03 Sep 24 – Never Sacrifice the Truth for Something Acceptable to Society

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] This is Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful radio.

[2] Today, boy, we're going to get to some good topics from the tweets that Bishop Strickland sends out each week, especially from St. Pope Pius I had never seen that quote.

[3] We'll get to that and also the gospel.

[4] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us about someone's very close to you.

[5] His name is Jesus Christ.

[6] And I thank you for doing that because what else is there?

[7] I mean, when you think about it.

[8] So can we have you read the gospel for today?

[9] And also talk about the saint of the day for us, please.

[10] Sure.

[11] This reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke.

[12] To thee, O Lord.

[13] Jesus went down to Copernum, a town of Galilee.

[14] He taught them on the Sabbath.

[15] And they were astonished at his teaching.

[16] because he spoke with authority.

[17] In the synagogue, there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice.

[18] What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?

[19] Have you come to destroy us?

[20] I know who you are, the Holy One of God.

[21] Jesus rebuked him and said, Be quiet.

[22] Come out of him.

[23] Then the demon threw the man down in front of them.

[24] and came out of him without doing him any harm.

[25] They were all amazed and said to one another, what is there about his word?

[26] For with authority and power, he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.

[27] And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

[28] The gospel of the Lord.

[29] Lord Jesus Christ.

[30] Well, Terry, this gospel, really beautifully reminds us of what it must have been like to be in the presence of the Lord.

[31] And I think we need to really reflect on that, to really imagine, and to just raise our awareness.

[32] Because, as we say so often, through his Eucharistic face, we also are in the presence of the Lord.

[33] We need to not take that for granted and not let it be blunted by the lack of, you could say, sensory input that supports that.

[34] It's not by our senses that we know when we go to mass, when I stand at the Eucharistic altar and take bread and wine and say his words.

[35] It's not by sensory input that we know the truth of what happens there, that bread and wine become Jesus Christ, body and blood, soul and divinity.

[36] But it is the truth.

[37] And I think it's important for us to really ponder that and deepen our faith by acknowledging that it's not what our senses are telling us, but what our heart of faith knows and is helping us to be aware of.

[38] It's, I guess I'm inspired to that by what this gospel says.

[39] He spoke with authority.

[40] Let's believe and know that the power of his authority as the son of God, there with the father at the dawn of creation, the word became flesh.

[41] The word was spoken at creation.

[42] I think all of that hopefully inspires us to know that same authority is with us.

[43] And it's my responsibility as a successor of the apostles to look to his authority and to know the truth of what he said, that his words are what healed a man of his unclean demons.

[44] And beautifully, in this gospel, we're reminded of a fact that we know even in our world today that the exorcists tell us.

[45] And I want to talk a little bit about the, Eucharistic miracles that very often the same kind of dynamic as there.

[46] But here in the gospel, the uncleaned spirit knows exactly who Jesus is.

[47] What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?

[48] Have you come to destroy us?

[49] I know who you are, the Holy One of God.

[50] The demons know.

[51] should know as well because Christ has revealed himself to us.

[52] But the demons know.

[53] What occurs to me as I read this just recently in the Diocese of Tyler, they had a display of Eucharistic miracles.

[54] Good.

[55] And what really struck me was that in most of the miracles, it's either people knowing and being inspired by demons to take our Eucharistic Lord for evil purposes to put a hex on someone or to do something evil, they know he's really there.

[56] They're not taking what looks like just a little piece of bread.

[57] I mean, what's that going to, what arm's that going to do if it's just a symbol?

[58] What's that going to do to somebody?

[59] But the demons and those who have evil intentions know that there is power there.

[60] It's the one with great authority who spoke and people were healed and freed of demons.

[61] So the other aspect of Eucharistic miracles that I think is very telling also is some of them are I would put in the category.

[62] of a Eucharistic miracle occurring when someone had an evil intention and the Lord manifest that he's really there.

[63] By the host bleeding or by other things happening, the host turning to flesh so that the people are startled and frightened because the one with authority is there.

[64] The other category of Eucharistic miracles is when the priest is standing at the altar of Christ doubting, not really believing in what he's doing, the priest forgetting that it's not his words, it's speaking the words of Christ in the context of the mass that causes the great event of transubstantiation that bread and wine become the one who spoke the words with authority.

[65] I think that's a beautiful, important reminder for us in the church today.

[66] We've talked before about the lack of Eucharistic fame.

[67] And that really comes down to a lack of believing in the authority of Christ.

[68] And believing that what he said makes a difference in some of the church fathers.

[69] speak beautifully about as he spoke creation.

[70] God, the father spoke the word that is Christ and creation resulted.

[71] As that word was spoken, everything came to be.

[72] So in that context, it's not that startling that the same Jesus who spoke, he is the word and he spoke the word of freeing these demons from freeing these people from their demon possession.

[73] Jesus speaks the word and the world is changed.

[74] The original speaking that word, the world was created.

[75] To me, it's an important reminder of that power and authority that those who are were witnessing Jesus, they didn't all come to faith.

[76] But they were all astounded at his authority.

[77] In other places, it says, he speaks with authority.

[78] Isn't this the carpenter's son?

[79] Isn't this just an ordinary guy?

[80] But we know he was not just an ordinary guy.

[81] For with authority and power, he commands the unclean spirits and they come out.

[82] to him.

[83] He has power over the unclean spirits, and he has power to speak the word and make wondrous miracles happen in our time.

[84] We need to believe that.

[85] Amen.

[86] And Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mary would be the first to tell us.

[87] That's right.

[88] The miracles that happen in Fatima, the miracles of lords, the miracles of whatever Mary in apparition, the miracles, the miracles, of our lady of Guad Lupe, millions of people converted.

[89] Mary would be the first to say, it's his authority.

[90] Mary is guiding us to his authority.

[91] It's not Mary converting millions of souls.

[92] It's the authority of her son.

[93] And she is such a clear and beautiful vessel of that authority, that she can guide us to his word like no other.

[94] But I think this gospel really, we need to ponder this gospel like all the gospel, but especially in our time which lacks faith.

[95] Yeah.

[96] What is that?

[97] A lack of belief in the authoritative voice of the Lord that is still with us.

[98] And when the authorities of the church are speaking in ways that, that are contrary to him, whoa, unto them.

[99] Because that is dangerous to use his authority to undermine his purpose.

[100] Well said, Bishop Strickland.

[101] We come back.

[102] We'll have more on the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Power.

[103] Stay with us, family.

[104] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[105] Welcome back.

[106] Indeed.

[107] Before we go to the tweets, Bishop Strickland, You have something going on in Texas.

[108] It's a big state that you're in.

[109] But I have to give kudos to a young beautiful nurse because this Texas nurse, he was fired after revealing alleged illegal Medicare use for child transgender homeowners.

[110] So this woman took it on the chin and lost her job because she was willing to tell the truth in an age where political correctness is ruling.

[111] I just, me, Bishop Strickland, I'm not from Texas, but I don't care where you're from.

[112] If you're willing to say the truth and actually take a risk of your job by speaking the truth, I think we need to commend her.

[113] What's your thoughts about her?

[114] Yeah, absolutely.

[115] And thankfully, there are many people heroically putting everything at risk to live the truth, to speak the truth, to buy corruption.

[116] And we need to support each other in that.

[117] I guess the word of the day to me is duplicity.

[118] Yeah, that's right.

[119] Because of reflecting on St. Bartholomew, St. Nathaniel, the one that Christ said, what a wonderful message to hear from Jesus Christ.

[120] You're a man without duplicity.

[121] And that's what we're all called to.

[122] And really, that's what it comes down to with this woman, loose is her job, rather than saying, well, I got to keep my job, so I'm going to lie about things or do things that are dishonest or, you know, say things that aren't true because it keeps me, really it occurs to me, Terry, that even the term politically correct is dangerous.

[123] Because if, I mean, it basically means to hedge on the truth in order to be more accepted by a political group.

[124] That's what politically correct is.

[125] And to have the strength and the fortitude to say, no, I'm going to speak the truth, even when it isn't accepted by that political group.

[126] And there are many political groups in the church in every aspect of society.

[127] I mean, you can just live in a neighborhood and be considered politically incorrect if you don't go with what is acceptable in that neighborhood.

[128] But what we need to do, and so I commend this woman who is willing to make a great sacrifice.

[129] And I'm sure we both talk to, and I know you have.

[130] Yes.

[131] sacrifices rather than, you know, not going under, you may get, you know, de -platformed, as they say, from a certain part of your work.

[132] Yeah.

[133] But if you have to sacrifice the truth in order to keep a radio station or in order to keep this audience, then forget about it.

[134] Exactly.

[135] And so we do need to command and support those that we hear about who do the right thing because hopefully it gives someone else the strength to do the right thing as well because it's not easy.

[136] And very often you get a lot of pushback and a lot of people will say, oh, you're wrong and you need to just go with things and not be disruptive, not be divisive.

[137] But what we have to do is like this woman.

[138] She, I would imagine it was pretty clear to her.

[139] Not easy, but clear what she had to do.

[140] And I've talked to many people, especially back during COVID, doing the same kind of thing.

[141] No, I'm not going to take a vaccine I don't believe in just because my boss tells me I have to.

[142] That's right.

[143] You know, we need to commend those people.

[144] I agree.

[145] another topic that I want to bring up I got this out of a secular website they thought it was an anomaly they're saying that young Catholic women are bringing back veils now they're covering their head and I say this because in the old days many women most women would cover their head with a veil when they come into a church and I'll never forget Alice von Hilderan I brought her to a conference here 30 40 years ago and she said the reason women should veil their head is because of the angels and because of the Eucharist.

[146] We veil sacred things.

[147] Tabernacles have a veil.

[148] And I remember her telling us that 30, 40 years ago and going, that makes sense.

[149] It was the first time I really thought about why women wear veils and how my wife ever since I've known her says always worn a veil in church.

[150] and she always said that she does it out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament.

[151] It's the same reason why men shouldn't wear a hat in church.

[152] Respect for the Blessed Sacrament.

[153] So my question is you, Bishop Strickland, because you're about my age, do you remember at all when women used to wear these hats and veils when you went to church as a young boy?

[154] Oh, yeah.

[155] I remember my mother and sisters.

[156] Okay.

[157] They wore what they called a chapel veil.

[158] or a mantilla, you know, now.

[159] But, yeah, I remember them.

[160] And sometimes we'd be late for church because I had to run back and get there.

[161] That's right.

[162] Chapel Vale.

[163] Yeah.

[164] Well, my comment to you is it seems to me that I think it's a good sign because if people understand that Jesus Christ is in every Catholic church, I'm not saying you have to, women, wear a veil.

[165] But to me, I think it's a commendable idea.

[166] to show respect for the blessed sacrament and for what takes place up on the altar.

[167] So I just want to go on record and say, girls, keep it up because it gives me a hope about young women who have understanding of what the mass is and who Jesus Christ is in the Eucharist.

[168] That's my take.

[169] Absolutely.

[170] And I agree.

[171] I mean, the church doesn't require it any longer, but I would encourage.

[172] And I, you know, I think for whatever reasons, you know, people say, oh, I don't want to do that or whatever.

[173] It's not required, but I think we need all the reverence we can get.

[174] And Terry, what we need to be reminded of is there is a difference between the sacred and the rest of the world, the rest of life.

[175] Well said.

[176] I mean, the vessels used at mass are set aside as sacred vessels.

[177] They're made of the same metal as maybe the silver tray you have back at home.

[178] But they're set aside for sacred use.

[179] And that needs to be respected because it all fits together.

[180] That's right.

[181] You know, like we were talking about with the gospel, that, I mean, this is the Son of God speaking.

[182] It's the Son of God present at Mass. It's His word being proclaimed.

[183] We need to reverence that sacred reality in much deeper ways.

[184] I would encourage and support any mother and daughters that say, let's wear a veil at mass. let's be one more sign that this is a sacred place.

[185] Just like you said, and thankfully, at least here in Texas, and I think hopefully in most places, men do take off their hat.

[186] That's right.

[187] In church, out of respect.

[188] And I think it's another reality.

[189] Men are different than women.

[190] We need to emphasize that.

[191] And I think the beautiful thing about women veiling, it reminds us of the sanctity and the sacred nature of the woman.

[192] Exactly.

[193] Bear of life.

[194] Men aren't sacred in their own way, but only women can be vessels of new life.

[195] Amen.

[196] In God's plan.

[197] And so it's an honor.

[198] It's an honor for them to be veiled, just like it's an honor to veil the chalice or the tavernacle.

[199] It's an honor.

[200] And I think that needs to be emphasized without forcing or requiring it, but just encouraging.

[201] So absolutely, I think that we need to encourage recognizing the sacred and greater reverence in every way we possibly can.

[202] Thank you.

[203] I think that needs to be done.

[204] All right, Bishop Strickon, one of your tweets you said in the last couple minutes for the segment, there was a tweet that said, It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.

[205] I know you said so true, but can you give, I mean, I know that statement is true because I'm grateful that when I form my kids, and they're all, thanks to be to God, going to church every Sunday in the sacraments.

[206] My grandson just said to me on the way to church, Daddy, a grandpa, I want to send my guardian angel to this person that I know who doesn't know Jesus Christ so that they will know who God is.

[207] He's four years old, and he said that.

[208] I said, well, see, he wouldn't say that if he didn't hear it from my wife.

[209] This is why if you form them young in the faith, I'm not saying they can't run away, but it's a lot easier to share the gospel when they embrace it at the early stages of life and they get to know who Jesus is when they're very, very little rather than waiting for them to be adults to be introduced to the person of Christ.

[210] That's what I hear on that statement.

[211] Your thoughts?

[212] Well, and I think all of that fits with what you're saying.

[213] And also, it just reminds us, that, you know, life is about being formed.

[214] Many people may disagree with that or try to, you know, say, oh, no, that's just a religious idea.

[215] But the reality is you're going to be formed in something.

[216] Exactly.

[217] You're going to be formed in one way or another.

[218] Good or bad.

[219] Either you're going to be formed to know that you are created out of God's love and his image and likeness, or you're going to be formed to believe that you just came out of nowhere and you're not connected to anything.

[220] That makes a difference.

[221] So I think that's what that tweet that I supported is really trying to say, how we, how we form children makes a difference.

[222] And there's a lot of corruption in how children are being formed today.

[223] So we need to And I guess another thing I would say about that is it reminds us there are consequences.

[224] There are consequences we know, certainly as people of faith, when we live a sinful life, there are consequences.

[225] Like I said earlier, we can get away with it sometimes for a very long time, but ultimately it catches up with us.

[226] And the same thing is true in the spiritual journey.

[227] And the same thing is true for the forming of children.

[228] If they are not formed well, there will be consequences in their lives.

[229] There will be suffering.

[230] There will be fracturing.

[231] There will be things that they have to deal with that they wouldn't have had to deal with if they had learned more of the truth as a young child.

[232] I mean, both of us know that when you learn something as a child, it stays with you.

[233] That's right.

[234] And learning good things, learning the truth, stay with them.

[235] When we come back, we're going to get a quote from St. Pope Pius the 10th on modernism.

[236] And it's a home run statement.

[237] Stay with us, family.

[238] We'll be back with more.

[239] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[240] Welcome back, indeed.

[241] Put your seatbelts on because many times Bishop Strickland will tweet something from a saint.

[242] And I go, oh, yeah, I saw that.

[243] Well, this one I didn't.

[244] And when I read it, I went, I was kind of like, are you kidding me?

[245] I was stunned.

[246] Here's what the Pope said back in the turn of the century in 1900s about modernists.

[247] He said, they, that's modernists, want to treat the modernists with oil, soap, and caracists.

[248] So caring for them.

[249] But here's what the Pope said.

[250] But they should be beaten with fists in a duel.

[251] you don't count or measure the blows you strike as you can you talk about spiritual warfare and fighting truth and fighting for truth over error I've never heard a pope speak like that in my entire life Mr. Strickland is this the first time you've seen this quote because I thought wow what did you think when you saw that at first I mean I know you put it out but your thoughts yeah it's the first time I've seen it And from what I know about Pope Pius the 10th, I think it fits his life, his character, his way of living.

[252] Because one of the quotes that I love about him is supposedly he said, was born poor, I was born in poverty, I lived in poverty.

[253] I want to die in poverty.

[254] Wow.

[255] And I think it's like kind of rough and tumble, you know, poor kid that I hear in that quote that that tweet shares.

[256] And I think the point is we're talking about the essential aspects of living our lives.

[257] And like we've talked about before, I mean, you as a father and grandfather, there are things that happen that you're going to raise your voice.

[258] And you're going to get very stern.

[259] I would use that word for what Pius the 10th is getting at.

[260] It's a stern warning.

[261] And, you know, very often in today's world, going back to the idea of being put, it's not politically correct to be stern.

[262] Yeah.

[263] Everything has to be so calm and kind.

[264] I mean, like he even says, massaging instead of slapping.

[265] And certainly, you know, we don't need to get into corporal punishment.

[266] Right.

[267] But we do need to be stern and clear.

[268] Yeah.

[269] I mean, I'm thinking of a quote.

[270] I'm not exactly sure of the exact citation for it.

[271] But love is as stern or as strong as death.

[272] Yeah.

[273] That's the kind of image that the Pope is getting at.

[274] Yeah.

[275] We're talking about the truth where we have to be very clear and strong.

[276] And, you know, people, I'm sure people today, it's so politically incorrect what he said.

[277] People have accused him of being violent and advocating violence.

[278] But what he's advocating is strength to support and live the truth in the face of a lot of false messages.

[279] I have an idea if Pies the 10th could come to us now.

[280] He's the same one that had the oath against modernism.

[281] That's right.

[282] I think he would be ready to do some knocking heads together and say, you people need to wake up to the truth that we knew 100 plus years ago, but you seem to have forgotten.

[283] see i think it goes back to the scripture verse where jesus took out the whip if you remember uh in the temple for doing things that shouldn't be done my take and maybe i'm wrong because i'm not that erudite when it comes to you know reading things things but i know at common sense it just makes sense to me that when you see error you have to take a firm stand on it i think that's his approach and i think uh that's why he wrote that document on modernism.

[284] And yeah, I just, I really appreciate, from my perspective, a Pope who clearly says, this is right, this is wrong.

[285] I mean, I have a background of a professional umpire because I love baseball.

[286] And, you know, you call them as you see them.

[287] And sometimes I see now in the church, people don't want to call them as they see them.

[288] They want to put their finger up and say, which way is the wind blowing?

[289] Now, if I do this, what will the media say?

[290] What will the people say?

[291] If I preach on this topic on contraception, I don't think they're going to give money to the parish.

[292] We can't do that.

[293] See, that kind of approach to proclaiming the gospel, I think, is foreign to Jesus Christ.

[294] I've said enough, but the temple, the temple, it seems like that's what needs to be done today.

[295] I'll leave it at that.

[296] All right.

[297] Next tweet, and I love when you tweet scripture, Bishop Strickland.

[298] 1.

[299] Peter chapter 5, 1 through 4.

[300] Oh man, I love it.

[301] To the elders among you, I, a follower elder, a witness of Christ's suffering and share in the glory that is to be revealed, make this appeal.

[302] God's flock is in your midst.

[303] Give it a shepherd's care.

[304] Whoa.

[305] Watch over it willingly as God would have you do.

[306] Not under constraint and not for shameful either but generosity generously be examples to the flock not lording over those assigned to you so that when the chief shepherd that's jesus appears to you you will win for yourselves the unfading crown of glory now i know this applies to shepherds but bishop strickland i imply it to myself too your thoughts about that reading Well, it's very meaningful to me, and it really is very challenging to give a shepherd's care and to be willing to sacrifice for the flock, to be willing to do whatever is necessary.

[307] And as it says, not for personal gain, but simply for.

[308] the truth of the message of the gospel.

[309] And I think it's something that every shepherd, every bishop, really every priest, every pastor needs to take to heart and be willing to do.

[310] I mean, I think it's a great accompaniment to what we just talked about with Fines the 10th.

[311] Yeah.

[312] Because that's shepherding.

[313] Yeah.

[314] He was being the supreme shepherd of the church as Pope in saying we've got to not be milk toast about the gospel.

[315] We've got to be strong.

[316] We've got to stand for this truth in a vigorous way.

[317] And that's what shepherds need to do.

[318] And there's not enough of it happening in the world.

[319] It's not easy.

[320] But I find it easier to live with myself.

[321] If I try at least to to speak the truth come what may to speak the truth no matter what consequences may be there it kind of goes back to the woman in Texas that we spoke about a few minutes ago that you know it's it's about the truth and it's about not compromising not being duplicitous that's what shepherds need to do we need to lead the way because thankfully that woman gives us a great example of living the model, and hopefully she had some good shepherds in her life that taught her.

[322] The truth was more important than a job or a position or being accepted by the group or whatever.

[323] The truth is at the very heart of who we are, if we understand who we are.

[324] And so shepherds are desperately needed to guide us in the truth.

[325] I would apply that again to me as a husband.

[326] Am I willing to lay my life down for my wife?

[327] When I married her, a priest gave me that advice.

[328] Are you willing to suffer for your wife?

[329] Well, of course, as a priest, are you willing to lay your life down for your flock?

[330] I mean, our Lord talks about this.

[331] And so I get it for you as a bishop, but I apply it for me as a husband.

[332] Because here's the point.

[333] I'm my bride is Mary Danielle you're married to the church you're willing to take celibacy and say I'm going to deny a pleasure of marriage for the for the benefit of salvation of souls so you do that with celibacy it's a it's a strong message to a world that doesn't really understand that sacrifice but to be honest with you this reading is really great advice for all of us from the Pope down to me that as we shepherd flocks, I shepherd people today calling me for questions about falling away Catholics or other issues of the day.

[334] So Bishop Strickland, thank you for your clarity on that.

[335] And thank you for pointing that scripture verse out because we're supposed to do this generously, not begrudgingly.

[336] You know, when someone calls you for a sick call at 3 o 'clock in the morning, hey, you know what?

[337] You're supposed to say, thank you, Jesus.

[338] I offer that sacrifice and for that salvation of that soul who's dying at that hospital.

[339] For me, I've got a granddaughter.

[340] This time, it was a grandson who was sick.

[341] And he was at my house all night until 3 .30 in the morning.

[342] I was with him.

[343] Now, is that a little sacrifice?

[344] Yes.

[345] But why do we do that?

[346] Because sacrifice is the language of love.

[347] And if you're not sacrificing for the flock, all right, here it comes.

[348] Drum roll.

[349] You're not doing your job.

[350] Yep.

[351] That's how I see it.

[352] Now, I'm black and white Catholicism, not left versus right.

[353] It's right versus wrong.

[354] Now, I want to give another plug, if I could, before the break coming up in a minute.

[355] Bishop Strickland, you have a YouTube channel, and you're also, I want to just tell people about your new website that's coming, your new 501c3, which is a nonprofit group, to help support what you're doing in evangelization.

[356] Can you share a little bit with us on that?

[357] Yeah, it's called Pillars of Faith.

[358] That's it.

[359] And I just established a bank account where those resources can be deposited.

[360] So just encourage people to be aware of it.

[361] Great.

[362] When we come back, we're going to try and get a catechism verse in, but also quote Benedict XVI, quote, it's powerful.

[363] Stay with us, family.

[364] We'll be right back.

[365] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[366] Welcome back.

[367] Boy, these shows go really fast.

[368] Bishop Strickland, before I get to the catechism, I just thought this tweet that you sent out on Pope Benedict the 16th was powerful.

[369] He said, as one sees the power of the antichrist spreading, one can only pray that the Lord will give us mighty shepherds to defend his church against the power of evil in this hour of need.

[370] Now, basing that statement on what we just read in scripture, I think there's a connection.

[371] What are your thoughts?

[372] Well, I thought the same thing.

[373] Really, it's a – the common thread is we need mighty shepherds.

[374] We need strong men serving the church as successors of the apostles, especially.

[375] We need priests who are shepherds.

[376] as well and strong, but especially we need bishops, the successors of the apostles, to really be strong and joyful and clear in unwavering proclamation of the truth of Jesus Christ, not concerned about being politically correct, doing their best to be men without duplicity.

[377] I mean, it's a high bar, but it should be.

[378] The bar of the cross that Christ died on was high.

[379] Amen.

[380] And like you said earlier, there's, yeah, there would be some suffering to that.

[381] But that's how you show love.

[382] That's how Christ showed love by the tremendous suffering that he endured for all of us.

[383] So those two tweets really do speak of the same truth.

[384] That scripture quote from Peter.

[385] Yeah.

[386] And the idea of Pope Benedict XVIth saying he prayed that there would be strong shepherds.

[387] And frankly, Terry, I think we're lacking that.

[388] Oh, yeah.

[389] I would agree.

[390] We're lacking as many as we need because every shepherd should be strong.

[391] And some are either being duplicitous, frankly.

[392] I mean, I don't want to judge anyone, but we have to judge the actions.

[393] And for a cardinal to stand up at a political convention and fail to use the name of Jesus Christ, he's a prince of the church.

[394] I think we've talked about this before.

[395] But it's worth mentioning again, especially in the context, that is not shepherding.

[396] No. And that is not being the strong shepherd that we need.

[397] It's instead being politically correct and fitting with the world.

[398] And if, you know, if we as shepherds believe in the world more than we believe in Jesus Christ, we need to ask ourselves, am I in the wrong profession?

[399] Am I living the wrong vocation?

[400] Right.

[401] If I'm not willing to say, this is what Jesus Christ teaches, and this is what I'm going to proclaim, and instead say, oh, no, yeah, we're going to change what Jesus said, and we're going to change what his church teaches, and we're going to go along with all of you who have this political agenda that is evil.

[402] I mean, you know, we just have to say it to murder unborn children, and there's more and more push.

[403] that it's not any time from conception to birth is murder of a child, but the push to do it more and more, another tweet I just sent recently.

[404] Yes.

[405] A 24 week, I think it was 24 weeks.

[406] Yeah, it's right here.

[407] I was going to get to that.

[408] Yes, go ahead.

[409] And that child is definitely a child.

[410] That's right.

[411] There are people in Congress saying you should be able to murder that child and call it abortion.

[412] And for that to not be opposed by a prince of the church is, it's atrocious.

[413] Yeah.

[414] There it is.

[415] I wanted to get to that.

[416] Thank you for bringing that up because you look at that baby and you say, wait a minute.

[417] that's what they're wanting to kill and again I think it was Bill Maher he ridiculed the Catholic position these pro -lifers a few months ago we talked I think a little bit about it said because he said he acknowledged yeah that's a baby but you know there's 8 billion souls 8 billion people and they're so you know what we got enough just kill the baby and I thought wow have we become that course I mean the sense of how we see life is we just kill it yeah we don't need it kill the baby because you know we got way more than we need that's where we're at and this is that's why i think you bishop strickland proclaiming jesus christ in season and out whether you were at some political event oh maybe six months ago and i saw you there where i think it was deal hudson a friend of mine he was the guy interviewing you and you spoke about our lord and savior jesus Christ.

[418] You spoke about the sanctity of life and much more.

[419] And, you know, I saw the people's reaction and are like, wow, this guy sounds like he actually believes in his Catholic faith.

[420] Yeah, that's what people told me. I said, yeah, he does.

[421] I can tell you.

[422] I do interviews with him on a regular basis.

[423] He actually believes what Jesus Christ taught and what is written in the scripture 100%.

[424] He doesn't dissent on anything in that Bible.

[425] the magisterial teachings of the church.

[426] Wow, what a novel idea.

[427] I'm being facetious when I say that.

[428] But the point I'm making is we need clarity with charity.

[429] Bishop Strickland, I wanted to get one more question in the catechism, if I can, with a couple of minutes we have about five minutes left.

[430] And that's right from the Christian Moral Life Catechism we've been reading from.

[431] This is important.

[432] How do we know what's right and what's wrong?

[433] This is a great one.

[434] How do we know what an act is?

[435] right or wrong and the catechism gives us some basic elements there are three elements that determine whether an act is morally right or wrong and this is great advice if any elements is wrong the whole act is wrong all three must be good for the entire act to be good now hear this out folks because this is really a game changer for many people first there is the object of the act this is the most important element of the act the object of the act is the action that we choose with our free will right there are some actions that are always morally evil despite our intentions or circumstances around the actions kind of like abortion there's a you know there's an good example it's always wrong some intrinsically immoral actions would be blasphemy murder our adultery they are never permitted the second element that makes it act right or wrong is our intention this is the second most important element of the act if we have evil intentions we can make a morally neutral or good action be evil an example would be giving to the poor and the needy just so that the other people will praise us in other words the guy that asked me for five bucks today at church.

[436] And I go, hey, everybody, I'm giving you five bucks.

[437] Watch me give it to this man. See, I'm good.

[438] No, you do it quietly.

[439] Third element, determining a morality of an act is the circumstances that surround the action.

[440] Circumstances can increase or decrease the goodness of evil of an act.

[441] And Bishop Strick, I'll let you give examples on that.

[442] Go ahead.

[443] Well, um, just the reality of what you're actually doing.

[444] Yeah.

[445] If I'm not thinking of specific circumstances at the moment.

[446] Can I just jump in and give one and you tell me if I'm right or wrong?

[447] Determine the more than that.

[448] Okay, it would be, let's say someone who was never formed in the gospel, all right?

[449] And they grew up in a very, very bad environment where there was pornography, there was, adultery, fornication all over the place and they grew up with that and they just thought well this must be normal because no one's ever told me. Then they got involved I'll give you an example.

[450] Father Don Calloway comes to my mind because I was with Father last Friday he had that kind of upbringing it was a bad environment and until he met the person of Jesus Christ and gave his life to Christ through Mary that changed everything so all of his bad actions that he did.

[451] Yeah, they were objectively wrong, but let's just be honest, they were mitigated because that's all he knew in his life.

[452] So someone who never had good formation versus someone who does, there's a difference between the two.

[453] Your thoughts?

[454] Well, I would point out, I think you used an important word, mitigated.

[455] Yeah, mitigated.

[456] The evil there is mitigated, not erased.

[457] That's right.

[458] but mitigated because of the circumstances.

[459] So it was still wrong what was done.

[460] But the sinfulness, the depth of that is mitigated because of the circumstances.

[461] I think that's so critical for our time.

[462] Yeah.

[463] Because many, just like in other situations, the tendency is to skip point one and point two and just say, it's all about the circumstances.

[464] The circumstances are part of the equation.

[465] They do need to be considered.

[466] But, and that's where I guess my point is, even if the like in Father King, Calloway's example, you know, his guilt for doing those sinful things has mitigated because he didn't know.

[467] Yeah.

[468] But it's still wrong.

[469] Right.

[470] It's still evil.

[471] It's mitigated, but it's still evil.

[472] Yeah.

[473] So to pretend that it's only the circumstances, then you create a situation where people are doing evil and say, oh, well, it's just the circumstances warrant it.

[474] No, the circumstances never warrant doing the evil.

[475] The circumstances can mitigate a person's guilt, but they don't write the wrong, I guess is the simplest way to say it.

[476] They don't make what was wrong right just because their circumstances.

[477] They can mitigate how powerful the wrong is, but they can turn it into a right.

[478] Thank you for your clarity with charity, Mr. Strickland.

[479] How about for today, another blessing for our radio audience, please.

[480] Mighty God, we thank you for this opportunity to explore the truth that you have revealed to us.

[481] Guide us always in the light of your son.

[482] You may be a maghally virgin Mary interstate for us in a powerful way.

[483] We ask in the name of the father and his son, you all of us.

[484] For listening, folks, if you want to get more of those shows, go to Virgin Most Powerful Radio's website, vmpr .org.

[485] And I thank you so much for sharing the good news of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[486] It's an honor to be with you each day.

[487] God love you and your family.