24 May 22 – The Difference Between the German Bishops and Cardinal Zen

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

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

[2] And that's not Bishop Strickland behind me. That's actually Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

[3] But we have a great devotion to him because Bishop Sheen spoke the truth.

[4] Like Bishop Strickland today and just nothing unusual about it, bishops just speak what the church teaches.

[5] So Bishop Strickland, thanks again for taking another hour to share your tweets and the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[6] sure thanks terry bishop strickland i have to tell you the german catholics in the in germany with the bishops there defied the vatican on may 10th just last week regarding homosexual couples being have ceremonies for them and it seems i watched the bishop say that hey you know i'm responding to the bishop of denver colorado saying that you know you guys better be careful you might be going into schism if you continue that way.

[7] And he said, look, the church needs to change.

[8] It's now time to make those changes on women's ordination, on same -sex marriage, and because we're dying without it.

[9] Bishop Strickland, what would you say to, I know, I think you even wrote a letter to the bishops, what would you tell the bishops in Germany and cautioning them to be more faithful to the perennial teachings of the church?

[10] Well, really, Terry, it comes down to even more than the perennial teachings of the church, which are sacred.

[11] It's the truth.

[12] And if it's not based in truth, it will not last, it will not bring about a better world.

[13] I mean, just this past Sunday, the second reading from Revelation talked about a new heaven and a new urge.

[14] Yes.

[15] That's not going to happen by human ingenuity.

[16] It's by cooperating with God's revealed truth and His grace and the light that His Son brings to us.

[17] That's our Catholic faith.

[18] And what really strikes me, Terry, is, we're in an unusual time when those who no longer believe the truth of the church, rather than leaving the church, are wanting to change the church.

[19] To change the truth, you can't change the truth.

[20] I mean, there are just so many areas where people are ignoring the truth.

[21] And no matter how much we want what we've decided is the truth to be real, it's not.

[22] You know, you see such ridiculous things that would have been called insanity not that many years ago.

[23] Right.

[24] And now it's like, oh, well, gosh, so -and -so's decided this and that's their truth.

[25] And so, well, we've just got to, we've got to cooperate and we've got to be respectful.

[26] Absolutely be respectful.

[27] But we've forgotten what real respect is.

[28] And real respect is always rooted in the truth.

[29] Amen.

[30] I mean, and whatever the issue we're facing on the gender issues or the sexual issues or the life issues or the marriage issues, if you let go of the truth, of a real objective truth, you're going to be lost.

[31] And it gets more and more lost and out of control.

[32] I mean, the tragedy, the absolute tragedy of, I think there were four or five locations of major shootings in this nation this past weekend.

[33] That's right.

[34] That's tragic.

[35] That is awful.

[36] but people don't seem to realize that we're reaping what we have sown.

[37] Amen.

[38] A total disregard.

[39] I think it was Mother Teresa.

[40] I forget exactly the quote.

[41] But she basically said, when you disregard one human life, then all are up for grabs.

[42] I know Mother Teresa said it much better than that, but that's the gist of it.

[43] Nobody is safe.

[44] If we say life in the womb isn't sacred, and then many states and many politicians are already saying, well, a newborn, if mom doesn't want the newborn, just let it die on the table.

[45] And then, okay, you know, I guess the next law is a child up to three years old can just be extinguished because, you know, the parents may change their mind.

[46] I mean, where does it stop?

[47] The reality is it doesn't.

[48] When you disregard the value of human life and the sanctity of human life, then ultimately, in that sort of chaotic world, how can we tell a gunman that he has no right to eliminate these people?

[49] We're eliminating people.

[50] I mean, it's like, okay, society gets to decide who can be eliminated and who can't, but that's chaos.

[51] And that's really where we are in too many ways, and that's where we're moving more and more quickly.

[52] People need to wake up really quickly, or the life that we've called normal is just going to collapse to dust.

[53] It really is.

[54] I mean, that sounds doom and gloom, but again, it's just reality.

[55] It's just the truth.

[56] Families and individuals just going on past.

[57] that are not rooted in truth, it has no good end.

[58] And I know many people are awake to it, but our government isn't.

[59] And too many in the church aren't.

[60] And we've, I mean, that German bishop said, oh, we just need to change.

[61] Hogwash.

[62] It's just lunacy to say, oh, well, we've got to to change the rules.

[63] Because people aren't following them.

[64] We've got to change the rules.

[65] We've certainly forgotten who made the rules ultimately.

[66] And it's not us.

[67] We're not the great rule makers.

[68] It's God.

[69] God is the one who governs creation.

[70] And we've got to relearn that very basic, simple truth that I rehearse with kids at confirmation at this time of year, frankly, every other day, we believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

[71] That's in our creed.

[72] That's our professional faith.

[73] That's a renewal of baptismal promises.

[74] And the reality is, Terry, that is reality.

[75] It's not just, oh, well, the little Catholic club believes God made everything and that God is Lord.

[76] I hate to tell them.

[77] It's simply the truth.

[78] where did we come from we came from god and the more we deny that and ignore that and say we've created ourselves the more chaos prevails and and terry at this point i don't see a good end to where we are uh i think collapse is i mean it's the logical conclusion of where we're headed And it ain't going to be pretty.

[79] On the other side of the German bishops, we have what I consider a great bishop, Cardinal, who I've had on our show many times, Cardinal Zen, who's from China, Taiwan.

[80] And he was arrested last week, but then got out on bail, so to speak.

[81] And he was arrested for speaking the truth.

[82] And I saw that you tweeted something about Cardinal Zen, saying some other bishops, can you, you said, thank you, Bishop Tobin.

[83] I assume that's the Bishop Tobin up in New England, is that correct?

[84] Correct.

[85] Yes.

[86] Rhode Island.

[87] Yep.

[88] And others for your support of Cardinal Zen, let us pray that all bishops, priests, deacons, and faithful join in prayer and call for justice for Cardinal Zen.

[89] Because I think he's willing, I mean, this is the cardinal, not just for those who don't know who he is.

[90] He was working with the Vatican to try and make sure that the Catholics in China and Taiwan and all the, that they would be able to live their Catholic faith freely.

[91] And unfortunately, Bishop Strickland, he got pushed out of the loop on the agreement.

[92] But the Vatican made this agreement with the Chinese atheistic country that really no one has seen, but the effects of it have been horrible like anybody under 18 can't go into church.

[93] And I've interviewed Cardinal Zen, and he said, no, I tried to get an appointment with the Holy Father to tell him, to warn him, don't do this deal because it's not good for the flock.

[94] So this is a man who's willing to speak the truth, even if it means going to jail.

[95] Well, really, Terry, what comes to mind for me is the German bishop that you referred to that said, oh, we need to change.

[96] He needs to see what Cardinal Zen's going through.

[97] That's where we're all headed.

[98] Yep.

[99] Because if we need to change, then, you know, communist China says, yeah, you need to change.

[100] You need to deny God.

[101] And you need to make your Catholic church just sort of this puppet of the state, like everything in a communist state.

[102] That's right.

[103] And that's, okay, we need to change.

[104] That's basically what China is saying to the Catholic Church.

[105] you need to adapt to us rather than standing for your truth.

[106] And I hate to tell the German bishop, but that's where it ends up is Cardinals arrested for telling the truth.

[107] And I don't even know what Cardinals in actually said, but it doesn't really matter.

[108] I mean, we know he was speaking the truth, and they don't want the truth.

[109] They don't want the real message of God's, revealed truth to be messing with things in China because they've got a lockdown going on.

[110] They've got the control and free thinking is not something they support.

[111] Another thing, Bishop Strickland, he's 90 years old, he's retired, he could be relaxing anywhere in the world, but what is he doing?

[112] He's proclaiming the gospel at the end of his life going, I'm not going to change.

[113] This is who I love, Jesus Christ.

[114] I'm going to stand for it.

[115] breath of my air.

[116] Wow, Cardinal Zen, you're an inspiration to all of us.

[117] When we come back, we're going to quote another saint who I think is quite beautiful.

[118] Stay with us, family.

[119] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[120] Boy, did I get a real surge of hope when I read about Cardinal Zen after I just got depressed by the bishops in Germany?

[121] Not really, but you see what I'm saying, the contrast between the two.

[122] It's just amazing that we have that today.

[123] Bishop Strickland, you tweeted that this is a saintly perspective of a missionary disciples that we all need.

[124] The illusion that we govern the universe is just that.

[125] An illusion!

[126] I love it.

[127] Let us return to a godly perspective and seek God's will.

[128] Even when we resist God's loving will is calling us to him, he never quits.

[129] The hound of heaven.

[130] Oh, my goodness.

[131] Now, you're quoting a great saint, St. José Maria Escobar, and the quote he says is, remember this and never forget it, even if it should seem at times that everything is collapsing, nothing is collapsing at all, because God doesn't lose battles.

[132] Now, that I needed to hear today, Bishop Strickland.

[133] Well, and that's why I shared that because I thought St. Jose Maria Escriva really makes a good point.

[134] And what we have to remember, if we look around and just as people of prayer, as people of faith, you know, a lot of things could very well collapse.

[135] Yeah.

[136] It's happened before in history.

[137] Roman Empire collapsed.

[138] Much of Europe doesn't look anything like it did 500 years ago.

[139] Things do collapse.

[140] But what's interesting about all of that is it's the human constructs that collapse.

[141] If we return to nature and we may be forced to, I mean, who knows.

[142] But nature teaches us that God's in charge.

[143] I mean, just the simplest thing.

[144] I'm no great gardener, but I've always, since I was a little kid, growing up out in the country is a blessing.

[145] And I've always loved watching seeds pop up out of the ground and just become something extraordinary.

[146] I have some bulbs at my house just because I like to see things grow.

[147] And just now, it's a gladiola bulb, and this morning I saw the first flowers burst open.

[148] And just something as simple as that.

[149] And if you look at the intricacy of just a very common flower, a rose, a gladiola, an iris, whatever.

[150] The intricacy is amazing.

[151] And it always amazes me as I looked at this plant.

[152] And it sounds so simple.

[153] It is simple.

[154] But it reminds us of the wonder of creation that God has given us.

[155] We're part of that.

[156] We need to respect it.

[157] We need to respect the laws of creation, which ultimately become laws that govern our.

[158] lives as well.

[159] But what I noticed was just the very beginning, you can look at a plant and see the seminal, the seed of new flowers that aren't even a bud yet, but it's just sort of a, you know, a bump, you know, on a leaf it looks like.

[160] But what really struck me this this morning is that marvel that still, thankfully, unfolds all around us.

[161] I live in, you know, not a large town, but pretty much an urban setting.

[162] But you can still, if your eyes are open to it, I mean, people have been talking recently about this red moon, the blood red moon.

[163] I mean, that reminds us of the wonder of creation.

[164] and God in his heaven.

[165] And that, I'm glad you brought that up because we do need to remember as we get caught up in the fear or the concerns or the worries of collapse.

[166] We need to remember, and like you're talking about Cardinal Zen, you know, it all fits together.

[167] I mean, he's 90 years old.

[168] He knows he's coming, he's much closer to the end.

[169] of his life than to the beginning of its life and that's why he's speaking the truth because he wants to be in good in a good position to enter into the next world that's why i speak the truth that's why you speak the truth the only reason i mean i'm not 90 but you know i'm 63 people die younger than me all the time with sometimes not even, I mean, not cancer or not an accident, but just they die.

[170] Yep.

[171] And we all are here temporarily and that the wisdom of Cardinal Zen and the few church leaders that do speak up, whatever their age, is to remember what the scriptures tell us, what the saints have told us, so many of the saints live short lives.

[172] And that, think that tells us something.

[173] It's the quality of our time.

[174] It's not the quantity.

[175] If you live to be a hundred and you still are ignoring God, I mean, thankfully God's the only one to judge us, but that hundred -year -old better get right with his maker or her maker.

[176] And that's the truth for all of us.

[177] And, you know, so it's just tragic that, you know, there's so many good things that have been developed through human ingenuity.

[178] But we've forgotten, where did human ingenuity come from?

[179] Right.

[180] From the creator who made the humans who have the ingenuity.

[181] They didn't just fabricate it.

[182] There's no such thing as a self -made man or woman.

[183] We're made from God.

[184] And yes.

[185] People have been marvelous stewards of their gifts and done amazing things, things that couldn't have been imagined a few years ago.

[186] But if we do that and it causes us to become arrogant, which it has.

[187] I mean, there's a tremendous arrogance in our culture today.

[188] It's as if we're God and that's just not going to last.

[189] Well said, that's all I can say, well said.

[190] Now, you also tweeted something regarding, we're living in some deceitful times, and this quote got me, and I want you to expand on it.

[191] It says, during times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.

[192] I never heard that.

[193] I thought, that makes sense.

[194] It's like, what?

[195] Somebody's telling us the truth.

[196] Yeah, but it's a revolutionary act.

[197] Yep, it's.

[198] I'll give you an example.

[199] This is an example.

[200] Stunner data, the truth.

[201] This is off this topic, but it's Walgreens reveals unvaccinated have the lowest positivity rate for COVID.

[202] Triple and double -vax groups have the worst.

[203] This is with 5 ,000 stores across America and we're being told, yeah, the vaccine is safe and effective.

[204] And it was pretty obvious with 5 ,000 stores across America, statistically, it didn't work.

[205] so for someone to say it doesn't work you know and that's a deceitful thing that said it did it's you're a revolutionary you can't be doing that you can't say that it's not it's not appropriate it's not part of the party line so it seems to me that's just a minor detail what's even more of a point Bishop Strickland is our Catholic faith I mean if you're telling the truth and YouTube took you off YouTube because on the Sixth Command that offended the listeners and they don't want you to do that.

[206] Too bad.

[207] You think I'm not going to preach on the Ten Commandments?

[208] I'm doing a whole series right now, basic Ten.

[209] People need to hear the fundamental commandments of God.

[210] That's going to give them happiness.

[211] Just because they're going to threaten us and say, you can't do that, that doesn't mean we stop.

[212] That means actually we just say, well, you do what you have to do and I'll do what I have to do because I can't stop preaching the gospel.

[213] That's how I see you, Bishop Strickland, that someday, someday, and it might be sooner than later, your teaching on the Catholic faith is going to be like, you can't do that anymore, Bishop, you're offending people, you're this or you're that, and the government is going to shut you down or this.

[214] Bishop Strickland, what do you say if that happens?

[215] I mean, I really want to hear you tell the people what happens if they say Strickland, if you don't shut your mouth, we're going to get rid of you in this country because the government doesn't want any kind of controversial topics.

[216] What are you going to tell them?

[217] Well, do my best to tell them the same thing that Peter and Paul told them as we read through Acts of the Apostles.

[218] I'm sorry, I have to speak the name of Jesus.

[219] You can tell me not to.

[220] Amen.

[221] Until you're blue in the face.

[222] And, you know, what happened to Peter and Paul?

[223] They died.

[224] Yep.

[225] But that's what we have to be willing to do, certainly not to volunteer.

[226] No, no. Ardered, but we do have to volunteer to tell the truth and whatever the consequences.

[227] You know, so.

[228] We can't run away.

[229] No. The point.

[230] We can't be silent.

[231] And that's the model of the apostles in the early church.

[232] We're called to be apostolic too.

[233] I like your line, first century Christians.

[234] I heard that the first time from you, Bishop Strickland, and that touched my heart, and I said, hey, yeah.

[235] Now, tell us why the first century Christians were so zealous for the faith, and how that affected the pagans, Bishop.

[236] You're the one who told me this, and I've read this before, but didn't it affect the pagan world in such a powerful way that they wanted what we had?

[237] Absolutely.

[238] That is what the early church transformed the world.

[239] And really, the Catholic Church through the centuries, so much of what we have in this modern world that is rejecting faith and calling the Catholic Church antiquated and wanting to shut it down, I hate to tell them.

[240] I mean, sure, the institution of the church may look very different, but they're not going to eliminate the, the reality of the church, which is the community of believers, those who knew the way of Jesus Christ, who's the way, the truth and the life.

[241] The community of believers will not go away.

[242] It didn't go away when they crucified our leader, Jesus Christ.

[243] They thought they'd done it.

[244] They thought they took care of the Jesus problem, and actually they made it worse from their perspective.

[245] It spread more powerfully after Jesus died and rose than it ever did in the three years that Jesus was walking the streets of the Holy Land and preaching and healing and doing all those wondrous things.

[246] Here's the Son of God.

[247] And, you know, that it just reminds us that we've got to turn to God.

[248] And really, Terry, that's what I would say to anyone listening.

[249] because too many people can become hopeless.

[250] I saw something just recently.

[251] Hold your thought.

[252] I want to hear that, but we've got the music coming on.

[253] You heard something, and then we're going to listen to it on the other side of the break.

[254] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful radio, and after we hear that, then we're going to get right into the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[255] But I do want to hear that story, because stories are always good for us.

[256] Stay with us, family, here on Virgin Most Powerful.

[257] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland hour.

[258] Bishop Strickland was just going to make a point.

[259] We ran out of time in that segment.

[260] Back to you, Bishop Strickland.

[261] Go ahead.

[262] Well, what I was going to share is someone reached out to me to pray for priests that they're reaching out to that are struggling.

[263] Oh, yeah.

[264] And, you know, there have been too many priests that have committed suicide.

[265] It's true.

[266] And that is.

[267] that's about as tragic as it gets for a man that is ordained as a priest of Jesus Christ to be that devastated, certainly not to judge them and to pray that for God's mercy.

[268] I mean, I just can't imagine getting to that point, but it's just a reminder of the dark realities that we're facing, and we have to hang on to the light of Christ.

[269] and be strong in the light of Christ, share it with others.

[270] And really that, I guess, my reaction to hearing about priests and that devastating mindset, my advice to myself and to others is to just put all the more energy into teaching the truth and living the truth.

[271] The more we can do that, it helps us.

[272] It helps us pull away from any darkness.

[273] I mean, as we say in the St. Michael Prayer, the demons are after us, and there are lots of demons in today's society.

[274] I mean, just insane things going on.

[275] And we don't despair, but we have to be wide awake to the power of evil and to turn to Jesus, to ask as we approach Pentecost to pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen and, guide us.

[276] It's just we can't let the darkness overcome us.

[277] Christ has overcome the darkness, but it's just sad to see even ordained men reach a state where they are in that much in despair, and we certainly have to pray for them, but I encourage people to support the priest, just like with anything else, the vast majority of our priests are working.

[278] hard and they're doing their best and they're, you know, they're committed to their priesthood in Jesus Christ.

[279] But we're all human and they need our support.

[280] So I would encourage anyone who really gets down about hearing those stories about priests just to put that much more energy into reaching out to the priests that have touched your life.

[281] Maybe, you know, reach out and send a card or send an email to a priest or give them a phone call, maybe a priest that you haven't been in touch with in years, but a priest that really made a difference in your life.

[282] That is not something, you know, we hear the problems and parish priests deal a lot with complaints and those kind of things.

[283] I would encourage people to just, if there's a priest that you haven't reached out too recently that really made a difference in your life, just reach out and tell him.

[284] I mean, it can be very simple, even a text message on your phone, but you never know how much that might help a priest who's really struggling at this time, and anyone, but certainly priests should be rooted in the joy and the holiness in the very life of Jesus Christ.

[285] They're called to be alter Christus, other Christ.

[286] And, you know, to see priest in despair is just, it's something that we've got to be aware of and to do our best to shine the light of Christ on that darkness.

[287] Well, and that's what leads me to our, well, to the May 28th event, a rosary for priests.

[288] It's a free resource we're giving away.

[289] We're going to be at a huge stadium in Sacramento in the 28th.

[290] of May with Father Don Callow and myself, and 20 ,000 people are going to be in that stadium praying the rosary for our priests.

[291] But we have a inspirational resource called Fulton J. Sheen's priest retreat that we give to everybody and even our listeners right now.

[292] If you want to get a copy, you can get that off our website for free.

[293] And then you give it to your priest.

[294] Text him, call him, but give him a link to Fulton Sheen's weekend retreat called Kora, which is heart to heart.

[295] and it'll inspire the priest to fall deeper in love with his priesthood.

[296] I guarantee it.

[297] I've heard those recordings, and they're awesome.

[298] So keep us in prayer.

[299] The 28th of May at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento.

[300] Just type in on Google rosaries for priests, Sacramento, and if you're in the area come, it's free.

[301] We've got room for 20 ,000 souls.

[302] Can you imagine 20 ,000 people praying the rosary for priests?

[303] That's what we're going to be doing.

[304] Bishop Strickland, thanks for that advice.

[305] I wanted to also open up our catechism now at this time to paragraph 1696 and the reason we're going through the life of Christ is it's so rich about applying things to our life that are so profound in the catechism and I'm going to read this paragraph 1696 and then ask the good bishop to comment and give a little teaching on it.

[306] The way of Christ leads to life a contrary way leads to destruction period next parent next sentence the gospel parable of the two ways remains ever present in the catechesis of the church it shows the importance of moral decisions for our salvation there are two ways the one of life and the other of death but between the two two there is a great difference yeah Bishop I thought that was really clear go ahead I'm all ears I love that paragraph well it's it's quoting the gospel of Matthew the book of Deuteronomy and the Didicate and it really just that first sentence the way of Christ leads to life a contrary way leads to destruction And what that tells us is anything but the way of Christ, which is the truth, he's truth incarnate, he's the face of truth.

[307] The way of Christ is the truth.

[308] Any contrary way, which basically is denying the truth, it leads to destruction.

[309] One thing that occurs to me, just as we read this, Terry, and it's...

[310] Certainly not rocket science, but sometimes we need to go back to very basic common -sense realities.

[311] And it connects to something I've talked about before.

[312] If we look at nature, bringing nature up, but we need to look at nature.

[313] Oh, yeah.

[314] Things don't happen instantaneously, and we can get frustrated with nature because it takes time.

[315] Those bulbs that are now gladiola flowers that I was talking about earlier, I planted them months ago.

[316] And they've been gradually growing and developing until finally there's a flower.

[317] We are in a very impatient time for humanity.

[318] We want it now.

[319] We want it instantly.

[320] We want to push a button and change whatever's happening.

[321] And that mindset really is contrary.

[322] I mean, it says any contrary way that's contrary to the truth of how we're made.

[323] And what this reminds me of is we have to be very clear that truth unfolds gradually.

[324] very often, if it's contrary to the truth, it happens immediately.

[325] But if it's really rooted in the truth, it's going to unfold gradually.

[326] And I think that's part of what challenges us, Terry, is that since we want things to be instant, if it's not instant, we get frustrated, we get impatient, and we go away from the truth.

[327] And we alter things, and it leads us to destruction, just like the catechism says.

[328] It's such a simple reality, but it's a profound and essentially important reality that we've got to get back to following Christ.

[329] He's the Lord of Truth.

[330] You know, Bishop Sheen taught me a song that said, basically quoting this paragraph.

[331] when I read the paragraph it reminded me when Bishop Sheen said you know there's two ways to live life I in the song says I did it my way and Bishop Sheen said it real clearly he says doing it your way will lead to hell because we will always go our way is not necessarily God's way and then he said the other song it says I did it his way God's way gets us to heaven so it's just interesting that this paragraph said it so succinctly and you're right.

[332] Basic catechises.

[333] We've got to go back to the fundamentals.

[334] All right, here's my next paragraph for the catechism.

[335] 1697.

[336] Catechesis has to reveal in all clarity the joy and the demands of the way of Christ.

[337] That is such a beautiful sentence.

[338] Catechesis for the newness of life in him should be.

[339] And then it has a section under it, a catechesis of the Holy Spirit, the interior master of life according to Christ a gentle guest a friend who inspires guides and corrects and strengthens this life now it goes on and on but bishop strickland it seems to me that you're really doing a person of favor if if i'm an error and you don't tell me to correct me it seems to me that you don't care for me when if you don't correct me it seems to me that you just say well if he wants to live in error, well, that's his business.

[340] See, that's not the gospel.

[341] So can you kind of share a little bit on that paragraph in that section here, please?

[342] Well, yeah, and like you said, like I've said very often, real love is the truth.

[343] Amen.

[344] And it says, catechises has to reveal in all clarity the joy and the demands of the way of Christ.

[345] Joy.

[346] That's both.

[347] Yes.

[348] And demands.

[349] You can say the cross and the resurrection.

[350] I mean, it's always that both and.

[351] It is.

[352] And so many times, we want the joy, but we don't want the demands.

[353] And this makes it very clear.

[354] They go together.

[355] You don't get the joy without living up to the demands.

[356] Well, said, I want you to continue on that paragraph because there's a couple other things that are there.

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

[358] We're covering the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[359] Stay with us, family.

[360] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[361] I'm Terry Barber, and we're talking about the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[362] And Bishop Strickland, the segment got interrupted.

[363] I wanted to have you continue on your paragraph 1697.

[364] So can we throw it right back to you now, please?

[365] Sure.

[366] Great.

[367] Well, I think what we were talking about is the joy and the demands.

[368] That's it.

[369] joy joy that's i'm sorry i'm interrupting you but you know when you said that it made me think of it that they go together i think that's what you left before the break you said that joy and demands go together yeah and the just this past sunday the reading from acts talked about it's necessary yeah that we endure hardships that's from um the acts of the apostles it's necessary that we endure hardships yep and that's so much of what modern society and the church have tried to turn away from.

[370] Oh, well, you know, going back to that German bishop, I mean, we keep picking on him, but the poor man needs to wake up.

[371] But trying to change the truth is trying to avoid the hardships that come from really living the truth.

[372] Jesus shows us that, I mean, he tells us very clearly, you must take up your cross if you want to be my disciple.

[373] And that's the hardships.

[374] It's a necessity.

[375] It's part of the path.

[376] And Jesus lives it.

[377] He doesn't ask us to do anything that he hasn't already endured himself.

[378] I mean, the tremendous suffering of his passion, it really is beyond our imagining.

[379] And And many people say today that the church herself is going through a passion.

[380] And I see that more and more, that believing people, whoever you are, if you're a believing baptized and confirmed Catholic, you're part of a church that's going through a passion.

[381] And too many, even within the church, are saying, oh, well, we need to change those beliefs.

[382] We need to change the truth.

[383] It's not going to happen.

[384] Nope.

[385] It's not going to work.

[386] No, even if we all decide that, yeah, okay, we're going to change.

[387] And it's a unanimous decision of humanity that we're going to change the laws that God established.

[388] God's given us the freedom to do that.

[389] We can do that individually or all seven billion plus of.

[390] of us on the planet today could all say, oh, isn't this amazing?

[391] All of humanity has agreed on X. And if it's not the truth, we can agree on it all we want, but it's still going, the truth is going to catch up with us.

[392] And that's where we are right now.

[393] So many things, and we haven't talked a lot about the abortion issue, but very much.

[394] in the news, still awaiting the actual final decision of the Supreme Court.

[395] But, you know, the things that I'm sure we've both seen on the airwaves and the things that are being said, it's just talk about disengage from reality.

[396] And it's, and it's as the catechism says, in that earlier paragraph, it leads to destruction.

[397] And so really, Terry, as just two men, just like in the line of the apostles, I'm a successor, you're an apostolic disciple because of your confirmation.

[398] We've got to step up, and for our generation, to provide the real charity of clarity and the truth.

[399] And we owe it to our brothers and sisters to continue to speak the truth.

[400] They can do what they want to us.

[401] They can cancel us.

[402] They can shut us down.

[403] They can behead us like so many have been.

[404] Yep.

[405] But we have to stand with the truth.

[406] And that's the greatest charity.

[407] Again, that's the best thing we can do.

[408] And we have so many good efforts.

[409] that people make to improve our broken world.

[410] But if they're doing it not based in the truth, they're not going to make much headway.

[411] So the greatest charity is to continue to teach the truth.

[412] And to God doesn't reject any of us.

[413] He lets us reject him, but he doesn't reject us.

[414] And we have to be godly men and women who don't reject each other.

[415] no matter how many times they say things that are false.

[416] I mean, I got pretty direct with our so -called Catholic politicians.

[417] Yeah.

[418] But we need to.

[419] Of course.

[420] For their sake.

[421] Yes.

[422] And for the sake of the people who say, oh, this is an important person and they claim to be Catholic, so they must be speaking truth.

[423] If they're not, that puts them in that much more danger of destruction.

[424] Yes.

[425] as we've talked about before, scandal is something real, and it's scandalous for someone, I mean, for a dad or a mom to lead their kids down a path that is false.

[426] That's scandalous because dads and moms have a God -given authority and responsibility to lead their children.

[427] And when that expands to mayors of towns, and governors of states and leaders of nations, then that responsibility grows exponentially as well.

[428] To really stand up for the truth is all the more important, the more authority and the more responsibility you have.

[429] So the greatest charity toward some politician who loves to wear the word Catholic on their sleeve and then says, oh yes i'm a proud catholic i love my catholic faith and but i'm promoting abortion yeah you know we need to tell them there's a contradiction there that is harmful to them and it's harmful to the people that are looking to them for leadership you know bishop strickland while you're talking i'm thinking of a reality check you know our culture doesn't believe that you know many people think that that's not a baby inside mama well you know they're out of their head you don't don't that's not what science even teaches and even to the point of saying they can't even define many people what a woman is they want to say that i'm five foot five but i'm going to say that i am now seven feet tall and there's a segment in our culture that says great you're seven feet tall because you said it yeah that's how mixed up we are and this is why i keep going back to the catechism and to the fundamentals of faith.

[430] People need to know the truth because that's what sets them free.

[431] This garbage, and I'm sorry I'm using the strong word garbage, it's garbage to say that you're seven feet tall when you're five foot five.

[432] It's garbage to say we don't know what a woman is or a man or now I'm a man, now I'm a woman because I said it.

[433] You know, this is how mixed up the cultures and that's why let's put everything aside and let's just go back to the reality of what God's teachings are.

[434] I had just a quick note some people at the funeral who were let's just say they were homosexuals okay and I reached out to them in a very loving way and you know the idea of this man saying that he is now a woman and I was very respectful to that person but you know what the guy at least acknowledged he said thanks for you know being a witness on that but I don't buy it and I said okay you don't have to but I have to share the truth to you partner, I shook his hand.

[435] God bless you.

[436] Why do I do that?

[437] That's very important, Terry, because as the catechism says, it leads to destruction.

[438] Yeah.

[439] And we're too much, we're too passive.

[440] Oh, man. In the church and in society today, it's like, oh, they're, they're headed toward destruction.

[441] And we could sort of pat them on the head and say, oh, well, that's what you've chosen.

[442] That's your truth.

[443] We have to lovingly, of course.

[444] Yes.

[445] With love.

[446] The truth is.

[447] The truth is.

[448] never an attack.

[449] No. But it it has to be strong and to be clear and simply say, man, sir, you are headed to destruction.

[450] Yeah.

[451] We have to warn people.

[452] I mean, you know, what comes to my, you know, I'm a simple guy.

[453] I get simple ideas.

[454] But if we were, if you were going on one of those super highways there in California or here in Texas.

[455] Yeah, you got them.

[456] If you're driving, down the road and you just barely make it and stop where the road has just collapsed and you're I mean if you kept going you would just go straight into a pit right you're the the way people act as if well I'm not going to tell anybody not to go down that road I mean I found out that it's a pit but I'm not going to tell them because they've got a freedom you know let them they're free to to go down there if they want.

[457] That's the logic or lack of logic that people are using.

[458] If you know that it's leading to destruction, the only same thing to do, much less the moral thing to do, is to say, stop.

[459] Exactly.

[460] About to head off a cliff.

[461] But to just say, oh, well, you know, keep going, you know, you're going 70 miles an hour.

[462] It's going to be real quick for you.

[463] But, you know, that is, that's not love.

[464] It's not truth.

[465] It's not reality.

[466] It's not even sanity.

[467] And, you know, we've got to get back to all of that as the people of God.

[468] Wow.

[469] You know what I say?

[470] A big amen to that.

[471] That analogy is very clear.

[472] My analogy is gravity.

[473] If someone jumps from a 10 -story building, I'm going to tell them that sudden stop at the end will kill them.

[474] Now, if I don't, and I know they're going to jump from the building, what am I saying to them?

[475] I don't care.

[476] See, this is why a...

[477] again, we as Catholics have the fullness of the faith.

[478] We have to shout it out with love and devotion about the meaning and purpose of life because the world right now is so mixed up that this is a great opportunity for evangelization.

[479] Would you agree with that, Bishop Strickland?

[480] It is.

[481] But I'm sorry, Terry, I identify as an airplane, so I can jump off the building.

[482] Well, let me tell you the big news, the good news and the bad news.

[483] Good news is don't get on an airplane.

[484] See, this is what the world is teaching us.

[485] Whatever is in my mind is truth.

[486] Moral relativism.

[487] And this is why we open up the catechism here at Virgin Most Powerful every week with Bishop Strickland to teach the fundamentals of the faith.

[488] Bishop Strickland, how about a blessing for our listeners, please?

[489] Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing for all who are listening and joining in this conversation with us.

[490] that we may joyfully share your truth, rejoice that you have loved us enough to share your truth, and especially the truth incarnate that is your son, Jesus Christ.

[491] Help all of us to open our hearts and minds more and more fully to the challenge and the joy of living his truth.

[492] We ask that, in the name of the Father, the Son, of the Holy Spirit.

[493] Amen.

[494] Folks, you can listen to more of Bishop Strickland's hours on the podcast on VMPR .org.

[495] In fact, you can listen to all of the shows that we have there at any time, anywhere.

[496] Tell your friends to get our app.

[497] It's free on your phone, and you can listen to any of the shows anywhere in the world.

[498] May God richly bless you and your family, and as I say, all the time, full sheet ahead.

[499] Why?

[500] Because it's the truth that sets us free.

[501] Thanks for listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[502] God love you.