06 Jul 21 – Stay Focused on the Mass and on the Real Presence of Christ

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber.

[2] I'm at Virgin Most Powerful radio.

[3] Bishop Strickland, welcome to another hour, my friend.

[4] Thanks, Terry.

[5] Thank you.

[6] And I want to remind everybody that they want to listen to past programs.

[7] They can go to vmpr .org and listen to any of the shows that we produce.

[8] Bishop Strickland, I love going through your tweets for the week because I'm not really a tweeter, but I get a copy of everyone you do.

[9] And then I look through them and I go, wow.

[10] You tweeted earlier this week a prayer from Cardinal Burke from his website, cardinalberg .com, if people want to read it on their own.

[11] And this is the end of the month of June dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus.

[12] And I want to just say this prayer and ask, what the heck, why did you send this out?

[13] Here's the prayer.

[14] In union, in the union of our hearts with the sacred heart of Jesus, our hearts are purified of sin and strengthened with divine love that wonderful union attains its fullness and perfection in the holy sacrifice of the mass so that we may take up with our Lord Jesus Christ the yoke of the cross of divine love for all men amen mr strickland that's a beautiful prayer for the month of june absolutely and uh it highlights the the sacred heart which is such a a beautiful image of of Christ that really, for me, emphasizes the incarnation, the divine heart of the Son of God became a real human heart as well, fully God, fully man, a fully divine heart and a fully human heart, just like ours, beating in his chest.

[15] So we, and as that prayer from Cardinal Burke reminds us, it's it's about.

[16] having a heart -to -heart relationship with Jesus Christ.

[17] As they say in Latin, core ad -core loquitur, heart speaks to heart.

[18] And it's that kind of intimate relationship that we're called to have with God's divine son.

[19] Well, you know, I have a priest retreat, 1978, a year before Bishop Sheen died, and he did a retreat in Ireland.

[20] and I have the recordings of it.

[21] It's called Cora Cora, Heart to Heart.

[22] And boy, he talked on the little flower.

[23] And I'm just going to tell everybody, if someone wanted that download, I'll give it to you.

[24] I mean, I'll tell the guys upstairs it, send it out.

[25] You just call 877526215.

[26] And if you want to make a donation, great.

[27] If you don't, that's okay too.

[28] But that priest retreat really touched me way back when I first heard it 30 -some years ago.

[29] well bishop strickland i know there's a song in the catholic church is being prayed all sung in different churches and it goes like this all are welcome all are well i sing very well but all are welcome but there's no qualification of what that means and the late cardinal george francis george oh m i had said this and then you tweeted it he said yes all are welcome in the church but on Christ's term not their own and I thought that was very appropriate even more appropriate today what made you send that out well I had great respect for Cardinal George I'm sure he wasn't a perfect man but he was a man of true faith and a great teacher and he said a lot of things that are worth remembering and just a basic reminder pretty plain spoken that absolutely all are welcome and that is for all humanity that's one of the things that in my reflections just this week it's i think we've really lost touch with that in the life of the church and in the life of the world the the faith that we profess is not just for a few It's meant all are welcome.

[30] Everyone is invited, but we've got to make our choice to really accept that invitation or not.

[31] And that's the challenge.

[32] But we need to remember that every person on the planet is one that Jesus Christ suffered and died for, rose from the dead, that all of us would have the opportunity to know him and to follow him.

[33] to everlasting life with the Father and the Spirit.

[34] So all are welcome, but we, then it falls to us to decide, am I going to really accept this invitation wholeheartedly or just in some sort of a partial way?

[35] So I get the impression from that statement and from your statements is that, yes, all of us are sinners.

[36] We're all welcome to come to the Lord.

[37] But we want to be able to give our life to Christ and conform our life to Christ's life.

[38] And the fact that if we have sinful inclinations, we all have that, but the goal is to conform our will with God's will.

[39] So let's say someone is saying, well, God just takes me the way I am and he doesn't want me to change.

[40] I think that's a false statement because he loves you so much.

[41] that he does want us to conform our wills with his will.

[42] And so I just take that comment from Cardinal Francis George as saying, yeah, like you said, everybody's welcome, but we're welcomed under Christ's terms.

[43] In other words, we have to conform our lives to Jesus Christ.

[44] And that's not an easy thing.

[45] It takes, it's a practice for me every day, Bishop Strick, and I get up, and I have my fall in my human nature, my concupiscence.

[46] And I got to say, you know what?

[47] knock it off barber step it up stop wanting about your you know follow christ and that's the joy of following christ is because it's not us it's him so i appreciate you sending that out today also i'm a great devotee of padre peel saint padre peel i was at his canonization back in june of 2002 and he has some advice and i thought wow this is just what i needed and i'll tell you why i've been hearing news from the church, from its highest officials.

[48] And some of it's just like, are you kidding me?

[49] And I'm like, but guess, I don't want to get been out of shape over it.

[50] But here's what Padre Piel said that you tweeted out.

[51] Don't allow the sad sight of human injustice to sadden your soul.

[52] Someday you will see the unfailing justice of God triumph over it.

[53] Can you explain that one?

[54] Well, yeah, it just, just reminds us that ultimately God is justice and his justice will prevail.

[55] We're in a time of mercy being spoken of a lot, but not justice too much, not in terms especially of God's justice.

[56] And what we have to remember, and I think what that tweet reminded me of and why I send it was it's all woven together with God.

[57] God is perfectly just and perfectly merciful.

[58] And we tend to lean one way or the other, but we need to recognize that for God, he will be just and he will be merciful.

[59] And we need to seek to live up to his call, to be able to benefit fully from his mercy is to do our best to embrace his justice also.

[60] And, you know, the injustice of this world, what Padre Pio reminded me of is, it's temporary.

[61] Everything in this world is temporary, and we need to remember that.

[62] People live as if the blessings and the pleasures and the good things of this world, are going to last forever.

[63] They aren't going to last forever, and neither are the sufferings and the struggles and the challenges.

[64] So all of it's passing, but we really need to remember that.

[65] Yeah.

[66] Well, that reminded me of Thomas Moore's statement when he said, Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal.

[67] And so when we are focused on supernatural in this life, it really puts things in perspective because you and I are both in our 60s.

[68] And, you know, we're rounding third base.

[69] I'm sorry to say it that way, but I use baseball analogies.

[70] If we live another 20 years, Bishop Strickland, I'll be surprised.

[71] But maybe we will.

[72] Maybe we won't.

[73] But the fact is that eternity is for all, I mean, there's no end to eternity.

[74] So really, when you think about it, this short life is not that, I mean, it's not a big deal compared to eternity.

[75] That's the point I'm making.

[76] All right, I've got more tweets here.

[77] Let me look at the time here.

[78] I think I get a little bit here.

[79] On June 26th, you thank Katrina.

[80] I want you to tell us about Katrina because she had something to say that you said, there is nothing really to discuss.

[81] To receive our Lord while stubbornly choosing to disagree with basic church teachings, well, you're very direct, Bishop Strickland.

[82] It leads to eternal damnation.

[83] The rules are the same.

[84] same for any Catholic approaching communion.

[85] It's about real faith.

[86] Tell us about that.

[87] I like that because that tells me that whether you're a politician or a famous movie star, that doesn't have anything to do with receiving holy communion.

[88] What important about receiving a little communion is that we are living a sacramental life.

[89] Absolutely.

[90] And it really is, as St. Paul says, God is not partial.

[91] It's not like, oh, you're famous, so you get a special line to go to communion.

[92] You get a free pass.

[93] We are all humble sons and daughters of God and blessed to be approaching the reception of God's own divine son in the Eucharist.

[94] We all should humbly examine our hearts and ask ourselves, have I done everything I possibly can to be in reconciliation with God and with his people.

[95] Well, so when we come back, we'll talk more about this topic on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[96] I'm Virgin Postal.

[97] Radio.

[98] Stay with us, family.

[99] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[100] Bishop Strickland, I have to give a plug to your Institute, St. Philip Institute in Tyler, and also your online newspaper.

[101] Can you have us an update on what people could expect to get online with both?

[102] Yeah, Catholic teaching.

[103] That's good.

[104] The online Catholic East Texas online is really articles and things going on in the diocese.

[105] We're looking to make that available as a printed magazine.

[106] at some time in the future.

[107] But right now it is available online, some great readable articles that aren't super long, but have some great truth to teach.

[108] And the St. Philip Institute is all about teaching for children, for young people, for families, for those preparing for marriage, for virtually every facet of the family that is the church.

[109] And they're doing a great job continuing to develop and reach out primarily to the 33 counties that make up the diocese of Tyler, but we welcome anyone who wants to access that website, St. Philip Institute .org, and find some truth.

[110] Amen, Catholic truth.

[111] Bishop Strickland, I noticed that you responded to Archbishop Cordillian, who made a comment about the 60 Democratic members of Congress.

[112] All Catholics issued a statement of principles.

[113] And he has 18 responses to right.

[114] He goes right down the line answering those Catholic politicians with Catholic truth.

[115] Kind of like Thomas Aquinas, just really orderly.

[116] And I noticed on your tweet, you said, I wholeheartedly embrace Archbishop Cordillianz.

[117] responses and thank him for his strong voice.

[118] I pray that every bishop will express strong support.

[119] It would be a great show of unity in Jesus Christ.

[120] And not only you saying that, but a bishop of Illinois, Bishop Percorkerke, he urges the faithful to pray that bishops, he's that will stop giving Holy Communion to pro -abortion politics.

[121] So we've got a couple bishops like yourself who are in charity speaking out and saying enough's enough let's just go back and say what we should know from you know a second grader and for two thousand years nothing's changed but a question for me for you is archbishop cordillione taking on these senators i thought he did it in a very charitable way what was your take on this well i didn't see uh bishop or cordillian Yeah, I did say that.

[122] Yeah, he did an excellent job of just, again, without getting caustic or attacking to simply point out the lack of consistency and the lack of Catholic faith in what they're expressing.

[123] No one is forced to be Catholic.

[124] No. But we believe that it is the truth that sets us free.

[125] It's the truth that comes from our incarnate Lord.

[126] Jesus Christ, but people are free.

[127] God leaves all of us with free will, and I think we need to emphasize that.

[128] But if you freely choose to embrace the Catholic faith, then embrace it.

[129] Quit trying to divide it up into, well, I'll accept this Catholic teaching, but we need to change this.

[130] Just accept what the catechism says.

[131] And certainly, I don't claim, because I'm a sinner, I don't perfectly live everything that the catechism lays out.

[132] I don't live the commandments as fully as I should.

[133] But if you're on that quest of doing your best and repenting of your sin, that's really all that Christ asks of us.

[134] Amen.

[135] He calls us to perfection, but he recognizes in his mercy that it takes a journey of a lifetime to get there.

[136] I love it when we're reminded in Scripture that God is always on the side of giving us another chance to repent.

[137] Amen.

[138] Another tweet that I sent out was just asking people to read Genesis in the daily readings.

[139] Yes.

[140] Because it's a beautiful message of God's mercy.

[141] And people I'd say, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is about mercy.

[142] Oh, yeah.

[143] But it really is.

[144] If you read that dialogue between Abraham and God, And it's like, if there are only 10 people, I mean, and that tells you a lot.

[145] Sodom and Gomorrah, even historically, there's evidence that that community was destroyed by something cataclysmic.

[146] And I think it's a great story to remind us, God is always pulling for us.

[147] God is always wanting us to use our free will, to repent of our sin, and to embrace the life that he longs to share with us.

[148] But he's not going to force us.

[149] And if we choose not to, he's going to, his ultimately, his justice will prevail.

[150] But he wants us to embrace his mercy.

[151] Well, said, Mr. Strickland, I say this a little embarrassed that I looked at an article about those 60 Democratic members of Congress and what Catholic schools they went to.

[152] And I know this is not nice to say, but most of them went to Jesuit educated schools.

[153] And I say this to say that the last 50 years, many of the Catholic institutions have forgotten their identity as, you know, Catholic teachings.

[154] And many new schools have been coming up in the last 10, 20 years with classic education is kind of going back to the fundamentals of the faith because I believe this is the fruit.

[155] This is my opinion, not yours, that much of this dissent that they did is that they weren't well formed in their Catholic schools that they went to because where else are they going to get this information from?

[156] So my point to you is I commend you because I know in your situation the Catholic schools is a priority for you, which it should be because it seems to me that if we don't have a pulse on our school systems, especially Catholic, making sure that they're 100 % Catholic, things like this will take place because they didn't get well formed.

[157] They don't have an informed conscience.

[158] They have an opinion.

[159] And I'm not interested in opinions.

[160] I don't think that's what our Lord's asking.

[161] I don't care about Bishop Strickland's opinion or my opinion.

[162] I want to know what the mind of Christ is teaching, and those are the perennial teachings of the church.

[163] So thank you for supporting that.

[164] I also have, you know, you already went through the statement of principles, but in endorsing all that.

[165] I also noticed that you tweeted that our modern Catholic tragedy is that too many people leave the church looking for Jesus.

[166] Oh, you could that, you nailed it.

[167] I've met so many people that said I found Jesus outside the church.

[168] It is absolutely essential that all who know he's really present in the blessed sacrament, work tirelessly to call our friends back to him.

[169] We are impelled by his love to bring his children to him.

[170] Bishop Strickland, thank you because the Eucharist is the source in summit of the Christian life.

[171] I can't tell you how many people I know that have left the church and when they came back, they say to me, if only someone would have taught me about the Eucharist.

[172] Yeah.

[173] Well, and that's what we just have to keep working on is joyfully sharing the good news that the Son of God incarnate among us, 2000, 21 years ago, is still here, still nurturing us, still calling us into relationship with him.

[174] That's the wonder of the Eucharist.

[175] I mean, as we, as well known, John, On 316, God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son.

[176] Yep.

[177] That's not a past event.

[178] God's love is constantly sending his son because his son gave us his Eucharistic presence.

[179] He died on a cross and rose, and the Eucharistic presence is our risen Lord in every tabernacle and at every altar, at every mass. We need to just keep, I mean, I'm a priest.

[180] I've been a priest for 36 years, but I need to constantly reinforce that faith and that focus because we can all get into routines and we can all get distracted.

[181] We can all forget when we approach the Eucharistic altar for me as a priest, for you as a layman to come to receive the body of Christ.

[182] We're approaching the Lord of all, the Son of the Father, the Creator of everything, sustaining us.

[183] I mean, we need to really get down to the reality that, Terry, as you're walking up to receive the body of Christ, your life, every breath, all of that is a gift from God.

[184] I mean, and I try to tell the young people at confirmation that very often is, if God stop loving us into existence, we'd all just stop right then.

[185] God is loving us into existence right now, and many people question that, and how can a loving God allow the evil to happen in the world?

[186] Evil is part of the mystery because it's woven into the idea that we have free will.

[187] Real love can't be forced, and I'm sure that God, even as Christ in the gospel, gets exasperated at times, with the crowds and with his disciples, they're just not getting it.

[188] But we have to keep going back to Christ and keep going back to the Word of God and doing all we can to strengthen our faith and to commit more and more deeply.

[189] Mr. Strickland, there's a show, never we go with a show without talking about the Holy Eucharist and the protection of unborn babies.

[190] It seems so consistent.

[191] And one thing I've heard you say when we talk, about the Mass, and it's the Sources Summit, I get all that, and that maybe, you know, the idea that when you receive Holy Communion, maybe even think of it as your first Holy Communion or your last Holy Communion, and really reverence that opportunity to pray as it could be your last Holy Communion, which it could be.

[192] I'm not guaranteed to come tomorrow.

[193] So I wanted to talk a little bit, and you're a big promoter of Eucharistic Adoration, and I mentioned that to everybody I talk to that, you know, don't come talking to, I mean, you can talk to me, I'm great, you know, to say a few words, maybe give you some advice, but spend more time before our Eucharistic king in that tabernacle.

[194] And I might add, I throw this out, those who are in Southern California, every Thursday night from 7 p .m. to 9 p .m., we pray for people like Bishop Strickland, the Holy Father, all priests, all deacons every Thursday night.

[195] And the reason we do it is it commemorates holy Thursday night when the priesthood was instituted.

[196] And so if you get a chance to spend time now that the churches are opening up here in California and other places, go in and just spend it, even if it's five minutes just to say, hello, Jesus, I'm here, tell him about your day, praise him, thank him.

[197] And Bishop Strickland, that leads me to, and your comment on that, but it leads me to what you just said about learning to examine our conscience.

[198] you know sometimes before the blessed sacrament that's a good place to examine our conscience so when we come back from the break i'd like to ask you to talk a little bit about eucharistic adoration the value of it and then also why examining our conscience on a daily basis is important in following jesus christ and his bride the church you're listening to the bishop strickland hour on virgin most powerful radio we'll be back with more to inspire you to fall deeper in love with Jesus and his church.

[199] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[200] I'd like to say that Bishop Strickland just really pushes on the fundamentals of the faith, just the basics.

[201] And we talk a lot about defending life.

[202] We talk a lot about devotion to the Blessed Mother.

[203] We talk a lot about the Eucharist, the Holy Eucharist, all the commandments.

[204] This is what I think the world needs more than ever is a refresher course on the Catholic faith, and that's why in a few minutes we're going to be going right into the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[205] Bishop Strickland, I mentioned that you tweeted on the 23rd of June about an examination of conscience and that you think that this is important to help us be free from sin and strengthen us in virtue.

[206] So can you kind of walk us through what you mean by...

[207] Some people are going, an examination of conscience, what's that?

[208] Well, it's the classic preparation for confession, and really not just limited to that, but a good examination of conscience is something we should do every day.

[209] To really simply ask yourselves, and people, there are all sorts of different forms of examination of conscience that you can find online and in other contexts.

[210] But the gist of it is comparing your life, me comparing my life, each of us comparing our life to the truth that God has revealed to us.

[211] Am I living the commandments faithfully?

[212] Am I avoiding the seven deadly sins?

[213] Am I living the virtues?

[214] Am I living the beatitudes?

[215] There are lots of different formats that we can use to really, am I living?

[216] living rightly.

[217] And I think it takes courage to a certain extent to just really be honest with ourselves.

[218] What we have to remember is if we're not honest with ourselves, God knows anyway.

[219] It kind of reminds me, I know you're a dad.

[220] And moms and dad are not God, of course.

[221] but very often they already know what Johnny or Susie did and you know when we try to pretend you know just on the grand scale with God we can try to pretend to ourselves well I'm just not going to share that with God and I'm not going to I'm just going to ignore these sins or these faults God already knows so we might as well just open our heart to him and ask forgiveness.

[222] That's what an examination of conscience is about.

[223] It's, I think, a simple way of saying it is, it's a test of reality.

[224] Are we living the truth?

[225] Are we really living as children of God?

[226] And if we're honest with ourselves, a good examination of conscience is it going to give us a clean report card?

[227] Oh, everything's great.

[228] If a real examination, of conscience, the good test of how good it is, is you're going to be left recognizing where you're failing.

[229] And as I tell people that maybe it's been a long time since they went to confession, but make a good examination of conscience.

[230] And when you ask yourself the question, should I go to confession, a good examination of conscience, the answer to that question is always going to be, yes, I need to go to confession.

[231] Hopefully not for mortal or very serious sins.

[232] Certainly, absolutely, if we're dealing with serious sin, get to confession as quickly as you can.

[233] But even for what we would typically call venial sins, those are still marks against us that diminish our ability to share in the goodness and the love of God and to share that goodness and love with others.

[234] So getting rid of even the venial sins, being cleansed and renewed in God's grace is something that all of us should be working toward all the time.

[235] Beautiful.

[236] And I would recommend for me, I've been doing this exercise at the end of the day.

[237] You can do it any time of the day.

[238] But when I do it at the end of day I ask Jesus also for forgiveness for my shortcomings and like you said like the bishop said get the confession of mortal sin but repent of that and then at the end of it say an act of contrition before you go to bed and it's a good way to just show your contrition just in a devotion to living a life that's really an examination of conscience really helps you stay focused on what's most important in life.

[239] And one more thing I would add, at the end of that examination of conscience, and you do your act of contrition, ask Jesus Christ for more faith in him every day, because that's how your faith grows.

[240] And people think about that.

[241] If you really do that on a regular basis, I've seen people over the years tell me, you know, I started asking Christ for more faith every day, and I've seen my faith grow.

[242] because that's a prayer that Jesus Christ will always answer.

[243] Bishop Strickland, before we get to the catechism of the Catholic Church, as you know, I have a great devotion to the venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

[244] And there's a little quote, he said, and I thought, this is so appropriate for today's world that we live in.

[245] It's appropriate for any time, but this was written, believe it or not, 70 years ago.

[246] I'm like, really?

[247] Before you and I were even born, he said, if the new crime be to believe in God let us all be criminals so he's basically saying that you know if you believe in God the world you know many times will condemn us because we do have that belief we know Bishop Strickland that our culture is trying to throw God out as a matter of fact they're trying to say that God is dead in our culture the sexual revolution now we're even at points where People are saying, God shouldn't be in this conversation.

[248] And it seems to me this quote, if the new crime be to believe in God, let us all be criminals.

[249] Sign me up.

[250] What's your thoughts on that quote?

[251] Yeah, well, as I said earlier, as we were talking about it, it reminds me of what I've heard before.

[252] If you're on trial for being a Christian, are they going to find enough evidence?

[253] to convict you.

[254] Hopefully, the answer is yes.

[255] Many of the saints.

[256] I mean, we're just recently celebrated Saints Peter and Paul.

[257] They were both put on trial for being followers of Jesus, and they were convicted.

[258] And that, it's the same idea.

[259] They were considered to be criminals.

[260] It was criminal in the early days of the church, and even after with some of the persecutions that came.

[261] But it's recorded right there in Acts of the Apostles.

[262] Basically, they didn't use the word criminal, but they were told, you're criminal, if you're using the name of Jesus, stop it.

[263] You're violating the laws of even the Jewish community and certainly the empire of the time.

[264] Stop.

[265] You've been told to quit using the name Jesus.

[266] using the name Jesus is a violation of the law.

[267] And the apostles right there in Acts said, we can't stop using the name Jesus.

[268] So absolutely, part of what all of us are called to is to be convicted of being disciples of Jesus Christ.

[269] And hopefully there's abundant evidence in our lives that this man or this woman is a disciple.

[270] of Jesus.

[271] And if that's a point of being convicted, which even in the world today, there are people that are being persecuted because they're followers of Jesus and because they are Catholic.

[272] We need to be living our faith, not looking for that persecution, but be willing to endure it if that's what it takes to be faithful to Jesus Christ.

[273] Well said, Bishop Strickland, and on this very show almost a year ago, you and I were on talking about the sixth commandment, thou shall not commit adultery.

[274] And YouTube sent us a letter and said, strike one.

[275] You cannot talk like that because it offends our listenership on YouTube to tell people that adultery is sinful.

[276] And we had to make a decision here at Virgin Most Powerful.

[277] And I know Bishop Strickland backed us on it.

[278] We have to speak the truth about the commandments we can't be quiet because uh the company that we're on the air says we can't speak about these ten commandments in particular the sixth commandment and so what happened is we got taken off youtube and oh well we go to another format i mean it might come to a time bishop strickland i don't i hope this doesn't happen to you or to me but if we get imprisoned because of our catholic faith in jail we'll just follow the saints they can continued to preach the Word of God and the teachings of Christ.

[279] And, oh, well, that's just how it works, because compromise is the language of the devil.

[280] And we can't tell YouTube we'll never talk about the Ten Commandments, specifically the Sixth Commandment.

[281] That would be a compromise of our faith, so I appreciate you backing us up on that.

[282] All right, folks, here we go.

[283] Open up your Catechism of the Catholic Church.

[284] And I want to encourage everybody, if you don't have a catechism, call me. I'll get you a catechism.

[285] Call me at 877 -526 -215.

[286] And I have a video that's really good on the catechism that would help you.

[287] It's the old Baltimore Catechism that teaches you with sacred art, the fundamentals of the faith.

[288] And boy, do we need highly informed Catholics that know their faith?

[289] I'm excited about this section, Bishop Strickland, because like today, and we're recording this, this was St. Peter and Paul, we had the creed today during Mass and I think about it we'd said it in Latin at our parish here because Monsignor does the Novos Ordo in Latin on Tuesdays and Wednesdays here at our chapel but it was so beautiful because we sang it and I bet Bishop Strickland you've sung the creed in Latin is that a fair statement?

[290] Yep, it is.

[291] Doesn't it just sound beautiful though or is it just me?

[292] No, it is Credo and Unum deum That's it.

[293] it's just beautiful well so that's what we're going to study right now paragraph 198 chapter one it's called I believe in God the Father here it comes our profession of faith begins with Bishop Strickland no it doesn't it begins with God I like to have fun I hear the music coming on Bishop Strickland so when we come back we'll start off with paragraph 198 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church you're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour with Terry Barber and I just will encourage you to study your faith, especially in these times we're living in.

[294] We want to be high information to Catholics.

[295] Stay with us, family.

[296] We'll be right back.

[297] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[298] I'm very excited about studying the Catholic faith.

[299] Think about this question before we get into this.

[300] How much time do we spend in school learning about mathematics, the arithmetic, all the things that are fundamental to being able to operate in this planet?

[301] Yeah, lots of time, right?

[302] How much time do we spend, you know, watching ball games?

[303] How much time do we spend, you know, other activities of life?

[304] But what's the one activity that outweighs all the others?

[305] And that's in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

[306] So I asked my question to myself when I was a young man, am I spending time studying my faith, praying, learning more about Jesus Christ?

[307] Because ultimately, that's the only thing I can take with me when I die.

[308] So I would just ask our listener, you, myself, even the Bishop Strickland, I would ask, are we taking time for spiritual reading, studying our faith, try and do it every day, because it's a holy habit to pray and study, and I guarantee you the benefits are going to be out of this world.

[309] All right, Bishop Strickland paragraph 198.

[310] I was trying to be funny when I said, our profession of faith begins with God, not with Bishop Strickland or Terry.

[311] It says, for God is the first and the last.

[312] You say, well, I knew that.

[313] Yeah, but think about that.

[314] First and last.

[315] The beginning and the end of everything, the creedo begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the most holy Trinity.

[316] Our creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for creation is the beginning and foundation of all God's words.

[317] Like Bishop Stricken, like all these paragraphs, say it so succinctly.

[318] I find it edifying that they can do that.

[319] Yeah, it is inspiring and worth taking the time to read these brief paragraphs, to be reminded.

[320] Just that one paragraph, Terry, 198.

[321] Yes, he's exciting.

[322] How much is broken in our world?

[323] Oh, yeah.

[324] Because too many of us never knew this or have forgotten it or ignored it.

[325] it or pushed it aside.

[326] God is the creator of all.

[327] We hear a lot about creation, but not too much about who created it.

[328] Yes, we care for creation because it's a gift from God.

[329] And frankly, our world would be a much better place if we all remembered that creation is a gift.

[330] And treating a gift properly is part of the obligation.

[331] obligation of those who received a gift.

[332] But we just don't think in those terms.

[333] And we certainly don't tend to think of creation as a gift from God.

[334] Well said.

[335] Paragraph 199 says, I believe in God, this first affirmation of the Apostles' Creed is also most fundamental.

[336] The whole Creed speaks of God.

[337] And when it is also speaking of man and of the world, it does so in relation to God.

[338] The other articles of the creed all depend on the first, just as the remaining commandments make the first explicit.

[339] The other articles help us to know God better as he revealed himself progressively to men.

[340] The faithful first professed their belief in God.

[341] Your comments?

[342] Well, it's just reminding us that everything flows from God.

[343] And when we remember that, it all starts to fall into place.

[344] I mean, the commandments are basically reminding us that everything comes from God.

[345] And if we remember that, then we're not going to break any of the commandments.

[346] We're not going to sin.

[347] We're not going to do all the things that create the ills in our world that we all have to deal with.

[348] Yep, I agree with you.

[349] Number, paragraph 200 is, again, interesting.

[350] I want to throw this out many years ago at St. Joseph Communications, I had published a CD, and I get to download on the Apostles Creed, and it takes each of these verses and gives you quite a bit to think about.

[351] And I know many of you are driving in your car, or you can put it on your phone and listen to this one -hour disc.

[352] And if you want a copy of it, call 877 -526 -215.

[353] Just a quick commercial.

[354] We give out hundreds of dollars of product that St. Joe Communications published with Dr. Scott Hahn and Fulton Sheen, Dr. Barber, Dr. Petrie, lots of Jeff Kavins, lots of good speakers.

[355] and what we do is we send it out in a email with a link that you can listen to these recordings so that when you're jogging or if you're going for a walk or in the car.

[356] So if you want that one on the Apostles' Creed, it doesn't cost you anything.

[357] I mean, if you want to make a donation, that's fine.

[358] If not, that's okay.

[359] Even the phone calls free.

[360] It's called 877 -526 -2151.

[361] All right, I believe in one God.

[362] These are the words with which the Nassian -Khanlonopal creed begins, the confession of God's oneness, which has its roots in the divine revelation of the old covenant.

[363] It's inseparable from the profession of God's existence, and is equally fundamental.

[364] God is unique.

[365] There is only one God.

[366] The Christian faith confesses that God is one in nature, and this is really important in explain.

[367] this, one in nature, substance, and essence.

[368] Can you share that paragraph what we're really talking about, Bishop Strickland?

[369] Well, it just is really referring back to the original revelation to the people of Israel.

[370] God is one.

[371] And that was a real revelation to the humanity of that time.

[372] That's what the people of Israel were willing to die for, and some did, because they knew there was one true God.

[373] And that's what this is reminding us, that that oneness of God really gets to the very essence of who God is.

[374] And it's a contradiction, ultimately, to speak of more than one God because that denies who God really is, the oneness of God.

[375] He's the creator of all.

[376] He's the origin of everything that is.

[377] And that revelation to the people of Israel was the beginning of what is fulfilled in God's son, where we come to know the one true God as Father's Son and Spirit, the creator of all.

[378] And Father's Son and Spirit are always there.

[379] The the mystery of God, even as God is revealed to humanity, it just gets deeper.

[380] How can God, how can there be just one God?

[381] That was certainly a question for the ancient peoples, where this was revealed to the people of Israel.

[382] Many rejected it because even today, certainly the fullness of revelation is there.

[383] That's what sacred scripture offers us, and that's what the church proclaims.

[384] scripture and tradition is what God has revealed to us, this deposit of faith that we speak up.

[385] And as this catechism is saying, the very essential beginning of that deposit of faith is that there is one true God.

[386] That's important in that the commandments refer to that.

[387] Thou shalt not have false gods before you because there are a lot of false gods in the world today.

[388] It's human nature and our sinfulness, that we produce our own gods.

[389] We deify mere aspects of creation because in our temporary perspective, those deities really become what we begin to worship, whether it's money or pleasure or power or influence or notoriety being famous.

[390] I've read that the exorcists say that there are many, many people in Hollywood have sold their souls to the devil, basically.

[391] Made their fame and their career their God.

[392] And certainly maybe not, I don't know how many may have actually sold their souls to the devil, but when they get caught up in drugs and caught up in some of the things that ultimately destroy them, they've given themselves over to the gods of this world that are not true gods at all.

[393] They're deified elements of creation, whether it's the fame or the power or the pleasure or just the wanton ability to control everything they think.

[394] And certainly not just to pick on the people of Hollywood, but it happens in all of humanity.

[395] Hollywood just happens to be a place where a lot of fame and power and money are concentrated.

[396] Washington, D .C. is another of those places.

[397] Any of the capitals of the world are places where people have deified mere aspects of creation.

[398] And that's what the catechism is warning us against, that there's one true God, and God is the end all and be all of everything that is when we recognize god then we can flourish as god's children when we make some aspect of creation our god then we're turning away from the one true god well said bishop strickland i'll confirm that i have two friends who are who are Satanists who converted back to their catholic faith and they said the very same thing they also i want to defend our our little babies in the womb too that Satanists have told us that the abortion industry is tied into Satanism because Satanus wants to see the death of these babies and these Satanists have told me that that is a fact.

[399] It just makes sense if you think about it.

[400] Bishop Strickland, we have a few minutes left and you know, you just covered a lot there of the paragraphs that follow.

[401] So I'm going to jump ahead because in paragraph 2002, It says, Jesus himself affirms that God is the one Lord whom you must love with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

[402] And I might add, with all your strength.

[403] What a beautiful statement.

[404] At the same time, Jesus gives us to understand that he himself is the Lord, to confess that Jesus' Lord is distinctive of a Christian faith.

[405] This is not contrary to believe in the one God.

[406] nor does it believe, nor does believing in the Holy Spirit as Lord and Giver of Life introduce any division into the one God.

[407] I hear the music, Bishop Strickland.

[408] I'll let you comment later on that one, but could you give our listeners a blessing to our family?

[409] The Lord be with you.

[410] And with your spirit.

[411] My Almighty God bless all who are listening and all are part of Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[412] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[413] Amen.

[414] Thank you, Bishop Strickland, and I want to remind folks, they can listen to all the podcasts by going to vmpr .org, all the different shows.

[415] And I want to thank all of you for supporting us in this mission to proclaim Jesus Christ and his bride of church's teachings, nothing more, nothing less.

[416] God love you and your family.