Here We Go Again-More Doomsday Prophecies- 2012

Since May 21st, 2011 passed without the end of the world occurring or any unusual catastrophes (Thank God!) the doomsday believers are gearing up for 2012. This will be bigger and more hyped than Harold Campings failed end of the world predictions.

Why? Well, it has to do with the Mayans. Their calendar suggests that some monumental event will take place in December 2012. At first I read that their calendar ended in December 2012, which led to a lot of speculation and doomsday scenarios. But that's not the case. Apparently their calendar predicts some kind of "symbolic turning point." Now I know this is a Catholic blog and this all sounds very "new age" but, a lot of people will be talking about this, writing articles and blogs about it and the cable networks have already shown TV shows about this.

Anyhow, the latest article I read from History.com titled "Mayans Never Predicted December 2012 Apocalypse, Researchers Say," is more encouraging, "One of history's most famous and foreboding doomsday predictions might never have been made, according to a German researcher. His new interpretation of a 1,300 year old tablet affirms that the ancient Maya regarded December 12, 2012 as a moment of great importance but not as some believe, because they foresaw an apocalypse on that date."

Some believe the ancient writings predict the beginning of a new era or a significant change for humankind but according to the researchers, those who believe in the end of the world prediction have misunderstood the "poorly preserved hieroglyphs."

Since a lot of people are making a lot of money from these predictions, get ready for a year of hype.

John Kehne, a web developer who runs the site-December212012.com says that the site receives 5 million page views a month from the curious and concerned, from around the world.

I'm wondering if Advent 2012 will be a time of great spiritual awakening.........Maybe humankind will turn to God fully and trust in God deeply and purely and turn away from sin and war. Maybe the whole world will repent during Advent 2012. That would be monumental!

Perhaps Jesus will come in glory. I'd like to witness that.

Or maybe nothing unusual will happen in December 2012, which is the most likely scenario.

I trust all will be well and all "manner of thing will be well." I'm not worried, I trust in God.

NJA

The End Times... In Slow Motion

When I look back on the last decade and the beginning of this one, I can't help but think that perhaps we're living through the end times in slow motion. When I look at pictures of birds from the Gulf Coast covered in oil (these photographs are causing outrage throughout the world and understandably so), dying from the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I'm horrified, along with millions of others. Thinking of the harsh images we've all had to endure in the last decade and now in this one as well, such as the terrorist attacks, epic natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami and the destructive earthquake in Haiti, these have all been horrific events in history that have caused great suffering and despair. These images and the latest horrific ones of an uncontrollable and deadly oil leak in the Gulf, are unsettling. Also, the financial meltdown of the last couple of years, is still causing havoc on world economies and that doesn't seem to be over yet either. And now living through the worst environmental disaster in the history of our country makes me wonder if this is what all the end time prophecies were pointing to. Perhaps some of the passages in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation in the Bible, do have a literal meaning. And just perhaps we're living through some of those prophecies. I think it's possible. The end times in slow motion, here and there, that's what this has felt like to me when I think of the horrific images I've seen and devastating events that people have lived through, or sadly died from, in some places in the world. 

When I reflect on this crazy, unpredictable, uncertain world we live in, I thank God for my deep faith. That is why I nurture my faith, everyday, because it gives me inner strength and courage to deal with negative news here and in other parts of the world. 

Everyday when I open my daily missal, to recite prayer, I'm comforted by the words of the psalms, the Scripture readings, the gospel and I am renewed in my belief that God is in control, there is a plan of salvation that is unfolding (in spite of human failings and greed), even when things seem to be spinning out of control. "All will be well," I like to say those words of Julian of Norwich over and over again. 

I also find peace in simple pleasures, which have always given human beings joy, such as planting flowers in my garden, enjoying the beauty of Springtime and sunshine, listening and watching the bluejays and cardinals that come to eat their morning bread and fly from tree to tree effortlessly. Yes, I thank God for simple pleasures and all God's creatures. 

We live in a beautiful world, created by God for us to enjoy. It's so sad that we haven't been more respectful or careful with creation. As I've written before, I just hope and pray lessons are learned and future generations reap the benefits of a more just, caring and compassionate humankind, which protects human life and the environment at all costs and realizes that greed is a deadly sin that will destroy or corrupt everything in its path, if left unchecked. 

NJA

The Book of Revelation

I have been studying the Book of Revelation, with a group of women in a Bible Study class. This morning we were reading Scriptures, along with commentary and making our own observations as well (God's word is "living and active".....) when I was struck by a few of the verses from this apocalyptic writing, that seem to be unfolding before our very eyes. And I wasn't the only one present who got that impression. 

I'm deeply saddened, as millions of people are, about the environmental catastrophe unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico, because of the drilling platform that blew up on April 20th, causing a massive oil spill. There has been loss of human life, which is so sad and in addition, wildlife such as birds, fish, and ocean creatures are dying. Fishermen are losing their livelihoods as well. It's a terrible disaster, that is still not until control.  I, for one, am praying that the experts are able to stop this as soon as possible. I'm also praying and hoping that the experts learn from their mistakes so that this never happens again. 

Getting back to the Book of Revelation, some of the women noted, myself included, that some of the verses we were reading seemed to be a prophecy, that unfortunately was unfolding in the Gulf. Perhaps it's coincidental, perhaps not. For instance from Chapter 15, this verse made me wonder, "Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire" (Rev. 15:2). At the start of the oil spill there was an attempt by the Coast Guard to try to burn off part of the spill with a controlled fire. I saw the video at cnn.com of that attempt. It looks like a sea of blue-green 'glass' mingled with fire. It unnerved me!

As you can imagine, the Bible Study class on the Book of Revelation is never dull. The writings are not meant to be taken literally but who knows? As I've mentioned to the other women, after reading apocalyptic writings on a Monday morning, our week can only go up from there.

NJA

Then the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.'  And he said to me, 'These words are true; they come from God.'  (Rev. 19:9)