28 Aug 24 – Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross, and Follow Me

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

[1] And every twice a week, Bishop Strickland joins us with his show to teach people the faith.

[2] Bishop Strickland, welcome again for another show.

[3] Thanks, sir.

[4] Thank you.

[5] And I'm really excited, Bishop Strickland, because today we're going to cover a new letter that you wrote called, and I like the title, Open Your Eyes!

[6] It's regarding our ladies' message at Fatima and also Akita.

[7] and man it's a good good read and i'm going to have you read it to our listeners because i'm going to be honest with you a lot of people won't read it many people are just audio people and they just want to hear it not read i'm like i like to read but i'm not everybody so we'll cover that the gospel and much much more so before we begin uh with the gospel i just want to remind everybody bishop strickland has a youtube channel all you have to do is write joseph strickland and it'll pop up all of his YouTube sharing.

[8] They're like six, seven minute videos.

[9] Very good to pass on to friends and family.

[10] So if we could get the gospel read and then an explanation because it is a powerful gospel for the feast of St. Augustine.

[11] Okay.

[12] A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.

[13] Glory to thee, O Lord.

[14] Jesus said, woe you scribes and Pharisees.

[15] You hypocrites.

[16] You are like, whitewashed tombs, which are beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.

[17] Even so, on the outside, you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evil -doing.

[18] Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.

[19] You hypocrites, you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn them with the memorials of the righteous, and you say, If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophet's blood.

[20] Thus, you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets.

[21] Now fill up what your ancestors measured out.

[22] The gospel of the Lord.

[23] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[24] Well, really, Terry, a very appropriately powerful gospel.

[25] for the Feast of St. Augustine.

[26] Yesterday, we celebrated his mother, St. Monica, a beautiful reminder of the power of prayer.

[27] One thing I'd like to mention about that relationship before I get into the gospel is it was pointed out to me, and I think I've shared it with a lot of parents because we both hear from parents who say, my children have left the church.

[28] They're not living the faith.

[29] What do I do?

[30] And we certainly pray.

[31] We provide the best example we can.

[32] And we commend them into the hands of the Lord.

[33] We trust that His grace is always at work.

[34] We pray for their hearts to be open to that.

[35] But a beautiful point about St. Monica and St. Augustine, I think we all know them as the faithful mother praying for her son, who was very far off the Christian path.

[36] really living a pagan life, a life contrary to what Jesus Christ is about.

[37] And she prayed for much of her life for the conversion of her son.

[38] And it was her great joy that he did not just convert, but became one of the greatest theologians and teachers of the church, of his time and even in our time.

[39] But what was pointed out to me is that it really wasn't directly St. Monica who brought him to Christ and to his church.

[40] It was St. Ambrose, his great mentor.

[41] And I think that's a beautiful reminder that parents can hopefully be heartened by is it's not all up to them.

[42] Certainly they pray, provide the best example they can.

[43] But I think what I've shared with parents is pray for the right person to come into your sons or daughters or whatever loved one, your friend's life, pray for the person that can bring them closer to Christ, closer to the message of his gospel.

[44] Because, you know, mother's son, mother daughter, father's son, or daughter, those relationships are beautiful, but they're also complicated and can make it sometimes more difficult, especially when it comes to issues of faith because it's like, oh, mom and dad, all are old.

[45] I don't want to listen to you or whatever.

[46] So I think parents find it very helpful to be reminded that part of their prayer, I mean, what they want is their loved one to come closer to Christ, to live their Catholic faith.

[47] That's what coming closer to Christ is all about.

[48] Living the challenge of living a Catholic faith, living the way of Jesus Christ.

[49] And so for parents to pray that the right people will come into their loved ones' life, I think is a great reminder of that.

[50] And then if we look at the gospel, woe to you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.

[51] I think we all need to just listen to those words and let them really ponder Jesus Christ is saying these what if if I said them in the world today yeah or if you said them people would say ah you're being harsh you're using you know you're calling people names you're being hard and and not like Jesus I mean so many times I'm sure both of us have been told when you speak the truth of Christ People will accuse you, especially if you say something hard that's difficult, that isn't comfortable and cozy, then you can easily be accused of not being like Jesus.

[52] It just, it occurs to me, even as I'm reflecting with you, Terry, that very often, in my experience, people will say, you need to be like Jesus.

[53] And when they say be like Jesus, very often they're emphasizing the kindness and the mercy and the gentleness of Jesus, which is true and beautiful.

[54] He says, let the children come to me. But I think it's one thing I like about our Catholic faith.

[55] Very often we speak of Christ.

[56] or we speak of Jesus Christ.

[57] And I think that even just using, it reminds me, I don't think I've ever heard your middle name.

[58] What's your middle name?

[59] Patrick.

[60] Well, good, great, beautiful middle name.

[61] I think so.

[62] But what occurs to me, and I know what's happened to me, most kids will say, when you're really in trouble.

[63] Oh, yeah.

[64] When mom or dad really mean it, when they really want to get your intention, they'll say, Terry Patrick.

[65] Exactly.

[66] Joseph Edward?

[67] Yep.

[68] You know, I heard it.

[69] And I think most kids do.

[70] Of course.

[71] Using the name can have a significance and a power.

[72] And I think it's Jesus Christ speaking in today's gospel.

[73] Not just because, of course, he's always the same.

[74] Even if you just use Jesus or Christ, it's the same Jesus with all of the love and mercy and all of the judgment of the truth.

[75] I mean, he is a judging Lord and a merciful kind Savior.

[76] He's both.

[77] But I think it just occurs to me. And I think this gospel in that light I would describe as a Jesus Christ kind of gospel.

[78] Woe you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites, calling the leaders of his faith in his time to their faith.

[79] calling them hypocrites.

[80] That's very strong.

[81] And I think we need to hear that strength in what Jesus, and what does he say following on them?

[82] He's not just calling names.

[83] He's calling them to a change of heart.

[84] He's calling them to the truth, just like he calls all of us, and we're obligated to call others in his name.

[85] He says, you hypocrites, you're like whitewashed tombs, which appear are beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.

[86] That's really the heart of what Christ is saying.

[87] He's not just calling names for the sake of calling names.

[88] He is trying to get their attention.

[89] And I would imagine he did.

[90] For those who didn't walk away when he, how dare you call us hypocrites, or probably some that did that.

[91] But he's talking about, and it reminds me of a saint, the apostle Bartholomew, also called Nathaniel, that we just celebrated a few days ago.

[92] But when Christ says, he says something beautiful about Bartholomew or Nathaniel, when he meets him, he says, here is a man without duplicity.

[93] Right.

[94] Christ is talking about when he says the scribes and the Pharisees are hypocrites, he's saying they're being duplicitous.

[95] They look like one thing and do another.

[96] And, you know, really, Terry, I would admit, I mean, I think all of us have to admit.

[97] In my sinfulness, I'm a hypocrite.

[98] I'm duplicitous.

[99] But I'm always doing my best to work against it.

[100] Amen.

[101] And that's what we have to do.

[102] That's right.

[103] This really gets at the heart of the abuse scandals in the church and the corruption that we're seeing today.

[104] It gets to the very heart of that.

[105] For all of us in the church, all of the prelates, all the bishops and shepherds from the Pope down, and all of the people, we need to not point fingers at each other, but look into our own hearts and say, Lord, how am I a hypocrite?

[106] Help me to be converted to your truth.

[107] Well said, Bishop Strickland.

[108] The Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful.

[109] When we come back, we'll talk about his latest letter called Open Your Eyes.

[110] Stay with us, family.

[111] We'll be right back.

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

[113] Welcome back, indeed.

[114] Bishop Strickland, you wrote another letter, and I'm really happy you did because it seems like you've had, I think, one year of writing these.

[115] letters on the queenship of Mary.

[116] I think that was your first one.

[117] And here you are talking about our lady of Fatima and our lady of Akita.

[118] And so I want to ask before you read the letter, why did you write this letter at this time?

[119] Well, Terry, I see us continuing on the path that I felt called to warn about a year ago.

[120] Beginning on the queenship of Mary, August 22nd.

[121] in 2023.

[122] We have another synodon synodality coming up, and we have many other things that have, I think the situation is really worse than it was a year ago.

[123] And it's not about despairing.

[124] It's not about, as I say in the letter, I don't want to be a, I'm not a profit of doom.

[125] No. But I'm hopefully a messenger that is saying, we've got to listen to, Jesus Christ.

[126] And we've got to pay attention to his truth and quit letting the compromises override everything.

[127] I mean, we've talked about several things just recently in the church and in the world that are significant deteriorations from where we were a year ago.

[128] And I think we've got to, as the letter it says, open our eyes.

[129] We've got to open our eyes and open our hearts, not in fear, but to be freed from the fear and to know the truth.

[130] So that's why I write it.

[131] And I know that I say some things that some would consider controversial, but after the gospel we just read, I guess I'm in good company.

[132] Amen.

[133] I'm just doing my best to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

[134] But we've all going to point to him as Lord and Savior of all.

[135] And that's really at the heart of it is he is the one Lord, one faith, one baptism for all humanity.

[136] Amen.

[137] And we're not hearing that in a clear way from the church at this time.

[138] We need to remember that.

[139] And we need to oppose anything that opposes Jesus Christ.

[140] Amen.

[141] For the benefit of those who won't read the short letter, which is a lot of people driving right now, they can't read while they're driving, Could you actually read the letter for those folks who won't read it themselves, please?

[142] Terry, I'm glad to.

[143] My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I am once again compelled to write and to encourage you to seek life more deeply rooted in the sacred heart of Jesus Christ.

[144] By the time this is posted, it will be one year since my first letter was written, which was posted on August 22nd, 2023, the Coinship of Mary.

[145] I truly believe that letter was guided by divine providence, and the central point of this letter, a year later, is to urge, even beg, that all of us begin to see the hand of God and all that is unfolding in the church and in the world.

[146] The letter a year ago looked to the on, ongoing synod on synodality, which was approaching in October 2023.

[147] It was followed by seven letters amplifying the concerns I raised in that original letter.

[148] As many of you know, I have continued to write these letters as prompted by the Holy Spirit.

[149] Let me be clear that I'm not claiming to have received any special revelation.

[150] I have simply been prompted by deep faith and my love for Jesus Christ to open my eyes to what is happening around us.

[151] That call to open our eyes is at the heart of the letter you are now reading.

[152] I've done my best to urge all who have read these letters to see the corruption and the powerful evil forces that are slowly but surely pushing us toward a devastating in calamity.

[153] I have no desire to be a prophet of doom.

[154] But what I believe must, I must speak out and point to the evil that grips our world and the church.

[155] At this point, I have to say, we must open our eyes before it is too late.

[156] Our national political system, the Vatican, and too many influential organizations around the world are engaged in a program that is nothing short of a 21st century betrayal of Jesus Christ and his church.

[157] Like the betrayal of Judas Ascarian, almost 2 ,000 years ago, this present -day betrayal is emanating even from those at the very heart of the church and the state.

[158] We must open our eyes to these attacks on the mystical body of Christ in order to remain in Christ, who is truth incarnate, and to embrace the salvation He won for us on the cross.

[159] We must also strive to lead as many others as possible to the fullness of truth found only in our Lord Jesus Christ and safeguarded by His bride, the Catholic Church.

[160] The attempts to explain away this modern day betrayal of Christ have lost any semblance of credibility.

[161] We must acknowledge that one evil hand is moving all of these disparate forces, and that is no less than the hand of Satan, the Prince of Darkness.

[162] As I write this, shortly after August 15th, the solemnity of the assumption of the Blessed Virgin, Mary.

[163] We are reading reports of the death of Sister Agnes Sasegawa.

[164] The visionary of the church -approved messages of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Akita, Japan in 1973.

[165] I emphasize that I'm not claiming any special knowledge of her messages, but I do not believe any special revelation is necessary.

[166] in order to understand the content of these messages.

[167] If we simply look at the messages of Akita with eyes of faith, we must conclude that what we see in the world today corresponds with what was foretold in these messages.

[168] The messages of Akita give us a dire warning of what we see unfolding before our eyes.

[169] Not only do we see cardinal against cardinal, and bishop against bishop.

[170] But we see bishops against priest and Pope against cardinals.

[171] We see blasphemies of our Lord and Blessed Mother and attacks on doctrine emanating from Vatican offices, with Pope Francis either remaining silent or by inaction giving tacit approval.

[172] The messages of Akita remind us also of our lady's messages in Fadova in 1917.

[173] In these messages, our lady warned that the errors of Russia, which included pre -Masonry, from which communism had its birth, would spread throughout the world unless and until Russia was consecrated in the manner that she described.

[174] in a public ceremony by the Pope and union with all the bishops of the world to her immaculate heart.

[175] This was never done in complete accordance with our lady's instructions.

[176] Furthermore, a lady specifically requested that the third secret of Fatima was to be revealed in 1960.

[177] But it was suppressed instead.

[178] and there is much reason to doubt that the full third secret has ever been released.

[179] The future Pies the 12th, 31 years before the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, spoke these words.

[180] I am worried by the Blessed Virgin's messages to Little Lucia of Fatima.

[181] This persistence of Mary about the dangers which many, the church is a divine warning against the suicide of altering the faith in her liturgy, her theology, and her soul.

[182] I hear all around me innovators who wish to dismantle the sacred chapel, destroy the universal flame of the church, reject her ornaments, and make her feel remorse for her historical past.

[183] A day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the church will doubt as Peter doubted.

[184] She will be tempted to believe that man has become God.

[185] In our churches, Christians will search in vain for the red lamp where God awaits them.

[186] Like Mary Magdalene, weeping before the empty tomb, they will ask, where have they taken him?

[187] Indeed, these were prophetic words.

[188] As since Vatican II, we have seen an attempt to update the faith by removing the church away from the deposit of faith, which cannot be changed or amended.

[189] It is easy to understand why the revealing of the third secret of Fatima was to occur in 1960, and why it was suppressed by those who had the intent.

[190] to change what could not be changed.

[191] Cardinal Ratzinger, before becoming Pope Benedict the 16th, stated that the third secret referred to dangers threatening the faith, and he drew a parallel between the message of Fatima and the message of Akita.

[192] Cardinal Mario Luigi Chiopi, who had read the third secret, stated that the Virgin had said that apostasy would begin from the top.

[193] Pagre Pio spoke about a false church and a great apostasy occurring after 1960 in regard to the Third Secret.

[194] However, when the purported Third Secret was released in 2000, it had nothing about these things.

[195] In 2019, Pope Francis, when asked why God allows so many religions in the world, answered that there are many religions.

[196] Some are more for culture, but they always look to heaven.

[197] They look to God.

[198] He said that what God wants is a fraternity among us.

[199] And he said, we must not be frightened by difference.

[200] God has allowed this.

[201] However, if there were really no difference in the religions of the world and if what god wanted was just fraternity among us then one might conclude that the catholic church is no longer the one true religion and that it is indeed not the arc of our salvation however we know that this is not the truth therefore we must be concerned about the reported words of the virgin about an apostasy which would begin at the top.

[202] In conclusion, I must cry out that ignoring the request and admonitions of our blessed mother at Fatima and Akita has put the church and the world in an extremely perilous condition.

[203] Hang on, Bishop Strickland, we'll finish where it starts.

[204] I do not write these strong words about Fatima and Akita.

[205] Stay with us, family.

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

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

[208] Welcome back.

[209] Indeed, Bishop Strickland's reading his open letter, says the title of his Open Your Eyes.

[210] And you're right about at the conclusion.

[211] And maybe you should just start at that paragraph in conclusion, Bishop Strickland.

[212] We'll finish it.

[213] In conclusion, I must cry out that ignoring the requests and the admonition, of our Blessed Mother at Fatima and Akita has put the church in the world in an extremely perilous condition.

[214] I do not write these strong words about Fatima and Akita to shake your fame, but instead, with a fervent hope that you will awaken to the need for us to repent, confess our sins, and cling fiercely to the two pillars of faith.

[215] which St. John Bosco saw so clearly and prophetically in a dream in 1862.

[216] The pillars of our Eucharistic Lord and of his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[217] I pray that our response to all of the turmoil in evil today may be for us to find a deeper faith and hope in our Lord.

[218] We must never leave Christ's pride.

[219] But neither can we remain silent as others attempt to change her or make her a caricature of the vessel of salvation she is meant to be.

[220] None of us have the power to avert catastrophe, but we can and must be spiritually prepared for whatever may come.

[221] It is imperative that we ensure that we remain always in a state of grace, and that we embrace every act of reparation possible before it is too late.

[222] Let us take Joshua 2415 as our inspiration.

[223] As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

[224] May Almighty God bless you, and may our Queen and Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for you and lead you always to her son, Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Tyler.

[225] Bishop Strickland, when you were reading that letter, which I read, something came to my mind when you mentioned about Cardinal Mario reading the third secret and stating that this apostasy would begin from the top.

[226] I had the knowledge back in 1980 of having conversations with Father Maliki Martin, and he told me on the phone, the same thing, that the third secret is an apostasy.

[227] Now, that shook me in the 1980s.

[228] Again, I went to some priests that I respected and said, could that be possible?

[229] And they said, oh, I wouldn't take it, you know, as the gospel truth because he writes so much like he's like a fly on the wall.

[230] He gets into conversations about all these things.

[231] How could he know all of it?

[232] But when I see this information coming and then I see in your letter, and I remember in the year 2000, you know, when the secret came out and it was reported, it said nothing about the things that I was told, it's a red flag.

[233] And so I appreciate you bringing this up now because we can all respond to the message of Fatima and Akita, which is a reaffirmation of the gospel, because if it wasn't a reaffirmation of the gospel, then it wouldn't be true.

[234] That's our lady.

[235] She doesn't say anything different than what our Lord taught and what our church is taught.

[236] She teaches the deposit of faith in all of her apparitions.

[237] So my question to you is for lay people reading your letter, what action items can lay people do to support this message and to alert as many people as possible about repenting and turning to Christ?

[238] So my question is, what can we do as lay people with your letter?

[239] Well, I'm glad you asked that, Terry, because I think they're are some very clear steps.

[240] I tried to outline, but I think it's good to, you know, repetition is the soul of learning.

[241] We all have things repeated.

[242] But one thing I would say, we were talking earlier about parents concerned with their children that have wandered from the faith.

[243] And when we say they've wandered from the Catholic faith, they've wondered from Christ, from the fullness of him.

[244] If they're going to another Christian church, that's better than not.

[245] But still, all of us need the full vigorous strength of grace that flows from the sacraments, sanctifying grace.

[246] So I would say for those parents, or for anyone that listens to this or has a chance to read this letter, share it.

[247] Share it with all that you can't.

[248] Not because I wrote it, but because it's truth that we need to embrace.

[249] We need to acknowledge the corruption that is in our face, and we need to not despair, but take action for ourselves.

[250] So the first thing I would say, for anyone hearing this or reading this letter, share it, share it with friends, share it with colleagues, share it with family, share it in every way you can.

[251] Because this is a message for all of us.

[252] It's not a message for just a small group of of really traditional Catholics.

[253] It's a message for the world, really, because Jesus Christ is a message for the world.

[254] So I would say share it.

[255] And then on a much more personal level, get to confession.

[256] If you haven't been to confession very recently, and I would say within the last month, then get to confession.

[257] We believe in the mercy that flows from the heart of Christ.

[258] Certainly go to Mass and receive the Eucharist, but I put confession first because too many are ignoring that important encounter with Christ in His mercy.

[259] Get with it.

[260] Get serious.

[261] Quit.

[262] If you went to confession last week, wonderful.

[263] But go again soon, because there are more sins to confess.

[264] Hopefully not serious.

[265] But we need to be as strong and as holy as we possibly can.

[266] I went to confession this past Saturday.

[267] I go to confession often.

[268] Again, I've said this before, not because I'm holy, but because I'm holy.

[269] I'm not holy enough.

[270] Too much hypocrisy in my life.

[271] And if you're sitting there saying, I think most of us who are serious about the faith, like I've said before, you know, scrupulosity is a thing.

[272] And people can get a little off, a little far off the track.

[273] And it's scrupulous and say, oh, I'm sending it every breath.

[274] That isn't healthy.

[275] And that is what Christ teaches us, but we do need to be honest and aware.

[276] I mean, we do good things, but we do bad things.

[277] And where does sin creep into our lives?

[278] Confess those sins so that you can be holier and stronger.

[279] So I would say, share this letter.

[280] Thank you.

[281] Go to confession.

[282] And then the next step is go to Mass, even on the daily mass. If you're reading this letter and say, oh, I really agree with the bishop.

[283] I've opened my eyes.

[284] Go to confession and then go to mass. To receive the beautiful strength and grace, the Eucharist is also a merciful ointment of forgiveness.

[285] But when we aren't going to confession, we're blocking the power of that mercy to strengthen us to turn from sin.

[286] So I would say, I guess, to just summarize, I would say, share the letter, live clearly a sacramental life, and continue to learn your faith and share it with others.

[287] I think those three steps are what I would call people to.

[288] And then, I mean, we're daily hearing devastating messages about deeper war and horrible attacks.

[289] I mean, and people, you know, again, I don't want to be a prophet of doom, but I don't want to ignore what's right in our face either.

[290] I mean, look at the fractured political scene of our nation.

[291] Forget which party or which candidate.

[292] It is fractured.

[293] It is a mess.

[294] It's unbelievable what we're seeing.

[295] And to just keep gliding along.

[296] like there's no big deal, nothing's happening.

[297] I just can't believe that that's true.

[298] I mean, I think we need to pray, but we need to get right with God.

[299] We need to be strong in our faith.

[300] So that ultimately, certainly we're called to be stewards of this world.

[301] We're called to be responsible.

[302] We're called to have not corrupt political systems, but political systems that really help people to have the freedoms to live according to God's plan.

[303] But like I said in the letter, none of us has the power to avert catastrophe, but we can.

[304] We do have the power to avert the personal catastrophe of being condemned ourselves because we didn't act.

[305] We didn't open our eyes.

[306] We didn't open our hearts to the mercy that's there.

[307] but God is not going to force us, just like in the gospel we read.

[308] Jesus doesn't force those scribes and Pharisees.

[309] He gives them the freedom to choose.

[310] Some of them did.

[311] Some of them didn't.

[312] It's the same in the world today.

[313] Let's be on the side of those choosing Christ.

[314] Wow.

[315] Amen to that.

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[323] When we come back from the break, I'd like to open up a catechism, because this is how we used the faith, the fundamentals of our faith.

[324] Last week, we were going through a section of the catechism on the Christian moral life.

[325] We'll continue on that, and much, much more.

[326] on Virgin most powerful radio.

[327] Stay with us, family.

[328] This is the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[329] We'll be right back.

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

[331] Welcome back.

[332] Indeed, as I promised, we're going to go right to the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[333] And again, this catechism I'm using is the way of Christ catechism from the St. Philip Institute, when Bishop Strickland was the ordinary, and Tyler, this was a project.

[334] You worked with a bunch of lay people.

[335] And I really like the catechism.

[336] When you sent it to me, I was like, wow, these people really spent some time to put it so succinctly.

[337] So we're in section 18.

[338] The title of the chapter is the Christian moral life.

[339] So we've been covering, how do we have a moral conscience, whether it's voting, whether it's our family life, how do we make judgments?

[340] And, you know, this is what we're dealing with.

[341] Right now, one of the questions that the catechism poses, is how do we know, to act or what good to choose.

[342] Great question.

[343] We learn what is good and evil through moral laws.

[344] Moral laws and rules and guidelines God has given to us to lead us to eternal beat us to eternal beatitude with him.

[345] We can know moral laws by using our reason, since they are knowable and written on our hearts.

[346] Romans chapter 2, verse 15, because the moral law is inscribed in the human nature itself and can be known by reason, it is called natural law.

[347] So when you hear that word natural law, yet reason.

[348] We also know moral laws because God has revealed them to us, especially in the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, as well as the parables of Jesus.

[349] This is called Revealed Law.

[350] And I just want to add one more thing that might fit in this paragraph that at the death of the last apostle, divine revelation ended.

[351] In other words, this is the scripture.

[352] Anything that comes after that would confirm divine revelation.

[353] And so Bishop Strickland, when I read this short paragraph on how to make moral choices, before I turn it back to you, when Pope Benedict was Cardinal Ratzinger, I remember the question in the Ratzinger report from the mid -80s.

[354] He said, what's the biggest problem in the church?

[355] And he said, we haven't taught the people about original sin.

[356] I thought that was very insightful.

[357] Because without an understanding of original sin, we don't understand why we have this inclination to sin.

[358] Give us your thoughts on how do we know how to act on what is good and to choose the good.

[359] Well, as you said, Terry, that paragraph really summarizes it.

[360] And it really comes down to what's the purpose of the church?

[361] What's the purpose of this encounter with the divine in the Son of God, Jesus Christ?

[362] It's to give us the truth, as we've said many times, Jesus Christ is truth incarnate.

[363] And with that revelation of the truth, to confirm what we can know to some extent just by using our God -given minds and looking at the world, some of what we call natural law begins to point us in the right direction.

[364] But divine revelation gives us the full picture of really who we are and who God is.

[365] And when we know that, when we know the, I guess I would say, when we know the pattern of creation that God is, the truth, when we violate that pattern, we violate our own existence.

[366] and threaten it, the more deeply we violate that, the more we threaten our own existence.

[367] I mean, what I would say, Terry, is what God is revealed to us, murder is wrong.

[368] Murder is immoral.

[369] And knowing that from God helps us realize, because, I mean, certainly, since God revealed that to us, countless.

[370] murders have occurred.

[371] People ignore that commandment.

[372] But the more murderous we become, the more we deteriorate from who God calls us to be.

[373] And I think that that's the point of any sin, really, if we think about it, when we sin, we can say, oh, that's just against another person.

[374] and I can steal this, or I can murder them, or I can lie and get away with it.

[375] But we're diminishing ourselves.

[376] And I think that's what Christ really is telling us in the beatitudes, that when we sin, we're chipping away at our own existence, at our own creation, our own being.

[377] Because we're created in the image and likeness of God.

[378] So what God is revealed to us is that we're doing.

[379] doing harm to ourselves when we live in any way that's contrary to the truth.

[380] Going back again to the pattern, you know, I mean, imagine both of us like machines.

[381] Oh, yeah.

[382] I like really any kind of machine.

[383] I've always found machines intriguing.

[384] But whoever made whatever kind of machine, there's a pattern to that.

[385] one bolt you know working in unison with other bolts and other panels other things whatever the machine is say it's a beautiful car that pattern exists to form that car and the more you divert from that pattern the worst the car is and when you get into things that are vital about a car, I mean, if you pour water in the gas tank, you're pretty much done.

[386] You have a nice hunk of metal to sit in, maybe very comfortable, but it's not going to get anywhere.

[387] It's not going to be a car.

[388] And I mean, what God has revealed to us as the same basic truth for us, the pattern of our human reality is laid out for us by God.

[389] If, and the saints illustrate it to us.

[390] I mean, the saints, it doesn't mean they didn't suffer.

[391] Most of the times, they suffered greatly.

[392] If they weren't a saint that models putting up with great, carrying a great cross of suffering, they, carried their cross in other ways, sometimes by tremendous heroic self -sacrifice to give up what they could have had in this world for the sake of the kingdom.

[393] But I think all of that, Terry, reminds us what we're dealing with and what God is revealed to us and what we discover in natural law is how life works, how the world works.

[394] And the more we choose to say, okay, I understand how this works, the more we seek to live in a way that corresponds with that truth, more harmonious and peaceful and joyful in life -giving our journey in this life is going to be.

[395] the more we deny that, we can pretend to ourselves.

[396] We can, I would say, exteriorly get away with it for a time, sometimes a very short time, depending on how devastating it is to the pattern of life that God has given us.

[397] But we can only get away with it for a time.

[398] It reminds me of what we talked about in the gospel.

[399] I mean, duplicity.

[400] If we're living a duplicitous life, we can get away with it to a certain extent.

[401] And I mean, the corrupt businessman or the corrupt politician who amasses great wealth at the expense of living a moral life, you can say, oh, they got away with it.

[402] But only for the brief span that this life is.

[403] And not for eternity.

[404] I, you know, just recently there were politicians really speaking out against, you know, those who amath wealth and those who ignore the truth and, you know, are basically speaking of corruption.

[405] Ironically, those speaking are extremely wealthy people.

[406] And I think that's just one thing we need to look at in our world.

[407] Neither of us are extremely wealthy in terms of the world.

[408] We have great wealth in terms of knowing God and knowing his truth.

[409] That's the pearl of great price worth more than the world could ever offer us.

[410] But in terms of the world, I think we've both learned you don't really need much.

[411] And it's not about amassing great wealth.

[412] I mean, you could have done that in your various careers.

[413] That's true.

[414] If you have been focused on amassing great wealth, you could have done it.

[415] But we're instead focused on the salvation of our souls and helping as many as we can for the salvation for their soul.

[416] That's what it's about.

[417] So I think as we talk about, living a moral life.

[418] I think one of the challenges in the time of Christ, the challenge of the human condition is you can get away with living an immoral life for a while, and it looks like you're doing great.

[419] And people make those comparisons.

[420] Look at this wealthy businessman.

[421] And, you know, not every businessman, thankfully, is corrupt.

[422] Some of them simply threw a lot of hard work.

[423] And they tend to be, I'm sure you've seen it.

[424] I know I have.

[425] Some of the hardest work and most successful business people are also the most generous.

[426] I found it.

[427] Yep.

[428] Thank you.

[429] So much away.

[430] And very often the people that are not generous are people who have either not gotten it through moral means or they didn't earn it themselves.

[431] Their parents earned it for them.

[432] And so I think that I guess my point is living a moral life brings its own reward.

[433] You can sleep at night.

[434] You're at peace.

[435] You don't worry about what did I say yesterday and making sure it's the same.

[436] If you're telling the truth, living a moral life, you don't have to worry about it.

[437] It has its own reward.

[438] Amen.

[439] I love it.

[440] Life is simple when we give our life to Christ.

[441] It really is.

[442] How about a blessing for our radio audience, Mr. Sturkling?

[443] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of the participating and virgin most powerful radio.

[444] Do we make the rejoice in the truth that our loving God is revealed to us?

[445] And we ask in the name of the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit.

[446] Thank you very much, folks, for listening.

[447] and you can always go to vmpr .org to check out all our other shows.

[448] And we'll be again here tomorrow, same time, same station.

[449] God bless you.