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I've heard various Catholic apologists present the idea that the Book of Revelation is a picture of the Mass. It presents the view from Heaven as Jesus is re-presented on the altar. I forget the details of it, and what all the symbolism means, though.
According to Catholic tradition, there is a very clear order of events that are set to occur towards the end of the world. Quite recently, some Catholics have been heavily influenced by modern Protestant dispensationalism on the subject of the Millennium, mostly due to the popularity of the writings of Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi, Kelly Bowring and Mark Mallet. This rather peculiar end time chronology which has only surfaced in Catholic thought in the late 20th century basically follows the Protestant postmillennial template, and equates the "period of peace" promised by Our Lady of Fatima with a future binding of Satan for a thousand years. However the Catholic Church has accepted the amillennial interpretation of the Apocalypse ever since St. Augustine of Hippo expertly explained the true meaning of the Millennium described in Rev 20 in his monumental work The City of God, written in the fourth century. Since then, this view has been accepted by every doctor and saint of the Catholic Church, and the teachings of the Catechism on this subject simply does not leave room for any alternative to St. Augustine's approach to the Millennium. This recent uptake of postmillennialism by some in some Catholic circles, mostly due to popular Protestant Evangelical influences, is quite clearly at odds with the traditional teachings on the Millennium, and critically impairs our understanding of the order of events outlaid in the Apocalypse. According to the amillennial view outlaid by St. Augustine, the chronology of end time events can be summed up as follows:
The binding of Satan for the "thousand years" takes place during the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ.
At the end of the "thousand years" - which is most likely a reference to the concept of the Sabbath Millennium, Satan is once again unbound for a "little while".
Satan can once again prevent the spread of the Gospel during this "little while", by gathering the armies of the world together for battle, and because of this increase of lawlessness, the love of many grows cold (Matt 24:12).
At the end of the "little while", Satan is finally thrown out of the heavenly court and cast down to the earth by the Archangel Michael - a struggle which is marked by the appearance of the "signs in heaven".
Once he is cast down to the earth, the Devil then redoubles his efforts against the Church, and threatens to carry it away with a flood that issues from his mouth.
The earth then comes to the aid of the Woman/Church, and the flood is swallowed up during the New Springtime of the Church, brought about by the Two Witnesses. Millions are brought into the faith. A short period of peace ensues.
The Dragon then transfers his great power and authority to his servant the Antichrist, who puts the Two Witnesses to death. The fall of the end time empire referred to as "Babylon" is brought about by a "huge mountain, burning with fire" being thrown into the sea, and a subsequent global financial collapses allows the Antichrist to seize global dominion.
The final Passover of the Church takes place, which was foreseen in the Third Secret of Fatima, and many Christians are either martyred or apostatize as a result.
The Battle of Armageddon then breaks out after an attempted invasion of Israel, leading to the total collapse of human civilization.
The dissolution of the universe occurs at the Last Judgment, and the establishment of the new heaven and earth brings God's plan for creation to it ultimate conclusion.
I've heard various Catholic apologists present the idea that the Book of Revelation is a picture of the Mass. It presents the view from Heaven as Jesus is re-presented on the altar. I forget the details of it, and what all the symbolism means, though.
Yeah and I’ve read Protestants looking at the Vatican for pictures of “the sun god”, and other demonic symbols.
And this to them indicates “ End of Times.”
I’ve never read so much garbage and vivid imaginations in all my life.
Well that answer has taken almost another 12 months.
I think you know the answer to your original question.
Catholics do no get bogged down in the Book of Revelation, or go to bed at night thinking about Raptures and Millennial year rules etc.
I went to Catholic school and we were taught that amillenialism and preterism were the beliefs of the RCC.
Amillenialism was synthesized by Augustine of Hippo and says there will be no thousand year reign of Christ on earth. Rather the millennium is symbolic and Christ's reign started after his resurrection and will have no end.
Preterism was formulated by the Jesuit Luis de Alcazar during the Counter-Reformation to counter claims that the pope was the antichrist. Preterism is the belief that the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation had come to pass in the first century, and that Nero was the antichrist. Preterism was significant because it used the events of the times Daniel and Revelation were written to inform their interpretations.
Despite preterism bring essentially Catholic apologetics, secular bible scholars see it as correct except for one point. Alcazar believed Revelation was written before the destruction of the temple, and thus the events of Revelation were prophecies. Modern scholars believe Revelation was written after the destruction of the temple and is thus a book of history rather than prophecy.
A footnote to Catholic eschatology is the medieval lay story of the Great Monarch. It's a rabbit hole if you want to look it up, but historically, and as the myth has developed over time in the modern era, it has been used as propaganda by various monarchical restoration movements. This has always been a folk myth and never accepted by church doctrine.
(LifeSiteNews) — In his book The Kingship of Christ and the Conversion of the Jewish Nation, Fr. Denis Fahey gives an overview of what is certain, probable and undecided about the Antichrist.
(LifeSiteNews) — In his book The Kingship of Christ and the Conversion of the Jewish Nation, Fr. Denis Fahey gives an overview of what is certain, probable and undecided about the Antichrist.
If Fr Denis Fahey believes in the "Conversion of the Jewish Nation" to Christianity, all I have to say is "Rotsa ruck". The Catholics have been trying to convert us for centuries, often through torture and other heinous means, and they haven't succeeded yet.
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