I came from a Pentecostal background. Specifically Assemblies of God. Yes, speaking in tongues and all of that. I wanted to be a pastor. God called me to be a Catholic. Specifically, he told me, “go be Catholic.” First, because the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Jesus on the apostles (I think someone already covered apostolic succession) when it comes to spiritual warfare, it is the Church Satan listens to and the only Church that truly has authority over him. I say this from experience. I was on the receiving end of Protestant “deliverance” - which didn’t work, and also Catholic deliverance, which did. That authority means something.
With regard to the future, the way the end times will play out is very different that what Protestants would have you believe. Their teachings on the end times only go back to the 1830’s, and when you look at them, they don’t make a lot of sense. Take your favorite one and count the number of times Jesus really comes back. It’s always more than once. He’s given us over 2000 years to make our choices. He’s not going to “rapture” some and then make others go through “the great tribulation”, etc. He will return once. That’s it. After that comes the Final Judgement.
Tribulation is not something to be scared of, to a Catholic. We know that anything we suffer purifies us for seeing God face to face (called the Beatific Vision). We also know that we can offer our sufferings for the good of others. God takes those and applies the graces we receive through suffering where it is needed most. Think of it like this, you break your arm, and it really hurts. You offer your suffering to God. He takes the grace of your suffering and applies it to a sad, lonely kid across the country that’s about to kill himself. You have never met this kid, but because you offered up your suffering, he hears that word of encouragement he needed to hear and decides not to kill himself. He goes on and becomes a priest, a bishop, a cardinal, and eventurally pope. All because you offered up the pain of your broken arm. Our suffering impacts eternity in ways we can’t imagine. No one wants tribulation, but when it happens, there is a reason. An eternal reason.
Also, the Holy Spirit promised the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church. Never have, never will. People have been looking at the events of the world and predicting and prohesying the end of the world pretty much ever since Jesus Ascended into heaven. Maybe it will happen within our lifetime. Maybe it won’t. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is this: Am I ready should it happen now? And are my friends and family ready should it happen now? Have I been a good witness? Did I faithfully share my faith, did I live my faith?
I am praying for you that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will lead and guide you into all Truth.
Kris
thank you father!