04 May 21 – Can Pro-Abortion Politicians Receive Holy Communion?

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name's Terry Barber.

[2] I always say I'm too blessed to be stressed, to anoint it to be disappointed, and if hope was money, I'd be a billionaire.

[3] Bishop Strickland, thanks for taking the time to be with us here on your show to talk about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[4] Thanks, Terry.

[5] Thank you for coming.

[6] Hey, I want to talk, for those who are brand new, we talk about Bishop Strickland's tweets, about what he's talking about in the culture, and then we take the catechism of the Catholic.

[7] like faith, something that we all should have a copy of, and we go right through it because we need to study our faith because living in the culture that we're in right now, if we don't know our faith, we're in deep trouble because we won't be able to defend that faith against a culture that acts like God doesn't exist.

[8] So Bishop Strickland, my first comment to you is you quoted about Ralph Martin, a good friend of the show.

[9] He was responding to some little bit of controversy with Archbishop Aquila from Denver and Cardinal Coupage in Chicago.

[10] And just for those who don't know the issues, where basically Archbishop Aquila made a comment that people who are living in mortal sin in the sense of objectively saying that abortion is okay, it's a good thing.

[11] And I'm going to promote it.

[12] I'm going to vote for killing unborn babies.

[13] Gee, common sense says don't receive Holy Communion if you're a Catholic because That's objectively, you know, killing unborn babies is murder, basically, and that's one of the commandments, thou shalt not murder.

[14] And then when he said this comment, he was just reaffirming Cardinal Ratzinger and other bishops who have said, you know, yeah, this is Archbishop Shepu and others.

[15] You know, we shouldn't be receiving Holy Communion any of us if we knowingly know that we're in the state of mortal sin and we're committing these kinds of sins.

[16] and then Cardinal Coupage essentially called him out and said, well, now, wait a minute, the communicate really does receive graces even if they are in mortal sin.

[17] And I think that the Council of Trent would not be agreeing with the Cardinal, with all due respect.

[18] And then you got involved, Bishop Strickland, and thank you, because I don't think there's a benefit for you to get involved with this other than telling the truth about what the church teaches.

[19] And you said, I think you should listen to Ralph Martin's comments as, you know, I agree with Dr. Martin.

[20] So give us your thoughts.

[21] Well, actually, Terry, what Dr. Martin was referring to that I commented on was a homily by Bishop Barron.

[22] Yeah, that's right.

[23] I got confused.

[24] You're absolutely right.

[25] I interrupt.

[26] That's about salvation.

[27] let's take Bishop Barron back on a net that's that's my mistake so let's let's then correct it I like to be humbled and avoid I get humbled on that one Bishop Strickland well I you know just because it was a different issue I mean it's an important issue but I honestly hadn't commented on it I wasn't even aware of the the back and forth on it didn't realize that yeah but you are you are of the opinion somebody who is a politician should not be receiving Holy Communion.

[28] Am I right or wrong on that?

[29] Absolutely.

[30] We need to really, I believe, like we've talked about before, pull things out of the world of politics.

[31] There's no politics for God.

[32] Nope.

[33] We're all his beloved sons and daughters.

[34] And when a son or daughter is not following what the church is clearly taught, then people are in peril.

[35] That is called sin.

[36] That is called living contrary to the light of the gospel.

[37] So the greatest charity is whether it's a politician or a movie actor or a radio personality like yourself or anyone.

[38] It's is this son of God living the best.

[39] We're all sinners.

[40] We all need God's mercy.

[41] We better rely on the mercy of God.

[42] But we also have to work diligently.

[43] to repent of sin and to seek a cleaner heart, a more virtuous life.

[44] That's what being in communion with Christ is about.

[45] So that's what I would comment is the greatest charity is to remind someone, this is what we believe.

[46] And none of us measure up.

[47] None of us can say we are worthy, but we have the obligation.

[48] And as teachers, as bishops or priests or deacons, and lay people that are catechists, if we're teaching the catechism of the faith, then we have the obligation and the duty to, in real love, tell people what the church truly teaches.

[49] People are free to embrace it or not, and many do reject it, but it makes it harder for the people who want to embrace it to see it's sort of compromised in various ways.

[50] it's clear that receiving communion, we should all examine our hearts, and we do at Mass. We have the penitential right that says, we're sinners gathered here, and we seek God's mercy.

[51] So the greatest mercy, the greatest love is to remind people, let's look into our hearts and see how we need to repent.

[52] Absolutely.

[53] Receiving the body of Christ gives us grace to be stronger.

[54] But if we're so weak that we're immortal sin, it really, it's inappropriate to receive until we're at least gone to confession and begin to be on the path of being back in communion.

[55] We need to say that to every politician, to every public figure, and to every man and woman in our neighborhoods.

[56] Would you, if you are the bishop of Tyler and you have that responsibility, if the president of the United States, Joe Biden, comes into your diocese, wouldn't you communicate to him if he was going to come to some Mass and let him know that it wouldn't be appropriate to receive Holy Communion?

[57] Or would you just not receive, would you not give?

[58] What would be the best prudential approach?

[59] I'm hearing.

[60] Well, it's not likely that would happen in Tyler, Texas, but the pastor's approach, I believe, is to simply not make a big public deal about it.

[61] but to quietly say, son of God, are you right with what the church teaches?

[62] Are you in communion with the basic teachings of the church?

[63] And if not, it's better to continue to ponder that.

[64] I mean, you may not change your beliefs, but at least to be consistent and say, no, I don't believe in major things that the church teaches.

[65] if that's the case for anyone, whether it's the president or the mailman or the grocery worker, whoever it is, the appropriate thing is to say not to receive communion until you've reconciled those things that you disagree with.

[66] And the bottom line, Bishop Strickland, I don't mean to pitch on the spot because the president, the chances of him coming into Tyler, Texas, are slim and none.

[67] I get that.

[68] But the fact is, if you did that quietly and you told him pastorially that, look, you're not in union with the church, I can't give you a Holy Communion.

[69] So please don't even think about coming up for Holy Communion because I'm not here to embarrass you, but I'm as a bishop, I can't give you Holy Communion knowing what you're doing as the president publicly for the killing of unborn babies.

[70] that would be difficult for you but I got to believe Bishop Strickland I'm not putting words in your mouth but I got to believe you have to stand for that you have to stand for that principle Let me frame it this way Eric We all have an obligation To be concerned about our eternal salvation And to be concerned about the other person's eternal salvation To have that conversation From my part It's my obligation as a pastor to share the truth.

[71] From that person, whether the president or whoever that is not following Catholic teaching, then the obligation for me to teach them and for them to consider whether they believe what the church teaches or not.

[72] Everyone's free.

[73] God left us free to choose but people deserve to know clearly what the truth is and not to sort of let it be compromised so that oh because of your position or whatever reason that it's okay for you because that's not what christ has said and that's not what his church teaches so for me to willingly put someone in mortal danger of damnation that's not love no and and to put myself at risk by not teaching as clearly as I can, that's defaulting on my responsibility as a pastor.

[74] Yeah, I would agree with you that you would participate in that by doing that.

[75] So thank you for that clarity.

[76] We're going to be taking a quick break, but before we do that, I haven't asked the bishop about his institute.

[77] And I love your institute.

[78] Can you share a few words about how people can benefit by going to your website?

[79] Yeah, the St. Philip Institute.

[80] St .Philip Institute .org, very simple, Philip with one L. It's a great resource, and we're really working on just helping the local families, the families in our 33 counties, to grow closer to the Lord, to know all the teachings of their Catholic faith, whether young children in grade school or in junior high or in high school, or young parents with toddlers, or retirement.

[81] tired people, all those seasons of life.

[82] So even as I speak about it, it's a big job to try to teach the whole family of the diocese, widows and young people that are still single.

[83] But to guide people in the truth, in the basic morality, in the sanctity of life, in all the, the Lord has revealed to us that helps us understand who we are and what life is about.

[84] That's the mission of the St. Philip Institute.

[85] Well, that's fantastic.

[86] When we come back from the break, Bishop Strickland made a comment regarding Dr. Ralph Martin's respectful comments in regards to Bishop Robert Barron, who's our bishop here in Los Angeles, regarding, as he said, a most significant question of our time.

[87] What is that question?

[88] When we come back, we're going to find out about that and much more here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[89] Stay with him.

[90] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[91] My name is Harry Barber, the Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[92] I gave you a little teaser at the end of the break, and it was a teaser that said, Bishop Strickland tweeted out a comment about Dr. Ralph Martin, a respected lay theologian.

[93] He made some comments and addressed one of the most significant faith questions of our time.

[94] And Jesus says, the way is narrow and you need him.

[95] This is basically last weekend's good shepherd homily that Bishop Strickling gave, excuse me not Bishop Baron gave and it was regarding about salvation for non -Christians and as you know the Bible said that nobody is saved except through Jesus Christ and our church teaches through the catechism, the Second Vatican Council that if somebody is saved outside of the visible church they're saved through Jesus Christ.

[96] Jesus Christ.

[97] How that works, God has that.

[98] But the point of it is, there is no other name that people can be saved except through Jesus Christ.

[99] So I wanted to get Bishop Strickland's take on this because I'm not, I like Bishop Barron a lot.

[100] He has a lot of good things he does.

[101] But I think, I think this layman did Bishop Barron a favor.

[102] That's my take.

[103] How about yours, Bishop Strickland?

[104] Well, Terry, I would agree with that.

[105] And as I've said to you, anytime something I say needs to be corrected, or in this case, really just nuanced a bit, I want to hear that.

[106] And I know Bishop Barron, he does tremendous work.

[107] And I would expect that he wants to hear that as well, to at least ponder what Ralph Martin said.

[108] I felt very comfortable in encouraging people to watch that video, because we all see a lot of rather outlandish or very dramatic kind of videos at this time.

[109] I mean, we live in a video culture.

[110] And Ralph Martin was very respectful, very measured, but raised some very important points about a critical, as I said in my tweet, a critical aspect of who shall be saved?

[111] Big question.

[112] What is salvation about?

[113] And to know, and I, what really I wanted to encourage people to watch that video and to really pray about it.

[114] Because a couple of things that Ralph Martin emphasized, I wouldn't expect that Bishop Barron would resist in any way, but it's hard to say everything at any one time.

[115] But Ralph emphasized, let's listen to what does Jesus Christ say.

[116] Amen.

[117] He says it's a narrow way and the way is broad for those on the path to perdition, those who are destined for destruction.

[118] It's not that God wants it that way, but that's our choice because God has given us the free will to choose.

[119] So I like that point that Ralph Martin made that we need to listen to what Jesus says.

[120] And also, he was quoting the Second Vatican Council, a specific paragraph.

[121] I'd have to go back to the video to actually remember specific.

[122] But he was very specific.

[123] And the thing that he said there that really caught my attention was, read the whole paragraph.

[124] Yes, for many people, the Second Vatican Council is controversial.

[125] People want to reject the teachings of the council.

[126] I fully embrace the teachings of the council.

[127] But I do believe, and Ralph Martin alludes to this, that sometimes they, like any written text, they can be interpreted, and in my opinion, distorted from what it really means.

[128] and part of that in this critical question of who shall be saved Ralph Martin encourages people to read the whole paragraph and in that paragraph I believe there are three different points that are made about what qualifies a person as for not being culpable for their ignorance of Christ And so just in principle, what Ralph Martin reminded me of, and we all need to be reminded of, is to look at the whole message, just one of the basic teachings of our Catholic faith is we don't take just a portion of Scripture and focus so much on it that it's not in the context of the whole message.

[129] Scripture, as we've talked about before, is another expression of divine revelation.

[130] It is Jesus Christ.

[131] We've read the catechism talking beautifully about how the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is Jesus Christ.

[132] And I think we need to remember that and to trust in the strength that that brings us.

[133] So we rejoice that the truth that has been revealed to us is certainly in the person of Christ incarnate, but also in the Word of God, to embrace that full truth.

[134] And with things like the document, the ecumenical councils of the church, to read the whole thing, because it's human tendency, and Ralph refers to this in other places, it's a human tendency to kind of bracket the harder part, the more challenging aspect.

[135] And we want to listen to, oh, well, the road is wide and most people are saved in God's love.

[136] We would hope that's the case, but that's not what his son tells us.

[137] His son, Jesus Christ, gives us a clear warning that it's a narrow path, a narrow gate.

[138] And he uses that imagery of the camel passing through the island.

[139] of a needle.

[140] And even the disciples say, well, who can be saved?

[141] And Jesus' response is, all things are possible with God.

[142] But we, and a final thing that I would say on that, Terry, is that we need to raise the bar.

[143] Amen.

[144] Rather than lower it.

[145] We need to, because in another place in the gospel, Jesus says, we must be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.

[146] That is as challenging as it gets.

[147] So we can't ever be complacent and satisfied.

[148] Oh, I'm holy enough.

[149] Terry Barber, he's holy enough.

[150] Once we decide that, then it really indicates how much further we have to go.

[151] we have to always be striving to turn from sin and to live a more virtuous, holier life.

[152] And I believe in the mystery of our journey with Christ, there's something there in that that is a big part of the mystery.

[153] Just to have the humility to keep striving for deeper sanctity and to acknowledge that we're never there, that takes a lot of humility and it takes a lot of commitment to the truth.

[154] That, I believe, is what Christ is calling us to because he knows.

[155] The more truth we embrace, the more we will flourish in this life, and the more we are guaranteed that gift of everlasting life in the resurrection.

[156] Well, said, Bishop Strickland, and I think of Revelation 21, 27 that states, but nothing Nothing unclean shall enter heaven, and I can continue, nor anyone who practices omnisations are falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

[157] And I say that because in our church right now, unfortunately, and I say this, I'm just saying unfortunately, we have the impression that getting to heaven is quite easy, Bishop Strickland, and that all you've got to do is show up, maybe you don't even have to go to church because we have this mentality that God is so merciful that no matter what I do, he's going to forgive me without even me repenting.

[158] Now, I don't mean to be exaggerating Bishop Strickland, but I sense that that is unfortunately very prominent in our church right now where people don't think that, they think just the opposite, that salvation is for everybody and it's just easy and it doesn't take any real effort and no repentance other than God, you know, hey, I'm here.

[159] You're lucky, you know, that I'm here.

[160] In other words, the attitude in the church is probably, in many places, just the opposite of what you just said.

[161] Well, I believe that is very prevalent.

[162] And we're all prone to it.

[163] We all have to really pray and seek a deeper holiness.

[164] And it kind of refers back to our earlier conversation.

[165] If we're just flat out rejecting basic teachings of Christ that love your neighbor as you love yourself.

[166] I mean, people argue, well, Jesus never even mentioned abortion, but he did say, love your neighbor as you love yourself.

[167] Exactly.

[168] And if we can acknowledge that the unborn child is our neighbor, then to embrace abortion is an outright rejection of Jesus Christ.

[169] And that puts us in dangerous territory if we believe in his message.

[170] He can be very strong, Jesus himself, about the need for repentance.

[171] And Christ talks about the realities of hell and the gnashing of teeth.

[172] Again, those verses tend to get sort of left off, but I think instead we need to embrace them all.

[173] Trusting absolutely in God's mercy, we're all sunk if God isn't merciful.

[174] But when we think about John 316, God's soul of the world, another way of saying that is God is so merciful.

[175] He gave us his own son to guide us to salvation.

[176] But we have to embrace that.

[177] And another thing I would say, you mentioned, you know, the idea of nothing impure will enter heaven, nothing unclean.

[178] the whole idea of purgatory purgation that's right a cleansing and i'm sure we've all kind of joked about i hope i make it into purgatory but we should be aiming for heaven yeah and then if we we slip a bit and we don't quite make it to heaven then to pray that we can have as brief of purgatory a purging of all of that imperfection as we can so So I think really this is a time when we need to urge people to make reparation for our own sins, reparation and atonement.

[179] That keeps coming back to me in my prayer because we live in a world where many people mock, just like they mock Christ as he carried the cross.

[180] People are doing that in constant ways, even sadly, people that call themselves Catholic at times.

[181] And to mock Christ is that puts you in a bad state for that idea of needing to be purged and cleansed in order to be in heaven in the beatific vision with God.

[182] So I think it's something we need to, out of love, we have to tell each other, this is a challenge.

[183] This is the greatest challenge of our lives.

[184] We have the Lord's mercy to help us.

[185] but we've got to with our free will we have to choose clearly I will be of Christ I will live in his light I will repent of my sins and I will seek that light more and more deeply that is the loving message we have to share with people it's refreshing to hear a bishop speak like that hey common sense Catholicism man wow remember what our lady said too souls are going to help because there's no one there to pray and make sacrifices is for them.

[186] Our Lady of Fatta will pray for us.

[187] We'll come right back with more of the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[188] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[189] I can't let a show go without Bishop standing up for life.

[190] He already did, but he has a nice tweet.

[191] I'll just read it and talking about the slaughter unborn children then to put their tiny bodies up for sale, then to use our tax dollars to purchase the bodies of those unborn children for scientific research.

[192] These are the at are of the devil why don't you really tell me what you think bishop strickland you know people of faith must protect vigorously we must not turn a blind eye see that that's the point we have to stand up for life as a matter of fact bishop strickland one of father benedickick rachel's um priest was arrested this week at an abortion clinic uh for just going in and giving roses to the women that are waiting in line to get their abortions and he just said you know you're a child of God.

[193] I love you.

[194] And he laid down his life for these women and was arrested.

[195] And this isn't the first time this happened.

[196] I had it happened to me in 1988.

[197] And we just have to stand up for life somehow, speak up for the unborn.

[198] And you keep beating that drum.

[199] And I just want to thank you because it's great to have a bishop come out and say that.

[200] But Bishop Strickland, you had an interesting quote on a tweet that you said.

[201] And I think this is very, you're spot on.

[202] but you don't hear it too often.

[203] You said, on Friday, which is coming up this week, let us contemplate the passion of Jesus, even as we continue to celebrate his resurrection during this Easter season.

[204] Being aware of his tremendous sacrifice, suffering allows his resurrection glory to shine more brightly and transform our world, our lives, and him.

[205] Explain why, because some people are going to say, wait a minute, I thought we did that at Lent.

[206] But go ahead.

[207] I want all ears.

[208] I love you teaching on this.

[209] Go ahead.

[210] Well, it really comes out of my own personal prayer during this Easter season, during Holy Week.

[211] Just for whatever reasons and always, you know, we traditionally pray the stations of the cross and all.

[212] But it's just, especially in the turmoil of this time, whether it's just in society in general, in the nation, in the church.

[213] I'm very conscious of the passion of Christ, and I really believe what that tweet says that, and it's true for myself, the wonder of the resurrection is enhanced, and we can, I don't think we can ever truly fathom.

[214] Even the disciples, as they witnessed a resurrected Lord, they thought it was a ghost, they were scared to death.

[215] They were very human in their reaction, and I'm sure we would be the same way.

[216] And even all these centuries later, with all the theology and all the strength that we have of knowing so much more, it's still easy for us to really not grasp the wonder of Jesus Christ being really dead and rising from the dead in his resurrection.

[217] And so I believe, and I've experienced it myself, the more not to, you know, because I'm saying focus on the negative or focus on suffering.

[218] But I guess I am saying focus on the suffering to enhance.

[219] It's, I guess, another way of saying it, Terry, is be aware of the darkness so that the light is that much more powerful, so much more blinding, so much more beautiful.

[220] when you're aware of the darkness.

[221] Think about what we experience in a very human way.

[222] I know I've experienced it here and we have beautiful sunshine here in Texas and in California.

[223] And if you're in a like in a movie theater during the middle of the day, that doesn't, I don't do that very often these days, but I remember even as a kid, you're in a dark place.

[224] You come out in this bright sunshine, it's blinding.

[225] Yeah.

[226] That is what I'm getting at.

[227] If we really enter into the darkness, not for darkness's sake, but just to know the real passion of the Lord, then it enhances our celebration of and are embracing the resurrection and the power of his resurrected life.

[228] Another point that is in there for me, Terry, and hopefully for all of us, it helps me to do better at rejecting sin.

[229] Amen.

[230] When I'm aware that this really, my own personal sin contributes to the agony of Christ in the great mystery that his agony is.

[231] He's the timeless Lord of the universe who deemed himself humble enough to become one of us and to have flesh that could be bruised and beaten and bloodied as it was.

[232] So to me, it helps me to, I mean, it certainly isn't perfect, but it helps me to remember what my sins do to the body of Christ.

[233] Amen.

[234] What does he say to St. Paul when at St. Paul's conversion, we just had that reading from Acts just a few days ago.

[235] And Christ says, you're hurting me. You're persecuting me. And St. Paul says, it's still Saul in that passage.

[236] He says, who are you?

[237] What do you mean?

[238] I'm hurting you.

[239] And Jesus makes it very clear that harming, doing injustice, harming his people, his body through us, is harmful to him.

[240] So in that understanding, all of us need to recognize that we are contributing to the agony of Christ when we sin.

[241] It horrifies me to realize that about my own personal sins, at whatever degree of sinfulness.

[242] And so hopefully that strengthens all of us in saying, Lord, I love you.

[243] I want to live virtuously because it's the right thing.

[244] It's good for me. But it's also a way of adoring and honoring the Son of God who suffered so much.

[245] To add to his suffering is horrible.

[246] And anyone of faith wants to avoid that.

[247] So I think to focus on that and to be more aware of how he truly suffered, it helps us to be more people of the resurrection.

[248] Well said, I think of what Fulton Sheen says, without Good Friday, there's no Easter Sunday.

[249] I know a lot of the spiritual writers say that St. Alphonseus Ligori, number one, I can think of when he said, if you meditate on the passion of Christ every day, you will not want to sin.

[250] Exactly.

[251] That's what I'm saying.

[252] Yeah, that's what you're saying.

[253] But you're only repeating the doctors of the church, okay?

[254] I mean, Bishop Strickney, you're a nice guy.

[255] But you're not saying anything that the fathers haven't said.

[256] And this is the beauty of our faith.

[257] And this is why I think sometimes we have forgotten that again in our church that balloons, banners, and butterflies.

[258] You know, we forgot about the masses and the reenactment of Calvary that we're present at that one eternal sacrifice.

[259] That needs to be preached from the rooftops because I don't think a lot of people understand.

[260] And I say this, and I've told you this Bishop Strickland for 40 years, I do interviews with people outside churches all over the country.

[261] And very few people understand the mass. just understanding the sacrificial aspect.

[262] I got a medical doctor who's taken care of me and he says, yeah, I just want to get to Mass. You know, I want the celebration part.

[263] I want to have a good time with people.

[264] I want to have coffee and donuts after.

[265] I long for that day to come back.

[266] And then I had to explain to him.

[267] You're looking, I'm your friend for all these years.

[268] You've been taking chiropractic, working on me all these years.

[269] I've got to tell you what the mass is.

[270] and he's as old as I am.

[271] So how did he miss that?

[272] Well, I don't know.

[273] I can't speculate, but the point of it is what you just said about the passion is what the church has been teaching for thousands of years.

[274] Now, Bishop Strickland, we're not going to take a break quickly, so I want to go right into the catechism.

[275] You've got a lot more tweets, but let the people look at your tweets go to, how do people get a hold of your tweets, Bishop Strickland?

[276] Well, an easy way if you're not on Twitter and people are always telling me, I'm not on Twitter.

[277] Just go to bishop strickland .com.

[278] They're on that, and they're also on the St. Philip Institute website that we talked about before.

[279] The tweets are always there, and, you know, if you're interested, go to St .Philip Institute .org or bishopstrickland .com.

[280] Right.

[281] And if you're watching on YouTube, we put it right on the screen, so you can't miss it.

[282] All right, well, let's shift gears to the paragraph, to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 157.

[283] And again, you might think that going through the catechism is a laborious process.

[284] And I would say, yeah, it's a big book, but we have to have a real good understanding of our faith in the culture that we're living in.

[285] So that's why I'm the one who put, I asked Bishop Strickland, can we go through the catechism?

[286] He said, yeah, it's important.

[287] He said, I love, as a matter of fact, Bishop Strickland, here you're a bishop for all these years, you're a priest for all these years, years, but I don't know about you, but I still, I'm a layman, and I still get excited reading the catechism of the Catholic Church because it answers questions that are ultimate, important questions of life.

[288] Do you still find it rewarding even at, you know, the stage of your life to open up a catechism?

[289] Honestly, be honest with you, but I do.

[290] Absolutely.

[291] And I continue to learn.

[292] Yeah.

[293] And even relearn and more deeply learn the same thing.

[294] And what studying the catechism, I'm glad you bring this up because I'm sure a lot of people say, oh, dry, it's not.

[295] And I think certainly it's not the kind of thing that I can sit down and just read like a book.

[296] I mean, you know, I start getting drowsy because it's very dense.

[297] Yeah.

[298] But even to take a paragraph a day is something worth doing because it's so dense and it's so rich.

[299] And what I'm reminded of, even the catechism, I mean, I'm sure I've quoted St. Thomas Aquinas before because it's my favorite thing that he says in all the things he taught.

[300] Wow.

[301] He said all of this is straw compared to who he's talking about.

[302] God, father, son, and spirit, the divinity of God, the whole meaning of God.

[303] And that's really what the catechism talks about.

[304] God and his church, God, Father, Son, and Spirit, and the church that they've established for us.

[305] And to realize that you could have this book and then another book just as thick and keep going, you're never going to get to the bottom of this well of infinite beauty, of infinite truth, of infinite goodness, infinite.

[306] It's so to continue to dive into it as deeply as we can.

[307] I don't have the intellect to understand it as deeply as some do, but the deeper we can go, the better off the arm.

[308] Well said, Bishop Strickland.

[309] Mora on the Bishop Strickland Hour, go turn that down.

[310] We'll be right now.

[311] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[312] We're talking now about the catechism of the Catholic Church, and I'll tell you what Bishop Strickland just said about the catechism, I'll be honest with you, folks.

[313] I'm going to take that clip and use it as an advertisement to get people to read or to study their catechism because he gave very compelling reasons on why we should be studying our faith.

[314] But let's turn to catechism paragraph number 157 under the profession of faith.

[315] I'll read the paragraph if you're brand new and then Bishop Strickland just gives his comments about what it said.

[316] It's like he said very succinct.

[317] Here it comes.

[318] Faith is certain.

[319] It is more certain than all human knowledge because it is founded on the very word of God, who cannot lie.

[320] To be sure, revealed truths can seem obscure to human reason and experience, but the certainty that divine light gives us is greater than that which the light of natural reason gives.

[321] 10 ,000 difficulties do not make one doubt.

[322] That quote at the end of 10 ,000 difficulties do not make one doubt.

[323] Bishop Strickland, give us your take on that paragraph.

[324] Wow.

[325] Well, it is powerful.

[326] And I also like that quote from John Henry, Cardinal Newman.

[327] 10 ,000 difficulties do not make one doubt.

[328] That puts it in context.

[329] Because we live in a time of many difficulties, many objections raised for people of faith and outright rejection of the idea of faith, much less what we believe as Catholics.

[330] But the martyrs are people who you don't die for something that you're sort of ambiguous about, that you have a lot of doubts.

[331] They knew.

[332] I mean, and there's some beautiful stories from scripture.

[333] and from the tradition of the church of people that were so convinced of the truth that had been revealed to them that they really didn't.

[334] I mean, 10 ,000 difficulties.

[335] I mean, it's pretty difficult to be facing martyrdom, but they didn't doubt and they kept the faith.

[336] And that's what we're all challenged to.

[337] We're not in a time.

[338] that has a lot of respect for faith.

[339] But if we think about it, I just remember as a kid, really, in the seminary, a teenager in the early years, studying philosophy, and really studying, you know, epistemology, the study of how we know anything.

[340] And, you know, that's what philosophy gets down to, is how do we understand.

[341] understand things.

[342] And what really faith goes deeper than any empirical knowledge that we can have.

[343] It goes deeper than something that our senses may tell us, because things can be distorted with what we see or what we hear, with all the senses.

[344] But faith goes deeper.

[345] It goes the way I would put it, Terry, it goes to that essence of who we are, created in the image and likeness of God.

[346] When we come to know something, this paragraph, once 57 begins with about as shortest sentence as you can find, faith, it's certain.

[347] That is what the church is about, is a certain faith, just like we, we.

[348] We believe that that bread and wine truly becomes the body and blood of the Son of God.

[349] Many questions about how and many things that aren't answered, but would we die for that?

[350] I certainly hope I would, because that's the level of faith that I have and what Christ has told us.

[351] And it gets back to what we were talking about earlier.

[352] here.

[353] If we really believe in Him, in Jesus, then we have faith in what he says.

[354] I think that's a good way in our modern culture to look at it because, honestly, people don't have a lot of faith in the hierarchy of the church, in an individual bishop, in the individual Catholic.

[355] Because there's a lot of corruption.

[356] There's a lot of sinfulness.

[357] We're all weak.

[358] And there are too many, there's a whole litany of how those men and women of faith have not lived up to the calling, as we should.

[359] But it kind of goes back to what I would imagine both of our mothers probably said to us.

[360] I know my mother did.

[361] She used to tell us because, you know, I was growing up, well, we were both growing up in the 60s and 70s.

[362] That's right.

[363] A time of great turmoil.

[364] Big time.

[365] We see a lot of turmoil today, but that was a time of great turmoil as well.

[366] In the church and in the world, in the state, the Vietnam War, Giovanni Vita, all of these things going on.

[367] And I think that we have to remember what my mother used to tell us that no individual Catholic, that fails, that we say, oh, that man, we're so disappointed in that bishop or that priest or that deacon or that layperson, this couple that failed to live up to their call to be a sacrament and matrimony, don't ever let anyone cause you to leave the church.

[368] And especially, I mean, my mother, in those days, she used to tell.

[369] us and I was I was one of the younger kids but you know little kids listen in all families hopefully are aware of that I was a younger one of the six of us I was number five so my oldest brother was 12 years older than me so they were hearing things from my parents and I was just sort of listening in you know while I was playing in the dirt or whatever but I remember that that my mother especially.

[370] My father was a convert and a good Catholic, but my mother's saying, don't ever let a priest cause you to leave the church.

[371] And that is a message that needs to be heard in our time because, yes, bishops and priests and deacons, I mean, the clergy of the church, bishops, priests, and deacons, we're all just men, we're sinners, and we can do harmful things.

[372] I mean, we strive not to, and we need to pay attention to that and not sort of have another standard for those who are clergy.

[373] But the bottom line is the church is Jesus Christ.

[374] And the church is the father, son, and spirit.

[375] And so to not let anyone cause us to leave the church wherever they are in the hierarchy or in the local priest or whoever, yes.

[376] we can be disappointed.

[377] We may even reach the point of anger, but hopefully we don't lash out in that anger, but we should never let anyone separate us from the body of Christ that is the church.

[378] And sadly, we see it happening because, like the man you mentioned, if your faith is no stronger than that, that the main thing you're looking forward to going to Mass is the fellowship, which is wonderful.

[379] But it's more than, I mean, it's way beyond secondary.

[380] It is, yes, we need to be kind to each other and we need to support each other, especially in this time.

[381] And we do need that human contact with each other.

[382] And I know that's people are longing for that.

[383] But the mass is so much greater than that, if we understand.

[384] But people who have a weak faith can easily win.

[385] you know, if that's your faith and it's all about having a nice community, when that community isn't so nice, or when that priest yells at you, or when the priest says something that you disagree with, that you know maybe isn't what the church teaches, and I know people get upset with those things as well, still don't let the individual priest, the individual person, pray for them, but don't let them cause you.

[386] to walk away from the church that is the body of Christ.

[387] Remember, it's his body.

[388] And we're all called to be imperfect, but to strive to be more and more perfected in his grace, to be part of his body.

[389] That's the challenge for every person in the pew, everyone's serving at the altar, every person that is there.

[390] And to let any of those cause us to, you know, I mean, just like the scriptures say, for us to be a stumbling block for the little ones, and we're all little ones in one sense or another, that is dangerous territory for any of us.

[391] So I think it's important to remember who we have faith in.

[392] Faith is certain because it's the revealed truth of God.

[393] And he's given us his son who walked among us and spoke his words, offered his miraculous healings.

[394] We believe in him.

[395] And if you were reading through now during the Easter season, we're reading through the acts of the apostles.

[396] Marvelous stories.

[397] Listen to those stories and say, I believe this.

[398] And if you need to study a little more, if you say, that doesn't make sense or I can't believe that, go deeper because we need to believe in what happened in the early church and believe that the faith can still transform us the way it did with the original apostles and disciples well sir i might also add that you ask jesus christ for more faith every single day we're talking about faith in the catechism the profession of faith but you know jesus will respond to you by your generosity by saying jesus you know stop help me in my disbelief and help me believe stronger in you and you do that every day and your faith will grow and i think it's important that you know st thomas talks about grace building on nature so we have to be open to this and ask jesus christ to have strong faith in him so don't forget to do that bishop strickland we have another minute here but i want to make sure we get a a blessing but i also want to tell folks that on the 13th of june we have a men's conference here in california Bishop Stricklandliff was going to stay in Texas, but he's also going to give us a presentation for our men.

[399] And if you want to know more about events on evangelization, go to virgin most powerful radio .org.

[400] Bishop Strickland, could you give us your blessing for our radio listeners, please?

[401] The Lord be with you.

[402] And with your spirit.

[403] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all involved in producing these radio shows and for those who are listening.

[404] that we might all humbly seek the light of your son more deeply, especially during these Easter days, and continually seek to repent of sin and to live the good news of the gospel.

[405] We ask this blessing in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit.

[406] Amen.

[407] Thank you so much, Bishop Strickland.

[408] For those who haven't are aware that we have podcasts of other shows of Bishop Strickland, you can go to Virgin Most Powerful Radio .org to get that, or any of the shows, the Terry and Jesse show, all the different shows on Virgin Most Power Radio.

[409] May God richly bless you and your family.

[410] Until next week, or is Terry Barber signing off at Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[411] God love you.