Are the signs of evil predicted coming true?

Are the signs of the evil predicted coming true?

Reading the Sacred Scriptures that predict a future no one wants, but in the 21st century we can see so many that are not hyper-bole anymore.  

See in the Book of Daniel the wages of war between the king of the North and the king of the South.  At risk is the land of Judah which will become the final battle ground and the target for God’s plan to save his people.  

“Fear not, Daniel,” he continued; “from the first day you made up your mind to acquire understanding and humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard.  Because of it I started out, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me.  I left him there with the prince of the kings of Persia. And came to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the days to come; for there is yet a vision concerning those days.”   (Dn 10: 12 - 14).

“At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time.  At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book.”    

“As for you, Daniel, keep secret the message and seal the book until the end time; many shall fall away and evil shall increase.”  I heard, but did not understand; so I asked, “My Lord, what follows this?”  “Go, Daniel,” he said, “because the words are to be kept secret and sealed until the end time.  Many shall be refined, purified, and rested, but the wicked shall prove wicked; none of them have understanding, but the wise shall have it.”  (Dn 12:1,  4, 8 - 10).

But understand this; there will be terrifying times in the last days.  People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power.  (2 Tim 3: 1 - 5).

See that no one deceives you.  For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Messiah,” and they will deceive many.  “Many false prophets will arise and deceive many; and because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold.”  (Mt 24: 4 - 5, 11 - 12).

While we discern the three suggestive personal sacrifices for Lent; Prayer, Alms-giving, and Fasting, do not forget that our days of peace and protection are being taken over by an evil entity that Christ came to save us from.  Keep the weakest people in your prayers so they may see and understand your attention to Christ and his Passion is for all of us.

Ralph B. Hathaway