The misunderstandings fall into four categories.
- Denial that things such as persecution will happen
- The idea that God's people will somehow be spared trials
- That God is not in charge.
- God is Just.
Let me unpack these bad ideas.
- Many Catholics are refusing to look at the signs of the times. They continue to believe that political figures will turn the tide of evil away from America and Europe. They looks towards false seers who promise the opposite-days of peace and prosperity. Denial of coming suffering may be a simple fear of suffering, but it is a deceit in the person who refuses to look at facts and signs.
- God's own Church will experience great upheaval and distress. God's own remnant will suffer like the rest of mankind. The remnant is called to learn to rely on Providence alone and remain peaceful in the face of great trials.
- God is totally in charge, even of evil. God allows evil in order for more good to come about and for the triumph of His Glory. Evil cannot work without God's Perfect or Permissive Will. God allows free will, even the free will of evil people.
- God is Just and His Justice responds to great sin, especially the four sins which cry out to Him for vengeance. Justice belongs to God and Justice comes before Mercy. That God is Just means that evil will be punished and that all men will be given sufficient grace to repent and come to Him.
No one is spared in hard times of calamities and trials. The Catholics are called to transcend their own personal weaknesses by relying on God alone.
