http://salesianity.blogspot.com/2008/11/prophetic-words-from-archbishop-sheen.htmlProphetic words by Archbishop Sheen?"The world is rapidly being divided into two camps, the comradeship of anti-Christ and the brotherhood of Christ. The lines between these two are being drawn. How long the battle will be we know not; whether swords will have to be unsheathed we know not; whether blood will have to be shed we know not; whether it will be an armed conflict we know not. But in a conflict between truth and darkness, truth cannot lose."
Thanks for your posts Abishag and Jeanie.
We must trust and know that God can bring good out of evil. Nothing is beyond Him. I personally believe that God maybe allowing for such a crucendo, in order to wake up the sleeping faithful, warn the unfaithful and bring final good out of it. Not BECAUSE of it, but in spite of it. Surely if God continually stood in the way from allowing evil to sew its seed - would we ever be able to judge it by its fruits? Would we recognise and realise what happens when we oust God out of our lives and treat his moral codes with indifference and mockery? We need to both see and sometimes experience the results, even if we ourselves are not responsible. Cruel as it may sound, we all live in the same world. Unfortunately evil is a reality.
I think this is part of an awakening personally. But I believe there will be a dramatic one for the world at some pointOtherwise would we wake up enough to consider our times and the outcome of evil decisions and behaviours? Or would one remain in a state of inertia/confusion/lukewarmness that would never cease, because no such climax or impact would ever be seen for what it is? There are some, like myself, who have only gotten more serious with God from seeing the results of liberalism. Had I not seen this, I may never have woken up to it, or in fact, to myself.
If He lets evil run its course and reach a climax, surely the world shall finally be cleansed through the agony it has wrought upon itself and people will be clear on where they stand and whom they serve. God is in control either way. Even the extent of evil can only do as much as God allows.
There is therefore hope in all the awful signs/evils we see increasing around us. Why? We were foretold this in God's word and it is unfolding as was spoken. Therefore, we ought to lift up our hearts and rejoice that Christ MUST be coming back soon.
I do not believe God has ignored the prayers of the faithful. But because people continue to commit so many sins each day without thought to the consequences, and make such unwise choices, would God do us any favours, if He did not allow things to take their course? Let this earth be cleansed through whatever means our Lord decides is appropriate and that may very well come through ourselves and our sinful decisions - both personal and public. How much has God now been ousted? From schools, society and even our personal lives etc? Then let us see what happens when the world thinks it does not need God.
Already look at what is happening? If I'm not mistaken, because of the increasing evil and the fruits that we are seeing within society, people appear to be waking up and becoming increasingly alerted to sin/evil (even in their own lives) and Christ's second coming. But I think there is much more to come and those still living in blindness, may too be woken up. Perhaps it'll take a lot of pain before that happens. I honestly think we ought to rejoice, not at the evil itself, but at the victory that will be won in spite of it.
Just my two cents.
