10 Nov 2020 – The Ninth Commandment

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] This is Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[2] And Bishop Strickland, welcome to another hour together to talk about Jesus Christ and his bride the church.

[3] Thanks, Terry.

[4] Thank you.

[5] We're talking about the Ten Commandments.

[6] We're on the Ninth Commandment.

[7] For those who just tuned in, and you want to hear all the other podcasts, you just go to Virgin Most Powerful Radio .org and look under podcasts.

[8] Our format is to talk about what Bishop Strickland is.

[9] tweeting.

[10] He tweets a lot.

[11] And thank you, Bishop Strickland, for tweeting so much.

[12] Your first tweet I'd like to ask a question about was down on October 20th, you said, because we got a big election coming up, and you said, use your vote to stop abortion.

[13] Thank you for saying that.

[14] It is the greatest moral imperative of our time.

[15] The issues that plague us are countless, but to vote for a candidate who promotes the killing of unborn children is to support that killing.

[16] It is the preeminent issue of this election.

[17] Use your vote, and I would say wisely.

[18] Bishop Strickland, we're right before a huge debate over who's going to run America as the president of the United States for the next four years.

[19] We have one pro -life person and we have one pro -abortion.

[20] And so you're not telling them how to vote other than use your moral confidence.

[21] don't support someone who's for abortion.

[22] Is there a reason why you said it so clearly?

[23] And you actually quoted something that your brother, bishops, at least the majority of them, agreed upon.

[24] Yeah, I believe it's an obligation that I share in really every believing person, but certainly bishops as leaders, we have the obligation to speak of the preeminent, foundational reality of the sanctity of the life of the unborn I really as this has progressed toward the election just in a few days now November 3rd what has struck me is that it really isn't an issue among issues it is the foundation from which every other issue of the sanctity of life the value of the person can be addressed If we don't establish that foundation, then everything else is undermined.

[25] And that's really the choice we have to make.

[26] If the unborn child is not protected in any way, and that's the platform that one party embraces very powerfully, not unabashedly pro -abortion from conception until the very long.

[27] last moment in the womb, and then, you know, getting into even infanticide questions of a child born, but not allowed to thrive and to live.

[28] So that is a foundation on which all the other issues, every other issue of humanity, whether it's euthanasia or human trafficking, or the border issues, or abusive children in families, or abusive children, period.

[29] There's sadly a long list of issues that threaten the sanctity of life, but we've got to acknowledge the foundation that that has to be built on is the most innocent, the most voiceless, and that is the unborn.

[30] Well said, you know, if you're not born, what other issue is there?

[31] You're not even alive to deal with any of the other issues.

[32] So well said.

[33] Bishop Strickland, you also endorsed a Anglican Ordinariate priest.

[34] know him.

[35] He actually, you called him a courageous priest speaks the truth about Joe Biden and the, and the, uh, Kamala Harris.

[36] And you said, please share this on social media.

[37] It's a must see homily.

[38] And, um, you know, you said every Catholic should listen to this wise and faithful priest.

[39] Why are you calling him, uh, first of all, why would you call him courageous?

[40] I mean, he's just saying the truth about the policy of certain politicians.

[41] but is that courageous today?

[42] It is, sadly.

[43] It is sadly courageous to simply, as I've said, I mean, people have called me courageous, and I said, all I'm doing is reading the catechism out loud.

[44] Yeah.

[45] But there are many, for whatever reasons, there are many leaders and many people are simply not speaking to the issues.

[46] They're just staying quiet.

[47] And that silence is leading a lot of people into a deeper darkness.

[48] So it is courageous, sadly.

[49] And I've said that.

[50] It saddens me that it's considered to be courageous, but it is.

[51] It's going against the norm.

[52] It's going against the popular what's accepted and what people say, oh, well, that's great, and that's very acceptable, and that's very calm, is not to address some of these issues.

[53] and not to be clear as Catholics.

[54] Well, said Bishop Strickland, this happened just today, yesterday actually.

[55] Amy Coney -Barritt was confirmed by the Senate.

[56] She's now one of the nine Supreme Court justices, and I found out something that might be of interest to you.

[57] She believes in Ephesians 5, it was today's reading about the balance between men and women, and that she said her most important job on this planet is to be a good wife.

[58] mother, even before the Supreme Court of this, you know, that she's on the Supreme Court.

[59] And I thought, wow, that's so Catholic to say something like that.

[60] And she was criticized by secular people saying, you see, that's why we don't want her.

[61] She's got some religious freak saying these things about her marriage and how ridiculous that is.

[62] Are you as excited as I am that she is now one of the Supreme Court justices?

[63] yes i actually tweeted thank god that uh she was approved yeah and that it for exactly that reason um we need strong men and strong women in marriage it takes a strong woman to live what saint paul speaks of but it also takes a strong man amen it's both that what they we speak of is complementarity.

[64] And it's very important.

[65] It is another foundational element for society.

[66] And without that complementarity between a man and a woman that St. Paul speaks of, we're in trouble.

[67] And so we're in trouble.

[68] If anybody would want Father Joseph Fessio, I'm bringing his name.

[69] Who's Father Joseph Fessio?

[70] Well, he's the founder of Ignatius Press.

[71] And 30 -some years ago, he married my wife.

[72] my wife was married we got married by father Fesio he was the witness at our wedding and he gave a homily on Ephesians chapter 5 and everybody who went to that wedding Richard my engineer he's with me that long 30 some years ago when I got married he had a beautiful homily on Ephesians 5 and if people want to hear it I'll dig up the old video and they videotaped it I've sent it to people and they go wow I had people in my wedding in the church watching the wedding say that that changed their whole view on their own perspective on how a man and woman should reach each other.

[73] And he just touched him.

[74] And this is why the truth is what sets us free.

[75] And I think that sometimes Bishop Strickland, we're listening too much to the world and not to the word of God.

[76] So thank you for putting all that out to us.

[77] All right, I'm going to shift gears for a minute.

[78] Do we have the time?

[79] Yes, we do.

[80] We have a couple minutes to get into this next issue.

[81] and this is something, two things.

[82] You tweeted on October 21st, and we're going to talk more on the Terry and Jesse show tomorrow for those who want to go into this even deeper.

[83] But Bishop Strickland was trying to encourage people to read a document from the congregation for the doctor of faith.

[84] It was June 3rd, 2003.

[85] Benedict XVIth as Cardinal Ratzinger and St. John Paul II as Pope, approved this considerations regarding proposal to give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons.

[86] And I think your point to reading this is because of a private statement by our Holy Father that might bring some confusion to people that you want to reassure people, if I'm reading you right, what the church actually teaches.

[87] Is that a fair statement?

[88] Absolutely.

[89] People were asking me questions about how do we, what is this?

[90] It's confusing.

[91] And I thought the best, most respectful way to address it was to simply reiterate 17 years ago.

[92] The church gave a well -reasoned, well -thought -out, compassionate answer, not attacking anyone, not denigrating anyone, but simply saying this is what the moral teachings of the church guide us to.

[93] And we encourage people to embrace this.

[94] truth.

[95] So I thought it was the most helpful way I could find to answer, you know, at least beginning answering some people's questions without getting too deeply into it, but just present what the official teaching of the church is.

[96] Well, that's what we need, and that's what I call the perennial teachings of the church.

[97] And I also have quoted Vatican One, which I don't to get into the Vatican 1, but Vatican 1 talked about the idea of the papacy as to be the custodian of the deposit of faith that's been handed on to us in a succession of the successor of Peter.

[98] And so, it's interesting, but I think we just reaffirm to everyone listening that the official teachings of the church have not changed on this issue, that if you read your catechism, you read official teachings of the church, you read your Bible.

[99] If you want, today, I gave a bunch of scripture verses and catechism verses that taught what the church teaches in regarding people who have same -sex attraction, and we obviously have respect for them.

[100] But this brings me up, Bishop Strickland, to something that Cardinal Robert Sirrah said in a book called God or Nothing.

[101] I read the book a year ago, and this might be a good teaser for the people.

[102] When we come back from the break, Cardinal Sirrah had some really sound advice to the folks who have same -sex attraction.

[103] And this would be something that you might want to share with your friends and family because I think, you know, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

[104] And when you care for someone, you give them the truth with love and devotion.

[105] And I think that's what Cardinal Robert DeRoss said in his comments regarding same -sex attraction.

[106] When we come back with the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Power Radio, you'll hear A great man once said that evil is powerless if the good are unafraid.

[107] Well, you and I have a rendezvous with destiny.

[108] We'll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.

[109] We're at war with the most dangerous enemy that has ever faced mankind and has long climbed from the swamp to the stars.

[110] And it's been said if we lose this war, and in so doing lose this great way of freedom of ours.

[111] history will report with the greatest astonishment that those that had the most to lose did the least to prevent it from happening well I think it's high time now that we ask ourselves if we still even know the freedoms that were intended for us by our founding fathers every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom exists not to do what you like but having the right to do what you ought you weren't made to fit in my brothers and sisters you are born to stand out set yourself apart from this generation.

[112] Be saints.

[113] God bless you.

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[117] Thanks in advance for supporting CRC and VMPR, and may God richly bless you and your family.

[118] This is Jerry Barber.

[119] I want to thank you for your support here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[120] Here's an easy way to do it.

[121] If you're going to sell or buy a house, call real estate for life.

[122] 877 -543 -3871 because they're going to get you a Christ -centered agent to purchase your home or to sell your home.

[123] And at the close of escrow, a portion of his commission goes right back to Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[124] call 877 -543 -3871.

[125] Thank you so much for your support.

[126] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[127] My name's Terry Barbara.

[128] I'm with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[129] And for the first two segments we talk here, for the format of those new people, we talk about the tweets from Bishop Strickland, and then we're going to be going into the Ninth Commandment.

[130] That'll be coming up right after this segment.

[131] And our whole purpose of this hour for Bishop Strickland is one purpose.

[132] introducing you to the person of Jesus Christ and his bride the church because we both want to get you to heaven and how do we do that by proclaiming Jesus Christ as loud as possible with charity and clarity Bishop Strickland I quoted Cardinal Robert Surrah's book God or Nothing and I would encourage people to get that book from Ignatius Press not just read this one quote from page 160 read the entire book it really it really helped me really fall deeper in love with Jesus after reading his book and any of his books are just so good but here's what he said and you quote we cannot accept the propaganda and the pressure groups of the LGBT lobbies lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered the chief enemies of the homosexual persons are the LGBT lobbies it is a serious error to reduce an individual to his behavior behavior, specifically sexual behavior, nature always ends up having its revenge.

[133] Wow, that's strong language for the cardinal.

[134] Can you tell me why it's charity with what he did there was charity?

[135] Because I think it is charitable what he said.

[136] Sure.

[137] Well, truth is charity.

[138] And exactly as he points out, the agenda that promotes same -sex attraction and it's just like whatever your feelings guide you to just embrace it I've had many testify basically to me many people have contacted me and told me that that path does not bring happiness it doesn't bring a fulfillment that they're looking for everyone like St. Augustine says.

[139] I mean, certainly, and a lot of people don't know they're looking for God, but St. Augustine says so wisely, our hearts are restless until they rest in God.

[140] Terry, I would say that even those sexual appetites, you might think, well, that's got nothing to do with God.

[141] I think it has everything to do with God.

[142] It's that hunger for fulfillment of being loved, beloved of God and being fulfilled in that way, that's what drives really all of our desires, if we think about our humanity.

[143] Everything that drives us is ultimately driving us toward what only God can offer.

[144] And so, as you said, Cardinal Surrah offers the greatest charity, the greatest love by saying, you're not going to find fulfillment in these blind alleys that others want to lead you down.

[145] And what we have to recognize, I know we've talked about it many times as we have these conversations, but look at the money that is rooted in a lot of what these lobbyists and a lot of what their efforts are all about.

[146] It's about getting money and transforming the, it's about economy and it's about selling products and it's about an agenda that really has little to do with the value of the individual person and people get caught up in this without realizing they're being used and their desires and their tendencies and their deep felt desires are being manipulated not for their good but for marketing and for other people's purposes.

[147] And it can be to influence votes or to market products or for all kinds of ulterior motives, people's hearts are being played with.

[148] And that is not of God.

[149] That is not love.

[150] That is not charity.

[151] Because it's not the truth.

[152] And to masquerade it as the truth is not.

[153] really loving other persons.

[154] I know the church is called bigoted, but the real bigotry is to ignore the value of the person and just say, here, you want to get into this lifestyle or you want to follow this path.

[155] When it's contrary to what the word of God tells us, and it's contrary ultimately to long -term human experience, it doesn't last.

[156] It isn't life -giving for, the individual in a in a long -term way.

[157] I can only confirm and say that's been my experience.

[158] I don't know if you had the opportunity to meet Father Harvey, who was the founder of courage, but in the 1980s, I used to record him at Human Life International Symposiums, and he started a organization to reach out to same -sex people, but he never compromised the church teachings.

[159] And what I found here in Los Angeles, I meet a lot of same -sex people, and I've had so many of him tell me, Terry, you're the first person who told me I have to live a chase life.

[160] And I said, what?

[161] He said, I've been going to these meetings.

[162] I said, well, you need to get to the right meetings because unfortunately you're going to meetings at Catholic churches where the groups are not giving you what the Catholic Church teaches.

[163] I hate to say that, but that's just the fact.

[164] Now, I say it with love and devotion, but I've had several of these men and women thank me. I said, thank Jesus, because he's just using this bald -headed old man to give you the teachings of the church.

[165] No more.

[166] I didn't.

[167] make my personal opinion, but I gave them the truth and charity, and they appreciate that because that's what sets people free.

[168] There's another Archbishop, he's retired, who does that.

[169] I've known Archbishop Shepu for many, many years.

[170] I pronounce his name wrong, probably.

[171] Some people say it's a different pronunciation, but I used to record a lot of conferences in Denver for him, and I just really like this Archbishop.

[172] And you quoted, I should say Bishop Strickland, you quoted Archbishop Shepu, are you actually quoting Catholicvote .org, which is an organization I want to recommend to people.

[173] I'll repeat at Catholicvote .org.

[174] Brian's a good man who runs that organization.

[175] But here's what the Archbishop said, and you retweeted it.

[176] And then I want your comments.

[177] He said, evil preaches tolerance until it's dominant.

[178] Then it seeks to silence good.

[179] Well, well said.

[180] What are your thoughts on that one?

[181] Well, I think the good archbishop It's the nail on the head because it's promoted its tolerance and then it reaches a tipping point where, you know, you and I are being called intolerant for speaking the truth.

[182] And they won't tolerate anyone who doesn't buy the agenda they're selling.

[183] And I mentioned the word selling again because it is selling.

[184] There's a lot of profit being made on this whole machine, and they don't want to tolerate contrary voices.

[185] Right.

[186] So it really, you know, like I said, the Archbishop hits the nail on the head.

[187] I'm sorry that, you know, he reached 75 and he's retired.

[188] I'm sure he's glad to be retired.

[189] Yeah.

[190] But we need voices like his.

[191] Absolutely.

[192] And he was a very faithful.

[193] teacher of the deposit of faith in his years.

[194] I'll never forget, this was 1990.

[195] I'm sitting with my four little kids in Denver because we're doing the Mile High Congress and the Archbishop comes up to my table.

[196] At the time, I didn't really know him other than letters, you know, but he comes out to me. So, Terry, when is St. Joseph Communications moving to Denver?

[197] I said, Archbishop, I said, my gosh, I thank you for that.

[198] He said, I got a place for you for free rent.

[199] We want you to come.

[200] well I never did but it was great I was so grateful that he was so you know open to seeing us as a lay organization that was supporting the church so I really have tremendous respect for him well the last one for the tweets are John St. John Paul to the great I use the great bishop but you know that's just me you quote him saying the ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being and I thought wow well said are you referring to you to the youngest human beings also?

[201] Absolutely.

[202] Every human being.

[203] And I think very, as so often is the case, John Paul II, says it briefly, succinctly, but very powerfully.

[204] And I think we really need to think about that from conception to natural death.

[205] Amen.

[206] What it calls to mind for me is the great commandment that we hear about in the gospel.

[207] Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself.

[208] Well said.

[209] Your neighbor is the child in the womb, the child caught up in human trafficking, the abused child, the hungry child, the adult that is threatened with euthanasia because they're not strong enough to resist any longer, the handicapped person.

[210] They're all our neighbor, like the gospel, the Good Samaritan story beautifully reminds us.

[211] us.

[212] And what St. John Paul the second is saying, St. John Paul the Great, I agree, is saying every person.

[213] If you can see a person, then you have an obligation to love that person and to value their life.

[214] And that's why it gets the push.

[215] And you know, it's another quote that I've seen, but when we established that a group of persons are not human beings, then we get in trouble.

[216] That's what happened with slavery.

[217] That's what happens in too many ways, even today, and certainly with the unborn child.

[218] People say, you know, oh, it's just a clump of cells.

[219] That is simply not the truth, not scientifically, not experientially.

[220] It is more than a clump of cells.

[221] if the child in the womb is just a clump of cells, then both of us, every human being.

[222] We can be defined as a clump of cells also, but we're the same clump of cells as that child in the womb.

[223] Well, think of saying this back in the time of slavery.

[224] I'm personally opposed to slavery, but if you want to have your slave, that's okay.

[225] Now, apply that to abortion.

[226] I'm personally opposed to abortion, but if you want to have your abortion, that's okay.

[227] doesn't work and the drud scott decision of the supreme court was reversed because it was wrong and the roe versus wade decision is wrong and that should be replaced also that's really putting it quite simple bishop strickland before we take a quick break which we got a minute could you tell us a little bit oh before i do that i want to plug people we have other shows on virgin most powerful so check our website out our youtube channel we get thousands of new listeners every week bishop strickland can you tell us a little bit about your institute at the diocese at Tyler, please.

[228] Yes, the St. Philip Institute, St. Philip 1L, just St. Philip Institute.

[229] Is the website.

[230] And it's dedicated to teaching.

[231] What we're really focusing on now with Dr. Stacey Trisenkos, the executive director, is helping the domestic church like you and your wife to to continue to be the strength of the church.

[232] Every parish, every diocese is made up of some millions of domestic churches, of individual homes with all kinds of different configurations, but the man in that family, the woman in that family, and all of the children, or aunts and uncles, or whoever is in that household, living the call of Jesus Christ, that's a domestic church.

[233] It can look very different, but it needs to be people dedicated to living moral lives following Jesus Christ.

[234] Go to the Tyler Diocese in Texas.

[235] If we come back, we're going to start the Ninth Amendment with Bishop Strickland.

[236] We'll turn that dial.

[237] We'll be right back.

[238] Welcome to Daniel.

[239] You're on the line.

[240] What's on your mind, brother?

[241] Hi, I just wanted to share a testimony about Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[242] I had a buddy at work who, you know, he's a lukewarm Catholic guy, and I wanted him to start listening to the Terry and Jesse show.

[243] So I kept telling him to download the app, and he kept putting me off.

[244] So one day, I grabbed his phone, and I downloaded the app for him.

[245] I went on vacation, and I kept telling him to listen to it.

[246] He was kind of put me off.

[247] I came back from vacation.

[248] He comes to my cubicle, and he says to me, hey, man, I've been listening to Terry and Jesse's show, and it's great.

[249] And it's made a big impact in his life.

[250] The guy, he's going a weekly adoration a couple times a week.

[251] He goes to the Mass in the morning.

[252] He's on -fire Catholic, and he promotes the Taranjewski Show and the Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[253] Daniel, what a testimony, and I want to encourage our listeners to get those cards by going to Virgin Most Powerful Radio .org and do what Daniel's doing.

[254] Go out and spread the faith by inviting people to listen to Virgin Most Powerful.

[255] Daniel, thanks for your testimony, brother.

[256] God love you.

[257] You're welcome.

[258] If you shop on Amazon .com, there's an easy way to support Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[259] Just visit smile .amazon .com and type in Catholic Resource Center under the desired charity.

[260] Now, when you log into your Amazon account and purchase products, a portion of it will automatically go to support Virgin Most Powerful Radio at no cost to you.

[261] Thanks in advance for supporting CRC and VMPR and may God richly bless you and your family.

[262] This is Terry Barber.

[263] I want to thank you for your support here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[264] Here's an easy way to do it.

[265] If you're going to sell or buy a house, call real estate for life.

[266] 877 -543 -3871 because they're going to get you a Christ -centered agent to purchase your home or to sell your home.

[267] And at the close of escrow, a portion of his commission goes right back to Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[268] Call 877 -543 -3871.

[269] Thank you so much for your support.

[270] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[271] My name's Terry Barber.

[272] And this is actually my favorite part of the hour with Bishop Strickland.

[273] Why?

[274] I just love seeing bishops teach, govern, and sanctify.

[275] And as a layman, I did a lot of teaching to students over the years, catechism classes.

[276] And I always found that I learned when I would teach.

[277] I would go out and study a topic and then have to present it.

[278] I go, wow, this is exciting.

[279] And so what we've been doing for those who are brand new, we've been covering the Ten Commandments.

[280] and you can always go back on the podcast to listen to any of those by going to virgin most powerful radio .org.

[281] We're on the Ninth Commandment, which says, you shall not covet your neighbor's house.

[282] You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his manservant or his maid servant or his ox or ass, anything that is your neighbors.

[283] So everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with in his heart, which is what the gospel say.

[284] Bishop Strickland, I was looking at this last week and prepping for today, and every time I open up the catechism, I mean, it's gold in these pages because it's so rich and it teaches with clarity and charity.

[285] Paragraph 2514 says this, and then I like to have your explanation.

[286] St. John distinguishes three kinds of covetousness or concupiscence, lust of the flesh, less of the eyes, and the pride of life.

[287] In the Catholic catechetical tradition, the Ninth Commandment forbids carnal concupiscence, the Tenth forbids covening another's goods.

[288] Could you comment on that paragraph, please?

[289] Yeah, I think one thing that I find interesting, the Ninth Commandment is very much connected to the Sixth Commandment.

[290] And to have two commandments that address sins against our sexual nature, I think tells us something.

[291] Of course it does.

[292] It reminds us that it is so woven into humanity.

[293] And many of the issues that we face in the world today come down to a disordered living out of our sexual appetites.

[294] And that takes many different forms.

[295] But I think it's significant that the Ninth Commandment raises the issue again, specifically covening a neighbor's wife.

[296] It's a reminder that we do tend to covet.

[297] To me, it's closely tied to one of the deadly sins, the deadly sin of envy.

[298] and when we see something or someone that is committed to or belongs to another person, we don't really speak of a person belonging to someone, but in marriage you belong to each other.

[299] You're committed to each other.

[300] You have a, you know, the church speaks of an exclusive right to that person.

[301] in a mutual, like we were talking about earlier, with Paul to Ephesians, a mutual complementarity between the man and the woman.

[302] So to interfere with that, and that's what the Ninth Commandment is getting at, and it makes that distinction, as we will eventually talk about the Tenth Commandment, it's talking about material goods, but the Ninth Commandment is primarily talking about those appetites of the flesh that, if we're honest with ourselves, I mean, the positive side is that's built into the human person, men and women, for positive reasons.

[303] It's part of our humanity.

[304] But it often does get distorted, and we see an awful lot of that in what's so -called sexual revolution.

[305] Basically, the Sixth Commandment and the Ninth Commandment have been thrown away by the sexual revolution.

[306] But I don't think we could claim that humanity is in a better place because we've thought we could.

[307] We can't really throw away those commandments, no matter how much we may want to.

[308] But attempting to throw them away, attempting to discount those commandments is harmful to the human family, to every human person.

[309] Well, said, just to confirm that, in America, one out of three people walking in America, 110 million people are walking with sexually transmitted diseases.

[310] America spends $16 billion taking care of people who are not living out that sixth or ninth commandment.

[311] So when you said, are we better off?

[312] Are you kidding me?

[313] Can you imagine Bishop Strickland what would happen to our health care bill that we pay every month for our family?

[314] It would go way down because when you spend $16 billion a year, they can be solved.

[315] You know, I always say the Catholic Church can help the economy.

[316] economy.

[317] Well, how?

[318] Because by living in the commandments, your health care costs will go down.

[319] Bishop Strickland, you used the word, I used the word.

[320] I want you to explain concupiscence, because that's a word that's not common for the common Joe.

[321] What's that all about?

[322] Well, it's rooted in the original sin, the fall of Adam and Eve, to embrace their desires rather than following the will of God.

[323] And certainly, specifically, it has the connotation of referring to any form of human desire.

[324] We hear that word desire, and very often we translate as sexual desire.

[325] Certainly that is part of it, but concupiscence is much broader than just the sexual appetites.

[326] It's a disordered desire for anything, and that can take many different forms.

[327] It basically, is a tendency that we all have, I'm a sinner, you're a senator, we're all sinners.

[328] We all have that tendency to choose what we want, rather than what maybe deep down we know is the good thing and the right thing, but concupiscence tempts us to choose.

[329] One way of describing it, I think, is the temporary fix.

[330] concupiscence tempts us to to grab for the gusto as the beer commercials say you know grab for all you can get now and not worrying about the consequences tomorrow is this really going to be good for me the next day is it going to continue that's what concupiscence is is grabbing the moment rather than living the virtuous path which often delays that fulfillment of desire, but ultimately guides us to a greater peace and to everlasting life.

[331] But concubisance is about grabbing the moment and squeezing all the pleasure out of it you can, sometimes sexual pleasure, but other kinds of pleasure as well.

[332] Bishop Strickland, before I go to paragraph 2516, is it a fair statement in Catholic theology to say that every person listening, who's living in the state of grace and living in friendship with God has the graces to say no to themselves when it comes to temptation.

[333] Is that a fair statement of Catholic theology?

[334] Yes.

[335] That's what being in the state of grace, it doesn't give us a guarantee, but it gives you the ability to say no to whatever concupiscence may be tempting you toward at that moment.

[336] Got it.

[337] Paragraph 2516, really lays out our body and soul.

[338] I think sometimes we need to hear this again.

[339] At least I thought it was good.

[340] It says, because man is composite being spirit and body, there already exists a certain tension.

[341] You were just talking about that in him, a certain struggle of tendencies between the spirit and the flesh develops.

[342] But in fact, this struggle belongs to the heritage of sin.

[343] It is a consequence of sin, and at the same time, confirmation of it.

[344] It is part of our daily experience and the spiritual battle.

[345] Does that mean every day we have to say no to ourselves, Bishop Strickland, or is this something that, I mean, in this paragraph kind of explains that the only value in saying yes to God is that we have the freedom to say no. Absolutely.

[346] And it does probably happen many times a day, every day.

[347] I get tempted.

[348] And it, and one thing that I would point out, that we all have to be aware of is small steps in the wrong direction can begin to snowball, can begin to take us further and further.

[349] Because as you were saying, if you're in the state of grace, the love of God and that grace that comes from God's mercy in your life and the forgiveness of your sense, because, you know, if you're in the state of grace, that doesn't mean you've always been there.

[350] but you can return to the state of grace by going to confession and contritely asking forgiveness of your sins.

[351] The Lord is ready to forgive us.

[352] But if you're in the state of grace, you have that strength to be able to make the choice.

[353] But if you're not in the state of grace, then you're weakened and it becomes harder to resist the temptation.

[354] and that's addiction develops when you've wandered so far that actual chemical dependencies of one form or another, even sexual addictions, the scientists tell us, are rooted in chemical reactions in the brain that begin to take some of that freedom away.

[355] So the greatest freedom is to be in the state of grace and you have the, the, the help to live as a child free before God and free to choose the light.

[356] But all of us are influenced and tempted to wander away from that path of light.

[357] And that's where we need to continually confess our sins, make a good examination of conscience, seek to form your conscience more fully in the Word of God, in the teachings of the church, studying the catechism.

[358] I'm sure some people would shy away from studying these commandments because it may wake you up to some things that you're habitually doing wrong that need to change.

[359] And remember, if that's where you find yourself, God's love is there to call you back closer to him.

[360] That's what the great commandment is, to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul and your neighbor is yourself and it's all rooted in this well said bishop strickland and i want to recommend to people that we have archbishop fulton sheen's life is worth living 50 half hour shows anybody who wants it just give us a donation by calling 877 526215 one pick it up because this is bishop sheen giving you instructions on the faith when we come back i want bishop strickland to talk about what we call the custody of the eyes and how that helps one stay in the state of grace You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful.

[361] We'll be right back.

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[389] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[390] My name's Terry Barber, and I'm always telling people I'm too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed because I get to share the gospel with people through the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[391] And I'm excited about that.

[392] I asked Bishop Strickland to comment on a term that's kind of old -fashioned.

[393] But thanks be to God, a good priest told me when I was in high school about the custody of the eyes.

[394] Why is that important regarding the Ninth Commandment, Bishop Strickland?