Is the terrorist attack of September 11th, 2001, an indication that The Tribulation has begun? The official Catholic Church teaching on The Tribulation is worth reading at times like this. Otherwise, we are easily led astray by the many well-intentioned, often fear-filled, doom-sayers that are in our churches and in our email in-boxes.
No, we are not in The Tribulation any more than we have been for 2000 years. Jesus said, "There will be wars and rumors of wars, and still this is not the end (read Matt. 24:4ff).
We have been living in the "End Times" since the Ascension of Jesus (see paragraph 670 of the Catechism).
We must be ready for the Second Coming of Jesus every day, for our own personal Second Comings (the "Particular Judgment") could happen any day -- at the moment of our deaths (see Catechism paragraph 1021).
As for the final, world-wide Second Coming, or for The Tribulation or the so-called "chastisements" that many people are talking about, we should get very familiar with what the Church officially has taught about this, from the Deposit of Faith, passed down to us through the centuries. Otherwise, we are easily led astray by the doom-sayers. As Jesus said in Matt. 24:4, "Watch out that no one deceives you."
For true Catholic teachings on this, here are a few places to go:
"Difficult Questions Regarding the Terror Attacks"
http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/WTC_difficult_questions.htm
Catechism Paragraph 2642
The Tribulation is what the early Christians suffered at the time of the Roman persecutions.
Catechism Paragraph 668
This begins the section of the Catechism that deals specifically with the Second Coming of Christ.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s2c2a7.htm
Catechism Paragraph 679
Do you hear people referring to the terrorist attack as a judgment by God on America for the sins of abortion, etc.? The Catechism says, "Yet the Son did not come to judge, but to save and to give the life he has in himself. By rejecting grace in this life, one already judges oneself...."
Finally, let's remember to resist fear. As Christians, now is a really good time to learn what it means to live out God's Word:
Psalm 91:5
"You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day...."
1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and a sound mind."
Let's be the voice of God in these troubled times! Let's counteract the doom-sayers' message with the truth! First, we have to understand it, but then let's get the word out!
