In 1978, 914
people shocked the world by committing suicide in expectation of the
last day. They belonged to a doomsday cult called “Peoples Temple,”
at Jonestown, Guyana. Their actions came at the leadership of Rev.
“Jim” Jones. Within the last twenty years other less fanatical, yet
determined authors have written books describing why the world would
end in ‘88, ‘89, or the year 2000 depending on the author. In
1997, 39 members of a cult called "Heaven’s Gate" headed by Marshall
Applewhite, exploded onto the national scene by their mass suicide
in preparation for getting safely transported to heaven by a UFO,
thus avoiding the tribulations accompanying the immediate end of the
world. These are the more fanatical examples of our time. In the
mainstream, we have seen movies produced called the “Omega Code” and
“Left Behind” which all assume similar theologies about a Rapture
that will take the chosen to heaven. Such literal interpretations
about the end times were not heard of before the 1850’s. A man
named John Darby is credited for its popularity. While Rapture
theology, called dispensationalism, has never been officially part
of our tradition, we Catholics have historically had our own share
of hysteria surrounding the possible end. Ours may just be a bit
more ancient.