When considering whether the Church, or rather its current leadership, is under the influence of the Antichrist, I noted the public veneration of Pachamama in the Vatican Gardens and St. Peter’s Basilica as a deeply troubling first sign. I mentioned this example in yesterday’s meditation because it is the most illustrative, standing in stark contrast to what God entrusted to his people in the Old Testament and to the mission entrusted to the Church. How many martyrs shed their blood for refusing to sacrifice to idols? An act of idolatry in the Vatican is so absurd that one cannot help but wonder what kind of blindness has spread for something like this to happen. Read More
Showing all posts in Reflexion
Part VIII: A warning about anti‑Christian influence in the Church
To supplement the quotes from various church leaders that we heard yesterday regarding the times of the Antichrist, we add, from a prophetic perspective, a passage from the revelations of the Virgin Mary to Don Stefano Gobbi of the Marian Priestly Movement:
“The beast with two horns, resembling a lamb, signifies Freemasonry infiltrated within the Church; that is, ecclesiastical Freemasonry, which has spread above all among the members of the hierarchy. This Masonic infiltration within the Church has already been foretold to you by Me at Fatima, when I announced that Satan would penetrate even to the very summit of the Church. Read More
Part VII: The danger within the Church
Everything we have heard in the previous meditations on the Antichrist clearly shows just how dangerous the anti-Christian spirit is for humanity. It is the devil’s most tenacious—and perhaps final—attempt to extend his dominion over the world, subjugate it, and be worshiped by mankind.
God permits these trials and includes them in His plan of salvation, for nothing happens without our Lord’s knowledge and without His commanding it in accordance with His will. Read More
Part VI: Characteristics of the Antichrist
As his name suggests, the Antichrist will present himself as an imitator of the Redeemer. Yet he will attempt to hide his deep aversion and hostility toward Christ. He may even quote the Gospel, emphasizing passages that refer to human needs in order to give the impression that he is motivated by Christian charity and to present himself as a defender of justice and mercy. In reality, he will offer a kind of “intraworldly gospel” that denies God’s transcendence and humanity’s need for redemption. He will carefully conceal his satanic mission: to achieve global domination and enter the temple of God to usurp His place (cf. Mt 24:15). Read More
Part V: The Antichrist in Michael O’Brien’s novel
Today we’ll take a look at another book that addresses the topic of the Antichrist.
Like Robert Benson, Michael O’Brien—an author who is still alive—presents his apocalyptic narrative in the form of a novel. The main character of his trilogy is a Jewish convert who becomes a Catholic priest: Father Elias. Read More
Part IV: The Antichrist in the narrative of R. H. Benson
The second author I will discuss in this series on the threat of the Antichrist is the English Catholic priest Robert Hugh Benson. His book The Lord of the World was published in 1907.
It is a futuristic novel with apocalyptic overtones. It is of particular interest to us as believers because it portrays the conflict between a world that has abandoned the faith and the Church. Moreover, it offers a vision of what the figure of a future Antichrist might be like.
Benson’s novel was written a few years after Soloviev’s narrative. Given the similarity of theme and the resemblance of certain passages, it is reasonable to assume that Benson was familiar with Soloviev’s work. It is also possible that both authors drew inspiration from other sources discussing the Antichrist.
Robert Benson depicts the rise of a world ruler whose uncanny power extends over all things. People regard him as a new messiah who proclaims a universal message of peace. Julian Felsenburgh, as Benson names him, even succeeds in winning over believers and priests with his charisma.
Part III: The Antichrist in Solovyov’s Narrative
Today and tomorrow, we’ll examine how the Antichrist is portrayed in the literature I’m familiar with.
He is primarily described as a political figure endowed with extraordinary charisma who offers solutions to pressing political and social problems.
This Antichrist, as I have encountered him in literature, is said to exude a powerful fascination that people find almost impossible to resist. Outwardly, he appears to be a spiritual person who seems endowed with virtues, possesses great foresight, and is open to religious questions.
Thus, a different image of the Antichrist is initially presented here—one that differs from the various anti-Christian figures we have come to know on the political stage throughout history as violent tyrants.
Today, I would like to begin by discussing what is perhaps the most important book on this subject: A Short Tale of the Antichrist by Vladimir Solovyov.
Part II: Some aspects of the Antichrist
In the introduction to this series on the Antichrist we already saw that the text does not speak of a single Antichrist but of many. At the end of yesterday’s text I referred to the “anti-Christian spirit,” which we must learn to identify when it unleashes its destructive influence and seeks to confuse people.
The Inner Antichrist
Some authors who address this subject also point to an “inner Antichrist” within each of us. This is true insofar as the anti-divine temptation also lives within us, and we must reject and overcome it as much as possible. This becomes clear when we consider that the Antichrist spirit is Lucifer’s spirit, which seeks to exert influence by confusing people from within or through various external influences. The goal remains the same: the powers of darkness seek to exercise dominion over humanity and to compete with the reign of Christ. In order to combat the “inner Antichrist,” we need the tools that make up the basic spiritual equipment for following Christ. We will return to these later.
THE ANTI-CHRISTIAN THREAT AND HOW TO CONFRONT IT: “Part I: Introduction to the topic”
Preliminary remarks
After recently exploring the topic of self-deception and some common deceptions in the world and in the Church, it is now appropriate to begin a series of meditations on the Antichrist and the spirit through which he will act. I have already addressed this topic in several publications, and in 2020 I wrote a series of reflections that will now serve as my foundation. This topic is becoming increasingly relevant, as the anti-Christian spirit is operating on a massive scale in the world and even within the Church. Some might argue that it would be better to focus on the positive aspects of the Gospel. However, one does not exclude the other. Sacred Scripture frequently speaks of Satan and of powers hostile to God, and it exhorts the faithful to prepare for spiritual combat. Therefore, these topics cannot be overlooked. What matters is that we do not address them in a sensationalist way or stir up an unhealthy fascination with darkness.
Those who prefer a meditation on the daily reading or Gospel can find the respective links at the end of the text. Please note that some of these meditations were written several years ago and may occasionally refer to topics that are no longer relevant today.
St. Bonaventure: the Seraphic Doctor
One of the luminaries in the ecclesiastical firmament—as we might call the saints—is St. Bonaventure. His feast day is celebrated on July 14 in the old rite, and one day later in the new rite.
The saint was a man who possessed rich gifts of intellect and spirit and devoted them entirely to the Kingdom of God. St. Bonaventure was born in Bagnoregio, Italy, around 1221 and died on 15 July 1274 in Lyon (France). This saint was a scribe who shone like the sun (cf. Mt 13:43). Because of his ardent love for the Lord, he was called the “Seraphic Doctor”.