"WHEN HE RETURNED,
AFTER OBTAINING THE TITLE OF KING…"
I find nothing better than to present the publication of a new book, entitled: "When the Son of Man returns, will He still find Faith on earth? Mary is the Dawn that precedes the Sun!" (here), edited by Sergio Russo and Costanza Settesoldi – a text that summarizes, in an accurate and detailed manner, what can currently be known about the Second Coming (or also "Intermediate Coming") of Our Lord Jesus Christ, here, on this earth of ours – which I will report, immediately below, the Presentation made by Father Serafino Tognetti.
This new text contains indeed, among other things, the contributions, truly precious – concerning the Comings, or Parousiae, of the Lord Jesus – of two renowned Catholic Writers (whom I personally regard as "giants", in their respective fields of expertise) and I refer to Father Pablo Martín and Father Serafino Tognetti, whom I publicly thank for having given us what they themselves first understood, but not only, I would say made their own, preserving these things in mind and heart, regarding the "hope of blessed expectation and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ!" (Tt 2,13).
«Whenever one hears talk of "the second coming of the Lord", in religious circles, interest is immediately aroused. It is a theme that, indeed, fascinates. The second coming of Christ is not a fantasy: it is attested in the Gospels and in other New Testament writings, therefore it is certain. The problem is to understand whether one intends the coming of the Lord Jesus at the end of time for the universal Judgment (which will determine the end of this present economy and the resurrection of bodies) or whether it should be interpreted differently.
I had never delved deeply into the problem, then years ago I came across a book by Aldo Gregori, "The Intermediate Coming". He cited all the biblical passages by which one could think of the second coming of the Lord, not as that final one of the universal Judgment, but as an intervention of God in time, characterized by a confrontation between Christ and the Antichrist, and a subsequent period of peace on earth. This interested me, and I began to evaluate this position, making comparisons with Marian Apparitions, so frequent in these last two centuries, and the writings of the Saints. In the end, the picture of this intermediate second coming seemed plausible to me. One must naturally be careful not to fall into gross errors or even open heresies; speaking of a period of peace with a "carnal" return of the Lord to earth is a heresy (called "millenarianism") already condemned by the Church.
The Lord has exhorted us to read the signs of the times and to interpret them in the light of Revelation; these "signs" are present and we must try to understand them correctly. In any case, this "intermediate coming" is a hypothesis, and as such it must be considered. It consists in this: there will be an increase in iniquity and a cooling of charity, there will be a decline of faith and spread of doctrinal errors; this will lead to the manifestation of the Antichrist. A period therefore of great tribulation. The Lord will intervene and annihilate the Antichrist, and to this will follow a period of peace on earth. Relative peace, which does not mean the absence of sin or transformation of the cosmos, but precisely Peace, with one flock and one Shepherd, and Jesus Christ recognized by all as King of the universe. This time will flow toward the end, when another violent confrontation between good and evil will open the scenario for the end of the world and the universal Judgment.
Now, what makes this subject timely is that it seems to many that they can discern in today's times precisely the manifestation of all the aforementioned signs, which creates a climate of expectation for something that should happen soon. We do not wish to arouse undue fears, and even less to speak of times, dates, or anything else; we only wish to scrutinize the Scriptures and understand whether one can speak, in the light of the signs of the times today, of "Intermediate Coming".
Sergio Russo and Costanza Settesoldi are convinced of this. And so it occurred to them to speak about it, publishing this book. They do nothing other than collect contributions on this subject and illustrate a situation that could emerge. In the end, it is the Reader himself who must orient himself, read the passages of Sacred Scripture that speak of these things, confront himself with the Magisterium and the writings of the Saints and Doctors of the Church, and thus form an idea.
The Lord has exhorted us, in the Gospel, to pray, to be vigilant, to be attentive. This is the right attitude with which to address the subject, always with humility and trust. The holy Virgin Mary, who has spoken so much in these times with maternal solicitude, guide us to the "whole truth" of which Jesus speaks in the Gospel: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own, but will say all that he hears and will announce to you the things that are to come." (Jn 16,13).»
Fr. Serafino Tognetti
(edited by Sergio Russo)