Cristy Li

“…There will be difficult times
in the Last Days!” –2 Timothy 3:1
Image Courtesy: MFVA Friars

The Last Days

Remember that there will be difficult (perilous) times in these Last Days. People will be selfish, greedy, boastful and conceited; they will be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful and irreligious; they will be unkind, merciless, slanderers, violent and fierce; they will hate the good; they will be treacherous, reckless and swollen with pride; they will love pleasure rather than God; they will hold to the outward form of our religion but reject its real power. Keep away from such people! –2 Timothy 3:1-5

Signs of the End of the Age

When Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?’

Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in My Name saying, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will lead many astray. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, there will be famines and earthquakes in various places, all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”

Persecutions Foretold

Jesus continued, “Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, you will be hated by all nations because of My Name. Then many will fall away and they will betray one another and hate one another, many false prophets will arise and lead many astray and because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold but the one who endures to the end will be saved. This Good News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” 

–Matthew 24:3-14

Hear The Truth

St. Paul: “For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires and they will turn away from listening to the Truth and wander away to myths.”  –2 Timothy 4:3-4

The Promise of the Lord’s Coming

“…First of all you must understand this, that in the Last Days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!’

They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the Word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. By the same Word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the Day of Judgment and destruction of the godless.

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some think of slowness but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

The Day of the Lord will come like a thief and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise and the elements will be dissolved with fire and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the Coming of the Day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved and the elements will melt with fire? In accordance with His promise (1 Corinthians 1:8; Philippians 1:10;  1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:23) we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

Final Exhortation (Appeal) and Doxology

Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by Him at peace, without spot or blemish and regard the patience of the Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen! 

–2 Peter 3:3-18

• Jesus taught, “The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has come near; Repent and Believe in The Good News!”  –Mark 1:15

If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved! For one believes with the heart and so is justified and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The Scripture says, “No one who Believes in Him will be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 25:1-22) For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on Him. For, everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved!”  –Romans 10:9-13

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life
  Today,Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

Blessed Daniel Brottier (1876-1936) Image: Cradio

(Catholic Online) Born in France, Blessed Daniel Brottier, was a decorated Priest who served as a volunteer Chaplain during World War I risking his own life from time-to-time, cited six times for bravery, receiving the ‘Croix de Guerre’ and the ‘Legion of Honor’ according to 365 Rosaries during his 4 years at the front, ministering to the suffering and dying–It was miraculous that during the war, Fr. Brottier didn’t suffer a single wound.

Following the end of the war, Fr. Brottier was invited to help establish a project for orphaned and abandoned children in Paris, spending the last 13 years of his life there.

Fr. Daniel Brottier –Image Courtesy: 365 Rosaries

Fr. Brottier was Beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II in Rome in November, 1984

Jesus taught, “…about that day and hour no one knows,
neither the Angels of Heaven, nor the Son but only the Father.
For as the days of Noah were,  so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:36-37
Image Courtesy: Kayla Cusano

Signs of the End of the Age

When Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the Disciples came to Him privately saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?’

Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ They will lead many astray and you will hear of wars and rumors of  wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this must take place but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, there will be famines and earthquakes in various places, all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Persecutions Foretold

Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, you will be hated by all nations because of My name (Jesus!) then many will fall away, they will betray one another and hate one another, many false prophets will arise and lead many astray and because of the increase of lawlessness (See also: Romans 1:18-32;
2 Timothy 3:1-5) the love of many will grow cold but the one who endures to the end will be saved. This Good News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations and then the end will come.”  –Matthew 24:3-14

Jesus taught, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life! Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through Him. (Jesus) Those who believe in Jesus are not condemned but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

–John 3:16-18

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life
  Today Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

Related: Final Battle will be Over Marriage/Family, Says Fatima Visionary Sister Lucia dos Santos  -Church Pop

Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio
Image: Roman Catholic Saints

(Franciscan Media) Sebastian born of poor parents in Spain Galicia, throughout life his roads and bridges connected many distant places, his final bridge building was to help Women and Men, recognize their God given dignity with destiny.

At the age of 31 Sebastian sailed to Mexico where he began working in the fields, eventually building roads to facilitate agricultural trading and other commerce–his 446 mile road from Mexico City to Zacatecas took 10 years to construct and required careful negotiations with the indigenous people along the way.

As the years went by, Sebastian became a wealthy farmer and rancher. When he was 60, he got married, his spouse motivation many have been a large inheritance, his was to provide a respectable life for a young Woman without even a modest marriage dowry, when his first wife died, Sebastian remarried for the same reason, his second wife preceded him in death.

When Sebastian was 72 he distributed his wealth among the poor and entered the Franciscans as a Brother, assigned to a large Friary at Puebla de Los Angeles, south of Mexico City, Sebastian collected money for the Friars for the next 25 years, earning him the nickname “Angel of Mexico.”

Sebastian was Beatified on the 17 May, 1789 by Pope Pius VI

Bl. Luke Belludi (1200-1285)
Image: Ad Jesum Per Mariam

(Franciscan Media) In 1220 as Fr. Anthony of Padua was ministering conversion to Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of Italy Padua, a young nobleman Luke Belludi, came up to him and humbly asked to receive the habit of the followers of Saint Francis — Anthony took to the talented, well educated Luke and personally recommended him to Saint Francis who then received him into the Franciscan Order.

Luke then only 20 yrs of age, was to be Anthony’s traveling companion and help in his ministry, tending to him through his last days and taking Anthony’s place upon his death. Subsequently appointed Guardian of the Friars Minor in the City of Padua. In 1239, the city fell into the hands of its enemies, Nobles were executed, the Mayor and Council were disbanded, the great University of Padua closed and the Church dedicated to Saint Anthony was left unfinished. –Luke, banished from Padua secretly returned and at night, Luke and the new Guardian of the Friars Minor, visited the tomb of Saint Anthony in the unfinished shrine to pray for his help.

One night a voice came from Saint Anthony’s tomb, assuring Luke and the present Guardian of the Friars Minor, that Padua would soon be delivered from the evil tyrant.

After the fulfillment of the prophetic message, Luke was elected Provincial Minister and furthered the completion of the great Basilica in honor of Saint Anthony his teacher, traveling companion and confidant. Luke subsequently founded many Convents of the order and had, as Saint Anthony, the Gift of Miracles.

Upon Luke’s death in 1285 he was laid to rest in the Basilica that he helped finish and has had a continual great respect up to the present time. Blessed Luke Belludi was beatified according to Roman Catholic Saints.com by Pope Pius XI

Jesus: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do
for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.”
–Matthew 25:45
Images Courtesy of: Thomas R@Twitter
and Deacon Paul O’Connor

Judgment of the Nations

Jesus: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats and He will put the sheep at His right hand and the goats at the left.

Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come you that are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you gave Me clothing, I was sick and you took care of Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw You hungry and gave You food or thirsty and gave You something to drink? When was it that we saw You a stranger and welcomed You or naked and gave You clothing? When was it that we saw You sick or in prison and visited You?’

The King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of My family, you did it to Me.’

Then He will say to those at His left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from Me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not give Me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

Then they will also answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of You?’

Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

These will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life.'” –Matthew 25:31-46

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings, Visit: -USCCB

Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against Me and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! — For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God.
Turn then and live. –Ezekiel 18:31A-32 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Blue Army Shrine Our Lady of Fatima

• All Scripture is inspired by God
  and is useful for teaching, for reproof,
  for correction and for training in righteousness.
  –2 Timothy 3:16

A Psalm of Asaph (5th Century BCE)

To those who who go the right way
I will show the salvation of God! (Psalm 50:23B)

The mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth  from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth! Our God comes and does not keep silence, before Him is a devouring fire and a mighty tempest all around Him. He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that He may judge His people; “Gather to me My faithful ones, who made a Covenant with Me by sacrifice!” The heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is judge.

“Hear, O My people and I will speak, O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; Your burnt offerings are continually before Me. I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. For every wild animal of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know the birds of the air and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all that is in it is mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High. Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.”

 

To the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite My Statues or take a Covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline and you cast My Words behind you. You make friends with a thief when you see one and you keep company with adulterers. You give your mouth free rein for evil and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your kin; you slander your own mother’s child. These things you have done and I have been silent; You thought that I was one just like yourself but now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you. Mark this then, you who forgot God or I will tear you apart and there will be no one to deliver.”

 

“Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor Me; To those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God.” –Psalm 50:1-23

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life
  in Heaven Today Through The Good News
  of Christ Jesus!

Related: Why Does God Send People to Hell?  -The Fatima Center

Final Battle Will Be Over Marriage and the Family -ChurchPOP