21 Feb 24 – If I Were the Devil

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] It's Wednesday, February 21st.

[2] Wow, Bishop Strickland, we're in Lent, and, you know, I always say this, and maybe I'm just weird, but I was taught this when I was a youngster to think that this could be my last Lent on planet Earth.

[3] Because I never know when I'm going to be called home.

[4] I'm in my 60s now, and I've survived this, you know, what, so many lengths.

[5] but I realize that it could be my last one, so why don't I make the most of it?

[6] Does that make sense to you?

[7] Yeah, I actually had the same thought.

[8] You know, we don't know how many more Ash Wednesdays we will have to live.

[9] But we need to do our best with this one and seize the day.

[10] Well said.

[11] Well, the gospel for today is Luke chapter 11, verse 29 to 32.

[12] If you could read it and give us a little commentary, that'd be great.

[13] Sure.

[14] The gospel, according to Luke chapter 11, while still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, This generation is an evil generation.

[15] It seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.

[16] Just as Jonah became a sign to the nintendo, Ninevites, so will the son of man be to his generation.

[17] At the judgment, the Queen of the South will rise with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.

[18] At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation, and condemn it.

[19] Because at the preaching of Jonah, they repented.

[20] And there is something greater than Jonah here, the gospel of the Lord.

[21] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[22] Well, Terry, I think this reading is especially significant during this Lenton season.

[23] And in all that we continue to talk about.

[24] It speaks of this generation.

[25] Of course, Christ is speaking almost 2 ,000 years ago when he was in the midst of his public ministry, and it speaks of an evil generation.

[26] We see the same, and really, that is applied through the ages.

[27] There is too much evil in every generation when we ignore what God has given us and instead take our own path.

[28] That's where the evil of original sin that concupiscence that continues to plague the world, that's what we all have to deal with.

[29] As he says a couple of times, there's something greater than Jonah.

[30] Of course, that's a reminder to us.

[31] Here we are in the 21st century.

[32] We know that.

[33] the one greater than Jonah, just as the people were coming to know him as the one, Jesus Christ, the one greater than Jonah, is speaking to them.

[34] We know him.

[35] He's revealed himself to us.

[36] He's present in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.

[37] He's present in the Word of God, old and New Testament.

[38] So, I know we've mentioned this many times, but it appropriately comes up when we reflect on the word of God and the teachings of our faith.

[39] Of those who have received much, much will be expected.

[40] In this generation, here we are in the 21st century of the Christian era, the time of Christ.

[41] He has risen, Lord.

[42] He is still with us.

[43] So there's a lot expected of us.

[44] We can say, I think accurately, even more than those that Christ is speaking to.

[45] I think we tend to say, I know, I've thought, wouldn't it be great to have lived in the time of Christ?

[46] And certainly, the blessing of as we know him, to encounter God's divine son walking the earth, with a tremendous blessing.

[47] But also we have to acknowledge that in that first century, many people didn't recognize him.

[48] Many people didn't see who was there in front of him, of them.

[49] We know through 2 ,000 years of the church proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ, we know the rest of the story in a sense, just like Paul Harvey from years ago.

[50] We know the fullness of the message.

[51] Jesus Christ not only taught and healed and work miracles in their midst, but he ultimately died, which is part of what we reflect on during the Lenton journey.

[52] And we know that he rose from the death and established a church to proclaim his truth.

[53] So we've received more.

[54] I think we just have to flat out acknowledge it, Terry.

[55] We've received more than even those people who walked with him, who heard him speak, who watched his miracles.

[56] Many of them were converted.

[57] They embraced his way, the apostles, and many others.

[58] The church began to form after he had died and risen and the Holy Spirit was sent.

[59] The church began to form in those early Christians.

[60] That's why, as I often say, we need to be first century Christians in the 21st century because they were strong.

[61] They knew Christ.

[62] He was a brand new, wondrous Savior for them.

[63] There's nothing that is, in that sense, old about the message of Jesus Christ.

[64] It's still the good news.

[65] And this gospel hopefully inspires us during Lent to say, yes, this may be an evil generation.

[66] There's a lot of evil in this generation in the year 2024.

[67] but the same Lord and Savior is with us.

[68] We know him, not just him speaking to us as a man speaking and sharing the truth of God, his father, but we know who he is.

[69] We know that he died.

[70] We know that he rose.

[71] We know that countless miracles and countless saints have embraced him through the centuries after he spoke these words.

[72] So I find this very inspiring and very challenging to remember the one greater than Jonah is at every mass. Word is being proclaimed in the world in every Christian church that's worth its soul.

[73] The truth of the sacraments, he's healing, he's calling to new life in baptism, he's forgiving sins.

[74] we need to know that the one greater than Jonah is with us, and we need to embrace this Lenton journey as a time to know him more deeply, to celebrate him more fully, and to allow no one and no power to dilute his truth, to confuse his message, to darken the light that he brings.

[75] We are an evil generation.

[76] I think we have to acknowledge that.

[77] But just as the evil generation that he first came to in the first century, he brings a light that conquers that darkness.

[78] If only we will embrace it.

[79] He conquers sin and death by the power of his own blood that he shed for us.

[80] So hopefully you can tell that this is truly inspiring to me. It's a great Lenton gospel to remind us.

[81] and it speaks of Solomon, it speaks of the Queen of the South, rising up and recognizing you are not paying attention to who is in your midst, and we need to be the ones who say, yes, we are in this evil generation, but we are seeking to turn from sin and to live and proclaim the light of Christ that is bright and joyful and powerful in our world.

[82] Let us proclaim the light of Christ and once and for all transform the evil generation that we find ourselves living in.

[83] And let us proclaim Christ like so many of the beautiful saints through the centuries have.

[84] Wow.

[85] Bishop Strickland, amen again to you on that.

[86] And you know, the message that Christ gives is really quite simple.

[87] Repent and believe in the gospel.

[88] And I thought that's an appropriate statement because some of the people are going to be getting Ash's last Wednesday that was said repent and believe in the gospel and that's it's you know we complicate things I think a little too much when we come one thing I want to point out before we leave the gospel also yeah please do Christ mentions a couple of times at the judgment he makes it very clear yeah there will be a judgment he says that At the judgment the Queen of the South will arise and accuse this generation, at the judgment the people of Nineveh, who converted, who are that model of responding properly to the truth that God has revealed to us, we need to quit pretending, oh, there's no judgment, there's no hell, God loves everybody and everyone's welcome, all are welcome to be changed and transformed in the life.

[89] of Christ.

[90] And not to just say, oh, well, God loves me as I am and I don't have to change.

[91] I can remain part of the evil generation.

[92] And God's mercy will just embrace me right into heaven.

[93] That's not what Christ says.

[94] And we have to listen to Christ.

[95] Amen.

[96] Wow.

[97] I want to read this, you got me inspired because the gospel for today was Matthew chapter 25, the judgment of the nations.

[98] And if you don't mind, I'd like to read that because it ties right in directly to what you're saying.

[99] And we'll cover that when we come back with the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[100] A world biblical view.

[101] What a novel idea today in 2024.

[102] Stay with us, family.

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

[104] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[105] Welcome back indeed.

[106] Bishop Strickland, I love scripture.

[107] And you've been giving us a good commentary.

[108] And while you were talking just in the last few minutes, something came to my mind.

[109] It was Matthew chapter 25, the judgment of the nations.

[110] I thought it was so appropriate.

[111] If I could just read a quick verse here and then get your take on it, when the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

[112] Before him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats and he will place the sheep at his right hand but the goats at the left then the king will say to those at his right hand come o blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for i was hungry and you gave me food i was thirsty and you gave me drink.

[113] I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him.

[114] Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you?

[115] Are thirsty and give you drink.

[116] And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you?

[117] Are naked and clothed you.

[118] And when they and when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?

[119] I love this.

[120] And the king will answer them truly, I say to you, as you did it to the one of the least of these brethren, you did it to me. Then, and this is the powerful part of it, I thought.

[121] Then he will say to those at his left hand, depart from me, you curse it, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels for I was hungry and you gave me no food I was thirsty you gave me no drink I was a stranger and you gave me the welcome me naked and you did not clothe me sick and imprisoned and you did not visit me then they will then they also will answer Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in person prison and did not minister to you then he will answer them truly i say to you as you did not as you did it not to one of the least of these you did it not to me and they will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life the gospel of the lord praise to you lord jesus christ Bishop Strickland, that fired me up because how much clearer can you get that those who die at friendship with God get to go to heaven and those who are at odds with God, there's eternal punishment, which we call hell.

[122] Your thoughts?

[123] Well, I think I'm glad you shared that gospel, Terry, because there's a real tendency in the church today to, create a dichotomy between living the commandments, living the truth, and offering the basically what Christ talks about, or what we call in the Catholic faith, the corporal works of mercy.

[124] There is no dichotomy.

[125] And I think that what gets emphasized is, oh, well, let's be all about the corporal works of mercy.

[126] But then it's undermined by not calling people to repentance, not calling people to embrace the truth and to be changed by that truth, what the fullness of the message is, when we begin to be changed, turning from sin and living the gospel more fully, when we're embracing what God has revealed to us, the truth of the commandments, the way of life that he's offered us, then we have the calling and the calling and the the strength and the clarity to go out and to live those corporal works of mercy, to help those in need, to help the threatened, the imprisoned, the imprison, all those that are listed of basically all of those who have needs in our community and in our families, both have to go together.

[127] And what we're seeing too often in the church is an influence.

[128] Oh, live the corporal works of mercy, but change or ignore the message of the truth of the commandments.

[129] And that undermines our ability to really bring help to those in need.

[130] The greatest help is the truth that Christ died to share with us.

[131] If we're not sharing that, then certainly it's a good thing to feed the hungry.

[132] But if you leave their souls empty, you have only given them a version of the gospel, a partial message of the gospel, not the conversion that the gospel calls for.

[133] The reality is that we're to feed the body, but also to feed the soul, and both have to go together.

[134] Well, said, I don't have time to play this clip.

[135] I didn't warn you ahead of time, but you mentioned Paul Harvey.

[136] And he was a Protestant radio person back, you know, for the last 50 years he's been on the radio.

[137] And I'm going to tease everybody.

[138] There's a clip that he said in 1965, if I were the devil.

[139] And many of our listeners might have heard it, but I just think it's so appropriate for us in 2024.

[140] I haven't played this in years.

[141] But it came to my mind when you were talking about Paul Harvey.

[142] And I guarantee you, Bishop Strickland, when you hear it, you'll say, oh, yes, I heard that, you know, you know, when I was younger, and I just want to talk about that because I think it's so prophetic what he said in 1965 what was going to take place, and everything he said in that clip took place.

[143] So we'll get to that and much, much more.

[144] I want to also mention Bishop Strickland has his own YouTube channel.

[145] Bishop Strickland, can you tell us a little bit about your YouTube channel, please.

[146] Well, if people are looking for it, it's simply Bishop Joseph Strickland on YouTube.

[147] What I try to do is six or seven minutes, keep it no longer than seven minutes, and just talk about various topics.

[148] I've encouraged or tried to put out messages encouraging priest to be Marion and Eucharistic.

[149] So various topics that talking about, there's one that for last week on Ash Wednesday, a video that was posted.

[150] So I just hopefully the shorter format allows people to just have a few minutes to consider some of the treasure of our Catholic faith, of our life in Christ to talk about the saints, to talk about whatever peace we're celebrating, and to talk about how we live the faith in the midst of the confusion that we see too often and the issues that we all face in the world today.

[151] Very good, Mr. Strickland.

[152] Before we take the break, I just want to make one other comment about that scripture verse from Matthew chapter 25, and it's at the end.

[153] He said, truly I say to you as you did not to the least of these you did it not to me and this last sentence it's just I mean how else can we explain some of the deniers of hell the Bible makes it very clear bishops and they will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life and I bring this up because it seems to me that it's it's really dishonest to tell people that nobody goes to hell because that's not what the Bible says and I read that with I'm not glowing over it I'm just saying I'm like wow the Bible makes it clear that you live away from God you send yourself to hell God isn't sending you there it's your decision you rejected God this is what you get and I just think that it's important that we bring this up in this age because people dressed like you and others, you know, are trying to convey to us that there's no need to repent because universal salvation is there.

[154] Everybody gets to go to heaven, but that's not what the Bible says.

[155] So your thoughts on that?

[156] Well, Terry, I think we can't repeat enough.

[157] Go to the Word of God.

[158] Yeah.

[159] Go to the ancient teachings of the church.

[160] don't just settle for some idea that came up in the past 150 years or so.

[161] We've got to go back to scripture and face the challenges it brings.

[162] Like the gospel we already looked at, we have a greater than Jonah here.

[163] He's still with us.

[164] He's present in the world as he promised.

[165] We've got to look to Christ in sacred scripture.

[166] he is word incarnate.

[167] So looking to the scriptures is looking to Christ and another facet of his presence with us.

[168] Wow.

[169] Well, put your seatbelts on everybody because spiritually talking, speaking, when we come back, I'm going to have Paul Harvey, and he's the one who says, and good day, remember that everybody?

[170] Well, he's going to give us a, I think it's a five -minute clip on if I were the devil.

[171] And believe it or not, this is almost, what, 60 years, ago now and how appropriate is for us today I also want to remind everybody that the spiritual warfare conference that we have Father Bishop Strickland coming we have father Chad Ripperger and and many of us are going to be there on the conference you can go to vmpr .org for updates but if you want to still watch everything live you can go to a live stream and not the recordings You want instant access to the high -level education that we're going to give you that day.

[172] So just, you know, you want to be update on what's going on?

[173] Go to vmpr .org.

[174] And that way you can be anywhere in the world, and you can be listening to the talks that are being given on that March 13th weekend at Pomona, California.

[175] We can't fit everybody in the church.

[176] So what's the alternative?

[177] Streaming.

[178] You can still watch it there.

[179] Also, I want to just give a plug again.

[180] This segment is brought to you by Charity Mobile.

[181] If you don't know about Charity Mobile, they're a phone company that's pro -life.

[182] Call 877 -474 -376 -262 and mention Virgin Most Powerful Radio because they support the show when somebody signs up for their mobile phone service.

[183] and this is a great way to really be pro -life also with your pocketbook.

[184] Every month you send a check.

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[195] It's not coming out of your pocket.

[196] They give a little bit back to vmpr .org.

[197] So when we come back, I hear the music.

[198] We'll come back with Paul Harvey.

[199] and I guarantee when you hear this, you're going to go, wow, that was 1965.

[200] This is 2024.

[201] Am I doing the math right?

[202] Is it 50, is it 59 years?

[203] Something like that.

[204] A long time ago.

[205] Stay with us.

[206] We'll be back with more on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

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

[208] Absolutely.

[209] Bishop Strickland, we're going to play a clip from an old radio man who spent 50 years doing radio.

[210] He's not Catholic, he's Protestant, but I can tell by his broadcast that he does believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

[211] So let's play the clip called If I Were the Devil.

[212] If I were the devil.

[213] If I were the devil, if I were the prince of darkness, I'd want to engulf the whole world in darkness, and I'd have a third of its real estate and four -fifths of its population, but I wouldn't be happy until I have seized the ripest apple on the tree.

[214] V. So I'd set about however necessary to take over the United States.

[215] I'd subvert the churches first.

[216] I'd begin with a campaign of whispers.

[217] With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve.

[218] Do as you please.

[219] To the young, I would whisper that the Bible is a myth.

[220] I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around.

[221] I would confide that what's bad is good and what's good is square.

[222] And the old I would teach to pray after me, father, which art in Washington.

[223] And then I'd get organized.

[224] I'd educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting.

[225] I'd threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa.

[226] I'd peddle narcotics to whom I could.

[227] I'd sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction.

[228] I'd tranquilize the rest with pills.

[229] If I were the devil, I'd soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves.

[230] until each in its turn was consumed.

[231] And with promises of higher ratings, I'd have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.

[232] If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions.

[233] Just let those run wild.

[234] Until before you knew it, you'd have to have drug -snipping dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

[235] Within a decade, I'd have prisons overflowing, I'd have judges promoting pornography.

[236] Soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress.

[237] And in his own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science.

[238] I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.

[239] If I were the devil, I'd make the symbol of Easter and egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.

[240] If I were the devil, I'd take from those who have and give to those who wanted.

[241] until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

[242] And what'll you bet?

[243] I couldn't get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich.

[244] I would caution against extremes in hard work, in patriotism, in moral conduct.

[245] I would convince the young that marriage is old -fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on TV is the way to be.

[246] and thus I could undress you in public and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure.

[247] In other words, if I were the devil, I'd just keep right on doing what he's doing.

[248] Paul Harvey.

[249] Good day.

[250] Bishop Strickland, every time I hear that, I marvel at this man's insight because everything he said has happened.

[251] Yeah.

[252] Yeah, it reminds me a lot of Archbishop Sheen.

[253] Yeah.

[254] They basically had the pulse on, sadly, the path that we were on.

[255] I mean, talk about prophetic, I mean, everything from the, you know, metal detectors in schools, all of it.

[256] I mean, diseases that are with no cure.

[257] Just, it really needs to be listened to all these years later.

[258] And we've got a lot of work to do to fight back this fork tongue of Satan.

[259] Because what is it?

[260] It's the easy way.

[261] Amen.

[262] It's so much more comfortable.

[263] It's the path of least resistance.

[264] And sadly, we're way down.

[265] that path.

[266] We're always in Christ is our hope, but we've got to turn to him.

[267] We've got to humbly bow to the truth that he died for.

[268] I mean, and as you said, Paul Harvey wasn't Catholic, but he addresses a lot of the issues that the Catholic faith needs to address because the church is the bride of Christ.

[269] Amen.

[270] She is to proclaim the truth for the ages and for the church to be compromised and I mean so much he said has to be laid at the feet of the Catholic Church because she should be because Christ established her she should be the one holy Catholic apostolic church that she is yes but too weakened and too often the oneness is compromised into a splintering of the community.

[271] The apostolic aspect is watered down to the point that we forget what apostolic means.

[272] Catholic, it's, you know, too often divided up into different regions of what the church is in this country or that country instead of being one united one community and the oneness of you know the tremendous division so the holiness is with us all of those marks of the church one holy catholic and apostolic they haven't gone away they will never go away but we've got to purify ourselves and you know i'll say it needs to start with me first.

[273] Amen.

[274] Me too.

[275] Each of us individually.

[276] I've used the word before subsidiarity.

[277] Yeah, it's a great word.

[278] It doesn't sound very Catholic or Christian, but it's a core principle that it comes down to.

[279] You and me, Terry, we can't be men who claim to be of Christ and point at others and say, oh, isn't this terrible?

[280] We have to look at ourselves and say, where have I failed?

[281] Where do I need to be more faithful?

[282] Where do I need to be holier?

[283] Where do I need to be more apostolic and more Catholic?

[284] And there are plenty of ways that I need to improve and to seek holiness.

[285] But all of that goes back to what we've talked about, Terry.

[286] A spirit of repentance.

[287] We need a spirit of repentance and reparation in a powerful way.

[288] And I'll be the first to get in line and say, I need to seek reparation and atonement for my sins and for the sins of the world that I've too easily overlooked.

[289] We've all got to start with ourselves and then with our families and our communities.

[290] But we've got to take this seriously.

[291] Everything we're hearing, this letter to the American church, this from Paul Harvey from years ago, so much what Archbishop Sheen has told us from about the same time frame.

[292] We've got to listen.

[293] We've got to embrace the truth.

[294] It's never hopeless, but our hope is Christ and not some new world order that is being pushed down our throats.

[295] Thank you.

[296] If you don't mind being so bold, my formation letter that I get from the Opus Angelorum has something I think tied into reparation and expiation.

[297] It says this, he who desires to make expiation takes on the work of eternal value.

[298] That's what you're saying.

[299] Eternal value of our suffering, uniting it with Christ.

[300] He who desires to make expiation properly must also begin properly.

[301] Whoever wishes to build a house does not begin with the window or the frames or the roof, but rather with the foundation.

[302] So we must first create in ourselves a solid foundation upon which you can build.

[303] This solid foundation is called.

[304] Are you ready for Lent?

[305] The capacity to overcome oneself.

[306] That's what you were talking about.

[307] Number two, the capacity to forget oneself for the sake of others.

[308] Number three, to love God above all in one's neighbor as oneself.

[309] If we practice, therefore, by imposing upon ourselves every day a sacrifice of expiation for those dying in mortal sin, yeah for endangering or straying priests for those who have fallen away always consider the pain the sorrow of others as much more important than our own listen to him not to yourself this is great spiritual advice the lord is calling you from the other the world is falling apart bishop strickland you said that we all know this the sacrifice of reparation expiation is therefore our most urgent duty if we wish to listen attentively to the times and live in them properly.

[310] God calls us into the ranks of the angels, not so that we lose ground beneath our feet, but begin to hover about, but rather so that we might borrow the eyes of the angels and see more sharply and recognize that there is a need and more clearly live the will of God and the love of God.

[311] You mentioned it earlier yesterday's show about the will of God, because of the Our Father.

[312] See, this practical everyday life a sacrifice of reparation and expiation, we can make use of forbearance with ill -templed coralsome nervousness, distrusting people, helpful readiness with the age.

[313] See, silence when you are run over by anger and spite mockery and arrogance, intercession if the tram, a bus, or office of the street, you must see and hear what is not right before God?

[314] How rich is our day, Bishop Strickland, that becomes with these many little bright shining pearls which the angel can add to the harvest?

[315] Why do I bring this up?

[316] Because you brought it up with the Our Father, Thy will be done.

[317] So every action is like a blank check.

[318] If Christ's name is on it, it has infinite value.

[319] When we come back from the break, Bishop Strickland, I want to open up the catechism Chapter 10, and I love the question, because we talked about it today.

[320] The question is, What will happen at the end of the world?

[321] I think it's a great question to ask.

[322] Because, you know what?

[323] There's an expiration date on this, are not just not our own lives, but on the world.

[324] And what does the Catholic Church teach about that?

[325] But we'll find out more about that and much more on the Bishop Stricklandauer.

[326] We're taking the catechism from the St. Phillips Institute, the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, the way of Christ, catechism.

[327] you can get it right online from the diocese.

[328] I hope that they're still going to be made available as far as I know it's still there, but we're in chapter 10, and this is a question and answer kind of like the Baltimore Catechus.

[329] But what I like about it is the answers are clear and there's no ambiguity.

[330] I'm tired of ambiguity in the church today.

[331] That's why I love getting this catechism out.

[332] Stay with us, family.

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

[334] We'll be right back.

[335] And now back to the Bishop Strickland hour.

[336] Welcome back.

[337] Bishop Strickland, I love the catechism because it's so clear with answers.

[338] And I think, you know, the world is in definite need of clear questions and answers on the faith.

[339] And, you know, we've been using scripture today, the traditions of the church.

[340] It's all about falling in love with Jesus Christ and the perennial teachings of the church are how we do that.

[341] Now, the question comes up with our catechism paragraph, I should say, now, chapter 10 on the four last things.

[342] I love, what an appropriate time to talk about the four last things during Lent.

[343] What will happen at the end of the world?

[344] The answer says, the world as we know it will end at Jesus' second coming.

[345] This is the church teaching.

[346] Jesus promised he will come again at the end of time.

[347] when he does three things will happen one the general judgment the resurrection of the body and the new creation first Jesus will gather all the souls those in heaven and hell and in purgatory and judge all which is called the general judgment not the particular judgment a general judgment will explain what the difference is as we say in the creed he will come again to judge the living and the dead this is not a second analysis of our lives but a public declaration of each person's judgment this is matthew chapter 25 right in the bible and then it says second jesus will raise all our bodies and unite them with our souls as we say in the creed i believe in the resurrection of the dead.

[348] Our resurrected bodies will be different, however, from the bodies we had on earth.

[349] In heaven, the resurrected body will be in a glorious state, like Jesus' resurrected body.

[350] In hell, resurrected bodies will share in the full burden of the effects of sin, and they quote 1st Corinthians and 1st Thessalonians.

[351] Third, this is important, Jesus will bring about a new creation.

[352] This new creation will be different from the creation we live in now.

[353] Just as sin has affected us, it has also affected creation.

[354] Sin will have no effect upon this new creation, and all things will be united to Jesus.

[355] Bishop Strickland, that's a mouthful of teaching on the you know, on what happens at the end of the world.

[356] Absolutely.

[357] And I think it's great, Terry, to review that and be reminded of this clear teaching of the church.

[358] We don't hear about it these days.

[359] And even the church operates as if this world will continue forever.

[360] I mean, certainly people wouldn't say that.

[361] But the mindset, the way that.

[362] that people are encouraged to live their lives, it's as if their individual life will continue forever and the world as we know it will continue forever.

[363] But once again, it's simply not what scripture says.

[364] Jesus says, this world as we know it is passing away.

[365] And we all experience that, even though we don't want to.

[366] Even as people of faith, we resist.

[367] I'll acknowledge that because our aging is a reminder that this world is passing away.

[368] Neither of us are the same as we were back in our 20s.

[369] Well, you could say that again.

[370] There are a lot of challenges that we have now, that it's, I mean, hopefully you grow in some wisdom and you've certainly had great experiences, but we're not the same, where the world is passing away, and there's evidence of that even in just our own individual lives.

[371] That's not so much something to be lamented as something to simply acknowledge and to take each day that we have, like we were talking about earlier, we don't know we're in another lent.

[372] We don't know if this will be our last lent.

[373] No one does, young and old.

[374] We presume and we act as if, oh, well, we got to plan things for 20, 25 and 2026 and, you know, I saw something today, the 2030 agenda, which is not Christian and it's not of God.

[375] I mean, we have to pray that that 2030 agenda, that too many, even within the church are promoting, is not what results because that's eliminating God from the picture even more.

[376] But the reality is, as this part of the catechism is reminding us, we're all finite beings.

[377] We're called to eternity, but we have to embrace that eternity right here and now by turning from sin and living as those eternal children of God that we're called to be.

[378] it's interesting Terry during Lent of course it's a time to repent of our sins I mean that's how it begins repent and live the gospel or remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return both of those reminding us of all that we're talking about the four last things death judgment heaven and hell it's not in our Catholic faith it's the reality that has been revealed to us.

[379] It's not one opinion.

[380] It's not a theory that you can embrace or not.

[381] But if you are Catholic, this is what the church teaches.

[382] And we're all called to do our best to shape our lives according to this truth, that our lives will end and the world will end.

[383] And not to lament that, but to see it as God's plan, And going back again, thy will be done.

[384] God's will, just as he willed creation into being, he willed that it will not be eternal.

[385] It's a world that is passing away.

[386] But we have the opportunity to enter into the eternal.

[387] That's why he sent his son.

[388] I mean, it all comes together in the basic broad understanding of what we're here for.

[389] Amen.

[390] We're here going back to the Baltimore Catechism to know, love and serve God in this life and be happy with him in the next.

[391] There are too many ways that we fail to share that basic message in the world today, the message of the church, the message of our faith.

[392] But we need to keep repeating it and being reminded each of us individually and as the body of Christ that is the church to have our eyes on eternity.

[393] That's what we're built for.

[394] That's God's call for us.

[395] That's what God so loved the world that he sent has only begotten son.

[396] He's done everything.

[397] He can.

[398] He's not going to force us.

[399] We have free will, and that's what gets us in trouble.

[400] We have the free will to choose to say no, but God gives us every opportunity to say yes.

[401] So really, quite appropriately, during this length and journey, we look at these four last things that are there in chapter 10 of this catechism that we're looking at, to be reminded, what is our goal?

[402] What is life about?

[403] What is the path that we're on?

[404] And all of us need that reminder as a nation, as a world, as a church, as individual sons and daughters of God.

[405] What you just said, it reminds me, I just met with a gentleman who does suicide prevention.

[406] And he just said that number one problem with the suicides are people have lost hope in life.

[407] They don't have a meaning and purpose.

[408] and so this is why it's urgent and I use the word urgent that we as a church proclaim the gospel and I'll use the word boldly yeah boldly we tell people about Jesus Christ and what he's done for us in our personal life and what he can do for you I'm blown away by this let's say we got two minutes so I've just this last question is a quickie says when will the world end Oh yeah, all the people talk about knowing that.

[409] Now, Jesus tells us that nobody knows the hour the world will end from Matthew Chapter 2436.

[410] You know, Bishop Strickland, we hear lots of people saying the world is going to end, you know, in 2000, whatever, and they get all excited about it.

[411] But you know what, Bishop Strickland, isn't it fair to say that the world ends for 99 .99 % of us at the end of our debt life?

[412] at our death.

[413] For us, the world's done.

[414] This is when we have to be prepared.

[415] So it seems to me that that line, life is short, eternity is forever, that we need to be focusing not so much on recycling bottles.

[416] I mean, I get that.

[417] I recycle.

[418] I got solar panels.

[419] I'm not all for that.

[420] But we need to spend more energy on introducing people to the person of Jesus Christ and show them how to get to heaven through his church and through the sacraments and show how grace works in people's lives.

[421] It seems to me that we've kind of dropped that.

[422] Am I on to something?

[423] Absolutely.

[424] It's all about the salvation of souls.

[425] And once we're on that path, then we can take care of all the sinful brokenness that plagues us in the world today.

[426] Well said, we're at the end of the show.

[427] I can't believe how fast is.

[428] went.

[429] I just have to say this, that there was a tweet that you sent out on the story of a martyr, Jose Luis Sanchez Dio.

[430] What a name.

[431] Those Mexicans use five or six names should inspire all people of faith.

[432] At the end of the show, here we are 100 years later, facing new attacks who target the Catholic Church to bring her down.

[433] They will fail again as they did in Mexico.

[434] Let us join Jose proclaiming Vivilo Christo Rey, which means long live Christ, the king.

[435] He was only, what, 14 years old, and they murdered him, and they tortured him, and then threw him in a grave.

[436] And this little boy had more faith in his pinky than most of us today in the church.

[437] Is that why you wanted to communicate that story?

[438] Bishop.

[439] Yeah, very inspiring, like all the martyrs, but this boy, really, never had a chance to become a man, but he was a man of faith.

[440] Amen.

[441] Towers over most of us.

[442] Wonderful.

[443] Let's get a blessing if we could, please.

[444] Mighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us joining this, that we may be guided during these Lenton days, the deeper faith and break our hope and joy in your son.

[445] We ask you, the name of the Father, the Son of the Holy Spirit.

[446] Amen.

[447] Thank you so much, Bishop Strickland, for proclaiming Christ in his church, in season and out.

[448] And I want to encourage our listeners to go to our website, and download all the shows that we have to offer that have one focus introducing you to the person of Christ.

[449] Thanks for supporting us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio, and may God richly bless you and your family.