and, because it is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, apply them solely to Mary. But the Church has carefully chosen these readings because they are meant to apply to you and me. This is revealed in the second reading…
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 8th, 2013
Second Sunday of Advent
Liturgical texts here
“YES, we should love our enemies and pray for their conversions,” she agreed. “But I am angry over those who destroy innocence and goodness.” As I finished up a meal I was sharing with my hosts after a concert in the United States, she looked at me with sorrow in her eyes, “Wouldn’t Christ come running to His Bride who is increasingly abused and crying out?” [1]read: Does He Hear the Cry of the Poor
Perhaps we have the same reaction when we hear today’s Scriptures, which prophesy that when the Messiah comes, He shall “decide aright for the land’s afflicted” and “strike the ruthless” and that “Justice shall flower in his days.” John the Baptist even seems to announce that the “coming wrath” was near. But Jesus has come, and the world seems to go on like it always has with wars and poverty, crime and sin. And so we cry out, “Come Lord Jesus!” Yet, 2000 years have sailed by, and Jesus has not returned. And perhaps, our prayer begins to change to that of the Cross: My God, why have you forsaken us!
Footnotes
| ↑1 | read: Does He Hear the Cry of the Poor |
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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 7th, 2013
Memorial of St. Ambrose
Liturgical texts here
All the Lonely People, by Emmanuel Borja
IF there were ever a time when, as we read in the Gospel, people are “troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd,” it is our time, on so many levels. There are many leaders today, but so few role models; many who govern, but so few who serve. Even in the Church, the sheep have wandered for decades since the confusion after Vatican II left a moral and leadership vacuum on the local level. And then there have been what Pope Francis calls “epochal” changes [1]cf. Evangelii Gaudium, n. 52 that have led to, among other things, a profound sense of loneliness. In the words of Benedict XVI:
Footnotes
| ↑1 | cf. Evangelii Gaudium, n. 52 |
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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 6th, 2013
Liturgical texts here
Artist Unknown
WHEN the Angel Gabriel comes to Mary to announce that she will conceive and bear a son to whom “the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,” [1]Luke 1:32 she responds to his annunciation with the words, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” [2]Luke 1:38 A heavenly counterpart to these words is later verbalized when Jesus is approached by two blind men in today’s Gospel:
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 5th, 2013
Liturgical texts here
ISAIAH writes:
A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you. (Isaiah 26)
So many Christians today have lost their peace! So many, indeed, have lost their joy! And thus, the world finds Christianity to appear somewhat unattractive.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 4th, 2013
Liturgical texts here
THE lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute… these are the ones who gathered around the feet of Jesus. And today’s Gospel says, “he cured them.” Minutes before, one could not walk, another could not see, one could not work, another could not speak… and all of sudden, they could. Perhaps a moment before, they were complaining, “Why has this happened to me? What did I ever do to you, God? Why have you abandoned me…?” Yet, moments later, it says “they glorified the God of Israel.” That is, suddenly these souls had a testimony.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 3rd, 2013
Memorial of St. Francis Xavier
Liturgical texts here
ISAIAH gives such a consoling vision of the future that one could be forgiven for suggesting it is a mere “pipe dream.” After the purification of the earth by “the rod of [the Lord’s] mouth, and the breath of his lips,” Isaiah writes:
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall down with the kid… There shall be no more harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea. (Isaiah 11)
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 2nd, 2013
Liturgical texts here
THERE are some texts in Scripture that, admittedly, are troubling to read. Today’s first reading contains one of them. It speaks of a coming time when the Lord will wash away “the filth of the daughters of Zion”, leaving behind a branch, a people, who are His “luster and glory.”
…the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor for the survivors of Israel. He who remains in Zion and he who is left in Jerusalem will be called holy: every one marked down for life in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:3)
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 1st, 2013
First Sunday of Advent
Liturgical texts here
THE book of Isaiah—and this Advent—begins with a beautiful vision of a coming Day when “all nations” will stream to the Church to be fed from her hand the life-giving teachings of Jesus. According to the early Church Fathers, Our Lady of Fatima, and the prophetic words of 20th century popes, we may indeed expect a coming “era of peace” when they “shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (see Dear Holy Father… He is Coming!)
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for November 30th, 2013
Feast of St. Andrew
Liturgical texts here
Crucifixion of St. Andrew (1607), Caravaggio
GROWING up at a time when Pentecostalism was strong in Christian communities and on television, it was common to hear evangelical Christians quote from today’s first reading from Romans:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9)
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for November 29th, 2013
Liturgical texts here.
THE prophet Daniel is given a powerful and frightening vision of four empires that would dominate for a time—the fourth being a world-wide tyranny from which the Antichrist would come forth, according to Tradition. Both Daniel and Christ describe what the times of this “beast” will look like, albeit from different perspectives.Continue reading
BACK in June of 2013, I wrote to you of changes that I have been discerning regarding my ministry, how it is presented, what is presented etc. in the writing called The Watchman’s Song. After several months now of reflection, I would like to share with you my observations from what is happening in our world, things I have discussed with my spiritual director, and where I feel I am being led now. I also want to invite your direct input with a quick survey below.
FROM time to time, I receive letters from readers asking where is the hope?… please give us a word of hope! While it’s true that words can sometimes bring a certain hope, the Christian understanding of hope goes far, far deeper than the “assurance of a positive outcome.”
It is true that several of my writings here are sounding a trumpet of warning of things that are now here and coming. These writings have served to wake many souls up, to call them back to Jesus, to bring about, I have learned, many dramatic conversions. And yet, it is not enough to know what is coming; what is essential is that we know what is already here, or rather, Who is already here. In this lies the source of authentic hope.
DO not waste time thinking about the heroics of the saints, their miracles, extraordinary penances, or ecstasies if it only brings you discouragement in your present state (“I’ll never be one of them,” we mumble, and then promptly return to the status quo beneath the heel of Satan). Rather, then, occupy yourself with simply walking on the The Little Path, which leads no less, to the beatitude of the saints.
Young Woman Sweeping, Vilhelm Hammershoi (1864-1916)
I AM guessing that most of my readers feel that they are not holy. That holiness, saintliness, is in fact an impossibility in this life. We say, “I am too weak, too sinful, too frail to ever rise to the ranks of the righteous.” We read Scriptures like the following, and feel they were written on a different planet:
…as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, “Be holy because I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15-16)
Or a different universe:
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt 5:48)
Impossible? Would God ask us—no, command us—to be something that we cannot? Oh yes, it is true, we cannot be holy without Him, He who is the source of all holiness. Jesus was blunt:
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
The truth is—and Satan wishes to keep it far from you—holiness is not only possible, but it is possible right now.
WHEN I awoke this morning, an unexpected and bizarre cloud hung over my soul. I sensed a strong spirit of violence and death in the air all around me. As I drove into town, I took my Rosary out, and invoking the name of Jesus, prayed for God’s protection. It took me about three hours and four cups of coffee to finally figure out what I was experiencing, and why: it’s Halloween today.
No, I’m not going to delve into the the history of this strange American “holiday” or wade into the debate on whether to participate in it or not. A quick search of these topics on the Internet will provide ample reading in between ghouls arriving at your door, threatening tricks in lieu of treats.
Rather, I want to look at what Halloween has become, and how it is a harbinger, another “sign of the times.”
Victims of genocide
PERHAPS the most short-sighted aspect of our modern culture is the notion that we are on a linear path of advancement. That we are leaving behind, in the wake of human achievement, the barbarism and narrow-minded thinking of past generations and cultures. That we are loosening the shackles of prejudice and intolerance and marching toward a more democratic, free, and civilized world.
This assumption is not only false, but dangerous.
SOMETIMES God takes too long. He doesn’t respond as quickly as we would like, or seemingly, not at all. Our first instincts are often to believe that He isn’t listening, or doesn’t care, or is punishing me (and therefore, I am on my own).
But He might say something like this in return:
THINK of your heart as a glass jar. Your heart is made to contain the pure liquid of love, of God, who is love. But over time, so many of us fill our hearts with the love of things—inaminate objects that are as cold as stone. They cannot do anything for our hearts except to fill up those places that are reserved for God. And thus, many of us Christians are actually quite miserable… loaded down in debt, inner conflict, sadness… we have little to give because we ourselves are no longer receiving.
So many of us have stone cold hearts because we have filled them with the love of worldly things. And when the world encounters us, longing (whether they know it or not) for the “living water” of the Spirit, instead, we pour on their heads the cold stones of our greed, selfishness, and self-centeredness mixed with a tad of liquid religion. They hear our arguments, but notice our hypocrisy; they appreciate our reasoning, but do not detect our “reason for being”, which is Jesus. This is why the Holy Father has called us Christians to, once again, renounce worldliness, which is…
…the leprosy, the cancer of society and the cancer of the revelation of God and the enemy of Jesus. —POPE FRANCIS, Vatican Radio, October 4th, 2013
St. Francis, by Michael D. O’Brien
THERE is something stirring in my heart… no, stirring I believe in the whole Church: a quiet counter-revolution to the current Global Revolution underway. It is a Franciscan Revolution…
THE greatest expression of Christ’s love was not the Sermon on the Mount or even the multiplication of the loaves.
It was on the Cross.
So too, in The Hour of Glory for the Church, it will be the laying down of our lives in love that will be our crown.
Former Archbishop Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergogli0 (Pope Francis) riding the bus
File source unknown
THE letters in response to Understanding Francis couldn’t be more diverse. From those who said it was one of the most helpful articles on the Pope that they’ve read, to others warning that I am deceived. Yes, this is precisely why I have said over and over again that we are living in “dangerous days.” It is because Catholics are becoming more and more divided among themselves. There is a cloud of confusion, mistrust, and suspicion that continues to seep into the walls of the Church. That said, it is hard not to be sympathetic with some readers, such as one priest who wrote:Continue reading
AFTER Pope Benedict XVI relinquished the seat of Peter, I sensed in prayer several times the words: You have entered into dangerous days. It was the sense that the Church is entering into a period of great confusion.
Enter: Pope Francis.
Not unlike Blessed John Paul II’s papacy, our new pope has also overturned the deeply rooted sod of the status quo. He has challenged everyone in the Church in one way or another. Several readers, however, have written me with concern that Pope Francis is departing from the Faith by his unorthodox actions, his blunt remarks, and seemingly contradictory statements. I have been listening for several months now, watching and praying, and feel compelled to respond to these questions regarding our Pope’s candid ways….
O LORD, we were once companions.
You and I,
walking hand in hand in the garden of my heart.
But now, where are you my Lord?
I seek you,
but find only the faded corners where once we loved
and you revealed to me your secrets.
There too, I found your Mother
and felt her intimate touch to my brow.
But now, where are you?
Continue reading
THERE is a new breeze blowing through my soul. In the darkest of nights these past several months, it has been barely a whisper. But now it is beginning to sail through my soul, lifting my heart toward Heaven in a new way. I sense the love of Jesus for this little flock gathered here daily for Spiritual Food. It is a love that conquers. A love that has overcome the world. A love that will overcome all that is coming against us in the times ahead. You who are coming here, be of courage! Jesus is going to feed and strengthen us! He is going to equip us for the Great Trials that now loom over the world like a woman about to enter hard labour.
Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. (1 Pet 5:8-9)
St. Peter’s words are frank. They should awaken every single one of us to a stark reality: we are being hunted daily, hourly, every second by a fallen angel and his minions. Few people understand this relentless assault on their souls. In fact, we live in a time where some theologians and clergy have not only downplayed the role of demons, but have denied their existence altogether. Perhaps it is divine providence in a way when movies such as the The Exorcism of Emily Rose or The Conjuring based on “true events” appear on the silver screen. If people do not believe in Jesus through the Gospel message, perhaps they will believe when they see His enemy at work. [1]Caution: these films are about real demonic possession and infestations and should only be watched in a state of grace and prayer. I have not seen The Conjuring, but highly recommend seeing The Exorcism of Emily Rose with its stunning and prophetic ending, with the aforementioned preparation.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | Caution: these films are about real demonic possession and infestations and should only be watched in a state of grace and prayer. I have not seen The Conjuring, but highly recommend seeing The Exorcism of Emily Rose with its stunning and prophetic ending, with the aforementioned preparation. |
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OUR heartfelt thanks to those of you who have responded to our goal to have a thousand people donate $10 each monthly. We are approximately a fifth of the way there.
We have always accepted and relied upon donations throughout this ministry. As such, there is a certain responsibility to be transparent regarding our financial operations.
AS I wrote you earlier this month, I have been deeply moved by the many letters I’ve received of Christians all over the world who support and want this ministry to continue. I’ve dialogued further with Lea and my spiritual director, and we’ve made some decisions on how to proceed.
For years, I have been travelling quite extensively, most especially into the United States. But we have noticed how crowd sizes have dwindled and apathy toward Church events has increased. Not only that, but a single parish mission in the U.S. is minimum a 3-4 day journey. And yet, with my writings here and webcasts, I have been reaching thousands of people at a time. It only makes sense, then, that I use my time efficiently and wisely, spending it where it is most profitable for souls.
My spiritual director also said that, one of the fruits to look for as a “sign” that I am walking in God’s will is that my ministry—which has been full-time now for 13 years—is providing for my family. Increasingly, we are seeing that with the small crowds and indifference, it has been more and more difficult to justify the costs of being on the road. On the other hand, everything I do online is free of charge, as it should be. I have received without cost, and so I want to give without cost. Anything for sale are those items that we have invested production costs into, such as my book and CD’s. They too help provide in part for this ministry and my family.
Dear Mark,
God forgive the USA. Normally I would begin with God Bless the USA, but today how could any of us ask him to bless what is happening here? We are living in a world that is growing more and more dark. The light of love is fading, and it takes all my strength to keep this little flame burning in my heart. But for Jesus, I keep it burning still. I beg God our Father to help me understand, and to discern what is happening to our world, but He is suddenly so silent. I look to those trusted prophets of these days who I believe are speaking the truth; you, and others whose blogs and writings I would read daily for strength and wisdom and encouragement. But all of you have become silent too. Posts that would appear daily, turned to weekly, and then monthly, and even in some cases yearly. Has God stopped speaking to all of us? Has God turned His holy face from us? After all how could His perfect holiness bear to look upon our sin…?
K.S.
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“WOW, WOW, WOW…………..! We just listened to these new songs and were blown away!” —F. Adami, CA
“…absolutely beautiful! My only disappointment was that it ended much too soon—it left me wanting to hear more of those lovely, soulful, songs… Vulnerable is an album that I will play over and over again— every single song touched my heart! This album is one of, if not the best one yet.” —N. Carpenter, OH
“One of the many brilliant facets of Mark’s artistry is his ability to write and compose his song that wonderfully becomes your song.” —Brian Kravec, review of Vulnerable, Catholicmom.com
JUNE 3rd, 2013
“VULNERABLE” AND “HERE YOU ARE”
NOW AVAILABLE AT
markmallett.com
Love songs that will make you cry… ballads that will bring back memories… spiritual songs that will draw you closer to God.. these are moving melodies about love, forgiveness, fidelity, and family.
Twenty-five original songs by singer/songwriter Mark Mallett are ready to order online in digital or CD format. You’ve read his writings… now hear his music, spiritual food for the heart.
VULNERABLE contains 13 brand new songs by Mark that speak of love, loss, remembering and finding hope.
HERE YOU ARE is a collection of re-mastered songs included on Mark’s Rosary and Chaplet CD’s, and thus, often unheard of by his music fans—plus, two brand new songs “Here You Are” and “You Are Lord” that will take you into the the love and mercy of Christ and tenderness of His mother.
TO you, Jesus,
Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer my day and my entire being.
To look at only that which you want me to see;
To listen to only that which you wish me to hear;
To speak only that which you want me to say;
To love only that which you wish me to love.
IMAGINE a small child, who has just learned to walk, being taken into a busy shopping mall. He is there with his mother, but does not want to take her hand. Every time he begins to wander, she gently reaches for his hand. Just as quickly, he pulls it away and continues to dart in any direction he wants. But he is oblivious to the dangers: the throngs of hurried shoppers who barely notice him; the exits that lead to traffic; the pretty but deep water fountains, and all the other unknown dangers that keep parents awake at night. Occasionally, the mother—who is always a step behind—reaches down and grabs a little hand to keep him from going into this store or that, from running into this person or that door. When he wants to go the other direction, she turns him around, but still, he wants to walk on his own.
Now, imagine another child who, upon entering the mall, senses the dangers of the unknown. She willingly lets the mother take her hand and lead her. The mother knows just when to turn, where to stop, where to wait, for she can see the dangers and obstacles ahead, and takes the safest path for her little one. And when the child is willing to be picked up, the mother walks straight ahead, taking the quickest and easiest path to her destination.
Now, imagine that you are a child, and Mary is your mother. Whether you are a Protestant or a Catholic, a believer or an unbeliever, she is always walking with you… but are you walking with her?
SOME questions and answers on the “era of peace,” from Vassula, to Fatima, to the Fathers.
Q. Didn’t the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith say that the “era of peace” is millenarianism when it posted its Notification on Vassula Ryden’s writings?
I have decided to answer this question here since some are using this Notification to draw flawed conclusions regarding the notion of an “era of peace.” The answer to this question is as interesting as it is convoluted.
NOT only can we hope for the fulfillment of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart, the Church has the power to hasten its coming by our prayers and actions. Instead of despairing, we need to be preparing.
What can we do? What can I do?
AS Pope Francis prepares to consecrate his papacy to Our Lady of Fatima on May 13th, 2013 through Cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo, Archbishop of Lisbon, [1]Correction: The consecration is to happen through the Cardinal, not the Pope in person himself at Fatima, as I mistakenly reported. it is timely to reflect on the Blessed Mother’s promise made there in 1917, what it means, and how it will unfold… something that seems more and more likely to be in our times. I believe his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, has shed some valuable light on what is coming upon the Church and the world in this regard…
In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world. —www.vatican.va
Footnotes
| ↑1 | Correction: The consecration is to happen through the Cardinal, not the Pope in person himself at Fatima, as I mistakenly reported. |
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Artist Unknown
I WANT to conclude my thoughts on the “era of peace” based on my letter to Pope Francis in hopes that it will benefit at least some who are fearful of falling into the heresy of Millenarianism.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
The Antichrist’s deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism,(577) especially the “intrinsically perverse” political form of a secular messianism.(578) —n. 676
I deliberately left in the footnote references above because they are crucial in helping us understand what is meant by “millenarianism”, and secondly, “secular messianism” in the Catechism.
AT long last, my two new albums are complete! They are being sent off for manufacturing shortly, meaning they will be available toward the end of May. It’s been such a long and challenging road with so many unexpected delays, costs, and long, long nights. In the end, there are fifteen brand new songs recorded from Virginia to Vancouver, Edmonton to Nashville. The first album is called “Vulnerable”, songs I wrote over the years from a place of vulnerability in the face of the inevitable losses that we all experience from time to time. Judging by the reactions I have seen to those who have had a chance to hear the songs, I believe people are going to be deeply moved by this music.
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WHY do our souls become tepid and weak, cold and sleepy?
The answer in part is because we often do not stay near the “Sun” of God, most especially, near to where He is: the Eucharist. It is precisely in the Eucharist that you and I—like St. John—will find the grace and strength to “stand beneath the Cross”…
Conversion of St. Paul, artist unknown
THERE is a grace coming to the whole world in what may be the most singularly astonishing event since Pentecost.
Prayer, by Michael D. O’Brien
SINCE the abdication of Peter’s seat by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, there have been many questions surrounding private revelation, some prophecies, and certain prophets. I will attempt to answer those questions here…
I. You occasionally refer to “prophets.” But didn’t prophecy and the line of prophets end with John the Baptist?
II. We don’t have to believe in any private revelation though, do we?
III. You wrote recently that Pope Francis is not an “anti-pope”, as a current prophecy alleges. But wasn’t Pope Honorius a heretic, and therefore, couldn’t the current pope be the “False Prophet”?
IV. But how can a prophecy or prophet be false if their messages ask us to pray the Rosary, Chaplet, and partake in the Sacraments?
V. Can we trust the prophetic writings of the Saints?
VI. How come you do not write more about Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta?
Nearing Midnight…
ACCORDING to the revelations Jesus gave to St. Faustina, we are on the threshold of the “day of justice”, the Day of the Lord, after this “time of mercy”. The Church Fathers compared the Day of the Lord to a solar day (see Faustina, and the Day of the Lord). A question then is, how close are we to midnight, the darkest part of the Day—the advent of Antichrist? Although the “antichrist” cannot be restricted to one single individual, [1]As far as the antichrist is concerned, we have seen that in the New Testament he always assumes the lineaments of contemporary history. He cannot be restricted to any single individual. One and the same he wears many masks in each generation. —Cardinal Ratzinger (POPE BENEDICT XVI), Dogmatic Theology, Eschatology 9, Johann Auer and Joseph Ratzinger, 1988, p. 199-200 as St. John taught, [2]cf. 1 John 2:18 Tradition holds that there will indeed come one central character, “the son of perdition,” in the “end times.” [3] …before the Lord’s arrival there will be apostasy, and one well described as the “man of lawlessness”, “the son of perdition” must be revealed, who tradition would come to call the Antichrist. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, General Audience, “Whether at the end of time or during a tragic lack of peace: Come Lord Jesus!”, L’Osservatore Romano, Nov. 12th, 2008
Of the coming of Antichrist, Scripture tells us to watch for essentially five chief signs:
Footnotes
| ↑1 | As far as the antichrist is concerned, we have seen that in the New Testament he always assumes the lineaments of contemporary history. He cannot be restricted to any single individual. One and the same he wears many masks in each generation. —Cardinal Ratzinger (POPE BENEDICT XVI), Dogmatic Theology, Eschatology 9, Johann Auer and Joseph Ratzinger, 1988, p. 199-200 |
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| ↑2 | cf. 1 John 2:18 |
| ↑3 | …before the Lord’s arrival there will be apostasy, and one well described as the “man of lawlessness”, “the son of perdition” must be revealed, who tradition would come to call the Antichrist. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, General Audience, “Whether at the end of time or during a tragic lack of peace: Come Lord Jesus!”, L’Osservatore Romano, Nov. 12th, 2008 |