Are we in the Messianic Age? (Catholic perspective)

Question

Asaph, living in the time of David, was one of the ten elders of Jerusalem and a prophet [1 Chronicles 15:19). He is attributed with several Psalms, including 50 and 74. He speaks of the Day of Judgment, the arrival of the Messiah (Mashiach), and the coming of the Messianic Age.

Psalm 50:15: Call to me on the day of distress and I will free you, and you will honor me.

Psalm 74:19-21: Do not give the soul of your Turtledove to a nation [of idolaters]; do not forget the nation of the poor forever. Look to the Covenant, for the dark places of the earth are filled with dens of violence. Let not the downtrodden one turn back in disgrace; the poor and needy will praise your name.

If Jesus represents the coming of the Messiah, does this not mean we are in the Messianic Age?

However, there is also the Second Coming. Is this a second Messianic Age, a continuation of the first (with the Incarnation), or does Jesus's appearance "not count" as an ushering in of the Messianic Age? To my knowledge, there is little to no evidence from the Hebrew Bible (essentially the Old Testament) on what the Messianic Age would look like in human terms, but it seems clear those following Jesus in his ministries were "walking with God" as other prophets, such as Isaiah, suggeat as part of the Messianic Age.

Answer 1

It depends on your definition of the Messianic Age.

According to the Catholic Catechism and its interpretation of the Nicene Creed, Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah

(436) The word "Christ" comes from the Greek translation of the Hebrew Messiah, which means "anointed". It became the name proper to Jesus only because he accomplished perfectly the divine mission that "Christ" signifies. In effect, in Israel those consecrated to God for a mission that he gave were anointed in his name. This was the case for kings, for priests and, in rare instances, for prophets. This had to be the case all the more so for the Messiah whom God would send to inaugurate his kingdom definitively. It was necessary that the Messiah be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord at once as king and priest, and also as prophet. Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel in his threefold office of priest, prophet and king

So God has definitively established his kingdom with Jesus as king. In that sense, we live in the Messianic Age. It goes on to say that Christ rules in his kingdom already through the Church, but the final triumph of his kingdom has not occurred

(680) Christ the Lord already reigns through the Church, but all the things of this world are not yet subjected to him. The triumph of Christ's kingdom will not come about without one last assault by the powers of evil. (681) On Judgment Day at the end of the world, Christ will come in glory to achieve the definitive triumph of good over evil which, like the wheat and the tares, have grown up together in the course of history. (682) When he comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works, and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace.

Since the kingdom is not yet complete, you could say we don't yet live in the Messianic Age.

Answer 2

The bible doesn't speak of a Messianic Age. The Jews do, also called the "Age to Come," the "Future Age," and the "World to Come"; and it included the judgement of mankind and the resurrection of the dead. Likewise, Catholics believe the 2nd Coming is the Last Day/ Judgement Day and it includes the resurrection of the dead. If there was an appropriate term for our current age, it would be the "Age of the Holy Spirit," who is trying to help us reach the 2nd Coming (Parousia) successfully.