God wins on EARTH? Or HEAVEN alone?

[Quest4veritas]

1st of all, 1st post to Catholic Answers, so I’m not sure if I’m in the correct Forum location.

I’ll start with what the Bible references, in 1 way or another, Satan is the Prince of the World.

What I mean by the title is … with our society becoming more sinful and the moral fabric disintegrating in the world…does God’s victory happen in the afterlife only? Or will their be an earthly victory?

I know that Jesus/God have triumphed, the battle is already won…he is victorious now and forever.

But as a society who 2 generations ago was VERY faithful, and the last generation faith becoming weaker, and now my generation (I’m 32) faith is shrinking with an accelerated pace…can we ever get back to my grandparents generation level of faith/morals?

I’m not trying to fall into despair, but I’m afraid of the world my children will live in when the majority of their peers will be children 2-3 generations removed from the faith and a Catholic moral worldview.

 

[Herculees]

I’m hopeful! An RC church in my state has two Masses each weekend! The Church at first had three congregants that attended the two Masses each weekend and NOW has 300+ people attend EACH Mass. 90-95% of the congregants at these Masses are under the age of 40. The lines for confession are so long. You say how long are they! They are so long that confession starts a half hour BEFORE Mass and confessions are heard until the end of Mass. They have so many people attending confession that they hear confession also for an hour on Monday AND Wednesday Nights. The church does a LOT of fundraising for the church, as well as for outside ministries.

 

[Quest4veritas]

Very happy to hear your parish is thriving and especially with young people!

My Diocese is one of the strongest in the country and the faith is flourishing here. High # of vocations, strong young adult groups, very conservative, etc

There certainly are some strong pockets of faith.

I was more concerned with the “idea” of Christ’s victory being realized on Earth at some point (physical world) or soley in Heaven (spiritual world) and the biblical or theological perspective on that question?

 

[EveningSkye111]

Have you read the Book of Revelation?

 

[Quest4veritas]

Have you read the Book of Revelation?

Bits and pieces of it, not straight through. I hear there’s lots of misinterpretation, especially with this book of the Bible.

What’s your view on it? and does it mesh with the Catholic Church’s?

 

[anon98328916]

have you read the book of revelation?

 

[anon98328916]

1st of all, 1st post to Catholic Answers, so I’m not sure if I’m in the correct Forum location.

I’ll start with what the Bible references, in 1 way or another, Satan is the Prince of the World.

What I mean by the title is … with our society becoming more sinful and the moral fabric disintegrating in the world…does God’s victory happen in the afterlife only? Or will their be an earthly victory?

I know that Jesus/God have triumphed, the battle is already won…he is victorious now and forever.

But as a society who 2 generations ago was VERY faithful, and the last generation faith becoming weaker, and now my generation (I’m 32) faith is shrinking with an accelerated pace…can we ever get back to my grandparents generation level of faith/morals?

I’m not trying to fall into despair, but I’m afraid of the world my children will live in when the majority of their peers will be children 2-3 generations removed from the faith and a Catholic moral worldview.

I agree with everything you have said but we must trust in God. Our Lady said “In the end my immaculate heart will triumph”.

 

[EveningSkye111]

Bits and pieces of it, not straight through. I hear there’s lots of misinterpretation, especially with this book of the Bible.

What’s your view on it? and does it mesh with the Catholic Church’s?

Does Revelation mesh with the church? I’m just a wee bit confused with your question.

 

[Vico]

1st of all, 1st post to Catholic Answers, so I’m not sure if I’m in the correct Forum location.

I’ll start with what the Bible references, in 1 way or another, Satan is the Prince of the World.

What I mean by the title is … with our society becoming more sinful and the moral fabric disintegrating in the world…does God’s victory happen in the afterlife only? Or will their be an earthly victory?

I know that Jesus/God have triumphed, the battle is already won…he is victorious now and forever.

But as a society who 2 generations ago was VERY faithful, and the last generation faith becoming weaker, and now my generation (I’m 32) faith is shrinking with an accelerated pace…can we ever get back to my grandparents generation level of faith/morals?

I’m not trying to fall into despair, but I’m afraid of the world my children will live in when the majority of their peers will be children 2-3 generations removed from the faith and a Catholic moral worldview.

Catechism

Providence

308 The truth that God is at work in all the actions of his creatures is inseparable from faith in God the Creator. God is the first cause who operates in and through secondary causes: "For God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."171 Far from diminishing the creature’s dignity, this truth enhances it. Drawn from nothingness by God’s power, wisdom and goodness, it can do nothing if it is cut off from its origin, for "without a Creator the creature vanishes."172 Still less can a creature attain its ultimate end without the help of God’s grace.173

Satan or the Devil

394 Scripture witnesses to the disastrous influence of the one Jesus calls “a murderer from the beginning”, who would even try to divert Jesus from the mission received from his Father.273 "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil."274 In its consequences the gravest of these works was the mendacious seduction that led man to disobey God.

395 The power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God’s reign. Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries - of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature- to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history. It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but "we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him."275

 

[Wesrock]

It will be here on Earth… but not in the way of conquering armies and establishing an earthly kingship such as any other that’s been on Earth. At the end of time, when Christ returns, the Earth will be regenerated and made new, along with Heaven. There will be the resurrection of the dead, and the saved will live bodily and spiritually on earth and in heaven in Christ’s eternal kingdom.

If the Church could survive persecution in pagan Rome, if Christ could be put to death and all home seemingly be lost only for him to be resurrected… I see no reason to despair, even if it means a smaller body of faithful in the future.

 

[Quest4veritas]

At the end of time, when Christ returns, the Earth will be regenerated and made new, along with Heaven. There will be the resurrection of the dead, and the saved will live bodily and spiritually on earth and in heaven in Christ’s eternal kingdom.

I don’t know if the Earth will be in existence after Christ’s 2nd Coming, I don’t think anybody does, right? What’s the official stance of the Church (or is it unaddressed?)

I had thought that the Earth as it’s passing away will be gone and done and then only Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell will exist.

 

[Quest4veritas]

Does Revelation mesh with the church? I’m just a wee bit confused with your question.

My mistake for not being clear in my prior post, but my point with the meshing was there are 1,000’s of interpretations of the Bible, especially the Book of Revelation…there are some wild interpretations.

Protestants have their viewpoints, Catholic, etc…

I was asking your take on that book and if your view was in union of the Roman Catholic Church.

 

[Wesrock]

I don’t know if the Earth will be in existence after Christ’s 2nd Coming, I don’t think anybody does, right? What’s the official stance of the Church (or is it unaddressed?)

I had thought that the Earth as it’s passing away will be gone and done and then only Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell will exist.

The Church doesn claim to know all the details, but it does state that there will be a new earth. The way a person fallen to sin rises regenerated and new when baptized is a new person, the earth and all creation will also be regenerated and made new, never to fall again.

See the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1042 - 1050.

vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2Q.HTM

 

[Vico]

I don’t know if the Earth will be in existence after Christ’s 2nd Coming, I don’t think anybody does, right? What’s the official stance of the Church (or is it unaddressed?)

I had thought that the Earth as it’s passing away will be gone and done and then only Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell will exist.

Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes (Vatican II, 1965), Part I, Chapter III - Man’s Activity Throughout The World:
39. We do not know the time for the consummation of the earth and of humanity,(15) nor do we know how all things will be transformed. As deformed by sin, the shape of this world will pass away;(16) but we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling place and a new earth where justice will abide,(17) and whose blessedness will answer and surpass all the longings for peace which spring up in the human heart.(18) Then, with death overcome, the sons of God will be raised up in Christ, and what was sown in weakness and corruption will be invested with incorruptibility.(19) Enduring with charity and its fruits,(20) all that creation(21) which God made on man’s account will be unchained from the bondage of vanity.

1. Cf. Acts 1:7.
2. Cf. 1 Cor. 7:31; St. Irenaeus, Adversus haereses, V, 36, PG, VIII, 1221.
3. Cf. 2 Cor. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:13.
4. Cf. 1 Cor. 2:9; Apoc. 21:4-5.
5. Cf. 1 Cor. 15:42 and 53.
6. Cf. 1 Cor. 13:8; 3:14.
7. Cf. Rom. 8:19-21.

ewtn.com/library/councils/v2modwor.htm