The End Times

End Times AngelThe first words Saint John wrote in today’s first reading for Mass is a bit unusual in the bible.  He started this reading by saying, “Chosen Lady.”  That is actually the theme of all of the readings for Mass today too, though.  The gospel is about being “chosen” by the Lord Jesus during what most Protestants call The End Times.

Not everyone will be “chosen” though.  However, we do not focus on this fact as much as many of the Protestant religions do.  Catholics do not believe there is only a certain number of people (144,000) that will be saved.  However, it often seems like many Catholics wonder how could a loving God exclude anyone from heaven? 

The readings for Mass today certainly has some answers:

“Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.”

In many places in the world, Catholics live surrounded by a pagan society.  Christians are being persecuted and put to death in terrible ways.  Even in modern society, religion is often viewed as a personal choice.  It doesn’t apply to everyone.  People embrace what is true for them, not necessarily what is the truth.

Saint Paul has a few words for people who think religion is old-fashioned and doesn’t apply in their lives anymore, in today’s first reading though:

“Anyone who is so “progressive” as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God.”

It’s often our own attitudes and our own choices that separate us from God.  

Jesus doesn’t condemn anyone.  When he comes at the end of time though, he will take the ones that belong to him – the ones who have chosen him, and he will choose them.  The ones who are not with him, is by their own choice.

The examples Jesus gave of Noah and the flood, and Lot’s family in Sodom and Gomorrah, are something worth thinking about too.  Noah and Lot were holy men that talked to their family about their faith in God, and also what was going to happen.  Have you ever talked to your family about death, life after death, and our beliefs about eternal life?  We shouldn’t assume our spouse, children and extended family already understand this, or really believe it, even though they may have been taught about it.

One last thing that is worth reflecting on, in the gospel today, is Jesus’s warning not to be attached to our possessions.  

Seriously.  If you had to, would you be able to walk away from your entire way of life and every single thing you own, or have ever known, except for your family?  Or would you doubt that it was really necessary?

 

Daily Mass Readings:

2 John 4-9 / Psalm 119 / Luke 17: 26-37

 

About the Author

Hello! My name is Laura Kazlas. As a child, I was raised in an atheist family, but came to believe in God when I was 12 years old. I was baptized because of the words that I read in the bible. I later became a Catholic because of the Mass. The first time my husband brought me to Mass, I thought it was the most holy, beautiful sense of worshiping God that I had ever experienced. I still do! My husband John and I have been married for 37 years. We have a son, a daughter, and two granddaughters. We are in the process of adopting a three year old little girl. We live in Salem, Oregon in the United States. I currently serve as the program coordinator for Catholic ministry at a local maximum security men's prison. I‘m also a supervisor for Mount Angel Seminary’s field education program, in Oregon.

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6 Comments

  1. Good morning Laura. Thank you for today’s reflection on the “end times.” I believe and it is taught in our faith that everyone is called by God to be holy. We are given the “human means” by the Church itself on how this can be possible and it is only up to each one of us to think, pray and obey what the Church had been inspired to teach all its Catholic faithful. Hence, just from that, God is compassionate and merciful and will offer His hand to save all men, those who are willing in their heart and mind. How can God save someone who does not want to be saved in the first place but rather would be more comfortable in this world to follow the ways of the world. However, we are also taught that even at the last breath, when the faithful calls on the Lord for forgiveness and ask for His mercy and compassion, the Lord will listen since God gives every chance to everyone.

    “Have you ever talked to your family about death, life after death, and our beliefs about eternal life? We shouldn’t assume our spouse, children and extended family already understand this, or really believe it, even though they may have been taught about it.” Those of us who have heard so much about the good news and have embraced the faith to have no other would always want in our heart to have our own family members and relatives be the first ones to hear. However, we know this is not easy at all times. Therefore, the need to pray. Sometimes, our family members and relatives scoff or are indifferent to what we can share. A good man said our first apostolate should be our spouse, our children, our parents/siblings, our relatives. Hence, this great responsibility. Let us pray we are given the grace to do this and also pray for the grace that our loved ones will have the ears and the heart to listen eventually.

    On the attachment to material things, it is also important to pray for the virtue of detachment. Therefore, it is important that when we purchase things, we make sure we need them for their purpose. If these are things for display, let us practice not to be too attached to them so that if they are lost or broken, we can consider it as just one of those things. Again, thank you.

  2. Good morning Laura, thank you so much for today’s discussion about end times. I really feel the need to sit together with my family and have a discussion on the same, so that we can share our own views on the same topic. I’m so happy and I feel challenged too.

    I’m from Kenya, and I really love the discussions on A Catholic Moment, because there is no single day passes without reading the discussion. Cheers and keep up Laura. Have a blessed day.

  3. Hi Jack. No. Our church teaches that our Father is merciful. Even Jesus said he had sheep that wasn’t in his sheep pen, and these too belonged to him. However, Jesus also spoke of the reality of hell much more than the number of times he spoke of heaven. A person can turn to him in the last moment of life though. We should never give up on people.

  4. Hey Jack and Laura,

    The Church’s view on this subject is spelled out wonderfully in the Nostra Aetate.

    Mark

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