Catechism § 677: “The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God’s victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. God’s triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world.”
Catechism § 677 has its origins in The Revelation to John, the Holy Bible‘s final book. For two thousand years it has been the Catholic Church‘s prophecy of the end times. Dei Verbum § 11, tells us that the Sacred Scriptures “have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself.” The The Revelation to John is written as an apocalypse, so it is more open to interpretation than the other Scriptures, but these are the original verses the Church distilled into Catechism § 677:
The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection Rev 19:1–9.
After this I heard what seemed to be the mighty voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, Rev 19:1
for his judgments are true and just; he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants. Rev 19:2
Once more they cried, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.” Rev 19:3
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” Rev 19:4
And from the throne came a voice crying, “Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, small and great.” Rev 19: 5
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Rev 19:6
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; Rev 19:7
it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure” — for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Rev 19:8
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” Rev 19:9
The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God’s victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. Rev 13:8; 20:7–10; 21:2–4.
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, every one whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. Rev 13:8
And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison Rev 20:7
and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. Rev 20:8
And they marched up over the broad earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city; but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, Rev 20:9.
and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev 20:10
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; Rev 21:2
and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; Rev 21:3
he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” Rev 21:4
God’s triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world. Rev 20:12; 2 Pet 3:12–13
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. Rev 20:12
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! 2 Pet 3:12
But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Pet 3:13
The Holy Catholic Church is following Rabbi Yeshua in his death and Resurrection. More than 20 years ago I asked a close personal friend of St. John Paul II whether we were living in the “age of 677” today. His exact reply was, “Yes, but when you teach this, emphasize the hope.”