"Endless Speculations"

A few days ago one of the readings for the Daily Office was from St. Paul's letter, 1 Timothy. In that reading he warns Bishop Timothy to put an end to his people falling into "endless speculations" about the Scriptures. The habit he was speaking against may have been eliminated in Bishop Timothy's parishes, but it seems to have arisen once again among Catholics today.

As a Protestant, I remember hearing (and sometimes being a part of) many arguments about when the "rapture" (something not actually found anywhere in the Scriptures) was going to happen. The debates were endless and every Christian seemed to have his own set of Scripture references to prove his point. Some entire denominations were formed because they had separated from a denomination that disagreed with them over this issue (I am not joking!).

Coming into the Catholic Church I thought I could leave this all behind. Nope. Of course, Catholics do not try to predict the "rapture", but I frequently hear people trying to find the fulfillment of the various prophecies given by Saints and some by the Blessed Virgin herself. The problem is not much different. Prophecies are not given so that we can spiral into "endless speculations", and it does not make it ok for Catholics because they are focusing on Catholic things. "Endless speculations" are wrong no matter what they are based on.

If St. Paul were to speak to some of these Catholics I think it might sound a bit like when he spoke the Galatians who had been led astray about the gospel: "O, foolish American Catholics, who has bewitched you? Having started with trusting God to work things out, are you now trusting your own wisdom to predict the future?" The desire to have knowledge of the future is found in most of us, but it is rarely healthy.

God gives us enough in prophecy to know two things: first, we must repent; and second, He wins in the end. More than that is dangerous for us because we get caught up in these things. No matter how much correlation you may think you have found in a current event and a prophetic statement, leave it alone. Neither the Bible, nor any other Word of God is given as a "puzzle piece" that we need to figure out. We are called to know the path of salvation and to put our hope in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Do not let the devil take you down any other path.