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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Isa 10:5-7,13-16
Thus says the Lord: Woe to Assyria, rod of my anger, the club in their hands is my fury! I was sending him against a godless nation, commissioning him against the people who enraged me, to pillage and plunder at will and trample on them like the mud in the streets. But this was not his intention nor did his heart plan it so, for he dreamed of putting an end to them, of liquidating nations without number! For he thinks: ‘By the strength of my own arm I have done this and by my own wisdom: how intelligent I have been! I have abolished the frontiers between peoples, I have plundered their treasures, like a hero, I have subjugated their inhabitants. My hand has found, as though a bird’s nest, the riches of the peoples. Like someone collecting deserted eggs, I have collected the whole world while no one has fluttered a wing or opened a beak to squawk.’ Does the axe claim more credit than the man who wields it, or the saw more strength than the man who handles it? As though a staff controlled those who raise it, or the club could raise what is not made of wood! That is why Yahweh Sabaoth is going to inflict leanness on his stout men, and beneath his glory kindle a fever burning like a fire.
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”.
Mt 10:34-11:1
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set son against father, daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law; a person’s enemies will be the members of his own household. ‘No one who prefers father or mother to me is worthy of me. No one who prefers son or daughter to me is worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes an upright person because he is upright will have the reward of an upright person. ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not go without his reward.’ When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.
What wonderful flowers grow in God’s garden! We can never admire them enough, especially when we consider the lives of the saints handed down to us. In fact, the Church boasts a great wealth of saints, and each of their lives—as well as their deaths—tells us the story of God’s love for those of His children who decided to follow His ways. However, not all of them did so from the beginning.
Such was the case with Saint John Gualbert.
Born in Florence in 985, he came from a noble family. From a young age, he was destined for military service. His father, a warrior, educated the young John in the fine arts and instilled in him an awareness of the dignity and honor of a warrior. However, there is no mention of an education in religious devotion or Christian virtue.
Isa 6:1-8
In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; his train filled the sanctuary. Above him stood seraphs, each one with six wings: two to cover its face, two to cover its feet and two for flying; and they were shouting these words to each other: Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh Sabaoth. His glory fills the whole earth. The door-posts shook at the sound of their shouting, and the Temple was full of smoke. Then I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh Sabaoth. ‘Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding in its hand a live coal which it had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. With this it touched my mouth and said: ‘Look, this has touched your lips, your guilt has been removed and your sin forgiven.’ I then heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I, send me.’ Read More
