June 29, 2012

+ Ireland, earthquakes and prophecy

[Update: 5/27/15 -- This article originally was posted on June 29, 2012, however, recent news reports coming out of Ireland may make it even more relevant today.]

Seven years before the Last Day 
the sea shall submerge Ireland in one inundation.
St. Columbkille

Aftermath of a tsunami in Sumatra
Recent news reports of the "largest local seismic event ever recorded" off the coast of Ireland's County Mayo interest not only seismologists but students of prophecy.

Various prophecies by saints and other mystics identify that the end of the Age will be preceded by a tragic event in Ireland. However, a healthy skepticism is always in order when we read prophecies that claim specific timetables. After all, regarding His return, Jesus Christ warned, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mark 13:32)

Though the Irish quake measured only 4.0 on the Richter scale, the event surprised seismologists who know that this area is one of the most stable on the planet. However, Ireland is not alone in experiencing surprising tremors.

One report identifies a variety of volcanic and seismic threats developing, around the world. The "Ring of Fire" that forms a perimeter around the Pacific Ocean, for example, seems to be roaring back to life. Recently, the largest strike-slip earthquake ever recorded struck off the coast of Indonesia. Also, earthquakes are becoming more frequent and more powerful, with the highest tiered earthquakes, per year, increasing by 50% over the first decade of this century.

2004 tsunami in Indonesia
The sea will come over Ireland 
seven years before the Day of Judgment.
St. Nennius

Is it inconceivable that an earthquake-triggered tsunami could engulf an island the size of West Virginia? Who knows, but God?

However, on December 26, 2004, an underwater earthquake released the equivalent energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs from beneath the earth's surface. This force caused a series of killer waves across the Indian Ocean that traveled as fast as a jet airliner. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake was the largest magnitude earthquake in 40 years and the tsunami it generated traveled as much as 3,000 miles to Africa.

Almost 230,000 people were found dead. Perhaps that could have been an Ireland-sized event.

The sea shall overwhelm Ireland 
seven years before the judgment. 
Leabhar Breac

So, the predictions are surprisingly consistent. For some reason, an Irish tsunami, apparently, keeps popping up in prophecy. Could it be that one false prophecy has been blindly repeated through the centuries by saintly individuals? Perhaps. Or were these separate predictions, arrived at independently? It's hard to know.

But even the fabled St. Patrick got in on the act:
The ocean shall inundate Ireland 
seven years before the End 
so that the devil may not rule over that people.
St. Patrick

This prophecy is, perhaps, even more disturbing because it identifies a Spiritual reason for the foretold tragedy. Could the (possible) coming cataclysm be caused by Ireland's widespread rejection of their traditional faith? After all, reports indicate that the Irish are in a full throttle sprint away from the faith of their fathers.

However, even England does not escape from dire predictions regarding a possible tsunami. In 1630, another prophecy was made:
I saw a land swallowed by the sea and covered with water, 
but afterwards I saw that little by little, 
the sea retreated and left the land visible, 
and the upper parts of the towers and turrets of the cities rose 
and appeared more beautiful than before being swallowed by the sea, 
and it was told to me that was England.
Father Balthassar Mas

Do these prophecies really matter?

Only if they happen.

[With gratitude for his diligent research, I have relied on the work of Yves DuPont. This post has been circulated by www.SpiritDaily.com.]