The Last City

 

This content is inappropriate for theological studies.  The characters are fictional.

After 490 years of the discovery of Sentrália.  The city of Our Lady of Apocalypse is emancipated from the city of Meridiana.  Becoming the Last City at just 2 years old.

— People!  As mayor, I am pleased to open our first Medical Center. — Mayor and pastor, Elias, cut the ribbon and the inhabitants there applaud.

The next day...

— Priest!

— Good morning, Rose.

— Good Morning!  Did you see that they opened a medical center?

— Yes it's going to be very good.

— But if God heals why do we need a doctor?

— If the Sun illuminates why do we need electric light?

— To illuminate at night.

— God came to heal the soul.  And doctors the body.  Many diseases stem from ills of the soul.

— Is the Church also a medical center?

— Yes, but to take care of people's inside. — He points to the head.

— What about Pastor Elias?

— Also.  The difference is that the pastor does not believe in the intercession of Our Lady.

— That's why he sent you to ask what Our Lady of the Apocalypse means.

— Yes. Apocalypse means revelation.

— Isn't it the end of the world?

— No!  First, the apostle John speaks of the end times.  The world will be renewed.

— And the end is near?

— Yes. Every day the man is closer to his death.

 At the city Hall...

— Co... what?

— Covid-19.

— See how much the vaccine costs.

— There is no vaccine.

— How much is the treatment?

— Nothing 100% proven.  But in the most severe cases, a respirator is used.  — It shows the price.

— All of it!  Order two.  And he leaves the ambulance ready to transfer the patients to Meridiana.

— Mayor, they are recommending the lock down.

— Lock... what?

In the square...

— It's the end of days.  A virus arrived to kill the Earth.

— Nestor, stop blasphemy.

— My son, it's the truth.  It's in the newspaper.  — Renato looks at the headline in the wanderer's newspaper.  And he runs to the newsstand to read the newspaper.  A few minutes later.

— Apocalypse people!  As mayor, I will announce that from Monday we will stay for 15 days in Lockdown.  Only the medical center is authorized to open.  Pharmacy and market can only deliver.  Take advantage of these days to write down the numbers of those places and order the fixed expenses.  They will only be able to leave and enter the city with a medical certificate recommending the transfer to other cities and vice versa.  You can only leave the house to go to the doctor or help a relative for that, you will write a letter and be accompanied by a police officer if necessary.

As a pastor I say today we will have a face-to-face service.  During these fifteen days I will Lives on my social network.

— Elijah!

— Yes Nestor!

— It's the end of the World?

— I still don't have that answer.  But today in the service I will answer.

Night at the Sentralian Christian Church...

— Brothers, open your Bible in the second letter of Peter chapter three from verse eight to eighteen.* — After reading the Bible Elijah begins his speech. — The end of the world is coming and we need to prepare.  Gradually the world will collapse: the Internet, banks and trucks will no longer work.  Then we will live on what we will produce in this city.  So those who have a farm diversify their production.  If you have a yard, make a vegetable garden.  Let's get ready for this day.  Let us pray and be vigilant.

As for this new disease.  She just came to warn us that the end of the world is near.  It is not the end of the world. — The priest enters the church.

— Priest, what brings you here?

— I need to talk to the mayor.

— Mayor?!  I am logical.  Moses, please praise the brothers. — Elijah and the priest leave the church. — How can I help?

— Sorry, but where did you get that the world will end?

— From the book of Revelation.  Revelation tell us the end of time.

— I invite you to have coffee.  Tomorrow at six in the afternoon.  Me with my books on theology and study and you with yours to discuss this subject.

— Combined! — Elijah returns to the service and the priest goes to the bakery.

The next day

In the Church of Our Lady of Revelation...

— Good afternoon!

— Pastor?!  Oh sure, mayor.  The priest is waiting for you in the meeting room.

— Thanks!  — Elijah goes to the right door.

— Pastor, this door leads to the church.  It's the door on the left.  — Then Elijah realizes that there was a sign on both doors.  He laughs.

— I didn't notice the signs.  Thank you, Rose.  - He knocks on the door, excuses himself and enters.  — Good afternoon!

— Good afternoon!  Do you like cheese bread and cornmeal cake?

— Yes, thank you.

— I think you forgot your books.

— I only have the Bible and the notebook when I did Sunday School and in that notebook I wrote down the course for pastor taught by Pastor Israel, may God have it!

— Amen!  — The priest takes a book and gives it to the pastor.  — It's a gift.

— How to read the Bible exegetically.  Priest, a Catholic book?

— It was written by a priest, but he teaches how to read the Bible in a different way.  The examples are all based on the gospels.  It does not have an apocryphal book or Catholic dogmas.

— Ah!  So thank you very much.  Why did you call me?

— Yesterday you gave me the wrong answer.  The book of the Revelation tell us about the end of the time.

— I'm going to throw that notebook in the trash.

— Wait!  An error does not mean that everything you have learned is wrong.  But what caught my attention in what you said yesterday was the fact that it encourages people to have land.

— Priest, don't you think the end is near?

— The end of time.  The times of the dragon.  The devil.  Just as Revelation twenty says a verse first.** — The priest reads the passage.  — What do you understand?

— The world is over.

— The world has been renewed.  Do you know what the sea meant to the Israelites?

— No.

— It was from the sea that the enemy peoples came.  So sea for them was evil.  The evil will disappear, the world where the Dragon takes care will disappear.  In this new world, the Dragon will have no time.  That is, it will be a new time.  The time of eternal glory.

— Glory to God!  I want to go to this new place.  Wait, we are not going to die of hunger or an electrical collapse.

— I cannot say how each one will die or if there will be collapses.  What I can say is that signs of the end of time are already being seen.

— I liked!  I'm going to read that book, Priest. In my first live you will see the difference.

On Sunday...

The priest reads the gospel of the day.  (Mt 4,1-11) ***

— Brothers, today the gospel presents us with a period of isolation and quarantine.  And with this new disease he asks us the same thing.  In this first stage, as our mayor said, we will be at home for fifteen days.  Without leaving.  This step starts tomorrow.  During these fifteen days I will use my social network every day to pray the rosary with you.

Let's go through this desert that presents itself by praying.  And when the enemy arrives, we will fight it with prayer.  And another weapon is fasting.  I invite you in addition to your Lenten abstinence for 21 days to fast.  I recommend fasting you to bread and water.  Replace your meals with bread and after eating, drink water.  In any fast, the water is released.  If you are on a diet just do the abstinence.  Reinforcing abstinence is about spending the day without something you like.  For example: social networks, the video game, gossiping in the window, watching television... Whatever is more difficult for you to be without.

But father what am I going to do two weeks in the house?  Read the Bible!  Read a good book!  Pray!  Increase your prayer time!  Take advantage of these days to take better care of your home and family!

Returning to the gospel... The demon asked why Jesus did not turn those stones into bread.  Jesus' answer was that food alone does not support the body, but also the word.  If we do not know at least the two commandments that Christ taught us.  Our temple will be in ruins.  Each body, each individual, is a temple of the Lord.  First, love God above all.  Second, love your neighbor as God loves you.  And God loves you infinitely.

Our face-to-face celebrations will be suspended.  But I will transmit the masses.  At the time of communion say the prayer that Rose gave them a copy.  As soon as the city hall releases.  Do not forget to come to the celebrations to commune.

—————————————————

*2 Peter 2: 8 - 18. Excerpt from the Bible copied from: < http://thekingsbible.com/Bible/61/2 > . Acessed on 03/14/2021.

"(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;  Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error." 

 

**Revelation 21: 1. Excerpt copied from: < http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__P134.HTM > . Acesssed  on: 03/14/2021.

 

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more."

***Matthew 4: 1 - 11. Excerpt from the Bible  copied from: < http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__PVD.HTM > . Acessed on  03/14/2021.

"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread." He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and 'with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'" Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him."