End times will bring greater persecution to Christians, Pope says

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End times will bring greater persecution to Christians, Pope says
By Elise Harris

End times will bring greater persecution to Christians, Pope says Pope_Francis_gives_the_Wednesday_general_audience_in_St_Peters_Square_on_October_2_2013_Credit_Elise_Harris_CNA_EWTN_10_2_13

Pope Francis gives the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square on October 2, 2013. Credit: Elise Harris/CNA.

Vatican City, Nov 28, 2013 / 10:34 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his daily homily Pope Francis reflected on the end times, saying that faith will be increasingly pushed out of the public square and that persecution of Christians is a “prophecy” of what is to come.

The Pope directed his comments to those gathered in the chapel of the Vatican's Saint Martha guesthouse for his daily Mass on Nov. 28.

Reflecting on the day's reading taken from the Gospel of Luke, in which Jesus speaks of the trials and tribulations that will precede the end times, the pontiff explained that when the Lord refers to this in another passage, “he tells us that it will be a desecration of the temple.”

It will be “a profanation of the faith, of the people,” he continued, and “it will be an abomination, it will be desolation and abomination.”

“What does this mean?” the Pope asked the Mass attendees, responding, “It will be like the triumph of the prince of this world: the defeat of God.”

“It seems at that final moment of calamity, it seems like he will take over this world, he will master of the world,” the pontiff observed, adding that in that time we will become aware this apparent victory over God would be more devastating than a great natural disaster.

These worldly powers which seek to destroy God, noted the Pope, also manifest in the contemporary desire to keep religion as “a private thing,” alluding to the fact that today many religious symbols have become taboo.

“You must obey the orders which come from worldly powers. You can do many things, beautiful things, but not adore God. Worship is prohibited. This is at the center of the end of time.”

Once we “reach the fullness of this pagan attitude,” the Pope continued, “then yes, he will come…’ truly the Son of Man will come in a cloud with great power and glory.’”

Christians who “suffer times of persecution, times of prohibition of worship” because of their beliefs, are a prophecy of what will happen to us all,” he emphasized.

Speaking of the prophet Daniel in the first reading who was thrown into the lion’s den because he refused to denounce his faith, Pope Francis encouraged those in attendance not to be afraid, saying that God “only asks of us faithfulness and patience.”

“Fidelity like Daniel, who was faithful to his God and adored God until the end. And patience, because the hairs of our heads will not fall out. The Lord has promised this.”

Urging those present at the Mass to continue reflecting throughout the week on this “general apostasy” which “is called the prohibition of worship,” the Pope challenged them to ask themselves “Do I worship the Lord?”

“Do I adore Jesus Christ, the Lord? Or, a little half and half, do I in some way play game of the prince of this world?”

“Worship until the end,” the Pope concluded, “with confidence and fidelity: this is the grace we must ask for this week.”

How ironic for the Pope to warn us of the coming great endtime persecution, for he is the one prophesied to make it happen!

REV. 13:
11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

ColonelZ wrote:: End times will bring greater persecution to Christians, Pope says

Well duh.......ya think so Mr. Pope?