Last Things, Beauty and Perspective

Today we heard a bit about the end times in Mass . . . 
I  started thinking about how each of us will face our own end times, whether it is because of Jesus' second coming or our own individual death.  Death and taxes, right? We are sure of it.

So, WHY do we waste so much precious time on other superfluous things? Like . . . worry, sticking to a schedule, clothes, tv, gossip, parties, keeping up with the Joneses, being embarrassed, rushing, petty differences, "beauty," aging.

Ahhhh, two biggies -- "beauty" and aging!

Aging . . . .  as a society we are obsessed with denying it.
Anti aging cremes. hair dye, plastic surgery. We revere youth. We revere outward beauty (note: "beauty" as the culture defines it). 
I recently had an acquaintance tell me something - in all seriousness - that she believed adamantly.  I didn't know how to respond without insulting her.
OK,  this is a paraphrase, but as closely as I can remember her exact words. She said,

"You know, if you want your children to be beautiful you have to marry an attractive partner.  That is a serious consideration. You need to think about these things, I mean, if you want ugly children then it doesn't matter. But I'm just saying . . . . "

I remember staring at her in utter disbelief. Then, I think I responded with something like, didn't she think it was love that should be the determining factor. It probably sounded quite trite.


This hunger for conventional beauty ignores life's very path . . . . to death.
That all of us must die is modern society’s most inconvenient truth.  In our culture few acknowledge this truth. If we did, all of this other craziness would subsist.
Fr Corapi said, "There is no real failure in this life except eternal damnation."
Quest for beauty, popularity, greedy material success, carnal pleasure . . . . it all takes us in the wrong direction.
Every choice we make either takes us closer to God or farther away from God.

I need to remind myself (constantly) of what we say in Our Profession of Faith.
I believe in life everlasting.
All my choices should direct me -- and I should direct others -- towards choices that lead to everlasting life with God in heaven.

After the Rapture E-mails

What a great post I found by Jay over at DeoOmnisGloria! An email service just for our protestant brothers and sisters! (partial snippets here, ya'll - go to Jay's site for the complete post)

"According to a press release, YouveBeenLeftBehind.com employs a “dead-man’s switch” so that when the presumably saved operators of the Web site disappear, they will fail to take some sort of regularly scheduled action and the after-the-rapture e-mails will begin to go out.

OK, so let’s think about this for a moment, shall we? First, it’s not really a dead man’s switch, is it? It’s more like a “saved man’s” switch.

Apparently YouveBeenLeftBehind.com will send up to 62 emails out to your "left behind" friends and family explaining what happened when you are raptured. That's right, for the small fee of $40, you can send out messages to those left behind to explain the good news of Jesus Christ.

Now, I'm still trying to figure out why only 62 messages (you'll have to guess which 62 friends are least likely to be raptured). But it also appears that it's $40 a year until the rapture, which could be some time off (I'm not sure what Hal Lindsey's latest date is, but he could possibly be wrong)."

Ken Magill at Direct magazine has done a good job of breaking this down into some bite size scenarios (partial quotes here folks - go to the Ken's for more!):

"Who's going to be around at You've Been Left Behind to conduct ISP relations? Maybe the group should employ a staff of the damned to make sure things go smoothly after all those who are saved disappear. Some Unitarians would probably be up for the job--they're such an amenable bunch, after all.

And, envision the circumstances under which this service will operate: Among other things, four horsemen will have come riding out of the sky, the forces of righteousness will be locked in the ultimate battle with the antichrist, celestial trumpets are blowing, and the gates of hell are open and beckoning.

And someone's going to say: "Wait just a second while I check my e-mail?"

Jay goes on to say, "Just to explain from a Catholic perspective: The Book of Revelation (or The Apocalypse) is a book based on the Mass and is virtually impossible to understand without understanding the Catholic liturgy. Revelation explains that the liturgy we celebrate in Mass is an actual participation in the Heavenly Liturgy that is being celebrated at all times (and will be in Heaven forever).

It's important to note that the Rapture is primarily a 20th century concept, with little to no precedent for the belief. At this point in time there are multiple versions of the belief in the rapture: pre-millennial, post-millennial, even those who are essentially mid-millennial.

So, what is the Truth? Jesus Christ will come at the end of time and separate the wheat from the chaff, taking the wheat to heaven. Those who haven't achieved holiness, but aren't in mortal sin, will be perfected through purgatory.

I pray that through the Sacraments, we all become wheat for Jesus."

Amen Jay!

Trust God

A friend and I were discussing the end times last night. I found this and thought it an appropriate addition to our talk. . . . which was left completely unfinished and begs for further time. (no puns intended). This is for Randy
--> Randy, be sure and read these two articles, also: Glory of the Olives and, as Monty Python would say, "now for something completely different" (or at least from a different perspective): Rolling Stone magazine's article by James Lovelock - Prophet of Climate Change


***
Jesus (told) the disciples not to have fear but to face difficulties, misunderstandings and even persecutions with trust, persevering in faith in him.

"When you hear of wars and insurrections," the Lord says, "do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end" (Luke 21:9).

Mindful of this admonition of the Lord, the Church has from the very beginning lived in the prayerful expectation of the Lord's return, scrutinizing the signs of the times and putting the faithful on guard against recurring messianic movements that from time to time proclaim that the end of the world is imminent.

In reality, history must follow its course, which also brings human dramas and natural calamities with it. A plan of salvation that Christ has already carried out in his incarnation, death, and resurrection develops in history. The Church continues to proclaim and realize this mystery through preaching, the celebration of the sacraments and the witness of charity.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us welcome Christ's invitation to face daily events trusting in his providential love. Let us not be afraid of the future, even when it appears bleak to us, for the God of Jesus Christ, who took up history to open it up to its transcendent fulfillment, is its alpha and omega, the beginning and the end (cf. Revelation 1:8). He guarantees that in every little but genuine act of love the meaning of the whole universe is contained, and those who do not hesitate to lose their lives for him, will find them again in fullness (cf. Matthew 16:25).

May Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word, accompany us on the earthly pilgrimage. We ask her to support the witness of all Christians, that it always rest on a solid and persevering faith.

SOURCE; VATICAN CITY, NOV. 18, 2007 (Zenit.org).- a translation of a part of the address Benedict XVI delivered on 11/18/07 before reciting the midday Angelus with several thousand people gathered in St. Peter's Square. [Translation by ZENIT]

Pope Gloria Olivæ (Glory of the Olives)

The most famous and best known prophecies about the popes are those attributed to St. Malachy. St. Malachy of Ireland was born in 1094 and died in 1148. After entering the priesthood at the age of 25, he quickly rose through the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, ultimately attaining the position of Archbishop of Armagh by the time he was 35 years old. It was said that we was a healer and a worker of miracles. But throughout the ages, he has been remembered for his extraordinary gift of prophesy.

In 1139 he went to Rome to give an account of the affairs of his diocese to the pope, Innocent II. While in Rome, he received (according to the Abbé Cucherat) a powerful vision of the future wherein was unfolded before his mind the long list of illustrious pontiffs who were to rule the Church until the end of time.

Malachy’s final prophesy reads:
In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis ciuitas septicollis diruetur, & Iudex tremêdus iudicabit populum suum.
Finis.

TRANSLATION: In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people.
The End.

St. Malachy gave his manuscripts to Pope Innocent II and they remained unknown in the Roman Archives until its discovery in 1590 (Cucherat, "Proph. de la succession des papes", ch. xv). They were first published by Arnold de Wyon, and ever since there has been much discussion as to whether they are genuine predictions of St. Malachy or forgeries. Some summize that the silence of 400 years on the part of so many learned authors who had written about the popes, and the silence of St. Bernard especially, who wrote the "Life of St. Malachy", is a strong argument against the authenticity of the manuscripts. This is not at all conclusive if we adopt Cucherat's theory that they were hidden in the Archives during those 400 years.
These short prophetical announcements, in number 112, indicate some noticeable trait of all future popes from Pope Celestine II, who was elected in the year 1130, until the end of the world. They are enunciated under mystical titles.

Those who have undertaken to interpret and explain these symbolical prophecies have succeeded in discovering some trait, allusion, point, or similitude in their application each pope. The symbolism is tied to a Pontiff's country, name, coat of arms or insignia; birth-place, talent or learning, the title of his cardinalate, the dignities which he held etc.

For example:

• The prophecy concerning Urban VIII is Lilium et Rosa (the lily and the rose); he was a native of Florence and on the arms of Florence figured a fleur-de-lis; he had three bees emblazoned on his escutcheon, and the bees gather honey from the lilies and roses.


• Again, the name accords often with some remarkable and rare circumstance in the pope's career; thus Peregrinus apostolicus (pilgrim pope), which designates Pius VI, appears to be verified by his journey when pope into Germany, by his long career as pope, and by his expatriation from Rome at the end of his pontificate.

Those who have lived and followed the course of events in an intelligent manner during the pontificates of Pius IX, Leo XIII, and Pius X cannot fail to be impressed with the titles given to each by the prophecies of St. Malachy and their wonderful appropriateness:

• Crux de Cruce (Cross from a Cross) Pius IX
• Lumen in cælo (Light in the Sky) Leo XIII
• Ignis ardens (Burning Fire) Pius X

There is something more than coincidence in the designations given to these three popes so many hundred years before their time. We need not have recourse either to the family names, armorial bearings or cardinalatial titles, to see the fitness of their designations as given in the prophecies.

Crux de Cruce (Cross from a Cross) Pope Pius IX: The afflictions and crosses of Pius IX were more than fell to the lot of his predecessors; and the more aggravating of these crosses were brought on by the House of Savoy whose emblem was a cross.

Lumen in cælo (Light in the Sky) Pope Leo XIII see picture right~~> Pope Leo XIII was a veritable luminary of the papacy.

Ignis ardens (Burning Fire) Pius X: Quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia 1913 edition: "The present pope (Pius X) is truly a burning fire of zeal for the restoration of all things to Christ."

Again, the last of these prophecies concerns the end of the world: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."

It has been noticed concerning Petrus Romanus ("Peter the Roman"), who according to St. Malachy's list is to be the last pope, that the prophecy does not say that no popes will intervene between him and his predecessor designated Gloria olivæ (Glory of the Olives). It merely says that he is to be the last. Cornelius a Lapide refers to this prophecy in his commentary "On the Gospel of St. John" (C. xvi) and "On the Apocalypse" (cc. xvii-xx), and he endeavours to calculate according to it the remaining years of time.

Here are The Prophecies. Info includes:
Pope Numbers 167 through 267
The Pope's Name (& Reign)
The Motto Numbers 1 through 111
Motto (and explanation)

167 Celestine II (1143-1144)
1 Ex castro Tyberis(from a castle on the Tiber)
Hist.: Celestin II was born in Citta di Castello, Toscany, on the shores of the Tiber

168 Lucius II (1144-1145)
2 Inimicus expulsus

169 Eugene III (1145-1153)
3 Ex magnitudine montis (Of the greatness of the mount)
Hist.: Born in the castle of Grammont (latin: mons magnus), his family name was Montemagno

170 Anastasius IV (1153-1154)
4 Abbas Suburranus

171 Adrian IV (1154-1159)
5 De rure albo (field of Albe)
Hist.: Born in the town of Saint-Alban

Antipope: Victor IV (1159-1164)
6 Ex tetro carcere

Antipope: Paschal III (1164-1168)
7 Via trans-Tyberina

Antipope: Calistus III (1168-1178)
8 De Pannonia Tusciæ

172 Alexander III (1159-1181)
9 Ex ansere custode

173 Lucius III (1181-1185)
10 Lux in ostio

174 Urban III (1185-1187)
11 Sus in cribo

175 Gregory VIII (1187)
12 Ensis Laurentii

176 Clement III (1187-1191)
13 De schola exiet

177 Celestine III (1191-1198)
14 De rure bovensi

178 Innocent III (1198-1216)
15 Comes signatus (signed Count)
Hist.: descendant of the noble Signy, later called Segni family

179 Honorius III (1216-1227)
16 Canonicus de latere

180 Gregory IX (1227-1241)
17 Avis Ostiensis (Bird of Ostia)
Hist.: before his election he was Cardinal of Ostia

181 Celestine IV (1241)
18 Leo Sabinus

182 Innocent IV (1243-1254)
19 Comes Laurentius

183 Alexander IV (1254-1261)
20 Signum Ostiense

184 Urban IV (1261-1264)
21 Hierusalem Campaniæ (Jerusalem of Champagne)
Hist.: native of Troyes, Champagne, later patriarch of Jerusalem

185 Clement IV (1265-1268)
22 Draca depressus

186 Gregory X (1271-1276)
23 Anguinus vir

187 Innocent V (1276)
24 Concionatur Gallus

188 Adrian V (1276)
25 Bonus Comes

189 John XXI (1276-1277)
26 Piscator Tuscus

190 Nicholas III (1277-1280)
27 Rosa composita

191 Martin IV (1281-1285)
28 Ex teloneo liliacei Martini

192 Honorius IV (1285-1287)
29 Ex rosa leonina

193 Nicholas IV (1288-1292)
30 Picus inter escas

194 Nicholas IV (1288-1292)
31 Ex eremo celsus (elevated from a hermit)
Hist.: prior to his election he was a hermit in the monastery of Pouilles

195 Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
32 Ex undarum benedictione

196 Benedict XI (1303-1304)
33 Concionator patereus

197 Clement V (1305-1314)
34 De fessis Aquitanicis (ribbon of Aquitaine)
Hist.: was archbishop of Bordeaux in Aquitaine

198 John XXII (1316-1334)
35 De sutore osseo(of the cobbler of Osseo)
Hist.: Family name Ossa, son of a shoe-maker

Antipope Nicholas V (1328-1330)
36 Corvus schismaticus (the schismatic crow)
Note the reference to the schism, the only antipope at this period

199 Benedict XII (1334-1342)
37 Frigidus Abbas (cold friar)
Hist.: he was a priest in the monastery of Frontfroid (coldfront)

200 Clement VI (1342-1352)
38 De rosa Attrebatensi

201 Innocent VI (1352-1362)
39 De montibus Pammachii

202 Urban V (1362-1370)
40 Gallus Vice-comes

203 Gregory XI (1370-1378)
41 Novus de Virgine forti (novel of the virgin fort)
Hist.: count of Beaufort, later Cardinal of Ste-Marie La Neuve

Antipope: Clement VII (1378-1394)
42 De cruce Apostilica

Antipope: Benedict XIII (1394-1423)
43 Luna Cosmedina

Antipope: Clement VIII (1423-1429)
44 Schisma Barcinonicum

204 Urban VI (1378-1389)
45 De Inferno pregnani (From the hell of Pregnani)
Hist.: He was a town called Inferno in the region of Pregnani.

205 Boniface IX (1389-1404)
46 Cubus de mixtione

206 Innocent VII (1404-1406)
47 De meliore sydere

207 Gregory XII (1406-1415)
48 Nauta de ponte nigro

Antipope: Alexander V (1409-1410)
49 Flagellum Solis

Antipope: John XXIII (1410-1415)
50 Cervus Sirenæ

208 Martin V (1417-1431)
51 Corona veli aurei

209 Eugene IV (1431-1447)
52 Lupa cælestina

Antipope: Felix V (1439-1449)
53 Amator crucis

210 Nicholas V (1447-1455)
54 De modicitate lunæ

211 Callistus III (1455-1458)
55 Bos pascens (grazing ox)
Hist.: Alphonse Borgia's arms sported a golden grazing ox

212 Pius II (1458-1464)
56 De capra et Albergo

213 Paul II (1464-1471)
57 De cervo et Leone

214 Sixtus IV (1471-1484)
58 Piscator Minorita

215 Innocent VIII (1484-1492)
59 Præcursor Siciliæ

216 Alexander VI (1492-1503)
60 Bos Albanus in portu

217 Pius III (1503)
61 De parvo homine

218 Julius II (1503-1513)
62 Fructus jovis juvabit

219 Leo X (1513-1521)
63 De craticula Politiana

220 Adrian VI (1522-1523)
64 Leo Florentius

221 Clement VII (1523-1534)
65 Flos pilæi ægri

222 Paul III (1534-1549)
66 Hiacynthus medicorum

223 Julius III (1550-1555)
67 De corona Montana

224 Marcellus II (1555)
68 Frumentum floccidum

225 Paul IV (1555-1559)
69 De fide Petri

226 Pius IV (1559-1565)
70 Æsculapii pharmacum

227 St. Pius V (1566-1572)
71 Angelus nemorosus

228 Gregory XIII (1572-1585)
72 Medium corpus pilarum

229 Sixtus V (1585-1590)
73 Axis in medietate signi

230 Urban VII (1590)
74 De rore cæli

231 Gregory XIV (1590-1591)
75 De antiquitate Urbis

232 Innocent IX (1591)
76 Pia civitas in bello

233 Clement VIII (1592-1605)
77 Crux Romulea

234 Leo XI (1605)
78 Undosus Vir

235 Paul V (1605-1621)
79 Gens perversa

236 Gregory XV (1621-1623)
80 In tribulatione pacis

237 Urban VIII (1623-1644)
81 Lilium et rosa

238 Innocent X (1644-1655)
82 Jucunditas crucis

239 Alexander VII (1655-1667)
83 Montium custos

240 Clement IX (1667-1669)
84 Sydus Olorum (constellation of swans)
Hist.: upon his election, he was apparently the occupant of the Chamber of Swans in the Vatican.

241 Clement X (1670-1676)
85 De flumine magno

242 Innocent XI (1676-1689)
86 Bellua insatiabilis

243 Alexander VIII (1689-1691)
87 Pœnitentia gloriosa

244 Innocent XII (1691-1700)
88 Rastrum in porta

245 Clement XI (1700-1721)
89 Flores circumdati

246 Innocent XIII (1721-1724)
90 De bona Religione

247 Benedict XIII (1724-1730)
91 Miles in bello

248 Clement XII (1730-1740)
92 Columna excelsa

249 Benedict XIV (1740-1758)
93 Animal rurale

250 Clement XIII (1758-1769)
94 Rosa Umbriæ

251 Clement XIV (1769-1774)
95 Ursus velox

252 Pius VI (1775-1799)
96 Peregrinus Apostolicus

253 Pius VII (1800-1823)
97 Aquila rapax

254 Leo XII (1823-1829)
98 Canis et coluber

255 Pius VIII (1829-1830)
99 Vir religiosus

256 Gregory XVI (1831-1846)
100 De balneis hetruriæ (bath of Etruria)
Hist.: prior to his election he was member of an order founded by Saint Romuald, at Balneo, in Etruria, present day Toscany.

257 Pius IX (1846-1878)
101 Crux de cruce (Cross of Crosses)
Hist.:Pius XI was the last Pope to reign over the Papal States (the middle third of what is today Italy). He ended up being a prisoner of the Vatican, never venturing outside Vatican City. A much heavier burden than his predecessors.

258 Leo XIII (1878-1903)
102 Lumen in cælo(Light in the Heavens)
Hist.: Leo XIII wrote encyclicals on Catholic social teaching that were still being digested 100 years later. He added considerably to theology.

259 St. Pius X (1903-1914)
103 Ignis ardens (ardent fire)
Hist.: The Pope had great personal piety and achieved a number of important reforms in the devotional and liturgical life of priests and laypeople.

260 Benedict XV (1914-1922)
104 Religio depopulata (Religion laid waste)
Hist.: This Pope reigned during the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia which store the establishment of Communism.

261 Pius XI (1922-1939)
105 Fides intrepida (Intrepid faith)
Hist.: This Pope stood up to Fascist and Communist forces lining up against him in the lead up to World War II.

262 Pius XII (1939-1958)
106 Pastor angelicus (Angelic Shepherd)
Hist.: This Pope was very mystical, and is believed to have received visions. People would kneel when they received telephone calls from him. His encyclicals add enormously to the understanding of Catholic beliefs (even if they are now overlooked because of focus on the Second Vatican Council, which occurred so soon after his reign).

263 John XXIII (1958-1963)
107 Pastor et Nauta(pastor and marine)
Hist.: prior to his election he was patriarch of Venice, a marine city, home of the gondolas

264 Paul VI (1963-1978)
108 Flos florum (flower of flowers)
Hist.: his arms displayed three lilies.

265 John Paul I (1978)
109 De medietate Lunæ (of the half of the moon)
Hist.: Albino Luciani, born in Canale d'Agardo, diocese of Belluno, (beautiful moon) Elected pope on August 26, his reign lasted about a month, from half a moon to the next half...

266 John Paul II (1978-2005)
110 De labore Solis (of the eclipse of the sun, or from the labour of the sun)
Hist.: Karol Wojtyla was born on May 18, 1920 during a solar eclipse. He also comes from behind the former Iron Curtain (the East, where the Sun rises). He might also be seen to be the fruit of the intercession of the Woman Clothed with the Sun labouring in Revelation 12 (because of his devotion to the Virgin Mary). His Funeral occurred on 8 April, 2005 when there was a solar eclipse visible in the Americas.


267 Benedict XVI (2005-)
111 Gloria olivæ
Hist.: A branch of the Benedictine order is called the Olivetans. The Holy Father chose the name "Benedict". He took the name Benedict, in part, to honour Benedict XV, a pope of peace and reconciliation. Perhaps Benedict XVI will be a peacemaker in the Church or in the World, and thus carry the olive branch.

In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, & Judex tremêdus judicabit populum suum. Finis.
TRANSLATION: In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will feed the sheep through many tribulations, at the term of which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge his people. The End.

sources: Catholic Encyclopedia 1913 edition, http://www.catholic-pages.com/,