21 Aug 24 – Cupich DNC Invocation Leaves Out “Jesus”

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour here on Virgin Most Power Radio.

[1] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for taking time out of your busy schedule to proclaim the gospel.

[2] Like, I have to thank you?

[3] No, it's because you have free will.

[4] You're retired now.

[5] You've made a conscious decision to spend the rest of your life continuing to spread the gospel.

[6] Is that a fair statement?

[7] Absolutely.

[8] And thank you for doing that.

[9] Today we're going to be covering some topics that I think are fascinating about the rosary, the power of the rosary, which is really great.

[10] And also, I just want to ask again, yesterday's show, or no, Wednesday's show, yeah, tomorrow's show, I talked a little bit with you about how disappointed I am when prelates have an opportunity to proclaim the teachings of the church to groups that need to hear it, and they're silent.

[11] And I know you've said this, I think I got a YouTube video of you at the bishops conference asking the brother bishops do we believe or not let's get the word out let's stop being quiet yeah so that's important but before we do that every single show which i think is wonderful we ask you to read the gospel of the day and then give us a exegesis get us a teaching on that reading so if you could do that for us i'd appreciate it a reading from the holy gospel according to saint matthew glory to the old Lord.

[12] Jesus told his disciples this parable.

[13] The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.

[14] After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.

[15] Going out about nine o 'clock, he saw their standing idle in the marketplace.

[16] And he said to them, you too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.

[17] So they went off.

[18] And he went out again around noon and around three o 'clock and did likewise.

[19] Going out about five o 'clock, he found others standing around and said to them, Why do you stand here idle all day?

[20] They answered, because no one has hired us.

[21] He said to them, you too go into my vineyard.

[22] When it was evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, some of the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.

[23] When those who had started about five o 'clock came, each received the usual daily wage.

[24] So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage.

[25] And on receiving it, they grumbled against the landowner saying, These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.

[26] He said to one of them, and replied, my friend, I am not cheating you.

[27] Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?

[28] Take what is yours and go.

[29] What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?

[30] Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?

[31] Are you envious because I'm generous?

[32] Thus, the last will be first and the first will be last.

[33] The gospel of the Lord.

[34] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[35] Well, this gospel from Matthew with this parable, really the ending is what is repeated from other passages.

[36] The last will be first and the first will be last.

[37] And I think it's a great image that the Lord gives us of really how God operates.

[38] God is generous to all of us, and none of us deserve that generosity.

[39] But God blesses us with gifts that we really haven't earned.

[40] I think Christ, I love to reflect on.

[41] those hidden years where these parables and images.

[42] I mean, Christ would have known these realities of landowners and people working in the fields.

[43] And maybe he had a carpenter project for this landowner.

[44] I mean, I think it's just good to realize Christ had real world experience, I guess is what this indicates.

[45] He knows how people think our human nature.

[46] He knows our tendencies.

[47] And I think all of us can relate to the people that have in this parable that have worked all day.

[48] And they're thinking, oh, we're going to get kind of a bonus because we've been here all day.

[49] He's really generous to those who worked only an hour.

[50] But as the landowner says at the end of the parable, It's his money.

[51] It's his generosity.

[52] And the jealousy of those who have, they didn't get an unfair wage, but the landowner was especially generous to others.

[53] And I think that the Lord's point, I believe, is to help us look into our own hearts and to be aware of those tendencies we all have to compare my gifts.

[54] gifts with another persons or the blessings that I have with another persons.

[55] But I think the part of the point of the parable and the phrase that Christ uses again, the last will be first and the first will be last, it just reminds us of what it says in the gospel in other places in different ways.

[56] But God's ways are not our ways.

[57] God's ways are beyond us.

[58] They're beyond our fathoming.

[59] And what, I guess the point that I see mainly in this parable is just for all of us to be aware of the abundant generosity of God toward us.

[60] I mean, we're living and breathing because God gave us life.

[61] Amen.

[62] Whatever we have, we may have worked, but God has given us that opportunity to work.

[63] to earn what we have.

[64] And I think that it's very interesting that the Lord presents this as one more example of what the kingdom is like.

[65] What is the kingdom of heaven like?

[66] It's like this generous landowner who is especially generous to some, but generous to all.

[67] and the tendency we all have humanly to compare and say, how come that person has more talents than I have or has more, has earned more, and it seems to just have had a better wife.

[68] But I think what we all have to remember, it's all a gift.

[69] It reminds me of the story of Job.

[70] I think that's what Job learns.

[71] The Lord gives, the Lord takes away.

[72] Bless be the Lord.

[73] to be aware of that and to be to reflect on that image of the kingdom that this is presented at, this parable says, this is what the kingdom of heaven is like.

[74] And I think it reminds us that we need to always be aware that God operates differently than we do.

[75] fully understand sometimes.

[76] And we measure things and we have all of our idea of what justice and fairness is.

[77] But the Lord, I guess one thing, and you can see it in the history of Israel, the Lord won't be outdone in his generosity.

[78] As unfaithful, I mean, the first readings of mass at this time were going through the prophet Ezekiel.

[79] And there are many images of the infidelity of the people, but God is always faithful.

[80] And that's part of his generosity as well.

[81] None of us are worthy.

[82] None of us have earned it.

[83] But God's abundant generosity is something we need to rejoice in.

[84] And the real response that I think we all need to reflect on with these, you know, the characters in this parable, but whatever time they started working, the generosity of the owner gives them all the same wage.

[85] And what we have to do is sort of retune our hearts and our perspectives to simply be grateful to God.

[86] To me, it connects to, I was reflecting, I think I mentioned just recently I went to a display of eucharistic miracles.

[87] And the word Eucharist, as we know, means Thanksgiving.

[88] And I think that that is something to me that is evoked by this parable, because our lives should be eucharistic in that sense of giving thanks to God for all that we have, for all the blessings, and being grateful to God even to give us the strength to live through what we consider the cross.

[89] It's all a gift from God, and that heart of gratitude is the heart of those who belong to his kingdom.

[90] Well said, Bishop Strickland, I wanted to add something, if I could, before the break.

[91] I think of St. Catherine of Siena, because we're going to get into a situation.

[92] where she has a comment and at the time she made this comment the church was in disarray kind of like now the pope wasn't in Rome he was in France and she had she was instrumental in bringing the pope back but she said this comment and then I want to apply that to me and to you as a bishop because it seems like it's very appropriate she said this preach the truth as if you had a million voices.

[93] It is silence that kills the world.

[94] That statement I want to apply to me and I and to other prelates because just yesterday, just this week, early at the Democratic Convention, Cardinal Supage gave the prayers at the opening of the session.

[95] Wait to hear what he didn't say.

[96] Stay with us, family.

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

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

[99] Welcome back, indeed, to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[100] I mentioned that Cardinal Supage spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

[101] This is the place where Planned Parenthood is offering free abortions and free bisectomies right outside the convention.

[102] saying, hey, we appreciate you, Democratic Party, because you guys support us in killing unborn future citizens.

[103] Now, his invocation was delivered to the assembled participants, so the Democratic National Convention.

[104] And Bishop Strickland, I'm not, I don't like to be too critical of people, but I'm sorry.

[105] This is a prince of the church.

[106] We need to hear him proclaim loud, Jesus Christ.

[107] is Lord.

[108] We need to proclaim the defense of the unborn when you've got a group that wants to offer free abortions for everyone.

[109] And what does he do?

[110] He doesn't even mention the name of Jesus Christ.

[111] And so I'm concerned that this is a prelate who needs our prayers, first of all, I'll be in charitable.

[112] I'm praying for his work to confirm us in our faith and not just be a nice guy who doesn't want to talk about anything controversial that our Lord talked about.

[113] And so I want to ask you as a bishop, because you've spoken at some of these things that are political conventions, and I've heard you always proclaim loud and clear Jesus Christ, and I'm just asking, what is it that stops the shepherds of our church from just, I'm not even ask him to be courageous, just be normal and proclaim what they've been told when they were ordained to do.

[114] Well, really, Terry, we do need to pray for them.

[115] We need to pray for all the bishops, but we need to pray that they truly embrace the responsibilities of their office.

[116] And what, as you were asking the question, Terry, what comes to mind for me is, is so, Simply to remind Cardinal Zupich, I mean, the highest office, other than the Pope, I mean, the Pope is a cardinal, but the responsibility there is heavy.

[117] It's a joyful responsibility to proclaim Jesus Christ, but to be a prince of the church, to be a successor of the apostles, and not to.

[118] to even mention Jesus Christ is, you know, it really is a travesty, and it's harmful to the whole world because the world needs the light of Christ desperately.

[119] There's a lot of darkness surrounding that gathering that continues today, the Democratic Convention.

[120] I mean, and it's, it's not But, you know, the Republican has its issues as well, but at least they didn't have an abortion van there doling out abortions at their convention.

[121] I mean, really, our political system is very broken and the leadership is very broken across the board.

[122] But this cardinal, it's in his city, he's welcoming them to.

[123] his territory, and he has the right and really the obligation to speak like an apostle of Jesus Christ.

[124] He's a modern day apostle.

[125] That's his responsibility.

[126] And really part, I mean, there are many elements of this that are devastating and really disgusting.

[127] But part of it is, as you know, I've mentioned it many times I live in and have grown up in.

[128] My life has been in an area where many times people will, with, you know, a genuine question that many of the non -Catholics have for me, as they see me, are you a Catholic priest?

[129] And they will say, do you believe in Jesus?

[130] Or they'll put it other ways.

[131] They say, well, I don't do much with Catholics.

[132] because you don't believe in Jesus Christ.

[133] Oh, my God.

[134] And we always try to tell them, absolutely, we believe in Jesus Christ.

[135] But people living in this area and people across the country, really around the world, I'm sure many people are watching it, they could point to a prince of the Gavlet Church, a cardinal offering a prayer, and not even mentioning Jesus.

[136] They could say, see, we told you, they don't believe it.

[137] him.

[138] Exactly.

[139] I mean, where's the evidence that he does believe in him?

[140] He's not speaking up against things that are contrary to the teachings of Christchurch, very clearly saying abortion is immoral.

[141] Vasectomies are immoral.

[142] I mean, there's so many things on the Democratic platform.

[143] They're things, yeah, on the Republican as well.

[144] But I have to say the Democratic platform is worse.

[145] That's correct.

[146] Because it's overflowing.

[147] with immoral programs and things that are being pushed, principally making abortion.

[148] I mean, if the Democratic platform is elected, if they're put in power, if they get enough power, I'll put it this way.

[149] I mean, they've got a lot already.

[150] But electing president and if they have both houses, they will push to make the law of the land abortion at any time.

[151] anyone to choose it, abortion for the full nine months of a pregnancy.

[152] I mean, they want to make that the law of the land.

[153] And for a Catholic bishop, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to not live up to his duty to speak about the sanctity of life in such an important setting.

[154] Imagine it probably would have upset a lot of people.

[155] But imagine if he had included in his prayer, we pray for any of the women that are approaching that abortion van.

[156] And we pray that they will not terminate the life of their children.

[157] And we pray that people will listen to the teachings of the Catholic faith again.

[158] And we pray that they will read sacred scripture.

[159] I mean, if he had really given a Catholic prayer as a successor of the apostles, it would have made shockwaves through that convention and through the whole country.

[160] A lot of people would have been upset, but he would have been doing what he promised to do when he was ordained a bishop and to fail to do that, and really in many ways to do the opposite.

[161] He talked about unity.

[162] How are we going to have unity when we're not teaching the truth.

[163] Jesus Christ is the only source of unity.

[164] And I'll say it, Terry.

[165] Go ahead.

[166] One of the accusations against me was, oh, you're disunifying.

[167] You're not in fraternity with the other bishops.

[168] Well, if we're not united in Jesus Christ, then I don't want any other kind of unity.

[169] Amen.

[170] It's worthless.

[171] If it's just a political veneer that, oh, we're all united, link arms, and just let people do whatever they want.

[172] That seems to be the kind of church that an awful lot of people, even in the Vatican, are pushing.

[173] But that's not the Catholic Church.

[174] The church is the church that Jesus Christ established.

[175] I mean, that's historical fact.

[176] We know that.

[177] People may believe or not, but the Catholic Church is about Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is Lord of Life.

[178] and it's very clear that what he teaches us.

[179] And for his apostles, it's like having a whole lot of Judas's in the church now, instead of just one, there are too many that are acting like Judas.

[180] They're not speaking in the truth of Christ.

[181] They're speaking the way the world wants to, they're tickling the ears, just like scripture says.

[182] They'll tickle their ears, but I hate to tell them if tickling ears is one thing, but if your heart is not with the truth, then you're in big trouble.

[183] And for a cardinal of the church to just not take that opportunity, not to live up to his responsibility, it's, it makes you angry and it makes you upset.

[184] We still have, we have to pray for them.

[185] but he needs to wake up or say I don't believe anymore and I'm walking away from this one way or the other either you believe or you don't Jesus said you know you've got to live the truth you can't be lukewarm and that prayer that he offered was lukewarm at best it wasn't the fire of the Holy Spirit, which the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, and every politician, even independents, all of them need the Holy Spirit guiding in the truth.

[186] And to fail is, it makes him complicit with what they're doing.

[187] Bishop Strickland, I'm thinking as I'm hearing you speak, I'm thinking listeners right now are going, well Bishop Strickland both parties are bad but Father Chad Ripper last week informed us and I want to get your take on this he said you know Terry there's no perfect party the Republican or the Democrat so what you have to do is ask yourself which parties better than the other in the sense of our Catholic morality and I think you nailed it when you said I didn't see abortion clinics outside the Republican convention that you see here at the Democrat Convention, or I don't see, I see the Republican Party saying, yes, we can have abortion, you know, for the states, we can do the chemical abortion, but we do not want to have all the other abortions we need the limit.

[188] So here's my question.

[189] My thought is, who's going to move to football closer to my Catholic?

[190] morality, even though it's very low.

[191] So I'm not saying either one of them is perfect, but one is worse than the other.

[192] And I think that when we go to vote, we have to keep that in mind and not to vote, in my pick, and I think Father Chad said it, is not an option for us Catholics.

[193] We need to participate in this election.

[194] I wanted to get your take on those issues that both parties aren't perfect, but do we have a party that isn't as bad as the other?

[195] And I would say, yes, your thoughts?

[196] Well, I totally agree with what you've just said and what Father Ripper says.

[197] We need to vote.

[198] It's critical that we vote.

[199] And we need to.

[200] I would encourage people.

[201] And I'm sure a lot of people do this.

[202] But we need to just as unemotionally as possible, just tally up.

[203] What are the positives on both sides?

[204] Yeah.

[205] You know, you can get.

[206] get into the immorality of one or the other.

[207] Frankly, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris both have immorality in their background.

[208] That's right.

[209] That's the fact.

[210] That's the record.

[211] They admit it as far as I know.

[212] And we need to, so we need to make the best choice out of bad choices.

[213] That's what we have to do.

[214] That's a good way of saying it.

[215] We come back.

[216] I want to talk about the power of the rosary.

[217] and much more here on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[218] Stay with us, family.

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

[220] Welcome back, indeed, to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[221] Bishop Strickland, after this segment, we're going to go right into the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[222] But I think it just appears to me that almost every show we have, we have to talk about the Holy Eucharist, we talk about our lady.

[223] and you know we just finished a Eucharistic Congress last month and I'm praying that we as lay people will respond in a positive way for more Eucharistic adoration and having great in love for Jesus and the Eucharist and that's great but I also think the rosary for over centuries we've gone to the rosary to petition our lady to intercede for world peace.

[224] And if there's any time we need the rosary, it seems right now with what's going on in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, you know, all these wars that are taking place, it seems that our lady of Fatima said it well, you know, war is a punishment from God for sin.

[225] And let's be honest right now, sin has been rampant.

[226] So we see these wars.

[227] And then I have an article here about a comedian and he's an actor, Rob Schneider.

[228] He's speaking to Tucker Carlson about how he is newly discovered Catholic faith.

[229] I love these converts.

[230] And what I notice about them, whether it's Scott Hahn or Tim Staples or all these guys that I've met over the last 45 years, they all love the rosary.

[231] I just find that ironic in a sense.

[232] And he said in his interview that he found peace.

[233] by praying the rosary and he said I'm combating evil with the rosary now this is not someone dressed like you saying it which I expect you to say it you're a bishop of course you're going to say me I'm always promote the rosary but it just appears that God is using the most unlikely people to teach something that has been forgotten in my take over the years and it's coming back but I remember as a teenager praying the rosary was for old ladies and young people weren't told to pray we prayed it but there were very few so I think there's a revival so my question to you is do you find it also interesting that movie stars and comedians and converts are just so in love with our lady it just really fits with their conversion it makes sense And I can testify for myself that the rosary has really helped me to know Jesus Christ more deeply.

[234] Amen.

[235] If, you know, as we think about the rosary, it really is reflecting on the life of crimes.

[236] With some elements of Mary's part of his life as well.

[237] But really, Terry, I believe.

[238] that is why in virtually every apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fatima, lords, all of the apparitions of Mary, she says pray the rosary.

[239] And it's because she wants us to know her son more deeply.

[240] We many people speak of being, um, seeking to be consecrated to the sacred heart of Christ through the immaculate heart of Mary.

[241] And I think the way to do that is to pray the rosary.

[242] Why is this comedian finding peace?

[243] Because he's reflecting on the prince of peace.

[244] Yes.

[245] Every time we pray the rosary, we're growing a little closer to the sacred heart of Christ through the immaculate heart of Mary.

[246] So we need to promote the rosary and we need to pray for ways to help really bring that to life for more and more people.

[247] We were talking before we started recording about Father Patrick Peyton.

[248] Oh yeah.

[249] Yeah ago with rosary rallies.

[250] And I'm There's nothing organized yet, but I'm really praying about and thinking about trying to revive that.

[251] I think I saw one.

[252] You probably know more than I do, because I'd never heard of him until fairly recently.

[253] But I think there was one rally where there were 500 ,000 people.

[254] San Francisco, 1961.

[255] And that's huge for today.

[256] Yeah.

[257] But especially if you think about those years.

[258] I mean, the early 60s, I mean, you had air travel, but it wasn't anything like now.

[259] And to get 500 ,000 people there is truly amazing.

[260] And we really need to pray about how do we bring people to deeper faith.

[261] And, you know, mom has given us the solution.

[262] Pray the rosary.

[263] Yeah.

[264] We simply need to really hear that and get, more and more people.

[265] I've had people, by the grace of God, we've, in my time as bishop, I had a couple of times where we had a 54 -day novena praying the rosary thing.

[266] And I've had people tell me that that, I mean, I actually know of a rosary group that formed because people, when you do something for 54 days, if you stay at it, it becomes a good habit.

[267] And these people said they were inspired to form a rosary group that still comes together because of praying the rosary for 54 days in a row.

[268] We need good habits.

[269] We need to know Christ more deeply.

[270] It's a beautiful gift, the rosary, that more and more need to.

[271] And I'm so glad that here it is in Internet media, this comedian talking about praying the rosary.

[272] Hopefully many people that, and I've known non -Catholics that are intrigued by the rosary and begin to learn it, whether they actually become Catholic or not.

[273] But it's a great way for them to come to know and appreciate what we have in our Catholic faith.

[274] And then by the grace of God, some of them choose to actually become Catholic.

[275] And really, I think we've talked about this before, but it's amazing the people that are becoming Catholic.

[276] As for us who are Catholic, we're so concerned that the church is fracturing in so many ways.

[277] It is that ship in the storm, but people are still seeing.

[278] And I think that's a great reminder to us.

[279] We have the truth in the Catholic faith.

[280] people who are seeking and searching for the truth and hungering for the truth, they find it in the Catholic faith.

[281] Hopefully that revives our faith and strengthens us.

[282] Even though we haven't left, we all need to be strengthened.

[283] And these converts are a great source of strength.

[284] You know what else I notice about these converts, Bishop Strickland, is that they're very bold about their newfound faith.

[285] And for example, what he's, did is in July when he saw what was going on at the Olympics, he wasn't silent.

[286] As a public figure, he said, let's boycott the Olympics.

[287] See, I just find that the converts have the fire.

[288] And these reverts also, people who come back to the faith have the fire, but, you know, lack lukewarm Catholicism, meaning Catholics who are baptized Catholic, don't give a hoot.

[289] And it seems sometimes to have these converts wake us up.

[290] Because I get that from 40 years ago, when Dr. Hahn came into the church, and I saw people going, wow, it's amnesia.

[291] He tells people, no, this is what I'm telling you is what your church is always taught.

[292] This is not no novelty.

[293] And people are going, wow, I never heard that before.

[294] And the reason they hadn't heard it, Bishop Strickland, I keep picking on you.

[295] It's because guys dressed like you weren't telling us that.

[296] they were telling us about flowers and bees and nature they weren't proclaiming the deposit of faith that these converts are saying look at the fathers of the church they re -educated us these converts and so I just want to thank him for doing that because now he says he praised the rosary daily with his wife and if you don't mind I want to just give an endorsement my wife and I for many almost 40 years now have been praying the daily rosary together and when the children came we gave them you know each decade for the rosary and even today when my adult children come to visit we pray the rosary with our grandchildren and it gets passed on and on and this you know father peyton you mentioned he says the family that prays together stays together so I think if you with this new organization you're forming, if you could lead with that prayer of vigils of praying the rosary, getting people to come to pray, then they could have that as a habit.

[297] And when you leave that city or that area, then they start practicing it at home.

[298] I think it's a marvelous idea.

[299] And here at Virgin Post -Powerful Radio, we endorse that, and we would do anything we can to promote it.

[300] So thank you for any.

[301] Father Bishop Strickland, what's the name of the new organization again?

[302] Pillars, can you give us the...

[303] Pillars of faith.

[304] Pillars of faith.

[305] And soon you'll have a website, and soon they can do that.

[306] I want to mention, I just got off the phone yesterday with a pilgrimage that you're doing with us, and they're going to have all the information up next week on our website, where we're going to...

[307] It's called Reconquering the Southwest.

[308] For those who are listing all parts of the world, Southern California and California in general was conquered for Christ by Annupiter Sarah and Father Kino coming up from Baja California.

[309] And so we had these California missions.

[310] And we thought it would be a great idea to bring Jess Romero, Matthew Arnold, Bishop Strickland, and myself on a bus where we tour these missions and we find out what went on there.

[311] And we're going to be praying while we're on the bus.

[312] We're going to hear stories about evangelization.

[313] It'll be an inspirational five -day visit.

[314] If you're interested, give us until next week to have it on the website.

[315] If you want to come, we'll have meals with all the speakers.

[316] And we're calling it Conquering the Southwest for Christ.

[317] I thought that was an appropriate one.

[318] When we come back from the break, I heard the bumper music, we're going to go right into the catechism.

[319] And again, why do we do this?

[320] Because we all need to review our faith.

[321] It's the most important topic.

[322] I don't care about the Dodgers.

[323] Who cares?

[324] They win.

[325] What about the salvation of my soul?

[326] I want to know Jesus Christ deeper.

[327] And a catechism in Scripture does just that.

[328] Stay with us, family.

[329] We'll be right back on the Bishop Strickland Hour, on Virgin Most Power Radio.

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

[331] Welcome back.

[332] Our section now is from the Catechism is on the Christian moral life.

[333] You know, I have to tell you, Bishop Strickland, that I'm shocked so many years of meeting laypeople who have never really had been given the teaching on Christian morality, and they just kind of fall into what the world says.

[334] And it's not that they consciously do that.

[335] It's just that's who formed them.

[336] Who did they get formed by, the world or the church?

[337] And so I think it's really important that we ask these moral questions, and then we call it moral theology.

[338] I mean, I think your seminary training, I'm sure you had moral theology classes, because every priest should have these classes.

[339] So here's the question that's asked.

[340] How do we know how to act are what good to choose?

[341] And I love this answer because it's simple.

[342] The catechism says, we learn what is good and evil through moral laws.

[343] Moral laws are the rules and guidelines of God has given us to lead us to the eternal beatitude with Him.

[344] We can know moral laws by using our reason since they are knowable and written in our hearts, Romans chapter 2 verse 15, because the moral law is inscribed in human nature.

[345] itself and can be known by reason and is called natural law, which you talk about all the time.

[346] We also know moral laws because God has revealed them to us.

[347] And I love this, especially in the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes as well as in the parables of Jesus.

[348] This is called revealed law.

[349] I love it.

[350] That's how we know.

[351] It's not public opinion.

[352] Your thoughts.

[353] Yeah, I think the main point there is remembering that we believe God has revealed this truth to us.

[354] It's called revelation.

[355] It's not something that some scientists came up with or some philosopher.

[356] I mean, philosophers have reflected.

[357] and come to understand some things.

[358] I mean, the natural law.

[359] Sure.

[360] But we have to ultimately remember, it kind of goes back to what we were talking about from the gospel today with God's generosity.

[361] God loves us so much that he gave us his son.

[362] And he loves us so much that he's revealed to us in preparation for us.

[363] his son coming, he's revealed how do we live a fruitful life that allows us to one day return to God by following his commandments.

[364] The natural law points to the same truth.

[365] And I guess one of the main things that we're dealing with in the present age is, and I talk about all the time, but I really believe it's at the very heart of it is the relative relativism.

[366] Yes.

[367] That truth is not a an objective reality that remains.

[368] It's relative to how you feel, what this person thinks.

[369] And I mean, everything falls apart with relativism.

[370] And you know, Pope Benedict long before he was He was a priest theologian, I believe, before he was even a bishop when he said that, you know, the relativism is destroying us.

[371] And we're living that because I've actually talked to different groups where, you know, after I would talk about the truth and living the truth, someone would, in the question time, would say, well, you know, bishop, I know that's your truth, but my truth is.

[372] a little different.

[373] And my response was, I disagree that you have truth and I have truth.

[374] There's one truth.

[375] And sure, we all have to admit that, I mean, I don't claim to know the truth perfectly.

[376] I need to continue to pray and to be formed more deeply in the truth.

[377] I mean, that's what we as Catholics mean by growing closer to the sacred heart of Christ, because he's truth incarnate.

[378] If we really know him, we're going to know the truth more and more deeply.

[379] So I will agree that I need to know the truth more deeply, but it is an objective reality that isn't going to change whether I know it or not.

[380] And if I know something or I believe something false that isn't the truth, then it can get me, it put me in peril.

[381] because I'm assuming that I'm living in a way that says, oh, I believe this is true.

[382] If it's contrary to the objective truth that God is revealed to us, that is God, then we're going to have problems.

[383] And that's what we see a lot of people struggling with.

[384] Well, I've decided I can decide who I am today and how I identify tomorrow.

[385] You can't.

[386] you can make decisions about how you live your life but you can't change yourself you can't say well I think I'll identify as a man today but maybe a woman tomorrow the reality is who you are as God created you and so we're really unhinged when people don't believe there's an objective truth anymore and it It touches every aspect of society, going back again to the idea of natural law.

[387] Yes.

[388] I mean, a lot of that is just what we call common sense.

[389] It's human experience.

[390] If, you know, you may say that, you know, being hit by a car is not going to harm me because I don't believe it will harm me. But you're going to be harmed when a car hits you.

[391] I mean, it's just, I mean, very simple physics.

[392] It's reality.

[393] And that's what we need to help people realize is, I mean, in the physical world, you know, if you jump out of a 54, I mean, a 50 -story window, you're going to die.

[394] Or, I mean, maybe miraculously, you don't die.

[395] but you're, you're going to face serious consequences of jumping from the 50th floor of a building.

[396] And you can't change that.

[397] But so the, the physical world has laws that, I mean, we just know, I mean, if you have any sense at all, you know some things.

[398] But in the spiritual realm, we think we can change it any way we want.

[399] But it's just as objectively true as the law of gravity.

[400] And that's what we have to help people to understand.

[401] The truth that God has revealed to us is vital for us surviving and doing more than surviving, flourishing in this world, and ultimately being with God again where we came from.

[402] beautiful i had two comments on what you said amen amen amen but uh what you said about this idea that i can think i'm a man now i'm going to think i'm a woman and it becomes that way i have a philosopher charles cologne who was on my show last week and he was joking he had a sense of humor he says oh yeah i believe in that you know transgenderism i mean i happen to think i'm a billionaire so when i give you my credit card and it doesn't run Forget about that.

[403] I believe I'm a millionaire, so that makes me a millionaire.

[404] Don't tell me I'm not a millionaire because there's no money on my credit card.

[405] It doesn't work.

[406] And so he was trying to be funny that says, you know, just because you say you are doesn't make you're a millionaire.

[407] And I thought, well, he's got a good point.

[408] And then the other comment that you said, it's not only the world teaching us these horrible things, but I'm convinced, and we've talked about the inerrancy of Scripture.

[409] The Bible teaches without error, and that Catholic teaching says at the end of the death of the last apostle, divine revelation ended.

[410] So we have it in the Bible, okay?

[411] And so when we have prelates and priests saying that, you know, we need to rethink this idea of the teaching on homosexuality or contraception or women priests and just change things because we think we know better, to me it's hard to imagine someone would say that if they have faith in Jesus Christ and they understand divine revelation because I'm wondering if they've not been taught that you can't change what Jesus Christ taught no matter how high you are up in the food pole chain bishop whoever pope nobody can change what Jesus Christ teaches and I think Bishop Strickland if there's one thing that got you into trouble you know, I'm convinced, is you wouldn't compromise divine revelation.

[412] You wouldn't say, no, we need to make an exception here because X, Y, and Z. You said, this is what Jesus Christ teaches.

[413] I embrace it, and I'm willing to take it on the chin because I can't compromise when maybe some other bishops are asking you to do X, Y, and Z. And you say, well, you know, I'm just not, I can't agree with that because it's against my conscience.

[414] And I appreciate you saying that.

[415] So I want to leave our listeners with a couple minutes of encouraging everyone who's listening to stand up for objective truth.

[416] And when you see moral relativism being practiced, don't get upset.

[417] Pray for the layman, bishop, whoever's giving us this teaching, and pray that they will see the beauty of the perennial teachings of the church.

[418] But I want to ask Bishop Strickland, as lay people, what would you encourage us to do when we see dissent?

[419] I'll use that word dissent from the magistrate of teachings from bishops and priests.

[420] And what's our response as lay people?

[421] What would you give our lay people's advice on that?

[422] Well, certainly pray for whoever is saying something false, pray for them to come back to the truth.

[423] But I'd encourage people to, you know, and I already have just continue to study your faith.

[424] Yes.

[425] And when you hear something false, make sure that you help others around you, mainly your family, but anyone that you can influence, help them not to attack anyone, but to pray for that bishop or priest who's saying, the wrong thing.

[426] I mean, like what we're talking about, parents need to talk to their children about the truth.

[427] Yep.

[428] Little children and older children.

[429] You got it.

[430] How about a blessing Bishop Strickland for our radio audience?

[431] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us continue to rejoice in the truth that is your son, truth incarnate, to know him more deeply, to pray the rosary to be guided more deeply into its sacred heart.

[432] and we ask that in the name of the Father, the son of the Holy Spirit.

[433] Amen.

[434] Thank you so much, Bishop Strickland.

[435] Check us out at Virgin Most Powerful Radio .org to check out all the shows we produce.

[436] We thank you for your financial and spiritual support.

[437] May God richly bless you, and we'll see you again next week.

[438] Same time, same station.

[439] God love you.