POPE MAKES CASE FOR SUNDAY OBSERVANCE IN RAPID MOVEMENTS

Pope Makes Case for Sunday Observance in Rapid Movements

August 14, 2015

rapid

While many of God’s professed people are reveling in idleness and engrossed with the pleasures and cares of this life, Satan is busily stealing a march upon them; he is by no means idling, “because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” Revelation 12:12. Pope Francis is wasting no time or effort in preparing the way for his encyclical on global climate change and the suggestions, which will soon become mandates, to gain worldwide acceptance, and his subsequent reemergence to world dominance. Already, he is regarded by many as the voice of moral authority, whose unprecedented popularity crosses religious, denominational, cultural, and age barriers. The conditions now existent have created the perfect opportunity for Pope Francis’ agenda to create a “better,” “safer” world to gain worldwide acceptance; and indeed it already is being highly praised and widely recommended. As his trip to the United States to address a joint session of congress and also to speak at the world meeting of families in September hastens, he is enlisting all the support for his document Laudato Si and meticulously and calculatingly laying the groundwork to receive ultimate and absolute praise.

The goal and methods of operation of the man of sin, the Papacy, is expressed in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” By world acceptance of Sunday sacredness—an invention of the Papacy, in the name of preserving nature, placing a check upon man’s corruption and exploitation of natural resources, and economic restoration, the Pope will achieve his highest ambition, garnering the worship that he so fiendishly craves, while usurping the homage and reverence that belongs solely to God. This article looks at the steps that Pope Francis is taking that inevitably will result in the enforcement of a national and then international Sunday Law.

Pope Francis has been meeting with world leaders at every level to sell his recommendations, of which Sunday observance is the significant part, under the guise of concern for creation and the preservation of the environment. In Laudato Si, Francis cites the following as ways to protect and sustain the earth, “Go to Sunday Mass; receive the sacraments; encounter God in everything; rest on Sundays.”1 United States President, Barack Obama endorses the encyclical stating “I welcome His Holiness Pope Francis’s encyclical, and deeply admire the Pope’s decision to make the case – clearly, powerfully, and with the full moral authority of his position – for action on global climate change.”2 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon also “welcomed the papal encyclical released by Pope Francis which highlights that climate change is one of the principal challenges facing humanity, and that it is a moral issue requiring respectful dialogue with all parts of society.”3 A few other reactions from prominent, influential world leaders were recorded by the Washington Post:

Former United Nation’s Secretary General Kofi Annan: “I applaud the @Pontifex for his strong moral and ethical leadership on #climatechange.”4

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim: “I strongly support @Pontifex’s emphasis on our moral obligation to act on climate.”5

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders: “Pope Francis’ powerful message on #climatechange should become a catalyst for the bold actions needed.”6

Economist and author, Nicholas Stern: “Moral leadership on climate change from the Pope is particularly important because of the failure of many heads of state and government around the world to show political leadership.”7

California Governor Jerry Brown, who once studied to be a Jesuit Priest: “The Pope’s encyclical Laudato Si’ breaks really important ground in pinpointing the interconnectedness of human beings with other species and the natural world. He says hopefully the world will listen to the Pope’s understanding of the existential threat caused by the human disruption of climate patterns….”8

On July 19, 2015 Pope Francis convened world mayors and governors for two days of meetings to discuss solutions to global warming. “…The Vatican’s science committees will host two days of meetings with 50 mayors and governors from around the world; they will discuss ways to implement policies aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, boosting resilience to climate extremes and eradicating poverty.”9 As Pope Francis sells his agenda to the world leaders, mayors, and governors, his objective is that they will influence the people to accept the Popes’ solutions, specifically a Sunday Law. In a cyclical process, the people will then demand of their lawmakers mandatory Sunday observance to combat the ever-increasing, ever-intensifying calamities and extreme weather conditions.

“Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words: ‘The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ Revelation 12:17.”10

Also in agreement with the Pope’s stance on the environment and his reverence for Sunday are the leaders of the various so-called protestant denominations. Many denominational leaders are using Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical to forge an ecumenical alliance for the sake of preserving the environment. In fact, Pope Francis, in order to unite the various religions and denominations, has declared September 1, 2015 as a worldwide day of prayer. “Pope Francis has instituted a new day of prayer and celebration for the Church entitled the ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation,’ to be celebrated on September 1 each year.”11 Catholic News Agency goes on to report that Pope Francis “expressed hope that the day could highlight the need for all Christians to work together toward common goals.”12 The date selected for this day of prayer was not randomly chosen; in fact it is a highly significant and historical date in the Catholic Church. “In the Byzantine Rite it [September 1] represents the first day of the liturgical year, and is celebrated as such by our Eastern Catholic brethren and by the Orthodox, who, for some time now have used it as a day to pray for the Care of Creation. So, in instituting this day the Pope wants to create a joint celebration with the Orthodox.”13 Interestingly, there are other special feast days or days of prayer throughout the year that have been instituted by the Catholic Church to be observed. The most frequent and widely acknowledged and celebrated of these “holy days” is Sunday. The Catholic Church has from its inception acknowledged that it was through her own authority, that she has transferred the solemnity of the Seventh day to Sunday. The observance of these days are already in place and accepted by the majority of people all over the world, therefore, it is not at all difficult to imagine that one day very soon, these days, Sundays, will be enforced by law and man’s liberty to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience will be completely taken away.

Seventh-day Adventist pioneer, Alonzo T. Jones addresses the establishment of religious holy days: “The Catholic ‘holy days’ are for the purpose of exalting and glorifying the church. And when the Protestant Church acquires the prerogative of directing the observance of national holidays, she will thereby exalt herself, and become invested with new power and authority in the eyes of the people. But the whole principle of such procedure is papal, and not Christian; and only that which is in the likeness of the papacy can come out of it. The only days which can properly be observed religiously are those commanded to be observed by the Creator; for religion is a matter the direction of which is His prerogative alone. He has commanded us to keep holy his Sabbaths, which come on the seventh day of each week. But the leading church bodies have discarded these, and instituted ‘holy days’ of their own. And this is nothing else than a parallel to the spirit and work of the papacy. There is nothing which behaves more uncivilly than the ‘civil sabbath.’”14

In addition to his declaration and institution of a day of prayer, Pope Francis on August 12, 2015 has again expressed his deference for and his desire to see all people observe Sunday as he stated “Families need moments of rest and celebration, time for standing back and recognizing the gifts of God and how well they have developed…Days of rest, especially Sunday celebrations of Mass and time with the family, are important reminders that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God and is not a ‘slave to work.’”15 Also noteworthy is the headline which reads, “Pope Francis: Sundays are a gift from God-don’t ruin it.”16

Because God does not want his people to be in darkness and taken unaware, He has graciously given us the light of prophecy to be able to observe the movements of the man of sin in times past and to discern where his movements are tending today. “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe” John 14:29. As if in a final warning plea, the Lord is telling His people to awake out of slumber and make the necessary preparation. For centuries, since the fall of the Papacy in 1798, the Papal power has been working in darkness and secrecy to regain world control. Today however, while there are underground movements that are taking place for her reemergence, Pope Francis is bold and open about what his agenda is, and the protestant world admittedly shares the very sentiments of the Pope and are all to willing to play their role in carrying out his every command.

“Marvelous in her shrewdness and cunning is the Roman Church. She can read what is to be. She bides her time, seeing that the Protestant churches are paying her homage in their acceptance of the false sabbath and that they are preparing to enforce it by the very means which she herself employed in bygone days. Those who reject the light of truth will yet seek the aid of this self-styled infallible power to exalt an institution that originated with her. How readily she will come to the help of Protestants in this work it is not difficult to conjecture… The Roman Catholic Church, with all its ramifications throughout the world, forms one vast organization under the control, and designed to serve the interests, of the papal see. Its millions of communicants, in every country on the globe, are instructed to hold themselves as bound in allegiance to the pope. Whatever their nationality or their government, they are to regard the authority of the church as above all other. Though they may take the oath pledging their loyalty to the state, yet back of this lies the vow of obedience to Rome, absolving them from every pledge inimical to her interests.”17

Based on Pope Francis’ aggressive, strategic, and rapid movements it is clear that he is conditioning world leaders, denominational leaders, as well as the common people to accept his solution, enforced Sunday observance, to combat global societal and environmental ills. The unfortunate reality, based upon history and prophecy is that many who have become one with the world, will be among those who receive the Mark of the Beast.

“The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church-members love what the world loves, and are ready to join with them; and Satan determines to unite them in one body, and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of Spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness
without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world, and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium.”18

1 http://cnstopstories.com/2015/06/18/what-to-do-the-popes-practical-tips-for-helping-the-environment/
2 https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/06/18/statement-president-pope-francis%E2%80%99s-encyclical
3 http://www.un.org/climatechange/blog/2015/06/un-chief-welcomes-encyclical-pope-francis-calling-swift-action-climate-change/
4 http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2015/06/19/the-reaction-to-pope-franciss-call-for-action-on-climate-change/
5 Ibid
6 Ibid
7 Ibid
8 http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/07/20/californias_governor_shares_insights_on_climate_change/1159688
9 http://mashable.com/2015/07/19/pope-francis-climate-meeting/
10 White, Ellen. The Great Controversy (1911), page 592
11 http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/in-ecumenical-move-pope-francis-establishes-world-day-of-prayer-for-creation-52758/
12 Ibid
13 http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2015/08/12/do-we-really-need-a-new-day-dedicated-to-the-environment/
14 Jones, A.T. The American Sentinel Articles, December 17, 1896.
15 http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2015/celebrations-are-essential-for-family-life-pope-says.cfm
16 http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-sundays-are-a-gift-from-god-dont-ruin-it-73132/
17 White, Ellen. The Great Controversy (1911), page 580
18 White, Ellen. The Great Controversy (1911), page 589

–Hilari Henriques