The Last Judgment, as portrayed on the portal of the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare

THE end of the world may be the most forbidden and censored subject in the history of human discourse. It’s pathetic how few people are interested in talking about it. Well, I guess it’s not surprising. We ourselves are immortal and are so blinded by earthly things that we like to think this world will go on and on and on. People tend especially in our day, so primitive and God-less that it looks suspiciously like the forerunner to doomsday, to avoid any kind of rumination on the last days. Too often, this important subject is left to those who live on the margins of society, weirdos and kooky people who warn that the end of the world is nigh. They may be right and they may be wrong about the timing, but they are most definitely right that the event will occur.

The law of entropy, which abides in all of nature, tells us on a scientific level that the world is finite. Jesus Christ has confirmed what nature foreshadows.

It could happen anytime. You cannot change the world, but you can prepare yourself for its spectacular and dramatic end.

On this the last Sunday of the ecclesiastical year, in the traditional calendar of the Catholic Church we meditate on Chapter 24 in Matthew, in which Christ very explicitly explains to the disciples what will happen. It is not kookiness, but firm reason, to believe every word He says:

When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand.

Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house: And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the sabbath.

For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say to you: Lo here is Christ, or there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand.

[If therefore they shall say to you: Behold he is in the desert, go ye not out: Behold he is in the closets, believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even into the west: so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty.

And he shall send his angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them. And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors. Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

— Comments —

Frank Rega writes:

Here is an insightful commentary on this Sunday’s gospel by Fr. Courtney Krier, from his weekly Catholic Tradition Newsletter:

This Sunday concludes the liturgical year of the Church. Next week the Church begins Advent, once more beginning her awaiting of Christ. He did not come the second time, the prophecies have not yet been fulfilled that announce His Second Coming. The Last Sunday of Pentecost dwells upon those pre-conditions:

1) Placing of man as the center of worship where God was worshipped before (Novus Ordo Missae): “When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand.” (Matt. 24:15)

2) Natural catastrophes, wars—more frequent: “For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be.” (Matt. 24:21)

3) Religious leaders promising universal salvation: “Then if any man shall say to you: Lo here is Christ, or there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets.” (Matt. 24:23-24)

4) Man’s science giving itself out to perform the same functions as God and in place of God’s working: “[A]nd false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.” (Matt. 24:24)

One may ask why Our Lord Jesus Christ arranges it in this order, for all these events will be concurrently happening. It is because one introduces the next, though all continue together.

As faithful to Christ, we await His Coming with joy and fear. Joy, because the Bridegroom comes to take His bride (the Church) to His dwelling (heaven). Fear, because there will be so-much suffering and so many lost. May our joy motivate us to do everything we can for the salvation of souls so our fear will not paralyze us such that we see lost even those that we love by our inertia. “Maranatha” “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Apoc. 22:20).

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