02 Apr 24 – The Power of the Resurrection of Jesus

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Power where each week we talk about the best, about Jesus Christ and how to get to heaven.

[1] Talk about our lady.

[2] We talk about defending life.

[3] We talk about the inerrancy of Scripture.

[4] We talk about our love for Jesus Christ.

[5] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for taking time out of your busy schedule to share the gospel with us.

[6] Thank you, Terry.

[7] Thank you.

[8] And today I want to say happy Easter.

[9] Wait a minute.

[10] Easter was last Sunday.

[11] No, no, no, no. We have an octave of Easter, and I know Bishop Strickland will share that, but this is a Monday of Easter week.

[12] So Easter is such a big event in our lives that we get to celebrate it for eight days, and this is exciting.

[13] So Bishop Strickland, I wanted to ask if you could read this we call the octave of Easter, the 2nd of April, and it's from the gospel.

[14] of John 20 about Mary Magdalene and then give us some commentary please sure a reading from the holy gospel according to John glory to thee oh Lord Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping and as she wept she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been And they said to her, woman, why are you weeping?

[15] She said to them, they have taken my lord and I don't know where they laid him.

[16] When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus.

[17] Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping?

[18] Whom are you looking for?

[19] She thought it was the gardener and said to him, Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.

[20] Jesus said to her, Mary, she turned and said to him in Hebrew, Roboni, which means teacher.

[21] Jesus said to her, stop folding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the father.

[22] But go to my brothers and tell me, I am going to my father and your father.

[23] To my God and your God, Mary went and announced to the disciples.

[24] I have seen the Lord and then reported what he had told her.

[25] The gospel of the Lord.

[26] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[27] Wow.

[28] Good stuff.

[29] I really love the readings of the octave of Easter.

[30] In so many ways, they just resonate with.

[31] the story of Jesus Christ and everything that we're celebrating during the octave of Easter and even into the Easter season, which lasts until Pentecost.

[32] And it needs to be not just one moment where we live in such a fast -paced world.

[33] I would imagine that all of us, you and I and everyone listening, before you know it, it's another Wednesday.

[34] It's another Sunday.

[35] things move very quickly.

[36] The wisdom of the liturgy is to say, let's slow down.

[37] The beautiful imagery of the Easter, the octave, is to be treated as if it's one day, one continuous day.

[38] And the liturgy says on this day, not like we celebrated yesterday or three days ago, but throughout the octave, it's on this day.

[39] And I think that it reminds us of what a day, the day of the resurrection of the Lord really is in this beautiful gospel passage, like all the passages that surround the resurrection of the Lord, it reminds us of the wonder and the human elements and just the reality of the risen Lord.

[40] here is Mary Magdalene, one of the most faithful of the disciples, and so it makes sense that she's there on that Sunday morning, weeping, wanting to be close to the Lord even after he's died, and she thinks he's in the tomb.

[41] Of course, he has risen, and the angels more or less tell her that, And then she encounters Jesus.

[42] And I think it's beautiful that she doesn't recognize it.

[43] She thinks he's the gardener.

[44] Once again, I think in that little detail, a beautiful reminder of the humility of the Lord, even after he's risen, after he's in his glory, his risen body, he appears to her and still is not.

[45] overwhelming her with his glory, she thinks he's the gardener.

[46] And I'm sure the psychologist could easily look into that and understand that here she is a woman grieving the master, the rabbi that she had followed for all this time.

[47] She saw him dies.

[48] She saw him laid in the tomb.

[49] She's coming to pay her respects, as we do at the tomb of loved ones.

[50] She probably had heard what the disciples had heard, that he had predicted that he would rise from the dead, but, you know, in the human reality, she may have been wondering, I wonder what he really meant by that, or she may not have, because grief is a very difficult time for all of us, and Mary Magdalene was a real human person dealing with the grief of a great leader, the Lord of the Lord of, her life in the beautiful encounter when Jesus speaks to her.

[51] And there's so many beautiful elements here to look at.

[52] But he uses her name.

[53] What a beautiful reminder.

[54] How important that is, the name that we have been given, the name that the Lord will call us one day.

[55] It's important.

[56] And there's so much in that intimacy of Jesus saying simply merit.

[57] And in that moment, she recognizes who he is and kind of beautifully uses a nickname, you might say.

[58] Roboni, not even just rabbi, but Roboni is more kind of the diminutive, you know, kind of my little rabbi.

[59] but it just, it expresses an intimacy that really is beautiful as Mary sees the risen Lord and had to be, you know, literally knocked off her feet by this encounter with Jesus risen.

[60] And here, she says, Raboni, another beautiful element of this I think is worth reflecting on is where he says don't hold on to me, don't cling to me. I've got to continue my mission.

[61] He implies with that.

[62] And I think it's very significant to recognize in the mystery of his risen body, we don't get a lot of information about it.

[63] But it is a body, obviously, that you could cling to.

[64] A real body, a body that also can appear and disappear and go through walls and things that our bodies can't, but his risen body is different, but he also, as we'll hear in the resurrection appearances, he has breakfast.

[65] I mean, he eats with them.

[66] And of course, we need to remember that those resurrection appearances, like all of the life of Christ, are only a few glimpses of 40 days that he was with them, appearing to them periodically, at least, during those 40 days.

[67] But this, I think this gospel passage that really is appropriate for Easter morning, and once again, it's being read on this Tuesday of Easter week, because the octave continues, the day of the resurrection continues.

[68] And so it's a great opportunity for us to to rejoice in the resurrected Lord and to be strengthened in our faith and to really know the impact of that right here and now.

[69] You mentioned before we started recording that you've heard of some big stores, even like Target, that are closing for Easter Sunday.

[70] Would that they would close every Sunday like they used to when we were kids?

[71] That's right.

[72] And that's not that long ago.

[73] I mean, it's not hundreds of years ago.

[74] Back 60 years ago, they used to, many stores used to be closed on Sundays because of what we call blue laws.

[75] I'm honestly not sure why they were called blue laws that would be interesting to research.

[76] But they were called blue laws.

[77] And these were laws that restricted activity on Sunday because the culture did a much better job.

[78] of reminding us, all of us.

[79] I mean, these were laws that were for the nation or for the state that didn't just apply to believers, but they applied to everyone.

[80] And I'm sure that's part of the reason they've been gotten rid of because the non -believers probably protested somewhere along the way.

[81] Hey, how come we can't go shopping like we usually do?

[82] But when we know what Mary Magdalene and this gospel knows that Jesus Christ is, Lord of all, he has died and risen for all humanity.

[83] We need to encourage that acknowledgement of that, even for those who haven't come to believe.

[84] And I guess that's a last thought that I would share about this gospel, Terry, is kind of like I'm stealing your thunder, but we talked about a little bit.

[85] But Easter week, what better time this octave of Easter, but to really pray, offer masses, pray rosaries, pray for those.

[86] who don't believe, and those who have wandered away from the church, who are no longer believing.

[87] Hopefully, the closure of a place like Target, maybe it may just be a handful of people, maybe many people, but maybe it will be something that says, hey, wait a minute, maybe if Target's closing, maybe this is something we need to pay attention.

[88] Well, said, you're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on the Virgin Most Powerful radio.

[89] Stay with us.

[90] We'll be back.

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

[92] Welcome back.

[93] Indeed.

[94] I just want to mention Bishop Strickland was out here at the Spiritual Warfare Conference with Father Chad Ripperger and others had a great conference.

[95] If you want to get those recordings, go to vmpr .org and you can download those talks.

[96] Bishop Strickland, I'm going to plead my ignorance here.

[97] we have the enunciation on the 25th of March but due to where it fell this year does it go to the following Monday oh to the 8th thank you Richard's going to help me out can we talk for a second I did not know so the 8th of April will celebrate the annunciation and I think those of us who try to pray the Angeles at 6 a .m. noon and 6 p. PM, you know, we'll think about the word becoming flesh, but can you say a few words about that great feast day coming up?

[98] Yeah, it is a great feast day.

[99] And it's the practice to, because it fell in Holy Week, it was transferred to not the octave, but after the octave of Easter, it'll actually be April 8th, which is the Monday after Divine Mercy.

[100] Sunday, the second Sunday of Easter.

[101] Awesome.

[102] But whenever it is on the calendar, we need to really celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation.

[103] Because it really is you know, it's not an overstatement to say it's when the universe changed.

[104] Exactly.

[105] Because God, our creator, the son of God, Jesus Christ, became a creature entered into creation.

[106] And I think it's important to emphasize for the sanctity of life that we've got to continue to teach our culture.

[107] The conception of a child is when the sanctity of life begins.

[108] Jesus Christ, as a real human child, fully God, fully man, was at his conception, he came into the world, microscopic at the beginning, developing as a small child in the womb of Mary, and then through the gestation that we all go through, maybe not always exactly nine months, maybe a little less, maybe a little more, but approximately nine months of development of the child.

[109] And I think it's so important for our culture and for people of faith to celebrate the feast of the Annunciation, like you mentioned, the Angelus.

[110] I think that's probably one of the briefest prayers that we pray in the many prayers that we can offer as Catholics.

[111] And it's like the catechism in a minute, you know.

[112] Sure.

[113] It captures so much of God coming into the world of Mary's response and what our response is called to be when we acknowledge that the Lord of the universe, the eternal son of God, becomes a creature along with us.

[114] He created us in his image and likeness, and he becomes himself, that image and lightness of himself.

[115] I mean, it just is something we can never exhaust in prayer and reflection, the incarnation of the Son of God.

[116] Wow.

[117] You know, Bishop Strickland, I'm going to throw you a curveball, but we had a show with Kyle Clement from Father Chad Ripperger's group, Wednesday here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[118] And he told of a story with Father Chad where a woman had all kinds of manifestations of the devil.

[119] And she was meeting with Father Chad.

[120] And Father Chad gave her the instruction to read Archbishop Fulton Sheen's book on the Mass. It was a printed in 1962.

[121] I have a copy of it.

[122] It's very detailed about what the Mass is all about.

[123] And the woman read the book cover to cover and when Father Chad met with the woman she was totally clear of any manifestation of evil by reading that book on the mass it blew me away I've never heard of anything like that in my entire life.

[124] Had you ever heard of something like that?

[125] No I haven't that's amazing.

[126] It is amazing that a book on the mass that would help this woman be delivered from the devil.

[127] But, you know, this is something I'll just bring up to you, and you can correct me on this.

[128] They always correct me. But it seems that we Catholics have not been well catechized again on what the mass is.

[129] Jesse and I were just talking about this little booklet, The Wonders of the Mass from Tan Books, and what the saints have said about the Mass. And we just went through the Easter Tridium last week, and had great readings regarding the, you know, Passover and all that.

[130] It just seems to me that maybe we need to get back to our roots.

[131] We talked last week about the Eucharistic Revival, but I'm not so sure this is going to be a big success if less we go back to basics on what the mass is.

[132] Do you agree with that?

[133] Absolutely.

[134] We talk a lot, Terry, about the fundamentals.

[135] And everyone needs at least a fundamental understanding of the mass. Because as, you know, that story that you just related about a woman being freed of evil by just reading about, not even attending a mass, but just reading about it.

[136] It shows and reminds us tremendous power in the mass. I mean, it's a little, it's very daunting, a little.

[137] little scary for me as a priest to realize how important what I do at the altar is, how powerful it is.

[138] And, you know, it's so easy for all of us to get into routines and to take it for granted and to say, you know, when we, you know, attend a mass or when I celebrate mass, we're attracted by, you know, human details and say, oh, it was hot or it was this.

[139] or that, we need to all be reminded when we enter into the Mass, we are entering into the greatest mystery in our daily lives.

[140] And we need to enter into it with awe and reverence and a deep understanding that from beginning to end, the Mass is significant because in the Mass, our Lord Jesus Christ, body and blood, soul, and divinity becomes physically, really present.

[141] I mean, even when I repeat that, and I say these things all the time, but just saying that out loud, it reminds me as a priest to begin to continue and to end the mass, always with that in mind, that we are here celebrating the presence, of the Lord, in a real, tangible, concrete way, bread and wine had become him, body and blood, soul, and divinity.

[142] We can't emphasize that enough.

[143] And clearly, we haven't emphasized it enough.

[144] Because like we were talking about earlier, too many people have walked away from it.

[145] Too many people have gotten angry with a priest or angry with a bishop or didn't like what some Pope said, not just now, but through the years.

[146] Yeah.

[147] I mean, people have walked away from the church and walked away from the mass. And we haven't told them well enough.

[148] It's something you can never walk away from.

[149] There's no place to go that replaces or substitutes for what we encounter at every mass. And I would emphasize at every mass. You know, we're all human, and I celebrate Mass all the time.

[150] Sometimes it has more impact on me, a sinful and weak human being than on other times.

[151] But even when you could say in modern terms, when we're not into it, it is still the powerful celebration of really everything that Holy Week is.

[152] And I encourage people to continue to reflect on, if they were able to participate in the Tritome, all of the Tritome is about the Mass. And you might say, well, isn't that Holy Thursday?

[153] Absolutely.

[154] But really, all of the Tritum captures the meaning and the power of the Mass, because that's what the mass is.

[155] It's the power of the sacrifice, the death, and resurrection of Christ really present with us.

[156] So we can't emphasize it enough.

[157] I agree.

[158] And, you know, one of my priest friends gave me great advice when I was a younger man, young man, I'm an old man now, but when I was a young man, he said, every time you go to Mass, think in terms that this could be the last Mass you participate in.

[159] And that advice stuck with me. And I think, like, I mean, it's helped me stay focused because I went to Mass this morning.

[160] I was just thinking of that, you know, saying, this could be my last mass. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow.

[161] We don't know what's going to happen to you, bishops, and anybody.

[162] So having an attitude that says, let's pay attention, this could be my last time to participate in offering Holy Mass. And it makes you more focused.

[163] That's the advice that this priest gave.

[164] I think it was good advice.

[165] That reminds me of a sign that I've seen in a number of sacrosities.

[166] You've probably seen it too.

[167] really addressed directly to the priest.

[168] But it says basically, Father, celebrate this Mass as if it was your first Mass, your only Mass, the last Mass. Beautiful.

[169] And it's saying the same thing.

[170] And you're really correct, Terry, that is not just the priest, but all the priestly people gather that should approach it with that kind of excitement, that kind of awe, that kind of awareness of the, wonder of what we're doing.

[171] And, you know, I'll admit I fall short of that because, you know, you do it many times and daily.

[172] It's, it's, you have to kind of retune yourself to remind yourself that this isn't something that you can do routinely.

[173] Yeah.

[174] Or take it for branded.

[175] It's never routine.

[176] Yeah.

[177] And one last thing before we take a break, another thought that Bishop Sheen gave me when I was listening to His Life is Worth Living series on the Mass that we're present at that one eternal sacrifice that Calvary comes to us and it's not recrucifying Jesus Christ.

[178] No, we're present at that sacrifice of 2 ,000 plus years ago.

[179] And when I learned that, and I would think I started going, oh, I did, when it was 14 years old, I started going to daily mass, so I'm 67, that's what, 53, 54 years ago.

[180] And I still bringing back things that were taught to me when I was a youngster about the Mass that still stick in my head because when I think about going at Mass, I think of the angels that at our chapel, we're filled with angels at the Mass. And when we have a supernatural view of the sacraments, but especially the Holy Eucharist, that we realize the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, I'm going to receive the King of Kings every day.

[181] Sign me up.

[182] And I want to just remind everybody, even though this is the octave of Easter, and I know this is just me, I go to confession a couple times a month, always.

[183] Why?

[184] Because I'm a sinner.

[185] But if you didn't get to confession because somehow you got too busy with your family, it's never too late, okay?

[186] The octave of Easter, go and talk to the priest or set up a time or call on Saturday nights.

[187] Most parishes have confessions and get the confession.

[188] It's good for the soul.

[189] And one of the things I will mention is that with confession, you get a new sense of oneness in the Eucharist because when you go to Sacramento confession, you're in sanctifying grace and you're more open to the supernatural.

[190] Stay with us.

[191] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[192] We'll be right back with more after a quick break.

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

[194] Welcome back.

[195] We could talk all day about.

[196] the Mass. We won't, but I want to just give an endorsement for Tan Books.

[197] There's a little book called The Wonders of the Mass. I used to buy hundreds of these and give them out to people.

[198] Why?

[199] It's so beautiful.

[200] It's what the Saints have said about the Mass. And you can get that at Tan Books.

[201] They're still there.

[202] I don't think you'll pay what I paid 40 years ago, but inflation.

[203] So that's okay.

[204] Bishop Strickland, I wanted to go to a tweet that you just sent out.

[205] And I think I don't know if there's ever a show where we don't speak about the unborn because, let's be honest, it's a tragedy what's going on in our culture and in the world.

[206] I'm going to set the stage.

[207] I just saw an article where they said by 2017, I won't be around.

[208] You know, I'm going to be gone.

[209] But they're saying with the demographics, the way we're not reproducing, there's only one continent that's reproducing itself, and that's Africa, that our population, depopulation is going to be so devastating to everyone because we're not having babies.

[210] And this is an important point because what St. John Paul II did, you know, 30 years ago is he wrote an encyclical called the Gospel of Life.

[211] And it was beautifully written.

[212] You were probably a younger priest when it came out but you said yes this is important this document said yes not only condemning abortion but affirming the profound wondrous beautiful sanctity of life of all human beings being born and unborn may and this is bishop strickland's tweet may we one day fully embrace the tremendous gift that every life is until we do we are doomed to be diminished and with a sad existence Well, the facts are showing what you just said through this demography person saying that the demographics are showing that we're dying because we're not reproducing.

[213] Your thoughts?

[214] Well, it's very, it goes very much to the root of a lot of the issues we face in the world today.

[215] We need to look and ask, what is God's plan for us?

[216] And, you know, if we begin, you know, returning to that question, what is God's will?

[217] What is God's plan?

[218] Then a lot of these problems, like abortion, are going to begin to diminish more and more.

[219] But the more we seem to be on the opposite path in the world and even in the church these days, it's not God's plan, but what's our plan?

[220] What is our will?

[221] What are we doing?

[222] And it's it's as if we can rule the world and solve all the problems on our own.

[223] I think we've pretty well proven that that's not going to happen.

[224] The more we think we're in control and we can fix it all, whether it's technology or ingenuity or our plans, the more we do that, it seems the worst things get, especially when that's accompanied by ignoring God's will.

[225] We really have to continue and energetically, joyfully, but vigorously reminding people, we must seek the will of God.

[226] What do we pray in the Our Father?

[227] Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[228] that's at the very center of the Our Father.

[229] Yes.

[230] And when we forget, that should be our greatest prayer, the will of God, to trust that he loves us beyond our imagining and that his will for us is that we would flourish, even in this life, not necessarily without sufferings, his own son suffered, but ultimately to flourish in the sense of looking to, toward God's plan for us, the everlasting life that He offers us.

[231] And I mention all of that because I really believe that the population crisis that is coming according to this study, it makes sense when we say we're going to control everything and frankly set aside the morality that helps to guide us in the proper way to reproduce and the proper plan of God.

[232] When we let go of all that, it just gets more and more confused, more and more fragmented, more and more on a path away from God and a path to our destruction individually and corporately as the community of humanity.

[233] Well said, and if people want to get that article, it's on LifeSite News, they can check that out on the demographics and how we're going so bad on that.

[234] I wanted to, you know, I wanted to talk about famous people, sports figures.

[235] It seems like every week I look for one, and I get it.

[236] Some famous athlete just says, you know what, I'm a believer in Jesus Christ.

[237] I'm a follower of Jesus Christ.

[238] I invite you to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

[239] I always love that.

[240] And I'll tell you why, because we live in a world that says, no, no, no, you've got to be private with that kind of stuff.

[241] No. And there's a gentleman by the name of Daryl Strawberry.

[242] He was a 1986 rookie of the year baseball player.

[243] And now he's in his early 60s, and he's had a heart attack.

[244] And I always say, well, Bishop Sheen says, pain is God's megaphone.

[245] It gets your attention.

[246] And so, Strawberry is on the road to recovery, he says, because of the power of prayer.

[247] So here he is, he says, God will speak loudly when we are listening, and we want to thank you for your continued prayers.

[248] He said, we are truly blessed because of all of your prayers.

[249] And then he says, I want to encourage everyone who's reading this to get back to church.

[250] He says, I want to share the message of Jesus Christ with you.

[251] And the husband and wife team are traveling and talking about how God delivered them from a life of drug addiction and gave them a second chance of life.

[252] I love this because they could stay quiet about what they had done earlier in life, but they're saying, this is my testimony, what the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did in my life.

[253] And I have a whole chapter on this in my book, how to share your faith with anyone.

[254] I wish more Catholics could articulate what Jesus Christ has done in their life.

[255] I just want to ask you, Bishop Strickland, when you hear these sports figures talk about how Jesus came into their life and that he changed everything for them and that he invites others to come in, I don't care if it's even a Protestant.

[256] I think that it's awesome that they are willing to take that initiative to invite people to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

[257] Your thoughts?

[258] Yeah, absolutely.

[259] And especially in the present atmosphere of Hollywood or entertainment in general, take that kind of stance.

[260] It probably cost them some roles or some, you know, some opportunities in whatever career.

[261] So it is bold of them to speak up.

[262] And we need them to.

[263] And we need young people to hear that kind of witness.

[264] And thankfully, it reminds us, yeah, there are people that are totally godless and blaspheming the name of God.

[265] Yes.

[266] But there are many godly people as well in every walk of life.

[267] And we need to, it's good to be reminded of that to encourage all of us, to follow God's will and to know that ultimately he is our Lord.

[268] and creator.

[269] And when we look to his will, we will find fulfillment in ways this world will never offer us.

[270] I mean, there's, I remember Daryl Strawberry.

[271] Oh, boy.

[272] And I mean, I was a new, brand new priest when he was most valuable.

[273] Yeah.

[274] Rookie of the year.

[275] In 1986, I was a rookie too.

[276] A rookie of the year, just a rookie priest.

[277] But Daryl Strawberry and his wife, obviously, they wandered into darkness, as so many of us do.

[278] They fell into sin.

[279] They got into drugs.

[280] But by the grace of God, and I'm sure that that's their basic testimony, that by God's by God's grace, by prayer, by the prayerful support of others, they pulled away from that darkness.

[281] And now they're proclaiming that truth.

[282] That's basically what Jesus told us to do.

[283] Yes.

[284] One disciples embraced him.

[285] He didn't say, okay, then just go to your house and enjoy this.

[286] He said, go out and teach.

[287] Go ahead and proclaim this message to the world.

[288] So I'm glad they're doing that.

[289] So am I. And you know, when you talk about doing the will of God, I want to share something that was a gem when I was a younger man, a good Jesuit priest was giving me spiritual direction as a teenager in high school and he had me read a book called Abandonment to Divine Providence.

[290] It was by Pierre de Kassad a Jesuit, yes in the 16th century.

[291] I'm like what?

[292] So I read this little book and it touched my soul because I always thought about our lady of Fatima saying, you know, do your daily duty, that's doing the will of God.

[293] And what Pierre de Kassad pointed it out, these were letters to sisters about doing their duty.

[294] He says, God's will is manifested moment by moment as long as we're staying faithful to our duties in our state and life.

[295] So for me, I'm a dad.

[296] I'm a grandpa now.

[297] Well, I'm going, after this show, I'm taking my grandson to the park.

[298] And I'm going to chat with people about Jesus at the park while I'm playing with Bo.

[299] And yesterday, I met some people who we invited them to, with, to, with, to, you know, Christ and I'm probably going to, if God wills it, I'm there and he gives me an opportunity to share the gospel with people, that's God's will.

[300] So I want to ask people to really realize that how do we do this is our duties in our state and life really dictate how God is working in our life.

[301] You as a retired bishop, now you're doing your duty by right now.

[302] You're preaching the gospel on radio and on the internet and sharing what you know is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, you know you're doing God's will because it's fulfilling your duty in your life.

[303] Bishop Strickland, are you familiar with that book at all?

[304] Yes.

[305] I remember reading it in the seminary.

[306] Oh my gosh.

[307] Because that is a short book.

[308] It's only 125 pages long put out by image if people want to get it.

[309] But it was so consoling.

[310] And I just love the lines in there about doing God's will.

[311] So keep that in mind.

[312] When we come back, we'll share more with the gospel of Jesus Christ on this Easter Tuesday.

[313] What?

[314] Easter Tuesday?

[315] Yep.

[316] All week long, folks.

[317] It's great to be a Catholic.

[318] Stay with us.

[319] We'll be back with more on the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Power.

[320] Stay with us.

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

[322] Yes, welcome back for this last segment of the show on Easter Tuesday.

[323] Bishop Strickland, I wanted to talk a little bit about a Gallup poll.

[324] We know about the Gallup poll, about the Holy Eucharist from years ago, how few people in the Catholic Church actually believe and understand the real presence of Christ and the Eucharist.

[325] But this is a recent Gallup poll about church attendance, and it's not just for Catholics, it's for all different denominations and religions.

[326] and three in the ten Americans say they attend religious services every week.

[327] So that's like 21%.

[328] I'm just asking myself here this question.

[329] He says nine percent, excuse about once a month people attend, so whenever they feel like going, that's 56%.

[330] Among major U .S. religion groups, the Church of Latter -day Saints, the Mormons, their attendance is two -thirds of Mormons attend church weekly or nearly weekly.

[331] And then our Protestant brothers and sisters, including non -denominational Christians, rank second with 44 % attending services regularly, followed by Muslims, 38%.

[332] And then Catholics, 33%.

[333] And here's the irony.

[334] We have the fullness of the faith we believe as Catholic.

[335] Revelation.

[336] And Christ started one church, 33 AD, the Catholic Church.

[337] And we have one of the fewest amount of people going to church on a regular basis.

[338] Now, I'm going to share a story later today of inviting people back to church, and sometimes that's all it takes.

[339] But I just want to ask you, Bishop Strickland, we kind of talked about fundamentals, but with so few Catholics that are baptized going to church, is it a combination of problems with the secular culture and then maybe lack of catechesis in the church or maybe weak leadership in the church?

[340] Which is it, or is it all the above?

[341] I think it's all of the above and more.

[342] Really, if you believe in the church as we do.

[343] When the church is not clear and strong, it's sadly normal.

[344] It's sadly expected that faith, the whole supernatural faith, is going to be weakened in the world.

[345] Those other groups that you say are have more attending the Catholics, indicate that, you know, it's the faith, people can still embrace the faith.

[346] But if we believe what we believe, and I know you and I do.

[347] Amen.

[348] That's right.

[349] Then we have an obligation.

[350] Yep.

[351] A duty and a joy to share the truth and to continue to share the truth.

[352] I think that's, that's one of the most troubling elements of the modern church that you hear, especially in recent years.

[353] It's like, oh, don't evangelize.

[354] Don't go and ask people to join Jesus.

[355] Just, you know, yeah, he's a great option, but don't call people away from where they are to join Jesus Christ.

[356] That is simply not Christian.

[357] Amen.

[358] Not what Jesus Christ said.

[359] And to be Christian is to do our best to follow Jesus Christ, to listen to him.

[360] There's no new method that he's given us.

[361] He and the end of Matthew's gospel called the Great Commissioning, I mean, he spells it out.

[362] You know, go and baptize in the name of the Father's Son and Holy Spirit, baptize all nations, and share the truth with them.

[363] I mean, And that's how he commissioned the apostles.

[364] And we're called to do the same thing.

[365] It reminds me of what I say very often.

[366] We need to be first century Christians in the 21st century.

[367] And that is more and more true all the time because the world needs to be evangelized.

[368] And anyone saying that that's not our role is misrepresenting what Jesus Christ said.

[369] And I'm going to always devise.

[370] fault to what did Christ say?

[371] What did he do?

[372] I mean, he was willing to dine a cross for all of us.

[373] Yes.

[374] In the crowd that we commemorated during Holy Week for Palm Sunday and then Good Friday, the crowd saying, we want Barabbas.

[375] Yep.

[376] And Christ still gave his life.

[377] You know, And that really struck me this year in the passion gospel that the crowd and how that must have really just been a stab to the heart of Jesus Christ, God's divine son, knowing what he was doing was for all of them.

[378] Yeah.

[379] For all humanity, for all time.

[380] And too many times in the world today, the message of the world is we want Barabbas.

[381] We don't want Jesus Christ.

[382] And that is devastating for humanity.

[383] God's mercy is always there, thankfully, but we can't presume on that mercy.

[384] We've got to be motivated by that mercy to reform our lives and to follow Christ more fully.

[385] Well, said, I think of Pope Benedict the 16th.

[386] I quoted him in my book, How to Share Your Faith with anyone.

[387] He says, There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the gospel.

[388] by the encounter with Christ there is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to speak to others of our friendship with him you know that statement right there touches me because wherever I go I always ask my guardian angel okay and I always say the unemployment rate for guardian angels is way too high put them to work ask your angel to help you set be in places where you can stand for the gospel and I'll just share one quick story that happened over the weekend I have chickens so I needed to get some feed for my chickens and when I went to the feed store there's a young man looks like a football player a big young man and the bags I think are 40 pounds and I get three bags 120 pounds and he says to me oh sir I'll help you carry those out to your car and I said well thank you this old man is not as what it used to be so you carrying those bags I appreciate that I thought he was going to put it on a cart and wheel it out he puts 120 pounds of feet on his shoulder, okay?

[389] And he's carrying it out to my car.

[390] And I go, oh my gosh, young man, to be young again.

[391] You know, I'm just joking and trying to get engaged with him.

[392] And so I said, wow, you're a very strong young man. How old are you?

[393] And I said to him, I mean, I'm going to guess you got to be 20 years old.

[394] He says, I'm 19.

[395] I said, well, I miss that one.

[396] And but you are, I appreciate you helping me with the food.

[397] And, and to get into a conversation, I said, how old do you think I am?

[398] Because I wanted to get in a conversation with this young man. And he says, oh, I could tell you.

[399] I know exactly how old you are.

[400] Well, young people have no clue when you're 19 how old other people are.

[401] They're really way off.

[402] And he says, I can tell you, you're 47 years old.

[403] By Mr. Strickland, I started chuckling.

[404] I'm laughing.

[405] 47, I said, are you serious?

[406] And I said, let me show you my ID.

[407] Oh, yeah, you show me your ID, there's no way, because I told him I'm 67.

[408] He says, you're not 67.

[409] So I pull out my license and I should read the date.

[410] And it's that, you know, he says, okay, he says, you look blankety -blank good for 67 years old.

[411] And when he used, you know, blasphemous, he used foul language, I said to him, you know what my secret is, young man?

[412] He says, no, what is it?

[413] He thought, you know, am I taking these vitamins or something?

[414] I said, I put God first in my life.

[415] I said, I put God first in my And I point up in the air, it's put God in your first in your life, get to know him, Jesus Christ, and you're always going to be young.

[416] And I said, God bless you.

[417] And the response I got, because I didn't know what kind of response I was going to get from this young man, he looks at me, he says, God bless you too.

[418] I was shocked.

[419] So what I'm trying to convey to the man is he got the message that what he said, you know, wasn't appropriate to me. I brought in our Lord's name into the conversation and I hope he went to you know to church I have no idea if he was Catholic or Protestant but this is what we need to be doing my humble opinion is standing up for Jesus in the workplace anywhere we can and it doesn't mean you have to be knowledgeable you don't need a PhD to share your faith share your love with Jesus Christ to whoever you meet and God will do the rest Your thoughts, Bishop Strickland.

[420] Well, I totally agree.

[421] And it's just a reminder of you never know.

[422] No. You never know what effect that encounter with this young man might have had.

[423] And we, you know, again, we don't attack anyone.

[424] We don't get belligerent about it.

[425] But we need to share the joy.

[426] I mean, you know, he asks you what's the secret of, looking 47 when you're 67 and it's it's knowing God and knowing your purpose and life that's right if you know God you'll know your purpose in life so I think it's great um to share that encounter and it's just again another thing that it reminds us tell me it's simple yes it's not complicated I mean like this young man as how are you able to stay healthy and look young It's not some complicated formula.

[427] It's not some expensive treatment.

[428] It's just the simplicity of following the God who made you and trusting in him.

[429] So hopefully that young man will continue to seek God in his life.

[430] We pray for him.

[431] And I've been praying for him ever since I met him.

[432] And I want to encourage everyone to pray for your relatives and friends on a regular basis for their coming back to church.

[433] I know you do that.

[434] Moms do that all the time with the kids, but especially all of us brothers and sisters that might not be living the faith, pray for them.

[435] Because Our Lady of Fatima said, souls are going to hell because no one's there to pray and make sacrifices.

[436] So please consider offering your sacrifices with the sacrifices of Christ to help redeem the world.

[437] We just have a couple minutes.

[438] I want to give a plug for your YouTube channel.

[439] Because I saw you do a YouTube channel, a story just to tell us about it because I'm going to, I want to hear what you have to say about your YouTube channel.

[440] Now, Terry, started a couple of months ago and just periodically to highlight.

[441] One of the highlights recently was March 25th, even though it was transferred to actually next Monday, the April 8th.

[442] But the enunciation is something very important.

[443] And so that's what I try to do in six or seven minutes but talk about things that we need to remember.

[444] We need to bring into the culture of our lives on a daily basis.

[445] So that's what I try to do.

[446] Great.

[447] How about a quick blessing?

[448] And we've got another show tomorrow to do.

[449] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us as we continue this Easter octave.

[450] May it truly be a time of knowing the Lord who has risen will be and being guided by his life.

[451] May all the saints and the Queen of Saints, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, proceed by us.

[452] In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit, amen.

[453] Thank you so much, Bishop Strickland.

[454] And again, we'll have the same time tomorrow here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

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