Reflections From Michael The Lesser: The Day It All Comes Crashing Down !

As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

The new Church year is about to begin which means, of course, that the old year is coming to an end. The end of a year can bring to mind the end of time, the stories we hear about the imminent return of Jesus and the end of all things. But what is a Catholic view of the end times? What is it we actually believe will come to pass? Please read the following with the understanding that Michael the Lesser has no idea then the end of the world is to come. He leaves the timing of the triumphant return of Christ to God the Father who alone knows the exact moment in history when it will happen.

As I see it, the universe, like the earth has God mandated seasons. Today, we here on earth are experiencing the winter season, a time when things sleep and gather strength for the spring that fosters growth that is to come. This cold time is a time of persecution for the Church. Raise up the Cross of Christ anywhere and you will find thousands who want it tore down. The Church today is undergoing a trial by fire. The fire she herself has kindled by nurturing the sex scandals of years past. Yes, some Catholics are leaving the church because they are disgusted with the way the bishops have failed to protect the flock and rather, at least it appears, spent time, talent and treasure protecting themselves. They have a right to be angry at the leadership but they do not have the right to use this failure to become apostates. In spite of its many issues at the moment, the Catholic Church remains the Church that Christ founded and the one that bears his seal and his guarantee that it will survive until the end of time. But what is wrong with a Catholic leaving one church for another? Is this not their right? The long and short answer is no. Participating in the carving up of the church into denominations was never the idea of Jesus. He wanted and continues to want a single unified Church of authentic believers. But, do not Protestants believe in many of the same things that we do? Yes, they most certainly do and that is why we call them the separated brother and sisters. Protestants born into Protestantism bear no sin for being separate from the Church. But I truly would not forsake the Catholic Church for any denomination. The first reason, of course, is that I would lose the Eucharist, that meal of unity that unites one Catholic to another and all to Christ. But, more than that I would not want to chance to be part of a denomination that has refused belief in the authority of the Church. There are just too many ways for that to end badly for a Christian.

There was a time when mainstream Protestant denominations and the Catholic Church stood side by side on some very basic doctrines. For example, and please take note, I am not in the business of judging anybody, I am just pointing out where things have changed between Catholics and Protestants. First, let us look at marriage. At one time, marriage was seen to be between a man and a woman and to be a forever thing. That was civilly changed and some denominations allow divorce and remarriage and others allow same-sex marriages where two people of the same sex take wedding vows. The Catholic Church has not changed her teaching about marriage, it still is a forever sort of thing between a man and a woman. Same-sex couples will need to look outside of the Catholic Church to celebrate their "nuptials." On the question of birth control, the Catholic position has not changed. Every act of intercourse needs to admit the possibility of procreation. For most Protestant denominations this view is seen as old-fashioned and very inconvenient for their followers so, of course, birth control is left up to the couples and they may choose whatever method that they think suitable. Abortion is another area where Catholics and Protestants walk different paths. Where at one time the mainline denominations agreed that abortion was murder and was not allowed, some now say it is not so bad and allow it. The point here is that Protestantism is sinking to become a religion of convenience and social service where rather ironically they are abandoning the Bible for mere human principles and considerations. Considering that one of the hallmarks of Protestantism is the fallacy of Sola Scriptura this descent in humanism is troubling and is leading them away from their roots and from the teachings of Christ.

The Catholic Church is not immune to the dangers that are plaguing the Protestants. We see in our own Church factions in the hierarchy that want to steer the Barque of Peter in new directions where some practices once that were forbidden, such as the communion of divorced and civilly remarried people without the benefit of an annulment of their first marriage. There is also fermenting thoughts about accommodations to same-sex couples by some of the leaders, but it is unlikely that they will be able to garner support for their ideas. There also the phenomenon of the cafeteria Catholic who chooses the bits and pieces of Church doctrine that will be believed and leaving the others rules for other Catholics to follow. There is always the danger that one can let one's religion become a religion of convenience rather than a religion of belief. So, we in the Church will, as our Protestant brothers and sisters see some apostasy creep into certain quarters of our Church but we will prevail because of the promise of Christ that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church.

In spite of some apostasy creeping into the Church, the victory of the Bride of Christ is certain and that victory will be complete. I think that others who are practicing religions of convenience that embrace secular humanism as their god will experience as the military calls it, "shock and awe" when Christ returns to claim His bride. What we must do today is to remain faithful to the Church, to Her teachings and we must rally at the foot of the Cross where our Savior died for our sins and we must pray for ourselves and for others that when the Bridegroom comes that He finds us awake and ready to welcome Him. If we remain faithful to the Church, the light of Christ will not fail to draw people towards it. Many will be saved through our good example and loyalty. Many will abandon the empty promises of the "good life" promised by the secular humanists and return to the Church that is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.

Please click here if you would like to see the source document that helped me to clarify my thoughts on this matter.

Here is a most beautiful song to help your reflections today: