07 Aug 24 – How to Deal with Betrayers and Heretics

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[2] And I want to welcome you.

[3] And also thank Bishop Strickland for consistently proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in season and out.

[4] So thank you so much for being a faithful shepherd, Bishop Strickland.

[5] Thank you, Terry.

[6] God love you.

[7] And I just heard you have just put a new letter out.

[8] We're going to get into that.

[9] But more importantly than your letter is the gospel.

[10] So today, yeah, today we have the gospel October 7th, and it's Sixth Pope Martyr and Companions.

[11] And it's the gospel of Matthew chapter 15, 21 to 28.

[12] A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

[13] At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

[14] And behold, the Canaanite woman of that district came and called out.

[15] out.

[16] Have pity on me, Lord, son of David.

[17] My daughter is tormented by a demon.

[18] But he did not say a word in answer to her.

[19] His disciples came and asked him.

[20] Send her away for she keeps calling out after us.

[21] He said in reply, I was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

[22] But the woman came and did Imamage saying, Lord, help me. He said in reply, It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.

[23] She said, please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.

[24] Then Jesus said to her in reply, A woman, great is your faith.

[25] Let it be done for you as you wish.

[26] And her daughter was healed from that hour.

[27] The gospel of the Lord.

[28] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[29] This gospel passage, I think, is probably one of the passages that many of us find hard to understand.

[30] It seems to be not the Jesus that we know.

[31] But I think if we dig a little deeper and really reflect a little more fully, I think this gospel depicts exactly the Jesus we know.

[32] Jesus is truth incarnate.

[33] Amen.

[34] Amen.

[35] He is the Lord of Truth.

[36] And I think that's what the first part of this passage reminds us of, is that he has come to the chosen people, to the people of Israel, as he says, I was only sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.

[37] He's called to bring back the lost sheep of the chosen people, the people that are his people as well.

[38] We see ourselves in the church today as the new Israel.

[39] We have inherited that call to be the chosen people of God.

[40] And in that context, this woman asks, who is not, she's a Canaanah.

[41] She's not part of the House of Israel.

[42] But Jesus is true to his mission in, saying that I can't throw to the dogs what is for the children of Israel.

[43] But then we come, I believe, the Lord really shows us what that is really all about.

[44] What is saving the lost sheep of the House of Israel to bring them to the truth?

[45] He's always about the truth.

[46] Even in this case, when it may seem a little harsh or restricted, he proclaims the truth.

[47] This woman is a Canaanite.

[48] She's not part of the House of Israel.

[49] So Jesus is saying, I'm not here for you.

[50] I'm here to bring back the lost sheep of the chosen people, the House of Israel.

[51] But Jesus, as the story continues, as this passage continues, the woman says boldly, please, Lord, for even the dogs, it describes that fall from the table of their masters.

[52] In that statement, the woman clearly expresses her faith in the reality that Jesus is the master.

[53] And ultimately, it's her faith that allows her daughter to be healed.

[54] A woman, great is your faith.

[55] That is echoed in so many different passages in the gospel, where Jesus says things, great is your faith or your faith has healed you.

[56] That is the ultimate truth that Christ underscores in this passage.

[57] In the early part, he's acknowledging that this woman is a Canaanite.

[58] She's not part of the house of Israel.

[59] But what welcomes her to be part of the fold of God, to be part of God's flock, is her faith.

[60] Because she recognizes who Jesus is.

[61] And ultimately, we know that in the ministry that the ministry that the apostles adopt as they build the church, that is what they proclaim.

[62] Embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Master as the Son of God.

[63] This woman, by the grace of God, has the faith, even though she's not part of Israel, she has the faith that Christ has come to restore.

[64] So I think in that context, it makes perfect sense that he both tells her that she's not part of the community that he's come to save.

[65] When she expresses her faith, he says, your faith has saved you and saved your daughter because that is what he's here to restore, not just a human community of people of Hebrew origin, but he's here to restore the truth among the people of God.

[66] And then that truth is shared after his resurrection with all humanity.

[67] But I think this passage really reminds us that Christ is always focused on the truth and bringing that truth even when it doesn't seem to be a very welcome message.

[68] But at this passage, we see that it is ultimately the truth that really does set us free.

[69] It says this woman and her daughter free from the possession and the healing that she needs.

[70] It really expresses the reality that Christ is bringing the truth and the truth sets us free.

[71] from whatever circumstances of binding and evil we're dealing with.

[72] So I think it's a significant passage, even though, at least initially, it's like, what's what's Jesus saying when he says, I don't throw the food that is meant for the children to the dogs?

[73] It's a reminder of the significance, really, of Israel.

[74] And the significance of this woman being welcomed as a daughter of Israel, ultimately.

[75] because she has the faith to see the truth of who Jesus is.

[76] If I can add one thought when I read this gospel, Bishop Strickland, all that was great.

[77] It just made me think, though, I tell people this wherever I speak publicly, that we need to ask Jesus Christ for more faith every single day in our prayers.

[78] So when I read this and it says, oh, woman, great is your faith, okay?

[79] Oh, man, oh, all of us, our faith needs to be great.

[80] Well, here's the challenge.

[81] It's a problem today because many people have lack of faith, and that's the problem in the relationship with Jesus Christ.

[82] We're not going to get great faith without asking for it.

[83] Is that a fair statement, Bishop Strickland?

[84] Absolutely.

[85] We need to, faith is a gift, but it has to be nurtured.

[86] We have to learn.

[87] We have to pray.

[88] It's, I guess I would put it in terms of a relationship.

[89] Yes.

[90] Jesus Christ is God's divine son, but he's also a human being who came to dwell among us and share the light of God's grace with us.

[91] Just like we have seen in the scriptures, Christ is always proclaiming the father by the way he lives, by what he does, by what he says.

[92] So I think we need to really embrace that truth.

[93] And like you said, Terry, to be, to do everything we can.

[94] Yeah.

[95] To increase our faith, to deepen our faith.

[96] And the first step for that is to repent of our sins.

[97] If we're caught up in sin and saying, oh, I want to increase my faith.

[98] We're shooting ourselves in the foot as we're trying to begin a marathon.

[99] I mean, you can't really increase your faith until you, I mean, we're all sinners.

[100] But especially if we have habits of serious sin, of even mortal sin, we've got to repent of that and change our lives.

[101] For one, I mean, a good image of that, I think, Terry.

[102] is we've got to change directions.

[103] Yes.

[104] If we're sinning and we're walking along and saying, Lord, increase my faith, but we're not turning around.

[105] We're not turning from sin and faith in the Lord.

[106] Then that plea for increasing our faith really doesn't make sense.

[107] And it's not going to have much effect because we need to repent in order for that faith to be increased.

[108] well said i hear the music so we're going to take a quick break when we come back bishop strickland just put out another letter to teach us about the fundamentals of the faith betrayers of heretics saints and martyrs let us keep the faith so this is an encouraging letter to keep ourselves focused on who the person of jesus christ not bishop strickland not me jesus christ stay with us we'll be back after a quick break and now back to the bishop strickland hour welcome back indeed another letter from the good bishop called betrayers and heretics saints and martyrs and you said let us keep the faith what's it all about bishop strickland i want to hear this one i haven't read it so this is brand new well terry thank you it uh it really follows on the last letter that i posted yeah which was talking about the betrayers um this explores that further, but also it just occurred to me that it was important to recognize that we are never to despair, that the hope of our faith is as sure and strong and founded on Christ as it ever has been.

[109] So I think that's an important message.

[110] Really, we're living in a time when I know many don't support what I say and don't like it because they say, we shouldn't speak of these things.

[111] We should just, you know, act like everything's okay and just, you know, sort of, you know, not talk about it.

[112] Yeah.

[113] Well, I disagree.

[114] I don't believe that that's what Christ causes to.

[115] Yep.

[116] And, you know, I think this, the blast for me at the Olympics that we've talked about is a good illustration of it can again if we're about saving souls yes we're not about calming the world yes we want peace but we know peace in Jesus Christ means truth reigns it doesn't mean just everything's tranquil and letting people get away with sinful lives if everything stays calm that's not what Christ is about because that's a false call.

[117] Yes.

[118] And a false piece.

[119] Yes.

[120] So we need to acknowledge the evil.

[121] We need to acknowledge the betrayals.

[122] We need to acknowledge all of it.

[123] But always, and I guess that's the emphasis of this letter, always remembering, we're founded on Christ.

[124] He's the cornerstone.

[125] We have to remember that Christ is always with us.

[126] This race is there.

[127] He's our strength.

[128] And one of the things that I point to in this letter is the saints.

[129] Yes.

[130] The martyrs who have lived the faith and sacrificed.

[131] And certainly the martyrs gave their lives, all the saints in one way or another, gave their lives for the faith.

[132] The martyrs paid the ultimate sacrifice and died for the.

[133] of faith.

[134] But we need to be strong in clinging to those pillars of faith.

[135] Where is their strength?

[136] Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of their lives.

[137] And there's some great stories that we both know, we could go on and over the different stories of saints that have illustrated and lived the truth that Christ, Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the cornerstone of their lives.

[138] And I guess in all that imagery, Terry, if you think of the saints as pillars of faith, then we can build a bridge that pulls us out of the swamp of evil that we find ourselves in.

[139] We can build a bridge that gets us to everlasting life with God, even in the midst of this time, because we've got those foundation pillars on the cornerstone of Christ that help us to move through this world, never despairing, not being overwhelmed by the evil, acknowledging the evil is there.

[140] I mean, using that imagery of pillars and a bridge.

[141] Let's say we're building a bridge over a swamp that is full of alligators and other beasts that are ready to devour us.

[142] This bridge of faith built on the pillars of faith, that has the foundation, the cornerstone that is Christ, it allows us to endure, to hold fast.

[143] It reminds me of the image that I've talked about before many times, the image of St. John Bosco, the pillars of faith, the Eucharist and Mary, those are some of these pillars that help us to bridge over the swamp that is a sinful and corrupted world and church that we find ourselves in the midst of today.

[144] Not to drown in that swamp, but to let these pillars be something that helps us to find a bridge out of the swamp into life that the church is meant to have.

[145] So that's what this letter talks about.

[146] You know, Bishop Church, and while you're speaking, what comes to my mind is, you know, what we're living in the modern times.

[147] We're living in an area of time where comfort is king and we're almost allergic to sacrifice.

[148] And it seems to me that when we look at the crucifix, which I'm holding up in my right hand, we see the love that Jesus had for us.

[149] He died for each one of us individually that if you were the only one on the planet, he would have died on the cross for the redemption of our sins.

[150] one person.

[151] And I think that the challenge is that we love our comfort in our culture.

[152] It's almost like a self -worship that we say, I got to have, I got to have this, I got to have that, and I live for comfort.

[153] And I know this sounds like you would get a lot of people to say, oh, see, that's why the church has to lower its bar.

[154] We got to make people so comfortable that the gospel is irrelevant.

[155] And if I'm on to something, you just tell me, because when I'm reading this letter for the first time, that's what comes to my mind, that we are not called to be comfortable.

[156] We're called.

[157] So am I on to something?

[158] I believe you are.

[159] Pope Benedict XVI said, we're not called to comfort.

[160] We're called to greatness.

[161] Exactly.

[162] And that greatness of being sons and daughters of God, only comes if we follow his son, if we take up our cross, if we repent of sin, if we do everything that Christ has called us to do.

[163] None of us does it perfectly.

[164] Even the saints were sinners.

[165] But ultimately, what's called final perseverance, they overcame their weakness and sins and the temptations that they faced.

[166] And in St. Paul's words, they won the race.

[167] they prevailed.

[168] And I think that we need to all remember that we are called to greatness.

[169] What a glorious life.

[170] If we think about what the church proclaims, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and all that grows out of that, the catechism, all the great teachings of the church that like we were talking about in the catechism itself, calling us away from the immorality that is infected.

[171] the world so deeply and calling us to chastity.

[172] That calls us to greatness.

[173] There's a greatness in living a chase life that the world mocks, absolutely.

[174] Virginity is laughed at.

[175] And any idea of chastity, even within marriage, is laughed at.

[176] But we don't care whether people laugh or not.

[177] we will get the last laugh because we will be there in the everlasting joy of life with God.

[178] And we, Christ died so that everyone could be freed from the mediocrity that is so easy for us to embrace.

[179] The church is not about that.

[180] The church is a call not to comfort, but to greatness and a recognition that, when we move away from comfort, it doesn't feel good in that moment.

[181] But there's so many examples in the spiritual realm, but even just living our human journey, it takes sacrifice to do something great, takes a lot of work.

[182] It takes giving of ourselves.

[183] It takes stretching ourselves and spiritually is the most important way we need to do that.

[184] We can't be satisfied with a mediocre life because if we allow the bar to shift lower, it tends to just keep going lower and lower and lower.

[185] And we've seen that.

[186] The standards that you and I grew up with as men in our 60s have pretty much vanished from a big part of society.

[187] Just the standards of What's allowable on television?

[188] What would you see in a movie?

[189] What do you hear in music?

[190] Those standards have gone lower and lower.

[191] So the answer isn't to lower the standards and make it easier.

[192] The answer is to call humanity.

[193] And all who believe in God and know Jesus Christ says, Lord and Savior, we need to hear that call to greatness in every dimension of our lives.

[194] I couldn't agree more with you.

[195] We're called to be saints.

[196] All of us are called to be saints.

[197] And when I was listening to you, you made me think of St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, talking about, I remember him saying something.

[198] I think it was 1982.

[199] I wasn't married at the time.

[200] And one of my relatives couldn't believe that the Pope said, you shouldn't lust after your wife.

[201] And even I understood that.

[202] He said, well, how does that work, man?

[203] I love my, sure you love your wife, but he's talking about using.

[204] your wife, okay?

[205] Oh, oh, oh, he didn't get it.

[206] But yeah, I'm sure the world laughed at St. John Paul too when he said that.

[207] Like, what's he know?

[208] Well, anyhow, the church is right on this.

[209] And one of the things that I saw in this letter, just because I'm reading it for the first time now, that this paragraph where you said, we cannot, and we must not sweep the betrayals of our Lord under the rug.

[210] They must be brought out into the open, exposed, and basically come to light.

[211] When the sheep of our Lord's flock are fed a diet of lies, betrayal for so long, they become conditioned to accept any heresy that is being fed to them and to believe that it is something good to eat, even when the food is poisoned to the flock and the stench is overpowering.

[212] In these cases, the lady, most especially the clergy, must cry out and proclaim the fruit of the betrayers and heretics is rotten.

[213] Now, I've read that just now, okay, and I read that just a minute or two ago while you were speaking.

[214] And I said to myself, wow, yeah, we have to deal with these issues.

[215] We talk about transparency in the church.

[216] We've got to know what's going on.

[217] I mean, you've been one of the few bishops who had brought up this McCarrick issue over and over again.

[218] I think it was 2018, a YouTube channel I saw where you were saying, gentlemen, we need to know who's connected with this.

[219] And here it is, 2024, and nothing's been said.

[220] Now, Bishop Strickland, I'm not in management.

[221] I'm in sales.

[222] But as a layman, I want to know who knew what so that we can get rid of this.

[223] And those individuals who participated with McCarrick, they should be relieved.

[224] of their services.

[225] Now, I'm just a layman saying that, but I think we have not only a right to say this, but a duty because we want our church to be as pure as possible.

[226] And that's why I like your letter from what I've read so far, is you're calling us all, not just the bishops, the priests, but all of us to this life of prayer, reparation, this life of following Jesus Christ.

[227] And I want to come back on your letter when we come back from the break to continue because you have a lot of other themes in this letter.

[228] Stay with us, family.

[229] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[230] We'll be right back after a quick break.

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

[232] Welcome back.

[233] I just kind of went on a rave with one of your paragraphs in your letter and the finishing up that letter you said in the midst of this filth, however, let us not fail to recognize that we have the saints and the martyrs who have created a bridge upon which we can stand and keep our feet clean their lives serve as a lifelong connecting us to assure and certain hope in Jesus Christ with the saints we can say should the world fall to dust we shall prevail because we are anchored in Jesus Christ I think of St. Athanasius when he said to this is a line I've read years ago he said they can have the churches we have the faith when he was fighting Aryanism.

[234] And I thought, well, you know what?

[235] There's a time right now with maybe certain priests and bishops aren't welcomed in Catholic churches today around the world.

[236] Okay, fine.

[237] That's the case.

[238] But that doesn't, shouldn't stop those priests and bishops to speak the truth of the gospel because even though they're not welcome in a particular diocese or a church, that doesn't stop them to use the media, you know, your YouTube channel, you're doing is, you know what, now you're a bishop, not just for Tyler, Texas, where you reside, but you're a retired bishop, but we call you America's Bishop, Bishop Strickland, and I'll tell you why, because what you're proclaiming are the fundamentals of the faith that has been mandated by Jesus Christ for his church to proclaim.

[239] So this paragraph that I just read, you said, with the saints, we can say, should the world fall to dust, we shall prevail, because we are anchored in Jesus Christ.

[240] I think of what's happening in the Middle East with wars going on.

[241] They're talking about the bigger war now because someone, gentlemen, got killed in the Middle East, who was a Palestinian that was a military guy.

[242] We've got problems in the Ukraine.

[243] I mean, the worst thing could happen.

[244] We have a nuclear war.

[245] But if we're living in the state of grace, well, guess what?

[246] We go to heaven.

[247] So why did you write that paragraph in there?

[248] because that gave me hope just reading it today.

[249] Well, thank you, Terry.

[250] That's the reason I wrote it.

[251] Because we should never despair.

[252] We should never lose hope.

[253] Yeah.

[254] And I think a lot of people have lost hope.

[255] They've despaired in the church and have walked away.

[256] Yeah.

[257] But, and I think that that's very important for us to remember.

[258] The church has built marvelous structures, both beautiful basilicas.

[259] Yes.

[260] and structures of organizations that help people in wonderful ways.

[261] But even if all those structures collapse, we still have the church.

[262] Yes.

[263] We still have the sacred heart of Christ.

[264] We still have what the church is about, the faith of the people following the Son of God.

[265] So certainly we hope that all those beautiful structures, whether it's actual buildings or the organizational structure of the church, we hope that it can continue.

[266] But if it's an either -or, if we have to choose between living the truth and having the structures, we've got to choose the truth.

[267] And people have done that through the ages.

[268] I mean, I think as you mentioned with St. Athanasius, but much more recently in history, still many centuries ago for us, But in the England of Henry the 8th, many of the beautiful structures went to and became Church of England property.

[269] Yes.

[270] Basically an illegal takeover.

[271] But the faith of the Catholic faith continued with great persecution and many martyrs died, including St. John Fisher and St. Thomas Moore.

[272] but the church survived.

[273] The faith continued.

[274] And I think that's a necessary reminder for us in a very perilous world.

[275] What is the church?

[276] Is the church a bunch of buildings and structures?

[277] Or is it the mystical body of Christ that is a gathering of God's people that knows who Jesus Christ is?

[278] knows he is Lord and Savior and will speak against blasphemy toward him and any ways that his truth is denied.

[279] That's the church.

[280] And even as I'm speaking, Terry, to me, to remember the reality of the church, one of the blessings that I've had since I've no longer Bishop of Tyler of a given territory of a specific diocese.

[281] Yes.

[282] And I travel a lot.

[283] I bet.

[284] The blessing is that I see the church.

[285] Yeah.

[286] The church is faithful people of God, doing their best to repent of their sins, to make reparation for their sins and the sins of the world, and to grow in faith.

[287] Everything that we've talked about in this episode, Terry, we talked about the call to increase our faith.

[288] Amen.

[289] To grow deep.

[290] in faith, to get stronger in faith.

[291] I see people doing that, studying scriptures, studying the catechism, studying the teachings of the church.

[292] And we all need to.

[293] I need to.

[294] I do.

[295] There's much that I still need to learn.

[296] But it's a joy to learn about the church.

[297] And again, as I've said before, to learn about a person.

[298] I'm sure I've used this analogy before, but I think it's worth repeating in the context of what we're talking about now.

[299] You've been married to a beautiful woman, your wife married, for how many years?

[300] 35 years.

[301] Congratulations.

[302] You've known this woman for more than 35 years because obviously you had to get to know her before.

[303] You took a step of a lifetime commitment.

[304] And just as a side note, anyone contemplating marriage, take the time to truly come to know your spouse.

[305] Exactly.

[306] You're asking yourself, is this the person I want to spend the rest of my life with?

[307] If you don't have that kind of love and that kind of commitment, you shouldn't marry.

[308] Right.

[309] And if it's seriously like, and you really don't marry, if you're not committed, to this person for life.

[310] But because you and, you know, you and Mary, you're not perfect people.

[311] Oh, far from.

[312] You've had to carry each other's crosses.

[313] And sometimes that cross has been putting up with the flaws of your spouse.

[314] That's true.

[315] But your love has been strong enough.

[316] And the church needs to thank God for couples like you and your wife, Mary, because that's what the church is.

[317] but you are the church and you help others to live their faith.

[318] But I guess the point that I wanted to make is that Mary is a real woman, a real person in your life.

[319] And you would never say, I'm not going to talk to my wife anymore because I've learned everything I can.

[320] That's not how a human relationship operates.

[321] Yes.

[322] When you know someone, you want to know even more, and it's inexhaustible.

[323] That's the marvel of the human person.

[324] Yeah.

[325] We are in the image and likeness of God.

[326] Yeah.

[327] Because as God is infinitely, infinite goodness, infinite truth, infinite beauty, he's placed a spark of that in every person.

[328] Yeah.

[329] And because we're all so fine.

[330] I mean, Mary, your wife isn't infinitely good.

[331] But you can spend the rest of your limited lifetime.

[332] Yeah, limited.

[333] Discovering more and more of her beauty and goodness.

[334] Oh, yeah.

[335] Because even though it's not infinite, it's so deep as a woman created in the image and likeness of God that it's a lifelong.

[336] And I think that's the beauty of what marriage is.

[337] Yeah.

[338] I want to continue to love and know this person more.

[339] and more deeply for as long as I live.

[340] That's marriage.

[341] And we need to take the same approach with our relationship, especially myself as a celibate priest.

[342] Why am I celibate?

[343] So that I can direct that longing and that care to know another toward Jesus Christ himself and to spend my life coming to know him more deeply.

[344] All of us are called to do that.

[345] And part of your call in marriage is to help each other.

[346] To be those who point to Christ most significantly, you pointed to Christ for Mary.

[347] Mary pointing to Christ for you.

[348] It's my work as a celibate priest to point to Christ for the people that I serve.

[349] And I can say that I see others pointing to Christ and seeing their goodness and their faith and their commitment.

[350] it.

[351] So it's really a beautiful journey that we're called to embrace.

[352] If we understand, we're called to know God more deeply through his son in the power of his spirit.

[353] And it's a never -ending journey that none of us will ever say, oh, I'm done.

[354] I'm not going to pray any longer.

[355] I'm done.

[356] I've arrived.

[357] If we say that, we really are acknowledging we haven't really gotten started.

[358] But the more, I mean, the saints are people that acknowledge they've got a long way to go.

[359] And they've died in sanctity by definition because they're canonized saints.

[360] They were sanctified to the point that they could be welcomed into heaven.

[361] Absolutely.

[362] Because they had continued to come to know Father, Son, and Spirit more deeply, to know God more deeply in their life.

[363] You know, Bishop Strickland, while you're speaking, It comes to my mind last night, I met a family who, their mother died age 92, and they were seriously considering using our chapel for the funeral.

[364] There were four kids.

[365] They were Anglicans.

[366] And so I said, but I said, why don't you go to your church?

[367] Well, we never, we weren't going to church.

[368] So I tried to evangelize them last night.

[369] And this is a girl that graduated in 1975 with me. I hadn't seen in 49 years.

[370] I don't remember her she remembered me for some odd reason and so I had time with them and I was sharing with them what's important about the funeral and you know just showing I told them about Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament that's why we reverenced it and you know they said well my brother will call you and let you know what we decide I said that's fine well I had no idea what impression I made but here's the bottom line the brother calls me and says Terry my sister said why didn't I warn you about Terry Barber?

[371] I said, warn me. When we come back from the break, this is a hilarious story.

[372] Warned you about Terry Barber.

[373] What do you mean?

[374] Well, wait to hear what she said.

[375] But again, it comes down to giving people Jesus Christ every time you meet somebody.

[376] We'll be back after a quick break.

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

[378] Welcome back.

[379] I've got a big smile on my face, Bishop Strickman, because, you know, we do about 200 funerals a year here at our chapel.

[380] Some of them are Catholic, most of them are Catholic, but some were Protestant.

[381] And this lady who came in with her brother who knew me from high school and I graduated with a couple of their sisters, they said, as I said, you know, why didn't you warn me about Terry Barber as she spoke to her brother the next day?

[382] And I said, what do you talk?

[383] talking about.

[384] He said, well, she said, you were so kind to us.

[385] You were so loving that you wanted to share your belief in God and you showed us the Blessed Sacrament.

[386] I'm like, what?

[387] I mean, what?

[388] And she's not, you know, I said, well, of course I'm going to do that.

[389] He said, I told him that.

[390] I said, that's who you are.

[391] You know the meaning and purpose of life.

[392] And you want to share it with my sisters.

[393] And I appreciate you saying that.

[394] But they didn't have enough to say to you, no, they couldn't tell you we decided to have the funeral and mom's back no in judy's backyard rather than at a sacred place the church and i said well i respect that they they have free will they can decide where they want to have their mother's funeral i was trying to convince them that we should have a mass we should have a service here for for your mom in honor of her and pray for her so the point i'm trying to convey is this is what we hope to be able to do is show people to say why are you so happy why are you so convinced about your purpose in life?

[395] Because, you know, Bishop Strickland, most people go on in life and they die never knowing the purpose and meaning of life.

[396] And that's a tragedy.

[397] And I think your letter that you're writing here brings this out that we need to put our trust not in man, not in the government, but in the person of Jesus Christ.

[398] Is that a good summary of what you're saying?

[399] Absolutely.

[400] And I really, I'm reminded of the scripture passage in one of Paul's letters.

[401] It says, be always ready to give them a reason for your hope.

[402] That's exactly what you did.

[403] And people need hope.

[404] They're varying a mother.

[405] Yeah.

[406] It may not have, they may not have heard the message.

[407] Maybe one day they will.

[408] But we still have to give the reason for our hope.

[409] And leave it to them.

[410] God's giving them free will.

[411] We don't condemn because God does.

[412] No. God gives us the freedom.

[413] God is the first to give us freedom to embrace or reject him.

[414] Yeah.

[415] So as disciples, we have to respect that God given freedom that he person has.

[416] But we do need to with love and enthusiasm, as you do, share the reason for our hope.

[417] Share our faith.

[418] Share the message.

[419] I guess Bishop Strickland, what happens with me is I used to sell real estate on planet Earth, and I was very successful in doing that.

[420] But now I said, I want to sell real estate in heaven, and I use that same enthusiasm.

[421] As a matter of fact, more because, you know, I can't take anything here with me other than my faith.

[422] And when you realize that life is short and eternity is forever, I wouldn't want to be doing anything else but what I'm doing right now, sharing the gospel.

[423] Now, Mr. Strickland, yesterday, we had a little section about the catechism on holy matrimony.

[424] I'd like to always end with some teachings of substance on marriage because John Paul II wrote a letter back in 1994 to families.

[425] And he said the way the family goes is the way the culture grows.

[426] So if we have strong marriages, strong family life, the culture will be strong.

[427] But we all know, statistically, Catholics and non -Catholics divorce at about the same rate.

[428] And that's a tragedy.

[429] We need to change that.

[430] I think one of the ways to change that is to educate people in what they're jumping into.

[431] When you marry your spouse, there's a commitment for life.

[432] And sometimes I know this sounds horrible, Bishop Strickland, but I really wonder how many people, you know, get married with that intention that this is for life.

[433] I mean, because they haven't been taught.

[434] So I guess the question, am I right or do you, I mean, that's my initial reaction that people have this idea that, yeah, I'm going to get married just like a loan.

[435] If I don't like it, I'll refinance it.

[436] You know, I'm not getting married.

[437] And that's not a marriage in a Catholic church.

[438] Correct.

[439] I mean, Terry, I worked in the.

[440] tribunal for 15 years, and that's one of the grounds for nullity.

[441] It's not just, but, I mean, the ground for nullity is a clear intention against permanence.

[442] A lot of, you know, and really, I think really probably the deeper problem in our culture with marriage, too many people get married without a clear intention of anything.

[443] Wow.

[444] They're just embrace.

[445] an idea and they're you know they get caught all cut up in the wedding yeah but don't spend sufficient time thinking about yeah what means to be married yeah and so absolutely permanence a lifelong commitment yeah is essential to marriage and and I guess what I would say because probably a lot of marriages out there some yeah I mean I had some cases where people had a clear intention that it not be permanent.

[446] Wow.

[447] And once we could establish that, you can declare nullity.

[448] Yeah, of course.

[449] But most of the time, like I said, the problem is there's no clear intention.

[450] Got it.

[451] But the clear intention needs to be for a lifelong commitment.

[452] If the intention is to the contrary, that shows a problem.

[453] a flaw in that marriage that makes it not marriage at all.

[454] Right.

[455] But for many marriages, they just need a clearer intention, a clearer commitment to what it means to be permanently bound to this man or this woman.

[456] So absolutely, we need to encourage people to understand that.

[457] not just to survive marriage, but I know that for you, I'm always using you and Mary as an example, but I know many married couples who you wouldn't describe as having a real easy life, or even maybe in terms of the world, couples that the world wouldn't even say they had a successful life.

[458] But living that commitment of marriage is a great joy and fulfillment that the world needs.

[459] The world needs not just survivors in marriage, but to really embrace it with great joy.

[460] Not with heartaches and troubles and all of that.

[461] But ultimately, with joy, that's the kind of married couples.

[462] that we need.

[463] And both of us, you've lived it, and I've seen many couples that would laugh if you said, oh, your life's perfect.

[464] But it's not perfect, but it is fulfilling in ways that are part of a vocation, part of God's all in your life.

[465] Bishop Strickland, we just celebrated a week when that was going on.

[466] And I don't even recall any, I have no consciousness of that issue that was going on about birth control.

[467] But in the catechism you guys have here from the St. Philip Institute, it says, why is contraception morally wrong?

[468] And I think a lot of Catholics have never been convinced of that.

[469] And here's what the answer is, and I want to take a couple of minutes before we have to end our show to encourage people to embrace of the church's teaching on this issue because the world teaches you the contracept and say, you know, children, put them aside.

[470] So here's what the answer is.

[471] Why is contraception morally wrong?

[472] Controception, condoms, withdraw, birth control, pills, sterilization, IUDs is morally wrong because it removes the procreative purpose from the sexual act.

[473] Controception replaces this primary purpose with just mere pleasure and that the sexual act is disfigured.

[474] A contraceptive act violates natural law and opposes God's design and purpose for the sexual act.

[475] Now, that is beautifully stated.

[476] I mean, how succinct can you be?

[477] Whoever put that together, I just want to congratulate them because they said it so beautifully.

[478] Your thoughts about why Catholics should embrace Himanavita and reject the world's idea that sexuality is only for pleasure and kind of have like a recreational view of sexuality.

[479] Your thoughts?

[480] Well, really, Terry, as we were talking earlier, I think that paragraph really gives a good description of marital chastity.

[481] That chastity is not contraceptive.

[482] And it's, what occurs to me as you're reading that, Terry, is really loving this person.

[483] When you're using contraception in any of those ways that are mentioned in that paragraph.

[484] When you're against children, you're against the marital act bearing the fruit that it can bear, not just bringing the spouses closer together, but also the fruit of a child being conceived.

[485] What really, if you really drill down, what is that man saying to that woman?

[486] What is that woman saying to that man?

[487] Basically, you're saying, my love for you is limited.

[488] Exactly.

[489] It's limited to what I've decided rather than being open to the fullness of what that marital act could result in.

[490] That's right.

[491] So I think that it goes to the very fabric of marriage.

[492] And that's why it's so critically important.

[493] Sadly, you know, maybe the majority, but many Catholics at the time of Humane Vite and throughout history since Humane Vite, which has basically been a big chunk of our lifetime, many people reject it.

[494] But if you really understand what the church is saying, what God is revealed to us, they're ultimately rejecting the deep purpose of marriage.

[495] and of marital chastity.

[496] It is not marital chastity to use contraception because it contradicts what the love in marriage is supposed to be all about.

[497] Beautiful.

[498] Wow.

[499] I wish we had more time on that.

[500] We've done some talks on that.

[501] If you want to get the podcast of Bishop Strickland shows, many, many of them are on our website at vmpr .org.

[502] I hear the music, so that means I'm going to ask you if you'd be so good to bless our radio listeners again, Bishop Strickland.

[503] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us participating in Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[504] Help us to continually joyfully share the truth and to grow in that truth ourselves, turning from sin and growing in virtue.

[505] We ask us in the name of the Father, the Son of the Holy Spirit.

[506] Amen.

[507] And folks, I would encourage you to continue to pray for Bishop Strickland's ministry.

[508] of all over the world where he goes to share the good news of Jesus Christ and share this radio message with people.

[509] That's how we grow and check our YouTube channel full Sheena Head.

[510] And I want to thank you our listeners for supporting us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

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

[512] God love you.

[513] See again next week.

[514] Same time, same station.

[515] St. Faustina's Prayer for Priests.

[516] Oh, my Jesus.

[517] I beg thee on behalf of the whole church, grant it love and the light of thy spirit, and give power to the words of priests, so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to thee, O Lord.

[518] Lord, give us holy priests.

[519] Thou thyself maintain them in holiness.

[520] O divine and great high priest, may the power of thy mercy accompany them everywhere, and protect them from the devil's traps and snares, which are continually being set for the souls of priests.

[521] May the power of thy mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests.

[522] For thou canst do all things.

[523] Amen.

[524] Virgin Most Powerful, pray for us.

[525] Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[526] Sharing the gospel with clarity and charity.