Your End Time Is Coming Like Burger King

Kathy Schiffer reports that the world has finally ended for Harold Camping.

Just bringing up Camping's name might make some laugh or roll their eyes, but many of his followers (or former followers) really believed him and made some pretty poor choices based on his predictions of the world ending on particular dates.

In general, we are very interested in the future and how things might turn out or end. Christians are no different. In fact, I think we are more susceptible to be overly concerned with the "end times".

Advent - "coming" - is a time for preparing for the Kingdom of Christ. We reflect on the meaning of the Incarnation and the Parousia (the "Second Coming"), but also upon the state of the Kingdom of Christ in our own hearts.

It's a good time to think about "the end", but not in the way Camping talked about. It's a good time to think about your end and what that will mean, because your own personal end time is certainly coming. Do you know the day or the hour of that time?

That's why the Church teaches us to focus more about the preparation of our own hearts for the "last things" rather than the particular circumstances of the "end times".

Kathy links to another post of hers about Camping which is a pretty good read about what the Church says about what many think about when they think about "the end times", the so-called rapture. Read it here.

Those "last things"?

Death, Judgment, Hell, Heaven.

In "the end" it will be Heaven or Hell, and it will be like Burger King; "Have it your way." Only, our lives will have determined the order we placed. There will be no combo, but I bet the family meal will be great.

When he comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works, and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace. (CCC 682)

Will All Go to Heaven?

I may be wrong, but it seems to me that our society has been leaning more and more towards a belief that everyone deserves the same outcome regardless of effort or disposition.

An example may be giving the same award to 10 children who compete in a race, regardless of the outcome of the race. The first place winner receives the same exact "reward" as the tenth place "winner".

Now, I love children, and I think encouragement is a good thing, but think of it this way. Sure, the youngster who finished first may have been born with more natural ability than the child who placed tenth, but then again, maybe not.

Consider the possibility (and in my opinion the likelihood) that the child who finished first actually trained harder, put more time into preparing for the race, and was more determined to win than any of the other children.

Consider that the tenth place finisher may not have trained or cared at all, yet receives the same reward. I believe that we do NOTHING of value for this child. For when he examines his award with that of the other, he learns that it's okay not to train or to care because in the end it will all work out.

What does this teach the child about school work? What does it teach the child about vocation? What does it teach this child about life? What does it teach this child about Faith?

Well, it seems more and more I read or hear about how God loves us too much to deny us eternal salvation. What kind of a God would "punish" people? Surely everyone is going to get to Heaven somehow.

I tell you, this is dangerous talk and dangerous thinking. If you think this way, I strongly encourage you to read the Gospels and see what Jesus said.

When the poor man (Lazarus) died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' (Luke 16: 22-24)

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. (Matthew 13: 41, 42)

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25: 41)

I don't dwell on hell, but I certainly believe in it's existence. Jesus seems to clearly state that such a place or  state exists. Even if the way He described it was just in a manner we could understand, it doesn't sound like anything that I would want anyone to experience.

And that is exactly why I say it is dangerous to believe or to lead others to believe (especially to lead others to believe) that no matter what they do or do not do, all will go to Heaven.

I saw this blog post from Fr. Dwight Longenecker in which he asks regarding those who die after a lifetime of rejecting Christ

"Shall they not be held accountable for the fact that they did nothing? They did not care enough for their soul to even begin asking the questions?"

Some may have true impediments. Some may just not be able to accept the truth for whatever reason, and some may reject what they believe to be true because it doesn't fit into their life choices.

I once fit into that category. I always believed the Catholic Faith was true. I certainly did not have the understanding that I believe I do now (and hopefully continue to develop), but after attending Catholic schools for 13 years and living in a household with good examples, I still chose to choose me and my own wants over the Faith.

Oh, sure I made the silly arguments that God wanted me to be happy so this can't be bad (at least long enough to try to really convince myself), but even after I "got over" those notions, my love for self far outweighed any love or hunger for God.

During that time, many people would say things like "well, as long as you're not really hurting anyone or doing anything really really bad, God will understand."

I thank God that my friend Mike Lecompte once loved me enough to say "You know you're going to hell, right?"

Sure, that might not be the right approach for some folks, and it's certainly hard to hear (and I'm sure to say), but telling yourself or others that all will go to heaven no matter what is much worse I believe.

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7: 13,14)

Are you convicted, accused, or left alone?

While on retreat a few months ago, a conversation came up with a friend.  It had to do with our human nature of sinning, falling or straying from that perfect path that God has set out for our lives.  We talked about feeling convicted when we know we've done wrong and how we sometimes beat ourselves up over repeated failings.  That "beating ourselves up" part can really be better described as feeling accused.  True conviction most certainly comes from God.  However, feeling accused may be a different story.

Am I splitting hairs?  Well, for sake of the conversation, what we were talking about with regards to "feeling accused" are those thoughts of "See, you're not really a changed person." and "There!  You did it again!  You are so weak!" and "Some Christian you are!", etc.  Since accusation, by the nature I have described here, pulls us down, attempts to chain us to our sinful nature and attempts to cripple us from moving forward with God, it cannot be of or from God.

That conversation resurfaced in my thoughts this morning as I was praying and reflecting on God and how He moves in my life.  I received several affirmations through prayer, scripture, and from a couple of recent conversations with people.  Isn't that alone an affirmation of how God speaks to us?

When we feel convicted, we are feeling that tug of the Holy Spirit which helps us face the truth that we have sinned and need to be reconciled with God.  But even deeper, it leads to repentance and a desire to get back up and try harder.  Conviction calls us to dig deeper than "I have sinned" but to seek God's help in understanding "What in my life is God calling me to change to help me avoid this sin again?".

But there was a time in my life when I did not feel convicted nor accused.  I lived my life as I wanted, devoid of God.  The scary part is not feeling convicted or accused means that the enemy, the devil saw no need to accuse me or to "beat me up".  He had bigger fish to fry and since I was already in the vat, he could just let me set there while he looked for other prey.

But thanks be to God that the Lord does not just let us "set there".  He's always calling us to Himself.

It's easy now to see where my life was, where I was heading.  It's easy now to see what events in my life God was using to call to me, to bring me home to Him.  I see how He reminded me several times of His presence, of my need for Him.  I also see how God used other people to guide me back to Him.  Some, perhaps unaware of this.  But one person, who has become a very good friend, did know.  He had the courage to tell me the truth.  Oh, others had previously done so as well, but I can have a hard head and sometimes using a cardboard roller just isn't as effective as a sledge hammer.  I needed the sledge hammer, and this friend "let me have it"!

He said "You know you're going to hell, don't you?"

It was like a punch in the gut.  I was mad.  But I couldn't say anything at first.  I was too busy with those words spinning in my head, and then...hitting me straight in the heart.  "Wait, George.  Didn't you elude that accusation does not come from God?"  Well, you're right.  I did.  What "sounds" like an accusation was really the proclamation of the Truth.  (Yes, caps for the Truth, Jesus.)  The difference?  Again, accusation distracts us from God.  This proclamation of the Truth brought on conviction.

"You know, I guess you're right." was all that I could say.  Conviction.  Conviction brings conversion.

That was the beginning of true conversion for me.  So many things have transpired since then.  God is calling us all to conversion every day and every moment.  As a former pastor preached repeatedly, "Conversion is not a one time event or an experience, but a life long process of cooperating with God's Grace to transform ourselves more closely to Christ".

This morning's contemplation was brought on by what's going on in our world these days.

How do we respond?  Throwing around accusations surely isn't the way.  Do we just ignore our brothers and sisters by simply adopting the motto "live and let live"?  That's not exactly allowing God to use us, now is it?  We must proclaim the Truth, charitably but unceasingly.  Sometimes and some persons may require the use of a sledge hammer.  Some may require the cardboard roller.  Some may even need a gentle feather (or whisper).

But to discern what is needed to help others, we must first continue to be attentive to our own conversion, to be more Christ-like.

Many people will try to shut you up by using Jesus' words, "You hypocrite, remove the plank from your own eye."  Sure, but Jesus does not say "leave your brother alone".  The complete command from Jesus is "You hypocrite, remove the plank from your own eye first.  Then you will be able to see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."