Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 111 - Part II.

YOUCAT Question n. 111 - Part II. What will it be like when the world comes to an end?

(Youcat answer - repeated) When the world comes to an end, Christ comes—for all to see.        

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 677) The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection (Cf. Rev 19:1-9). The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven (Cf. Rev 13:8; 20:7-10; 21:2-4). God's triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgement after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world (Cf. Rev 20:12; 2 Pt 3:12-13).    

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) The dramatic upheavals (Lk 18:8; Mt 24:3-14) that are foretold in Sacred Scripture—the wickedness that will be plainly manifest, the trials and persecutions that will put the faith of many to the test these are only the dark side of the new reality: God’s definitive victory over evil will be visible. God’s glory, truth, and justice will stand out brilliantly. With Christ’s coming there will be “a new heaven and a new earth”. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away”(Rev 21:4).    

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 769) "The Church… will receive its perfection only in the glory of heaven" (LG 48), at the time of Christ's glorious return. Until that day, "the Church progresses on her pilgrimage amidst this world's persecutions and God's consolations" (St. Augustine, De civ. Dei, 18, 51: PL 41, 614; cf. LG 8). Here below she knows that she is in exile far from the Lord, and longs for the full coming of the Kingdom, when she will "be united in glory with her king" (LG 5; cf. 6; 2 Cor 5:6). The Church, and through her the world, will not be perfected in glory without great trials. Only then will "all the just from the time of Adam, 'from Abel, the just one, to the last of the elect,'… be gathered together in the universal Church in the Father's presence" (LG 2).       

(The next question is: What will it be like when Christ judges us and the whole world?)