Will the Holy Spirit abandon us in the great tribulation?

[JDGaney]

People cite 2 Thessalonians 2:7 as their argument for the Holy Spirit abandoning us. Is this true?

 

[R_C]

For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way.

Our Protestant bretrhren love to say that this refers to the Roman Empire (oh so virtuous) holding the wicked apostles from establishing the wicked Roman Catholic Church, necessarily leading to the advent of antichrist (not even kidding, I’ve just read about 6 different and notorious biblical comments on this verse).

Having gotten the nonsense out of the way, I could not find a specific reference to the Holy Spirit, but I find it doubtful: for the Holy Spirit, being the love of the Father and the Son, He whom keeps the whole Communion of Saints united to Christ the Head, could not possibly leave us. It is a most mysterious passage.

Based on 8 centuries of private revelations, it may as well refer to the intercession of Our Lady…or even to the Church Militant itself (reflected, in a way, by the Lord’s remark “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”) - though we know that the adversary will not ultimately prevail on the Church.

I hope more “official” Catholic answers follow

 

[pollylodges]

From what I read: 2nd Thessalonians 2:7 talks about the “mysterious wickedness that has already appeared” and what is going to happen, won’t happen until “the one who holds it back is taken away”.

 

[onenow1]

People cite 2 Thessalonians 2:7 as their argument for the Holy Spirit abandoning us. Is this true?

Matthew 28: 20 Jesus will be with us till the end of the age,three persons in one,Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Hope this helps !
God Bless

 

[Callin]

One must be very careful when interpreting scripture about the end times, especially if you’re looking at only a single verse by itself.

For the mystery of iniquity already worketh: only that he who now holdeth do hold, until he be taken out of the way

CCC 675:

Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers.573 The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth574 will unveil the “mystery of iniquity” in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. the supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.575

The second part of the verse mentions someone being taken out of the way, presumably of this mystery. Judging by the above, this seems to merely mean the faith of believers will be tested. That is very different from abandoning the Church entirely - which Christ said would not happen. The Holy Spirit specifically is not mentioned in this passage - it could be an angel.

Matthew 16:18

And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.