End of Times (Part 2)

 

Recently I wrote about a pastor on TV discussing "End of Times" theory. See HERE.

I have discussed this with my friend Father Francis Maple. This is what he said:

Thank you for such a thoughtful and important question. It is one that many Catholics quietly wonder about.

 

First, let me gently say that what you heard on television — the Rapture, a seven-year Tribulation, a political Antichrist ruling the world, a literal thousand-year earthly reign of Christ — is not the way the Catholic Church understands the Book of Revelation.

Let me try to answer your “WHY?” step by step.

 

1. Why not the Rapture and Millennium scenario?

The Book of Revelation is written in apocalyptic language — symbolic, poetic, full of imagery. It is not meant as a chronological newspaper forecast of future events.

The Church teaches:

• There is no secret Rapture.
• There is no literal political 1,000-year earthly reign of Christ.
• The “millennium” (Revelation 20) symbolically refers to the present age of the Church — the time between Christ’s Resurrection and His Second Coming.

Christ will return once, publicly and gloriously.
There will be:

• The resurrection of the dead
• The General (Final) Judgement
• The renewal of creation

That is all.

So your instinct is correct: the Catholic understanding is indeed simpler — and deeper.

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2. Particular Judgement and Final Judgement — Why Both?

You have stated Catholic teaching beautifully.

At death:

• The soul undergoes Particular Judgement.
• Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell.

At the end of time:

• The body is raised.
• There is a General Judgement.

Now your question: Why a General Judgement if we are already judged?

Because salvation is not merely private.

Our lives affect others.
Our sins affect others.
Our hidden goodness affects others.

At the Final Judgement:

• God’s justice will be publicly revealed.
• The full truth of every life will be shown.
• The hidden workings of grace will be made known.

It is not to re-judge us.
It is to reveal the glory of God's justice and mercy before all creation.

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3. Why Do We Need New Bodies?

This is the most beautiful part.

We are not angels.

Angels are pure spirits.
Human beings are body and soul together.

God did not create us as souls trapped in bodies.
He created us as embodied persons.

Death is unnatural. It tears apart what God joined.

Resurrection is God repairing what death destroyed.

Christ rose bodily.
He ate fish.
He showed His wounds.
He could be touched.
Yet He was glorified.

Our risen bodies will be like His.

Not subject to:

• Suffering
• Decay
• Death

But fully alive.

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4. What Will We “Do” in Heaven?

We must be careful here.

Heaven is not:

• An eternal picnic
• Nor clouds and harps
• Nor endless church services

Heaven is the Beatific Vision — seeing God face to face.

Scripture speaks of:

• A “new heaven and a new earth”
• A wedding feast
• A city
• Joy
• Communion

Will we “eat”? We won’t need to.  We will be fully alive persons.

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5. Why Does God Do It This Way?

Because God does not abandon creation.

He redeems it.

If salvation were only about souls escaping earth, then creation would be a failure.

Instead:

• Creation is fulfilled.
• The body is restored.
• History is brought to completion.
• Justice is revealed.
• Love triumphs.

It is not a complicated divine drama for its own sake.

It is the completion of a love story.

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6. One Final Clarification

You wrote:

“Peter and the rest of the Apostles and Saints… are souls in Heaven.”

Yes — but they are incomplete in one sense.

They await the resurrection of the body.

Even the saints are waiting for the fullness.

That is how important the body is.

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In Summary

The Catholic view is:

• No secret Rapture.
• No earthly political millennium.
• One Second Coming.
• Resurrection of the body.
• Final Judgement.
• New creation.

And the “WHY?” is this:

Because God saves the whole person.
Because justice must be revealed.
Because creation is meant for glory.
Because love finishes what it begins.

You are right — the Catholic vision is simpler.

And in my view, far more beautiful.

God bless,

Fr. Francis

I hope this helps.