07 May 24 – Proclaim the Gospel – In Season and Out!

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour, America's Bishop.

[1] He's on the road, everybody, today.

[2] He can't do the show, so we're going to take clips of some videos that he's done and talk about that.

[3] And I want to encourage our listeners to really tell others about the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[4] I go all over the country, and I run into people, and they say, oh, I didn't know Bishop Strickland has his own radio show?

[5] I said yeah he does and it's the best secret we got nobody knows about it so would you please tell your friends and relatives because we need to get the word out because it's a powerful radio show that he does and it's inspirational because he speaks as a bishop should with truth and charity all right well let's get to the gospel for today the May 7th 2024 and it's the gospel of John we've been going through John on for a while.

[6] Jesus said to his disciples, now I am going to the one who set me. And not one of you asked me, where are you going?

[7] But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.

[8] But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.

[9] For if I do not go, the advocate will not come to you.

[10] But if I go, I will send him to you.

[11] And when he comes, he will convict the world in regard to sin in righteousness and condemnation.

[12] Sin, because they do not believe in me, righteousness because I am going to the Father.

[13] And you will no longer see me. Condonation because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

[14] The gospel of the Lord.

[15] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[16] I could just hear the good bishop saying, it's the last sentence that God says it all because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

[17] I can hear Bishop Strickland saying, this is why we have to be at odds with the world.

[18] The devil is in the worldly people.

[19] of today and of yesterday.

[20] He always gets into the world.

[21] And this is why the church for 2 ,000 years has said we cannot, cannot be with the world.

[22] And I know many of you have heard a quote from Fulton Sheen, you know, if you want to find a church, he said if I were not a Catholic and I were looking for a true church in the world today, I would look for the one church which did not get along well with the world.

[23] In other words, I would look for the church which the world hates.

[24] The concern I have right now, and I think the bishop has the same concern, is that we're too worldly as a church.

[25] We're too much in union with the secular world.

[26] And I mean the secular world of the U .S. modernism, in a world with governments that are promoting killing unborn babies, we're afraid to speak out and say you can't do that because we might ruin relationships or cut funding off.

[27] This is why a bishop like Bishop Strickland is needed today to speak with clarity and charity.

[28] And I think of this gospel too of John when he says, I am going to the one who sent me. Not the one you asked me, where are you going?

[29] But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.

[30] But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.

[31] And this is hard for us sometimes to realize that our God died on a cross, redeemed us individually if we were the only soul in the world, world, he would have done it for us.

[32] And when he goes, we got Ascension Thursday coming up soon.

[33] And what's so beautiful about it is when we have our glorified body and we are united soul and body, this is our little ascension and that happens at the end of time.

[34] and you know what I think of official strickland I would say to you is that I think of at the end of time when everything's put on the table there's no secrets everything is exposed the good the bad the ugly and that day is going to be tough on a lot of us so the best policy is to live in the state of grace as much as you can and I'm not saying that you're not going to sin I understand the temptations of the world big time especially fathers are being pushed families but be faithful in your state and life into your duties of your state and life and I wouldn't worry too much about anything else if you're a mom or dad because you can't control that but what you can't control is raising your children and your grandchildren and your great -grandchildren if God blesses you with great -grandchildren why?

[35] Because you're part of that family and as we get older we can't do what we want to do as much can't move as well but we can sure pray and that's what we need to be doing for the church today I want to also encourage our listeners this is a big pitch for everyone I really mean this we really need to get the word out about the Bishop Strickland show and why because where else is there a bishop who's going around the world speaking the truth about the Catholic faith with charity he's always talking on pro -life he's always talking about the Holy Eucharist our lady and you're going to hear him in this hour speak on those topics because this is what he always does he majors on the fundamentals I'll never forget it was last week Father Charles Merr said to me Terry Bishop Strickland is the greatest bishop we have in the church today I said wow what I mean there's thousands of bishops he said well the reason is he stays focused on his mission the deposit of faith.

[36] He said, that takes discipline.

[37] And it's so important that we Catholics hear the deposit of faith over and over again in the times that we're living in where we have high officials in the Vatican coming up and saying things like, well, we now believe X, Y, or Z. And we're saying, wait a minute, time out.

[38] Where's that in the catechism?

[39] Where's that in the apostolic tradition?

[40] And so we have to be high information Catholics.

[41] And that's why I encourage you to have people listen to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[42] Now, we've got other shows.

[43] I'm not saying we don't, but we don't have a bishop.

[44] As a matter of fact, Virgin Most Powerful Radio, other stations pick up our shows and LifeSight does.

[45] But we have two hours a week with Bishop Joseph Strickland for one purpose to help souls get to heaven.

[46] and that's what we do here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio but I need you our listener and you're listening on YouTube a clip go tell your friends he's got his own YouTube channel too we promote Bishop Strickland wherever he goes why because he's America's Bishop it's like Fulton Sheen that's sitting behind me there where I say full Sheen ahead Bishop Sheen spoke the truth he hit the bandwagon every day about the deposit of faith and now Bishop Strickland's doing that now he's no orator like Fulton Sheen he doesn't even have the mind of a Fulton Sheen he'd tell you that but what he does have is a heart for souls and he's willing to do whatever it takes across the country remember we were last week we watched the Dodger Stadium talk out of 300 bishops in America some of them could have gotten a plan a car and drove 15 minutes to our place.

[47] Yeah, that's all they had to do.

[48] And they could have joined us.

[49] No. One bishop from the entire country, he was in Florida, the other part of the country, at a bishop's conference, and he excuses himself a day early to say, you know, I have to go, I've got an important, you know, meeting I've got to get to with about 5 ,000 Catholics in Los Angeles.

[50] And what does he do?

[51] It shows up.

[52] Now, that to me is a commitment that I don't see everywhere.

[53] That's why I want to encourage you again.

[54] Get the message out about Bishop Strickland's radio show.

[55] VMPR .org, there's links.

[56] Go to our full Sheena Head channel.

[57] Got lots of clips of Bishop Strickland there.

[58] How else I can say is, this is a man for the time we're living in.

[59] and when I come back from the break I'm going to mention something about a priest who basically got thrown out of his parish for speaking the truth in charity and being responsible and doing the right thing I guarantee you I don't know this priest but I guarantee you he was inspired by Bishop Joseph Strickland why do I say that I'm going to tell you why because priests are looking for holy men to emulate and when I tell you the story after the break about a priest who just held the line regarding homosexuality and said no that's not coming into our parish and he gets in trouble because everybody's protesting him as a hater and it's just the opposite but can you imagine all the priests in America going well I can say that they'll feel they'll eat me alive well not bishop strickland he's already been thrown out of his diocese tell him you're done you get retired that's all right god used it now he's more on the road than ever preaching the gospel and reaching thousands and thousands of souls keep him in your prayers we come back we'll talk about the LGBT activists through a michigan parish priest in chaos stay with us we'll be back after a quick and now back to the bishop strickland hour welcome back indeed here's what happened this reminds me of a priest who's been inspired by bishop joseph strickland so uh bishop strickland i would say look bishop uh robert gruce the diocese of saginaw michigan announced early this month that this unfortunate situation surrounding father tom held in beale city has resulted in a priest stepping down.

[60] Well, what happened?

[61] Well, the division is lack of charity and wounds caused by the division of St. Joseph to work or parish.

[62] He said it brings great sadness.

[63] Well, here's what the guy did.

[64] All he really did is he wouldn't let a pro -LGB activists come in and to the parish and speak to the children.

[65] He's a pastor.

[66] He can't.

[67] He can't do that.

[68] He can't allow that.

[69] So he said, not in my parish.

[70] He wrote a letter, and it's over on LifeSight News.

[71] You know, you can see it.

[72] He said, no, I'm a shepherd.

[73] I got to guard my sheep.

[74] He did what every priest should be doing, okay?

[75] But many of them don't do it because of that reason.

[76] They look at it and go, hey, you know, if I tell them to get rid of that flag, that rainbow flag in the church, they're going to get mad at me. The bishop might even remove.

[77] me as not being sensitive to the needs of the LGBT community.

[78] See, this is the problem we have right now.

[79] This is why I love Bishop Strickland, because he would say, you do the right thing and let the chips fall.

[80] And here's an example.

[81] I'm going to play this clip right now of maybe you've seen it about a month ago at the CPAC conference.

[82] They brought Bishop Strickland to talk about some uncomfortable topics to a secular group.

[83] And I'd like to have Mr. Engineer play it, and then we'll talk about that.

[84] I have to address as a Catholic pastor, a topic that is of today, of this moment.

[85] The Catholic Church proclaimed a document in 1987 under the papacy of Pope St. John Paul II, John Paul the Great.

[86] A document, Donumvite, I encourage you, at this moment, this critical moment, I encourage all of us who know the sanctity of life to read this significant document, and I'll read a few words from it, the possible recognition by positive law and the political authorities of techniques of artificial transmission of life, for example, in vitro fertilization, and accept.

[87] experimentation connected with it, would widen the breach already opened by the legalization of abortion.

[88] Brothers and sisters, we must be strong in the sanctity of life and all of its repercussions.

[89] I know that today's controversies, many of us are not well -versed, but we must be.

[90] and we must guide our great politicians, those who we hope will serve this nation into a brighter future.

[91] We must guide them in the ethics of the sanctity of life.

[92] We can't expect those busy people who are doing their best to fight the battle that we must face.

[93] We can't expect them to do it alone.

[94] We must help them to be informed that the controversies that are presently in the news right now, this decision by Alabama's court was correct.

[95] According to our Catholic faith, we must stand strong and instruct these good men and women that are calling to lead us, and we need them to lead us.

[96] We must help us.

[97] We must help them.

[98] them understand the intricacies of what science has done in playing God and having children, embryos, embryonic children, frozen, and too easily disposed of.

[99] When the Alabama court says, no, we cannot dispose of these human beings, let us guide our politicians to know that truth.

[100] a few last words to share, and if I have any wisdom, I know to turn for wisdom to the word of God.

[101] And I turn to the second book of Chronicles.

[102] Let us all open our hearts, as Christ encouraged us a few moments ago in those words from the gospel, to speak from hearts that are full of his glorious life, his joyful message, his good news.

[103] Let us listen to Chronicles, Second Chronicles, in that spirit.

[104] If my people who bear my name humble themselves and pray and seek my presence and turn their wicked ways, then I will listen from heaven and forgive their sins.

[105] and restore their country.

[106] Let us trust in those words.

[107] We, in many ways, from another scripture passage, in the prophet Jonah, are like Nineveh.

[108] Let us humble ourselves before the Lord and repent and call others to that same repentance.

[109] In continuing from chronicles, but if you turn away and forsake my law, and commandments.

[110] Listen to that.

[111] But if you turn away and forsake my laws and commandments, which I have laid down for you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I shall uproot them from the country which I have given them.

[112] Those are powerful words from sacred scripture that this great nation needs to hear today because others are threatening by the reversal of commandments and turning away from God's law and ignoring the sanctity of our bodies, the sanctity of marriage, the sanctity of the family, the sanctity of life.

[113] They threaten this great nation with bringing down the wrath of God.

[114] If you read the Old Testament, and I know many of you are better experts than I. If we read the scriptures of the Old Testament in our Judeo -Christian tradition, the Lord's mercy is abundant, but the people are constantly returning to idols.

[115] Look at the idols we serve today.

[116] Not just in this nation, around the world.

[117] We need to be that shining light once again for a world too common.

[118] in darkness.

[119] Let us be the glorious nation.

[120] I believe God is called us to be, but we can only do that as one nation under God.

[121] Can I cut in here?

[122] Bishop, can I ask the question?

[123] I'll let it say a little The things you're talking about have polarized our country, polarized our church to a great extent.

[124] Certainly as polarized Christian communities across the world.

[125] And with that polarization, there's such an intensity of hate.

[126] In other words, when I'm out speaking publicly, even at a dinner table or somebody's home or party, I can get hit with such an intensity of hate in somebody's eyes, that it's frightening.

[127] And I wonder to myself, how to react.

[128] What should I do in response to that kind of hatred that comes from this polarization?

[129] Deal, that is a wonderful question.

[130] And it's natural for all of us.

[131] We get angry.

[132] We yell at the television.

[133] We rant at people that are saying false things that we know and have lived that are not the truth.

[134] But we can never give in to that hate, to that anger.

[135] No matter how it is spewed at us, look to the example of Jesus Christ.

[136] Look to our God, whatever our faith.

[137] We know God is love.

[138] And Jesus Christ, I'm proud to wear this Christian.

[139] crucifix.

[140] That is the love that God shows us.

[141] A sacrificial love.

[142] All of you who are parents, husbands and wives, grandparents, you know that sacrificial love.

[143] You know what you've given.

[144] Because you love deeply.

[145] And God will always outdo us in that sacrifice of love.

[146] let us not give in to the hate no matter how much it's spewed at us and there's plenty I've known it we all have just send out a tweet you'll get some hate wow God bless him hey Mr. Strickland I don't you really tell us what you think I'd love when he brought up that crucifix and said I love wearing this crucifix you know I have to mention a couple things from that talk he got me fired up and that is if you notice bishops around the country always put their crucifix in like a little side pocket so you see the chain but you never see the crucifix but with Bishop Strickland whether you're watching the one on Dodger Stadium when he gave his talk wherever he goes he wears that crucifix outside and I just think why don't the other guys do that is there a reason I don't know what the reason would be but you know we should be proud to be followers of Christ and he is.

[147] What he just told a secular group of people was tough love.

[148] Contraception is evil.

[149] In vitro fertilization.

[150] I mean, I'm just going to say this.

[151] If another bishop went there from the bishop's conference, he would never go on these hot topics.

[152] He would just say, oh, we're all brothers and sisters in the Lord.

[153] God bless you.

[154] Nice to see all of you.

[155] And never do anything that would be what we consider controversial, because that would be politically incorrect.

[156] But if you notice what Bishop Strickland does everywhere he goes, and I'm going to play a couple more clips today, he doesn't change.

[157] He doesn't change to the audience, whether he's speaking to some pro -lifers or to some big -shot politicians.

[158] He says it like it is.

[159] And I just, I recognize that every time I hear him speak because I almost know what he's going to say because after years of interviewing him a couple times a week you get to know him and I just think it's wonderful that he would speak at this CPAC conference and call everyone to the truth of the gospel and you saw the people were responding how could you not respond to this guy that is speaking the truth of the gospel the truth sets us free and I can tell you right this right now I know Bishop Strickland said I don't have an option I have to preach Christ and him crucified and I respect him for that and I know you do too our listeners and again I'm making a pitch when he's not here to get the word out this is America's bishop please consider sending this show to other friends of yours and get them hooked on listening to this bishop because he's one of a million.

[160] And I want to say that when we come back from the break, I'll have some more clips to cover.

[161] So keep us, stay tuned for that.

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

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

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

[165] Welcome back indeed to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[166] Before we get to this next clip with the bishop, One of the news that just came in was that judge approves California's bias renaming of ballot measure to protect kids from transgenderism.

[167] This is a good thing that we're going to try and stop.

[168] California is really crazy about that, but yeah, so protect the kids California.

[169] We had a couple of women on last week, two weeks ago now, coming up petitions for that.

[170] So I'm glad to see that it made it to the news.

[171] Also, Tennessee, Bishop Strickland, you'd be happy to hear this, past Baby Olivia Act, requiring public schools to show development of unborn babies.

[172] On Tuesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, God love him, signed this law, and it takes his name from live action video depicting the fertilization and growth of an unborn child.

[173] What I like about this, and I know Bishop Strickland would like this, is because we know that when you see the development of a baby, especially if the mother sees the baby in the womb, nine out of ten times they're not going to terminate the pregnancy and kill the baby.

[174] Nope, they're going to keep the baby.

[175] So it's like a heartbeat.

[176] The law ensures that over one million Tennessee public school students will be taught scientifically accurate information about when life begins using world -class educational material like Live Actions Baby Olivia.

[177] I just think this is outstanding, and I know Bishop Strickland would also.

[178] It's just incredible that certain states will do that, and other states do just the opposite.

[179] It shows you how polarized, as the last deal Hudson was saying, even in the church and in politics, people are so different on what you know life is and what isn't it's it's incredible but i think that's what sin can do separates us also one more news for the big good bishop moscow is increasingly worried about the rise of roman catholicism in belarus it's an op -ed and i think that is kind of funny and but sad uh the reason is is because belarus is right next to the ukraine and they don't want to have Belarus become, you know, pro -West, and Russia would not like to see that.

[180] So it's interesting, but, you know, when you get people freedom of religion, like we're doing here, let people choose their religion.

[181] You can't force it upon them.

[182] So that's an interesting one.

[183] I always say that we don't go a show without talking pro -life.

[184] So I brought those up for you about the showing, you know, to children how a baby is developed.

[185] But if you were with us a couple months ago in California, Anthony, who works at VMPR, filmed the good bishop, his pro -life little talk to people.

[186] It was a men's march where men were saying we got enough.

[187] We can't continue to have killing our babies.

[188] and so I'd like you to listen to what the good bishop has to say because he's motivating us to say stand strong don't give up stand for the babies so let's go ahead and play that clip of Bishop Strickland and brothers and sisters from our baptism we all have that level of responsibility many priests are not strong thankfully we heard from a wonderful priest Father Embarrado just today.

[189] But many priests will shy away from even speaking of the atrocity of abortion.

[190] Urge them.

[191] Don't attack, but urge, challenge, speak to your priest.

[192] Say, Father, we must hear this for the sake of the nation and for the sake of the church.

[193] We must hear about the sanctity of life from our place.

[194] opens.

[195] I'm one Catholic bishop removed from my diocese because I talk too much, I guess.

[196] But I'm going to keep talking because I must urge your shepherds, your pastors, your priests, and your bishops.

[197] Respectfully, but clearly, call them to be who they are.

[198] Shepherds of Christ.

[199] Thankfully, he's the good shepherd.

[200] Jesus Christ is the good shepherd.

[201] I'm a weak David, but I'm anointed and challenged to be a shepherd with the Lord, to speak his truth.

[202] no matter what authorities try to quiet us.

[203] We must speak.

[204] So challenge your priest.

[205] Challenge your bishops.

[206] I know that's not easy.

[207] It's not politically correct from the church.

[208] But as some said, including Pam, we need to challenge the church to be the mystical body of Christ.

[209] And not some sort of worldly gathering.

[210] that says laws and truth can be changed.

[211] Going back to Second Chronicles, that is vitally dangerous to pretend that we can mold and shape and change the truth that God is revealed to us.

[212] And if you read Second Chronicles, you will read clearly.

[213] If you do this, you will bring, annihilation on your heads.

[214] That is God's word.

[215] We must heed the warning.

[216] Not so much to be fearful, but to be set of fire in the Holy Spirit, to defend life, to live our faith, and to know that the Lord is with us.

[217] I think that's enough.

[218] I can talk forever, like probably most of us.

[219] But let me conclude with a blessing.

[220] Praying for all of us to not just take that one step, but to continue walking in Christ, the Lord of Life and being warriors in this pro -life war.

[221] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all those who have organized this effort, this men's march, and so beautifully, you have many of our sisters here to support these good men and to bring the challenge of being truly masculine and truly feminine as you have created us, a complementarity that is glorious if we will humble ourselves before you.

[222] Strengthen us to be Davids of faith and life and joy in a culture of Goliath, with all the power of the world.

[223] But without love, they are a noisy gong, a clanging symbol.

[224] Let love be our voice, our strength, and your grace increase that love within us.

[225] That we might go forth from here, taking one step at a time to bring a culture of life and glory in your name to overcome the darkness that has been shattered by the life, death, and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ.

[226] And we ask this blessing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[227] Amen.

[228] God bless you.

[229] Wow.

[230] Again, you know, where are you going to get a bishop to go do something like that?

[231] He just doesn't happen.

[232] he just tells people we got to stay focused on this pro -life message and not get distracted and you know I encourage you again tell your friends about the Bishop Stricklandauer this bishop needs to be heard around the world and he is you can tell people are picking up his shows and I want to encourage you send these shows go on to a YouTube channel with full Sheena Head's YouTube channel like any of those and then you'll start getting clips from that and tell your friends because that's how it spreads really word of mouth is always the best have you heard about the bishop strickland hour no i've heard about bishop strickland he has his own radio show yeah twice a week tuesday and wednesday i'm vmpr dot org this is you know the best kept secret so i want to encourage you to do that i have another clip at the uh the last segment comment and also I wanted to cover a little catechism again when we come back from the break so we can leave on some good notes of catechesis because Bishop Strickland has constantly said we Catholics need to study our faith we need to become like first century Christians again in the 21st century and what's important is read the early church history You know, even the acts of the apostles that we're reading right now, and we're going to be coming up with a lot more readings on that, that's the early church.

[233] Look at the zeal the early church had.

[234] They didn't put their finger up in the air and wait which weighs the wind blowing.

[235] Are we not going to get our funding from the government if we don't stand?

[236] They were willing to go to jail and willing to die for their Catholic faith.

[237] And it seems to me that we've got to go.

[238] go back to our roots again.

[239] And I mentioned this because Bishop Strickland talked about the Eucharistic revival last week.

[240] And I'm convinced if we would just go back to having the priest not face the people for Mass Ad Orientum, stop the communion in the hand, kneel down when you receive only communion on the tongue, those actions speak louder than words.

[241] and I believe that more people would have an understanding of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

[242] But when you have the Eucharist being given to people like they're giving a biscuit, it undermines what they're receiving because it's ordinary.

[243] Now we have to set it aside and go back to kneeling down, only on the tongue.

[244] And I say this ad orientum because the Vatican II counsel document on the liturgy It says it.

[245] So I'm not no crazy guy.

[246] It's what the Vatican II document says.

[247] So please, will the real Vatican II please stand up?

[248] For 50 years, I haven't seen it.

[249] Well, maybe we will someday.

[250] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour?

[251] Bishop Strickland's out of town.

[252] We're playing many clips of his.

[253] Stay with his family.

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

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

[256] Welcome back.

[257] Indeed.

[258] Before we have Bishop Strickland come on, I want to get a reaction from Bishop Strickland on another video that I sent him regarding a priest about the intimacy of the Holy Communion.

[259] So I'd like to just play this one -minute clip.

[260] It should inspire you and me. We know that we live in a time that's over -sexualized.

[261] So many people are suffering because they've been looking for love in a way that will never finally satisfy them.

[262] and St. Augustine referred to that if a man was looking to satisfy his carnal instincts, what he's really looking for is God.

[263] See, in the depths of the human heart is a desire to be known and to know, to be close, to have intimacy.

[264] That is only truly possible in its fullest extent in the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

[265] The deepest intimacy we can have with God is to receive him, body, blood, soul, and divinity inside of us.

[266] I think right now we live in a time when, there is so much emptiness, we know people suffer from anxiety and fear and depression, and they seek false intimacy.

[267] If you want to know what it is truly to be known and loved, come to the Eucharist.

[268] Have an encounter with Jesus.

[269] Allow him to encounter you intimately inside.

[270] You are made for love.

[271] You are made for intimacy with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

[272] I know Bishop Strickland would say, yay, that was awesome.

[273] Let's get that out.

[274] Well, yeah, that's why I put it on to Bishop Strickland Hour because he constantly talks about spending time before our Eucharistic King.

[275] And the intimacy there, this is what the world is looking for, but they're looking in all the wrong places.

[276] So, all right, well, let's go ahead now.

[277] And we've got Bishop Strickland talking about Our Lady.

[278] We always talk about Pro -Life, Our Lady, and the Eucharist.

[279] So let's play that clip.

[280] As we begin a new year in our Catholic faith and our liturgies, We celebrate Mary the mother of God.

[281] What a perfect way to begin a new year, to be reminded of that great mystery, that Mary of Nazareth, a simple maiden of virgin, was chosen by God to be the mother of his son.

[282] We know that the history of especially the early church, where they really had to sort out what this really means.

[283] What are we saying?

[284] Theotokos, Godbearer is the Greek term that the church embraced as expressing who the Blessed Virgin Mary is, the Godbearer.

[285] The woman chosen to have the Son of God conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit.

[286] A miracle, a wonder, amazing truth that we need to embrace and celebrate as we begin a new year to be reminded.

[287] that Mary is the mother of God, and an important element of that is to remember that this isn't just something from a distant past.

[288] It's not just history.

[289] It is history.

[290] It's a historical reality that we know of, that Jesus, the son of God, born in Bethlehem, even secular historians, acknowledged that this happened.

[291] We know that the the mystical and spiritual meaning, the transforming grace that comes to the world through this woman who is full of grace.

[292] And Mary beautifully reminds us of who we're called to be as disciples.

[293] As we celebrate Mary the mother of God, the mother of Jesus.

[294] We're celebrating her as our mother as well.

[295] So what a beautiful gift we have in our Catholic faith that we're called to share with everyone.

[296] Mary is the mother of the human race.

[297] And as the mother of Jesus, the real physical mother who carried this child in her womb, she is the mother of all.

[298] And we need to share that message as we need to share the message of her son.

[299] I was bishop in a part of East Texas where there are many people are not Catholic and have really very little understanding and frankly a because of the lack of understanding, a real rejection of the Catholic approach and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[300] But if all of us read the Gospels and understand who Jesus Christ is, then we can understand more deeply the role of Mary.

[301] And she is, of course, not divine.

[302] She is the mother of God, but she isn't God.

[303] And that's part of the wonder.

[304] She is not a divine being giving birth to a divine son.

[305] She is a human being giving birth to God's divine son by the intervention of God's Holy Spirit to make this wondrous miracle happen.

[306] So as we begin another year, certainly we do so in prayer.

[307] And that's the best way to begin a new year, to prayerfully ask God to bring his peace, to bring the light of his son, to help us move away from the divisions and the darkness and the violence and the worries that all of us have brought into this new year.

[308] Let us pray that as we celebrate, Mary the Mother of God, it can really be an opportunity to be renewed in faith, to be renewed in joy, to know what it means of what we've just celebrated at Christmas, that God's own son, the eternal word, born among us, he is still with us.

[309] And Mary remains our mother as disciples in the Catholic Church.

[310] Let us embrace that truth and rejoice and become more and more Marian in the sense that we recognize who Mary is, a real woman who lived in this world, gave birth to the Son of God, had Joseph as her spouse in the Holy Family, all of that Mary experience.

[311] Really, if we think about it, the Gospels tell us really very little, very important truth about the Blessed Virgin Mary, but very little of her day -to -day life before she becomes the mother of God, Jesus Christ, during his 33 years of life.

[312] in this world and then for the years that she remained in this world until she was assumed into heaven.

[313] The Blessed Virgin Mary is that pathway for all of us, pathway to her son.

[314] The church encourages a devotion to the sacred heart of Jesus Christ through the immaculate heart of Mary as we celebrate Mary the mother of God.

[315] I encourage all of us, if we're already consecrated to the sacred heart of Christ through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, let us prayerfully renew that consecration and think about what that means for our daily lives.

[316] If we haven't already made that consecration, talk to your parish priest about doing that.

[317] There are many, some are longer, some are shorter, there are many ways to do that, but it simply comes down.

[318] The heart of it is seeking the sacred heart of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who we celebrate at Christmas is born among us and he remains with us and going to his sacred heart through the immaculate heart, made immaculate, a human heart of a woman, made immaculate, protected from sin by the grace of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

[319] So let us as we begin a new year and celebrate Mary the mother of God.

[320] Let us renew or established that consecration to the sacred heart of Christ through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

[321] Let us pray together for a blessed and peaceful and joyful New Year.

[322] Well, said, Bishop Strickland, I think of the book True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximine Colby.

[323] You can go to father Colby Missionaries .org.

[324] Lots of groups that could help you, as he said, consecrate yourself to the Blessed Mother.

[325] I wanted to get a couple catechism paragraphs in before we have to run for the day and we're in the chapter 13 on the Holy Eucharist and the question is how is Jesus present in the Eucharist?

[326] Good question.

[327] Jesus' presence in the Eucharist is unlike his presence anywhere else.

[328] That's number one.

[329] Because you hear some people say, oh, we're the Eucharist.

[330] Oh, yeah, we're the...

[331] No, no, you're not the body.

[332] blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.

[333] He's uniquely in the Eucharist.

[334] Jesus is really, truly, substantially present in the Holy Eucharist.

[335] The bread and wine are transformed into Jesus, body and blood, soul, and divinity.

[336] Jesus is not just a symbolically present in the Eucharist, but really present.

[337] Here's the way I explain it.

[338] I think it's a clearer way.

[339] I'm just giving you my take.

[340] under the appearance of bread and wine Jesus's body, blood, soul, and divinity is in the consecrated host.

[341] Do you hear what I said?

[342] Under the appearance.

[343] It's no longer bread and wine after the consecration.

[344] So when people talk about Jesus is in the bread and the wine, no. That's not theologically correct.

[345] It's much easier, and I'm just giving you a little help, to say he's under the appearance of bread and wine, it's Jesus Christ's body blood.

[346] soul and divinity of Jesus and the Holy Eucharist.

[347] One more question.

[348] Who can consecrate the sacrament of the Eucharist?

[349] Only bishops and priests can consecrate the Eucharist.

[350] And what's interesting about saying that today is we hear all kinds of crazy things going on in Germany and how they're saying, oh, we're going to have lay liturgies where they're going to have their own mass. No. That's not what the Catholic Church teaches.

[351] So we have to stay focused on what the church actually teaches and not on what some renegade, and I call him a renegade bishop or priest who wants to do his own thing.

[352] It's not about your thing, it's about Christ.

[353] And Christ has established order on how mass takes place.

[354] so the very fact that someone would say oh we're just going to go ahead and have Mary preside doesn't matter you can have a lay person you know you have to believe no no no we have structure from day one when Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday this is why it's really important to even have special devotion to the Eucharist on Thursdays to commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist in our spirituality for the Opus Angeloam, we have Apacio, meaning we watch and wait with Jesus on Thursdays and Fridays.

[355] Every week.

[356] None of us can't go into the church, but we can do it from home.

[357] So it's important to have that great love for the Holy Eucharist, especially when this time of Eucharistic revival, I'm convinced that if we go back to the old basics, we'd have more people understanding the mass and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

[358] If Bishop Strickland was here in person, I'd say, Bishop, can we receive a blessing?

[359] Then he would, but he's not.

[360] He'll be back next week here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[361] But I hope you enjoyed those clips that I shared with you because those clips are actual talks that he's given around the country.

[362] And it's important for us to hear America's bishop.

[363] Wouldn't you agree?

[364] Tell your friends about the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[365] And I want to thank you for your support because we couldn't do these shows without your financial support.

[366] May God, richly bless you and your family.

[367] Thanks for supporting us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.