11 Jul 23 – Suffering, It Bears Fruit

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber.

[2] I'm with Virgin Most Powerful radio, and I'm too blessed to be stressed, and I'm too anointed to be disappointed because I have my hope in Jesus Christ.

[3] Bishop Strickland, thanks for coming each week to do one thing, to introduce us to the person of Jesus Christ.

[4] Thanks, Terry.

[5] It's a blessing to be able to work with you.

[6] Oh, it's an honor for my part.

[7] I wanted to talk about your tweets, but I wanted to mention something.

[8] I've been accused of being a trad trad in the sense that they say things because I believe in the perennial teachings of the church.

[9] I mean, I don't think I'm some extreme person because I believe what the word of God teaches and what the church has always taught.

[10] But I wanted to ask you, does that upset you in the sense that when people start making labels, even people high in the officials in the church, saying things that are just like, well, that's not me or that's not, that just seems to be labeling people.

[11] What are your thoughts on that topic?

[12] Well, I agree, Terry, because you hear rad trad.

[13] And it's like, oh, you know, I mean, they accuse me of being a rat trad.

[14] And I'm not sure exactly what the definition of radtrad is, but all I talk about is Catholicism.

[15] As I say, I read the catechism out loud.

[16] And they use these things to shoot people down.

[17] Right.

[18] Because the people that are using the language of Rad -Trad, it's like, do you believe in the Catholic faith or not?

[19] Amen.

[20] And a lot of them are saying, oh, the scripture needs to change, or the catechism needs to be changed, or we've developed beyond this.

[21] The truth doesn't develop into some new entity, because the truth is Jesus Christ.

[22] And that's all I care to talk about is who he is and the light that he brings to the world.

[23] So these labels are just ways of shutting people down.

[24] And, you know, they want to shut us down, but the truth will not be shut down.

[25] Just like, I mean, it's as simple as how did this church begin?

[26] It began with a man from Nazareth, who they began to understand like St. Peter, he's much more than just a man. I mean, St. Peter professed our faith.

[27] You are the son of God.

[28] And when they tried, they killed him on a cross, they thought we got rid of this Jesus problem.

[29] It didn't work.

[30] He rose from the death.

[31] And then when the church he started, they, I mean, in Acts chapter 5, they tell Peter and the other apostles quit using the name of Jesus.

[32] Did they stop?

[33] No. They kept on lovingly sharing this wondrous truth that is, that God is revealed to us through his son.

[34] I was thinking about we're celebrating today when this is being recorded.

[35] We're selling one of the great saints, St. Iranaes, Bishop and Martyr.

[36] He was fighting the Gnostics.

[37] He was fighting heresy.

[38] It really hasn't changed.

[39] The labels change.

[40] The tactics change.

[41] But the truth doesn't change.

[42] And really, the false messaging doesn't change either.

[43] Jesus Christ really wasn't God, really wasn't man. I mean, all of these heresies just keep coming back.

[44] But the truth continues as well.

[45] And the truth is that Jesus Christ is truth incarnate, God's son, and he lived among us for 33 years.

[46] And I will die like Irenaeus, if I have to, for proclaiming his truth.

[47] I mean, Ignatius, Iraneus, so many of the great martyrs that were threatened and they were told, be quiet or change your teaching or you're going to lose your life.

[48] They couldn't change their teaching.

[49] Neither can you or not.

[50] We can't do it.

[51] I mean, I don't expect to be martyred.

[52] It could happen, I guess.

[53] Anything could happen in this crazy world.

[54] But a bit of a white martyrdom is what we all have to be ready for.

[55] Well, said, I always say, I just say this is important to have that attitude of gratitude for being a follower of Christ.

[56] Bishop Strickland, you tweeted this, and I mentioned a show that we did, the path into the church is not acceptance, it's conversion.

[57] And I think you said something very similar in a tweet.

[58] It said, the Catholic Church has been radically inclusive of sinners ever since Jesus Christ founded her.

[59] There's nothing more radical than to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. Christ died, he rose, so that we could share in his life, but following him begins with repentance.

[60] That message you just said reminded me of what we just said.

[61] The path into the church is not accepting people who are living lives that are contrary without repentance.

[62] It seems that that element of repentance needs to be highlighted in today's church.

[63] Absolutely.

[64] And what inspired that for me for me was this instrument of laborious.

[65] on this synod that's coming, because they're acting like, oh, this radical inclusion is some new 21st century idea.

[66] Jesus Christ radically included everyone.

[67] But he said, I call all humanity.

[68] Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. Christ was the first most radical includer of every man and woman on the planet.

[69] He still does.

[70] But with that, with that, that plan.

[71] Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. What that senatoral document says is leave off one, leave off two, just follow me. That's not what Christ said.

[72] We've got to listen to what Jesus Christ said.

[73] I mean, I get fired up about distorting the message of Jesus Christ and calling it Catholicism.

[74] It's not.

[75] Catholicism is the church that Christ, established to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ.

[76] The deposit of faith is something we can't let go of.

[77] That's right.

[78] And I will not let go up.

[79] Thank you.

[80] Thank you.

[81] Thank you.

[82] It's refreshing to hear that from a successor of the apostle.

[83] Cardinal Sirrah, one of my heroes, and it seems like he's a hero of yours too, because you're always sending out tweets on him.

[84] He said, the church is not made to listen.

[85] She is made to teach.

[86] She is the mater and magistra, mother and educator.

[87] While the mother listens to her child, she is first present to teach, guide, and direct because she knows better than her children, the direction we should take.

[88] Wow.

[89] It sounds like the cardinals really hitting a nerve there because it seems that some people in the church don't get that.

[90] They think that even unbaptized people are going to be telling us what we should be believing.

[91] I mean, I'm sorry to have to say that, but I'm looking at the church and going, Cardinal Sirrah, you're spot on.

[92] What made you tweet that one?

[93] Well, because he's spot on.

[94] He is over and over again.

[95] He's a voice of Orthodox Catholic faith in the world today.

[96] Thank God, because there aren't many.

[97] I mean, he speaks up more.

[98] that I've seen, at least, more than really anyone else.

[99] I think you're right.

[100] And I think, I mean, I want to support him because he supports the truth of Jesus Christ.

[101] That's the only reason.

[102] I think we have to emphasize.

[103] You know, it's treated as if it's some burden that the church has to lay down and quit treating people this way.

[104] It's a joyful message.

[105] Amen.

[106] The joyful message is, Jesus Christ has the medicine for all that is ill in our culture, and there is a lot.

[107] But he has the medicine of love and truth and light and hope that overcomes it all.

[108] But if we don't embrace the challenge of following him, we don't receive that medicine.

[109] And that's what's being preached.

[110] It's like, oh, follow Jesus, but you don't have to change.

[111] You don't have to reform your life.

[112] You don't have to turn away from sin.

[113] We're just going to incorporate your sin into the church.

[114] That is hogwash.

[115] Yes.

[116] Bishop Strickland, the German church last year lost 500 ,000 Catholics.

[117] I saw that.

[118] Yeah, you saw it too.

[119] I saw it, and we talked about it on our show, the Terry and Jesse show, and about 200 ,000 people died.

[120] So they had a net loss of about three quarters of a million people.

[121] I think, and this is my take, I want to get your take, I said, there's a good reason why people are leaving because they don't see any value in being a Catholic when the bar is being lowered, you can do anything you want.

[122] And it seems to me that the officials in Germany, their comments, they make it sound like, you see, that's why we have to reform the church teachings.

[123] People don't want all these regulations.

[124] They want freedom.

[125] So I want to get your take, not that you're in America, I'm in America, but when you see that many souls leaving the church, it should get our attention.

[126] Absolutely.

[127] And I'm afraid, I haven't seen any statistics, but just from what I've heard and witnessed, thankfully not in this diocese that I can see.

[128] Right.

[129] But I think a lot of people are walking away from the church, not because we're asking too much, but because they're hearing that what the church has been is changing.

[130] and they don't want any part of it.

[131] I don't want any part of it.

[132] It's not going to change.

[133] And that's what we've got to hold the line on.

[134] Yes, we reach out to everyone.

[135] And we seem to have lost the idea that love the sinner but condemned the sin.

[136] That's just basic to proclaiming the Christian message.

[137] That's what the missionaries did.

[138] I was just reading recently about Unipro -Sera, because we celebrate him soon.

[139] And, you know, he came and brought a message of the gospel.

[140] Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus.

[141] This was good news for people who were in, you know, caught up in pagan practices to find out what the Christian virtues are and to be called to deny those ways that you're not living the Christian virtues.

[142] take up your cross yeah it's going to be some suffering it's going to be hard but follow jesus and that's what we've got to continue to do that's what the church will continue to do a big amen to that when we come back i want to talk about what is true tolerance and the meaning of welcoming people into the church stay with us you're listening to the bishop strickland hour on virgin most powerful radio now back to the bishop strickland hour welcome back indeed Bishop Strickland Hour with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[143] Bishop Strickland, I hear other bishops say things that are so beautiful that I want to continually quote Bishop Robert Barron.

[144] He really had some strong statements about the Dodger Stadium prayer vigil and what we needed to do there and you and others and Archbishop Cardinal and Archbishop Cardinal and others.

[145] But here's what Bishop Barron said, and I think it's really true to some of the tweets you're talking about.

[146] You guys are on the same page.

[147] Here's what the bishop said.

[148] It's a sign of a corrupt church that stops thinking deeply about the truths of Christianity.

[149] A church that is against being precise about his teaching is a corrupt church.

[150] And what I'm referring to is what you just talked about, about sin.

[151] It's like you're not precise.

[152] We're saying, it's all right.

[153] You can still live as a fornicator, adulterer, active homosexual.

[154] It doesn't matter.

[155] We welcome you and Christ will, you know, you get to.

[156] to go to heaven.

[157] Come on.

[158] Well, that's not the gospel.

[159] And so I think what Bishop Robert Barron has said is so true, and it's just refreshing because I know that when he says things like that, many people are going to condemn him and say, oh, he shouldn't say things like that because he's going to make people feel uncomfortable.

[160] Are you kidding me?

[161] But that's the world we're in.

[162] So thank you for being so straightforward about the teachings.

[163] I teased everybody at the break about a tweet you said, an important article that brings clarity in these confusing times in the church about true tolerance and the meaning of welcoming people into the church.

[164] Can you kind of just summarize I mean, people can go to Catholic World Report.

[165] That's the publication Father Joe Fesio at Ignatius Press as the publisher.

[166] So anything at Catholic World Report, I would recommend.

[167] But can you just kind of summarize what the article had to say about tolerance?

[168] Well, what it speaks of, is the need for absolutely i mean what we have to remember christ came for all of us it's not just for some select group it's not a gnostic group it's not a you know this special group it's for all humanity and so tolerance is there's a degree of tolerance is necessary we need to with tolerance with the idea that built on that universal invitation of Christ, then proper tolerance is to say, everyone's welcome, but to then tolerate the ways that they're not living Christ, and most of it's simple, but some of it is simply just not understanding what our Christian faith is about.

[169] We can't tolerate that.

[170] We can't tolerate anything that is contradictory to the Christian faith.

[171] Christian gospel.

[172] And what occurs to me as you're talking about that article and about Bishop Barron, it's as if Christ never came.

[173] I mean, you erase the significance of Christ if you don't listen to what he said.

[174] I mean, he came to a pagan world of the Roman Empire, and he delivered a message that set the world on fire and transform people.

[175] If Christ had to be a world.

[176] come, then, you know, you might have someone saying, oh, well, let's all get together and support each other.

[177] But like you said, that list of sins would never have been addressed.

[178] I mean, they're eviscerating the Christian message, the gospel of Christ.

[179] And what the sad thing is, I mean, Christ promises everlasting joy.

[180] He says your joy will be full.

[181] It's not some dour, empty offering that he gives us.

[182] He gives us fulfillment.

[183] And the way we're made, I mean, it's all tied together.

[184] Because we're made in the image and likeness of God.

[185] We will never be happy.

[186] It's another way of saying the St. Augustine quote that I, quote all the time.

[187] Your hearts are restless until they rest in God.

[188] Yeah.

[189] Another way of saying that is we will never be happy in sin.

[190] Yeah, exactly.

[191] It's a temporary happiness, but it never brings the fulfillment that Jesus Christ brings because we're not resting in God.

[192] Yeah.

[193] We're resting in ourselves.

[194] And there's so much of a tone in the world today.

[195] Yeah.

[196] And I really have to say, I mean, people will say, oh, he's getting really out.

[197] there now and he knew strickle was crazy but i think i think it's the agenda of satan of course it is telling us all we are is ourselves exactly and self -fulfillment and all the selfishness that we see i mean you know one thing that i saw that it's just disgusting does that think was in seattle yeah this parade you know this pride parade yeah a bunch of ugly old man yeah walking down the street naked.

[198] Yes.

[199] That is supreme, self -centered garbage.

[200] Here there are children being exposed to this.

[201] It's just devastating for humanity.

[202] And very few people speak out, Bishop.

[203] See, very few people will speak out like you to say, the emperor has no clothes on, literally.

[204] Yeah.

[205] The emperor's ugly and he's walking around with no clothes on.

[206] Somebody get him a row.

[207] Yes.

[208] It's just, and these deluded people, and these weren't kids.

[209] I mean, the kids were there, but these were old guys.

[210] I mean, thankfully, had the worst of it blocked out of the picture, but it was just, this is an atrocity.

[211] It is.

[212] It was for it to be allowed.

[213] I mean, whatever happened to indecent exposure in public.

[214] Exactly.

[215] I thought it was a crime.

[216] Yeah.

[217] And they're just letting it happen because, oh, it's a pride parade.

[218] That, you know, that just shows what's at the root of this.

[219] and of pride.

[220] Yes.

[221] And evil.

[222] Well, said.

[223] I'm going to bring Bishop Sheen into the conversation because he sounds like you on this from the quotable Sheen under tolerance.

[224] He says, love of God and man as an ideal has lately been replaced by the new ideal of tolerance which inspires no sacrifice.

[225] It's the unholy God Trinity, me myself and I. Here's what Jean says.

[226] Why should any human being in the world be merely tolerated?

[227] What man has ever made a sacrifice?

[228] sacrifice in the name of tolerance.

[229] It leads men instead to express their own egotism.

[230] You gave examples of that.

[231] In a book or a lecture, our parade, that patronizes the downtrodded group, one of the cruelest things that can happen to a human being is to be tolerated.

[232] Never once did our Lord say, tolerate your enemies, but he did say, love your enemies, do good to them that hate you.

[233] Yeah, absolutely.

[234] He nailed it.

[235] it gets back to what real love is.

[236] Love is not, I mean, and that's how love is masquerading as just the ultimate tolerance.

[237] Just live and let live, do your thing.

[238] Be you, you, be you.

[239] Yep.

[240] You be you is leaving you in the pit of sin and saying, you're not worth saving.

[241] That's basically what the message is.

[242] And sadly, a lot of people that even get caught up in that, they come to that brick wall, of life is empty and it leaves them devastated sometimes drastically devastated and it you know that's just emptiness and we've got to do everything we can to speak against it well said and you know this leads me to a tweet that uh regarding st thomas more and john fisher just before i give this quote um why why do you have a devotion to these two men i think you've actually visited England, if I recall a conversation years back.

[243] Is that true?

[244] You went to England to visit their site?

[245] Yeah, absolutely.

[246] I saw the place where Thomas Moore and probably I think they may have been the same place at different times, but they're in the Tower of London.

[247] I saw the place where they were imprisoned and before they were beheaded.

[248] And, you know, that's several hundred years ago, but you know, they had the courage to To speak the truth, the tyranny.

[249] Yeah.

[250] We need that same courage today to speak the truth to the tyrannical forces that are not speaking the truth.

[251] That's why they died because they said, I'm sorry, Henry VIII.

[252] I'm not going to sign this document that speaks tyrannical falsehoods.

[253] I mean, he was wanting to take over the church in England and make it his church.

[254] He managed to do it because there weren't enough John Fisher's and Thomas Moors.

[255] And sadly, today, I'm afraid there aren't enough John Fisher's and Thomas Moors to stand up and say no. Yeah.

[256] Well, you tweeted what he said.

[257] He said, I do not care very much what men say of me provided that God approves of me. So I know for me, a lot of people would say, Terry, you're really out there because you actually believe in God's word, you actually believe there's a right and a wrong.

[258] And again, this quote from Thomas Moore says, I do not care very much what men say.

[259] I mean, I think we have to have that attitude because even men in the church, I've been accused of undermining the faith.

[260] Now, I'll just give you something today.

[261] And this is why speaking the truth, I didn't tell you this off the air, Bishop Strickling yesterday.

[262] Two people called Virgin Most Powerful Radio and said, the first one was a lady she said you saved my life i said well what are you talking about lady i don't even know you she said i heard you talk on redemptive suffering i'm 74 years old i've had a chronic disease and i've been suffering and i wanted to end my life and then you talked about colossians chapter one about i fill up what is lacking the sufferings of christ for the good of the church and she said i didn't realize that i could take time off of my purgatory or i could be praying for my loved ones that left the church and now I have my own apostolate of suffering and I would have never done that without listening to you say well any good we do comes from God we thank him for it now that's beautiful that is beautiful but what you want to hear another beautiful one on two in one day now we get this periodically people saying that to us but as I said any good we do comes from God and we thank him I got another guy he says because he heard me talk about it on the radio he said well I got to tell you my story well what's your story Bishop Strickland saved my life.

[263] I said, you've got to be getting me. What's the story on this?

[264] Come on.

[265] Tell me what happened.

[266] He said, well, I've been so frustrated, you know, with my faith because of so much, but he used the word modernism, meaning that watering down to the faith.

[267] He said, I was losing my faith.

[268] I was losing my faith.

[269] And then I heard the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[270] I know, sounds like I'm making this stuff up, but I got the guy's number.

[271] And he said to me, it's because of the show I realized that I wasn't crazy that what Strickland has been saying on this show this is what I believe but I didn't know we still believe that so can you believe this I mean these are stories that just happened yesterday both of them and Terry I'm sure we both hear those stories I know I do and like you said it's not about Strickland or Barter it's about Jesus Christ Amen the Lord of Truth Truth incarnate.

[272] The face of truth is in the Eucharist.

[273] And we've got to continue shouting it from the house tops because the world and the people even running the church are shouting, trying to shout us down and shouting a false message that too many are despairing in.

[274] One thing that I want to talk about is just the gospel this week.

[275] I think it was yesterday.

[276] I lose track.

[277] It happens so quickly.

[278] but it has Jesus Christ himself these are the words of Christ saying the road to damnation is wide and ample the road to salvation to is narrow yes I mean he says that in other way yeah with the through the camel's eye on but I think we need to really hear that because there's a lot of debate there's no debate our Lord Jesus Christ said it's a wide road to hell and a narrow road to heaven we'll be right back now back to the bishop strickland hour welcome back i'm looking up my gospel reading for matthew that you just quoted before the break we had to get cut for the break can you repeat that one more time and then let's talk about it because that's not what anybody said this is what our lord said very clearly about salvation so important please give that quote again well just paraphrasing it, it's not exactly said this way in the translation I read, but basically the Lord makes it very clear, the road to hell is wide, the road to heaven is narrow.

[279] And he says that very clearly.

[280] He says it in other ways and other Gospels as well, but he says it very clearly in that passage.

[281] Matthew, let me interrupt.

[282] It's Matthew chapter 7, verse 6 to 12 for those who are listening.

[283] Go ahead.

[284] Yeah, we just need to, people need to say the, the question is answered by the Lord himself.

[285] There's all this debate.

[286] Do most people go to heaven?

[287] Most people go to hell?

[288] And he says, he doesn't say who goes, but he says the road to hell is wide.

[289] And we see that.

[290] The same thing from Sister Faustina's, St. Faustina's vision.

[291] She said exactly, she was a little more elaborate with it, talking about people just dancing down this beautiful, wide, flowered path, and then going off into a horrible pit of fire, and then the other people going through the thorns and struggling and rocks, and they get to heaven.

[292] You know, I mean, basically, her vision matches what the Lord says in the gospel.

[293] I'm going to go with them.

[294] Amen.

[295] Wow.

[296] Now, I just want to want to mention something that we've been talking about, I call them homeless.

[297] homosexual, they call them pride parades, but you just described the people that are doing these.

[298] It's interesting because you tweeted, St. Pope John Paul II protested against the homosexual pride parades in Rome 23 years ago.

[299] I thought, wow, when I saw that, I said, I've got to tell people that.

[300] He said, I feel obliged now to mention that well -known gay pride demonstrations held in Rome in the last few days in the name of the Church of Rome, I can only express my deep sadness at this.

[301] You know, it seems to me that we need more leaders in our church to call these things out because by not saying anything, Bishop Strickland, we're getting the impression that, you know, in certain diocese, I know it's not in your diocese at least I'm positive, you don't have pride masses.

[302] They call them I mean, pride, one of the sins, I mean, what?

[303] They don't have it in your diocese, but here, in many other diocese in the country, they're allowing these masses to give the impression that it's okay to be an active homosexual.

[304] And John Paul, too, 23 years ago, said, no. So I just thought it's interesting that you found that quote.

[305] Yeah.

[306] Well, and I think we've, again, I guess, well, the Pride Mass is at 11.

[307] we'll have the embezzlers mass at 12 and the fornicator's mass at, you know, some other time.

[308] I mean, it's like a sin mass. I mean, that's basically, people have forgotten that pride is a deadly sin and probably one of the deadliest.

[309] Again, we've just forgotten the truth.

[310] But, you know, we've got to just keep sharing the truth the best we can.

[311] Bishop Strickland, I'm saving the last for this.

[312] the best.

[313] I love when you quote scripture, first of all.

[314] Now, you quoted Romans, and I know certain people don't like Romans chapter 1.

[315] The catechism quotes it regarding homosexuality, because that's the word of God that says it.

[316] But you quote Romans chapter 8, verse 38.

[317] It says, for I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things nor future things nor powers nor height or debt nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord rejoice we need to hear that every day absolutely absolutely and that's what we have to remember when we are following Christ when we do what he asked we deny ourselves we take up our cross we follow him then nothing can stop us.

[318] Nothing, we have nothing to fear.

[319] The world, I mean, you know, I loved it just this past Sunday's gospel.

[320] Feared, oh man. And that's what we need to, that's basically saying the same thing.

[321] Yeah.

[322] I mean, men and women, people of this world, they can do all kinds of things to us.

[323] But it's not something to be feared if we know Christ.

[324] Nothing can separate us from his love.

[325] And so the greatest saints are beautiful examples of that.

[326] I saw a story about a St. Tarsisius.

[327] I know nothing about it.

[328] Have you ever heard of St. Of course I have.

[329] Yes.

[330] I read stories to my children and my grandchildren.

[331] It's a fantastic story.

[332] Beautiful story that brought me to tears.

[333] I should.

[334] Thinking about what at least the version of the story that I read was St. Tarsitius, young man, I don't even know if he was.

[335] a teenager, but he was young and he was taking the body of Christ, the Eucharist, to people that were ready to be murdered.

[336] They were being murdered by the Roman Empire.

[337] And on the way, these thugs said, hey, kid, what do you got there?

[338] And he wouldn't tell him.

[339] And they murdered him.

[340] The beautiful part of the story that just washed over me was at least the way that this said, it's seems to be the tradition that there was no trace of the Eucharist and the faithful presumed it was absorbed into his body.

[341] Yep.

[342] Because he was giving his life for the same one he was carrying.

[343] So that's just beautiful.

[344] That is.

[345] And you see, this is the story you tell your kids when they're little kids getting ready to receive Holy Communion.

[346] You instill in them a love for Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament that will incandle them the rest of their life.

[347] Wow.

[348] Absolutely.

[349] The last, this one tweet that you sent out, I wanted to be on a t -shirt.

[350] And it's so good because we're in it right now.

[351] It said, to be persecuted for speaking truth is an honor every Christian should be willing to embrace.

[352] It is walking with Jesus Christ, who is truth incarnate.

[353] If we know Jesus, it's easier to speak about his truth, no matter what focus opposes us.

[354] the opposition is temporary Jesus is forever see that's the attitude that the saints live by and Bishop Strickland we're all called to be saints so this quote that you just said when I read it I was like you see I can't compromise we're living in a world right now where they keep telling us oh come on get over it Strickland get over it Barber come on just lighten up stop being so rigid regarding morality just get over it but you know what our lord taught what he taught and we can't change it that's so that's why i like what you said but i mean where did you this must have come from prayer because no one says something like that without reflecting on it absolutely thankfully i do pray and that's exactly where it came from because it's just the truth yeah it is we all need to be ready for it yeah moms and dads priests and bishops all of us yeah wow and i i have a quote that you sent out remember that Jesus Christ a descendant of David was raised from the dead if we deny him he will deny us if we are unfaithful he will still remain faithful for he cannot deny himself these are just what I call axioms of truth that you just sent out that said just remember you know this is our faith absolutely and that I believe that was from morning prayer, one of the readings.

[355] I see.

[356] And to make it fit into the tweet, I had to, you know, sort of start and then finish it up.

[357] But it got the point across.

[358] It did.

[359] It did.

[360] Bishop Strickland, 30, 40 years ago, I used to do a t -shirt and said, who started your church?

[361] And I'd have a list of all the churches back in 1980, I think.

[362] And it was the most popular T -shirt.

[363] And then other T -shirt companies came along and said, oh this is what we did i said go ahead use it because you know that's not what i was doing and i i mean i i'm all four people taking it and replicating it well you just tweeted one of these papers it says who started your church i used to have the website who started your church dot com but you can't do everything let other people do other work that you can't do but you said this about this of course she has flaws of course the humanity of the church but she is the only true church the Catholic Church established by God, any and every other church was established by man. That's just the fact, what you said.

[364] Yeah, and that, like I talked at the Dodger Stadium, I said, we need the audacity to know who founded our Catholic Church.

[365] Yeah.

[366] And to own it, to be joyful about it, and to be strong and clear, God, The son of God founded our church.

[367] It's they're testified to in Scripture.

[368] And frankly, I mean, I'm sure we've both said through the years, and it's more true all the time.

[369] Yeah.

[370] The only way it's still here, it's of God.

[371] It's like Gamaliel in the Acts of the Apostles.

[372] I love that as well.

[373] If this is of man, it will not last.

[374] So don't worry about it.

[375] If it's of God, you may find yourself finding God himself.

[376] Yeah.

[377] And people have found themselves.

[378] when they go up against the Catholic Church, even sometimes from within the church, they find themselves fighting God because this was established by God.

[379] I think it was Anne Landers years ago.

[380] She was Jewish, but she put that in her column.

[381] That same thing that I tweeted, that basic listing of who founded all the churches.

[382] Yep.

[383] Well said, when we come back from the break, I want to get your take on Pope Benedict, the 16th book.

[384] It kind of fits right in about who started your church.

[385] and what is the church.

[386] He wrote a book called the Ratzinger Report in 1985.

[387] I think that's probably the year you were ordained a priest somewhere in there.

[388] And he said that the ecclesiology, the ecclesiology is a big word for, how do you see the church?

[389] And I think that for some people see the church as, hey, just like the optimist club.

[390] You know, it's just an institution.

[391] But what you just said earlier, it's not.

[392] It's instituted by Christ.

[393] This was built by Jesus Christ.

[394] He willed his church to be.

[395] teaching and governing and sanctifying his people.

[396] And I wanted to just get your take on that book, summarize it, and then we'll get right into a catechism lesson here on the Terry, excuse me, on the Bishop Joseph Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[397] We're going to be opening up the catechism.

[398] We come back too on the Way of Christ's student book.

[399] This is published by the Diocese of Tyler, the St. Philip Institute.

[400] Go check out the St. Philip Institute.

[401] There's lots of good resources there.

[402] especially catechetical resources for the family.

[403] We want to get that.

[404] And when we come back, just a quick note about Pope Benedict the 16th book called the Ratzinger Report and talking about the ecclesiology of the church.

[405] Stay with us, family.

[406] We'll be right now.

[407] Back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[408] Welcome back.

[409] I'm going to stand corrected Bishop Strickland.

[410] I'd like to get right into the catechism.

[411] People can read that book from Ignatius Press, the Ratzinger Rehn.

[412] report very well done back in 1985 and I kind of reviewed it not too long ago saying wow how it's so appropriate for today you know 40 years later but we're in a chapter 7 of the catechism on the holy spirit and it's a great topic as how are we saved it's about five or six paragraphs that we've been doing and we're at the third step on page 19 for those who are following the third step is sanctification.

[413] Jesus sanctifies us through the grace of the Holy Spirit.

[414] By his grace, we grow in holiness by believing in God and his teachings more deeply and by doing good works with true faith.

[415] The Holy Spirit moves us to deeper faith and gives us help to perform good works.

[416] He then rewards us with greater grace for doing good works and having faith.

[417] that paragraph right there and that's a big word sanctification we don't hear it too much in homilies but it's really showing how the Holy Spirit works intimately in our soul could you share a little bit more on that Bishop Strickland I can't hear him Mr. Engineer go ahead Mr. Strickland you're good I think it is important because sometimes I mean we've been talking so much about turning from sin, but that's not the end of the story.

[418] Once we have grown away from sin, and it's an ongoing process, I mean, it's, at least for me, it's one step forward, one step back.

[419] But we keep working at, so the point is that I think sanctification is seeking deeper and deeper virtue, growing in holiness.

[420] We've talked about it before, Terry.

[421] The universal called the holiness means, and really getting the sin out of our lives, especially any mortal or serious sin, you have to do that.

[422] To begin seeking holiness in any serious way.

[423] We all remain sinners.

[424] Even the great saints are not sinless people at the end of their lives.

[425] They've just continued to grow in virtue so much.

[426] Their sins are minuscule compared to mine.

[427] But they have grown in virtue and sanctification.

[428] It reminds us, and that's the beauty, again, of our life in Christ.

[429] If we live to be 100, we're obligated to continue to grow in holiness throughout all of those days.

[430] To turn from sin and to more and more deeply purify our lives and to be more and more sanctified.

[431] But that's what that's speaking of is the call to, universal call to holiness to be I mean it comes right out of the gospel yeah be holy as I am holy you know we've talked about it before and we just have to seriously embrace that and it makes it all the more ridiculous to say oh don't even worry about sin don't worry about turning from sin that's only the first step amen if you never get past your sins you're never going to go very far with Christ.

[432] He wants us to flourish and be full of joy.

[433] And the only way we will do that is to turn from sin over and over again, continuing throughout our lives and embrace more and more virtue.

[434] And the wonder of God's grace, it makes it easier not to sin.

[435] Both of us can testify to that.

[436] Absolutely.

[437] You know, Bishop Strickland, this is something that really applies to us today again.

[438] and the paragraph says, we cannot save ourselves.

[439] I mean, this mentality, what you quoted Matthew, just earlier in the show about the road to hell is wide, the road to heaven is narrow.

[440] And it seems to me that many people think, well, you know, I'm going to, I can be saved because I said it.

[441] You know, no, that's not how it works.

[442] We cannot save ourselves, this catechism says.

[443] Jesus is the beginning, middle, and end of our salvation, but he also wants us to cooperate with him, responding to grace, gives us in believing more deeply and performing works.

[444] I might also add something in that paragraph, maybe I'm just, but not only can we believe more deeply in performing good works, but asking for forgiveness of our sins.

[445] This is another element we have to apply and today it seems like Bishop Sheen said that we're all immaculately conceived no we all sin that's we all need of grace we all need confession so I'm sorry I got a little carried away when that paragraph said I said yes we have to repent and believe in the gospel absolutely and Terry it takes me back to what we were talking about earlier deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me there's a whole lot packed in to deny yourself.

[446] That means turning from sin, denying your own selfish focus, become instead someone who is looking to the good of the other.

[447] Right.

[448] That's the definition of love, wanting the good of the other.

[449] Yep, well said.

[450] I think we can get one more in.

[451] Question here, number six on page 19, says, are we saved by faith without works?

[452] Now, this goes back to the Reformation time.

[453] The answer is, no!

[454] We are first made right with God through faith, like the good thief who died next to Jesus, that beginning each person's path of salvation.

[455] Then, after we have faith, we must grow in the holiness by doing good works.

[456] If we lack good works, we are not working with God's grace, nor submitting our will to God's meaning we lack real faith and cannot be saved.

[457] We should not separate faith from good faith.

[458] works.

[459] As St. James said, faith without works is dead.

[460] That's James Chapter 2, verse 26.

[461] That's a mouthful, Bishop Strickland.

[462] Yeah, but it is important.

[463] I mean, it really is just appropriately continuing what it means, what salvation really mean?

[464] Yeah.

[465] It's a journey of that is rather complex.

[466] I mean, it deals with every aspect of being a human being and continuing to grow in holiness and turning from sin, turning from the selfishness and the imperfections that we all deal with, growing in virtue, and more and more making progress there, all of that has to work together.

[467] And it's, thankfully, I mean, you know, I don't expect to somehow be perfect when I die whenever that is.

[468] Right.

[469] We rely on the grace and mercy of God, even when we're working hard at it.

[470] Yes.

[471] But we need to be working hard at it.

[472] And to tell the false message that you really don't have to work on anything, it leaves us in a dark and ugly world.

[473] It leaves out the joy that is offered to us in the gospel and leaves us in danger of damnation.

[474] If we don't really take seriously getting away from the same.

[475] serious sin getting away from anything that's evil and growing in virtue and that's the mission that we all have in jesus christ one question is can we lose our salvation you know many people today think of universal salvation that i'm going to heaven no matter what but the catechism here says about can we lose our salvation yes the answer is this happens when a person falls into serious sin and that's what is serious sin mortal sin by committing serious sin a person rejects God's grace, that person needs to seek forgiveness from God and the sacrament of reconciliation.

[476] Need to go to confession more often.

[477] I'm wondering, Bishop Strickland, this short paragraph, can we lose our salvation?

[478] The answer is yes.

[479] It seems to be that many people don't see it that way.

[480] Absolutely.

[481] And I mean, an old phrase that isn't used as much as it should be, it used to be, final perseverance.

[482] Yeah.

[483] It's a reminder that you can't say, oh, I got there.

[484] I mean, it's like running a race.

[485] St. Paul talks about it.

[486] You got to run to the end of the race.

[487] You don't say, oh, well, I was virtuous for several years.

[488] So sadly, you see older people like us doing exactly that.

[489] They've sort of said, oh, I'm old now.

[490] So I can just go and, I mean, living together.

[491] I mean, doing all the things that we try to tell young people, don't do this.

[492] Don't be promiscuous with your.

[493] sexual life.

[494] Old people, you know, are doing exactly that.

[495] It's just, it's unhinged.

[496] But final, that's what that's talking about is final perseverance.

[497] I mean, just because I'm a bishop, just because I've been a priest for 38 years, if I lose it and I start living a deeply sinful life and committing mortal sin and living a mortally sinful lifestyle, all the virtue that I've lived is lost.

[498] It can always be recovered.

[499] That's why it's final perseverance.

[500] A lot of people's lives are sort of up and down and they get away from sin and then they get caught in something else.

[501] We all have to work against especially serious sin.

[502] And then if you get the serious sins pretty much taken care of, then you can work on the lesser sins and grow in perfection, grow in the happiness that the Lord offers us.

[503] But the idea that you can sort of coast after a certain age or after you've raised your kids and done this, absolutely not.

[504] You can, and you have a responsibility to pass on to the next generation, the wisdom you've learned, hopefully, through that journey of battling sin and seeking to grow in virtue.

[505] Sadly, too many people aren't battling sin and aren't seeking to grow in virtue.

[506] So they're not growing in wisdom either.

[507] They're not learning anything to pass on to the next.

[508] generation.

[509] Amen, amen, I say, wow, that's good stuff.

[510] Bishop Strickland, could you at this time, we've got a couple minutes, give us a blessing, but before you get the blessing, I want people to know that they can pick this catechism called the Way of Christ, Catechism, from the St. Philip Institute, which is part of the diocese of Kyler, Texas.

[511] And this is a question and answer catechism and what I like about it is it goes to the big catechism that I have here on my left big green one and it gives more quotes from the catechism with paragraphs that support what they're briefly giving you so I think it's a good resource and I want to just recommend too on Tuesdays on full sheen ahead we teach a catechism convert course for the anglican ordinaria a 12 -week course you become catholic after 12 weeks and we use bishop fulton sheen's convert course, we use the Baltimore Catechism number four, and people can watch it for free go to full sheen ahead.

[512] Could we get a blessing, Bishop Strickland, please?

[513] Sure, absolutely.

[514] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for everyone participating in the Virgin Most Powerful Radio in listening to this program.

[515] We pray especially for many.

[516] They may be hearing this during the week of the 4th of July.

[517] we ask a special blessing for our nation that we may return to God and truly be one nation under God as we celebrate our independence.

[518] And we ask this blessing for all listeners and all participating in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[519] Amen.

[520] Thank you so much.

[521] And if you want to listen to past programs, go to vmpr .org.

[522] That's virgin most powerful radio .org.

[523] You can listen to all the Bishop Streene's podcast, Bishop Strickland's podcast, or any of the other shows that we put on here at vmpr .org.

[524] Thanks for your support in helping us proclaim Christ in his church teachings with clarity and charity.

[525] Thanks again for keeping us in your prayers also.

[526] God love you and your family.