No one knows exactly when Jesus will return. The Catechism of the Church says that “The Final Judgment will take place on the occasion of the glorious return of Christ. Only the Father knows the hour and day of this Judgment, only he decides on its advent” (n.1040). “As for that day and that hour, no one knows them, not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son, but only the Father” (Mk 13:32).
There were many speculations in history, and many marked the day of Jesus’ return, but everyone was wrong. Therefore, the Church prohibits anyone from affirming the day of Christ’s return. Many have been mistaken about this and have led many others into deception and despair. Even great saints of the Church made mistakes on this point. We can cite some examples that Dom Estevão Bettencourt cites in his Eschatology course: St. Hippolytus of Rome (†235) even stated that the end of the world would be in the year 500.
Predictions about when Jesus will return that didn’t happen
Saint Irineu (†202) confirmed the thesis of Ps Barnabas, that the end would be in the year 6000 after the creation of the world. Saint Ambrose (†397) and Saint Hilary of Poitres (†367) supported the same previous thesis. Saint Gaudentius of Brescia (†405) indicated the year 7000 after creation.
In the 5th century, with the fall of Rome (476), (†420), Saint John Chrysostom (†407) and Saint Leo the Great (†461) argued that, given the fall of Rome, the end of the world was near. In the 6th and 7th centuries, Saint Gregory the Great (†604) stated that the coming of Christ was imminent.
At the Universal Council of Lateran V, in 1516, it was decreed: “We command all those who are, or in the future will be, entrusted with preaching, that in no way presume to affirm or proclaim a certain time for the coming evils for the coming of the antichrist or for the day of judgment. In effect, the Truth says: “It is not up to you to have knowledge of the times and moments that the Father has fixed by His own authority. No one dares to predict the future by appealing to Sacred Scripture or affirm anything as if they had received it from the Holy Spirit or private revelation, nor dare to rely on vain or unreasonable conjectures. Each one must, according to divine precept, preach the Gospel to every creature, learn to detest vice, recommend and teach the practice of virtues, peace and mutual charity, so recommended by our Redeemer”.
In 1318, Pope John XXII, condemning the errors of the so-called Fraticelli, prohibited anyone from predicting the end of the world and the return of Christ. (Eschatology Course – D. Estevão Bettencourt, pages 123/124).
Speaking about the Second Coming of Christ, he said in one of his catechesis:
“History moves towards its goal, but Christ did not indicate any chronological deadline. Therefore, attempts to predict the end of the world are illusory and deviant. Christ only assured us that the end will not happen before His saving work has reached a universal dimension through the proclamation of the Gospel: “This Good News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world to bear witness before all peoples. And then the end will come” (Mt 24:14).
What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say?
The says that Jesus could return at any time, but no one knows when:
“From the Ascension, the advent of Christ in glory is imminent, although it is not ‘for us to know the times and moments that the Father has fixed with his own authority’ (Acts 1,7). This eschatological event can occur at any time, even if both it and the final ordeal that will precede it are ‘held back’” (n.673).
The Catechism also says that it depends on the Jewish people accepting Jesus as the true Messiah:
“The coming of the glorious Messiah depends, at all times, on the history of his recognition by “all Israel”. A part of this Israel “hardened” (Rm 5) in “unbelief” (Rm 11:20) towards Jesus. echoes him: “If their rejection resulted in the reconciliation of the world, what will be their welcome if not the life that comes from the dead?” The entry of the “fullness of the Jews” into messianic salvation, after the “fullness of the Gentiles, will give the people of God the possibility of “realizing the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13), in which “God is all in all” (1Cor 15,28). (n.674)
The Catechism says that the Church will go through the worst trial before Christ returns:
“Before the advent of Christ, the Church must go through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth” will unravel the “mystery of iniquity” in the form of a religious imposture that will bring men an apparent solution to their problems, at the cost of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious imposture is that of , that is, that of a pseudo-messianism in which man glorifies himself instead of God and his Messiah who came in the flesh” (n.675).
The Church knows that it will only enter the glory of the Kingdom through a “Passion” similar to that of its Lord. The Catechism states: “The Kingdom will not be realized by a historical triumph of the Church according to an ascending progress, but by a victory of God over the ultimate unleashing of evil (cf. Rev 20,7-10), which will make his Bride descend of Heaven (Rev 21:2-4).
Pray and watch
What recommends it, and which is up to us, is to be prepared for Christ’s return at any moment, living in constant vigilance and prayer. All those who have died, to this day, have not been able to see the return of Christ, but have met Him at the “Tribunal of Christ” after death, as Saint Paul said: “Why must we appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ” ( 2 Cor 5:10). And the Letter to the Hebrews confirms this by saying: “It is appointed for men to die once, and then comes judgment” (Heb 9:27). This is each person’s private judgment.
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Writing to the Christians of Thessalonica, about the Second Coming of Christ, Saint Paul said:
“Do not allow yourselves to be easily disturbed and alarmed, neither by some so-called revelation nor by a word or letter taken as precedents from us and which affirm to you that the day of the Lord is imminent. Let no one deceive you in any way, for first there must come apostasy and the man of lawlessness must appear, the son of perdition, the adversary, the one who rises up against everything that is divine and sacred, to the point of taking place in the temple of God, and present himself as if he were God.” (2 Thes 2:2-4)
Saint Peter responded to those who asked about the delay in Christ’s return:
“With the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord does not delay the fulfillment of his promise, as some think, but he uses it with you. He doesn’t want anyone to get lost; rather, he wants everyone to repent. However, the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. Therefore, dear friends, waiting for these things, strive to be found by Him without blemish and blameless in peace” (2Pt 3,8-14).
Felipe Aquino
Professor Felipe Aquino is a widower, father of five children. On TV , he presents the program “Escola da Fé” and “Pergunte e Responderemos”, on Radio he presents the program “No Coração da Igreja”. On weekends he holds in-depth meetings throughout Brazil and abroad. He wrote 73 books on Catholic formation for publishers Cléofas, Loyola and. Teacher page: and Twitter: