Theological Foundations new file

182 Theological Foundations under the earth will undergo a sad change. This sorry condition of every- thing will terrify the people so much that they will act as if they have been deprived of their senses and they will look for places to hide them- selves. Having run away from their destroyed houses, they will look for uninhabited places, even for animal lairs. The wild animals, in turn, run- ning away from the tremors of heaven and earth, will be coming out of their hiding places and approaching human settlements, seeking shelter from the imminent danger. 31 The author explains these cosmic signs which will occur when “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven” (Mt 24, 29) in yet another way. The Savior of the world Himself is the sun because He is the Sun of Justice. The Most Holy Mother of God is the moon because her greatness, splendor and dignity are proclaimed by the words: “fair as the moon” (Song 6, 10). All the saints and the righteous are the stars because it is about them that the Holy Scriptures say: “[they] will shine ... like the stars” (Dan 12, 3). And so, even though Christ will appear in extraordinary brightness, such as that which His disciples once saw radiating from His countenance on Mount Tabor, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat the light of His mercy and graciousness will be darkened. The light will also be extinguished on the moon of graciousness and refuge because the Most Holy Virgin, our Mediatrix with her Son, will not be able to intercede for us at this terri- ble tribunal. The stars, i.e., our patron saints will be divested of mercy and will not have the ability to mediate or intercede. 32 As he begins with the words of the psalmist: “Fire goes before Him, and burns up his adversaries round about” (Ps 97, 3), the author encour- ages his readers to concentrate their thoughts and imagine the end of the world when globes of fire fall from heaven and everything is being engulfed in flames. When the entire world has been consumed by the conflagration, the Prince of the angelic hosts will descend from the high- est throne of heaven and, with a powerful and horrifying sound of the trumpet directed to the four corners of the world, will summon the dead to rise and stand for judgment. The power of this sound will be so great