30 Nov 21 – Advent and Confession

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] God bless everyone.

[2] We spend an hour talking to the good bishop about our Catholic faith and how to fall in love with Jesus Christ and his bride the church.

[3] What a great time to be a Catholic.

[4] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for taking the time in your busy schedule to teach us about Jesus.

[5] Really?

[6] Thank you.

[7] Good to see you again, Terry.

[8] Well, yeah, it's good to see you too, Bishop.

[9] I just want to remind people what a bishop is to do.

[10] sense of the Catholic Church teachings, to teach, govern, and sanctify.

[11] And I think that's what Bishop Strickland is doing to us.

[12] He's sharing with us the fullness of the priesthood in this bishopry, and he's teaching us the Catholic faith.

[13] Today we're going to talk a lot about Advent, because we're going to be in the Advent season when this is broadcast.

[14] But before we do the Advent topic, I did want to just take a couple tweets that I thought were really beautiful and profound.

[15] and I think of Cardinal Orenzi, I've had a chance to meet him many years ago, and he reminded me of just a straight shooter in the sense of the Catholic fate.

[16] He asked this man a question.

[17] He would give you a very straight answer.

[18] I mean, it wasn't ambiguous, you know, and I just thought, wow, this guy is awesome.

[19] He's from, you know, Nigeria, I think, and he was like, are all priests from Nigeria like you?

[20] And I found out many of them are like this.

[21] They're just, tell it like it is.

[22] So you tweeted thanking his eminence for a tweet that, he stated when the question said to the cardinal, should pro -choice politicians receive holy communion?

[23] I thought, well, this was years ago.

[24] I remember when this came out.

[25] And he didn't, you know, to have a bishop's conference.

[26] I'm sorry to push at you guys, but he didn't even have a meeting.

[27] He just simply said, do you really need a cardinal from the Vatican to answer that?

[28] He says, ask the children receiving their first Holy Communion and say to them, somebody votes for the killing of unborn babies and says, I voted for that, I will vote for that every time.

[29] And these babies are killed, not one or two, but in the millions.

[30] And that person says, I am a practicing Catholic.

[31] Should that person receive communion?

[32] The children will answer that at the drop of a hat.

[33] You don't need a cardinal to answer that.

[34] You know, Bishop Strickland, that was the best answer of any priest, bishop, cardinal, the Pope, I'm sorry, all the way up to the top of the church, that question came up, and it was such an easy thing to say.

[35] And I ask you, why in the world would you retreat that?

[36] Is there something there that you wanted to communicate?

[37] Well, I guess I just agree with you that it's a great answer.

[38] Yeah.

[39] And we need to, to, you know, just cut through all the.

[40] confusion and all the complexity and just sometimes have the faith of a young child just receiving communion and that kind of clarity.

[41] So I really appreciated what the Cardinal said.

[42] And like you said, it was years ago.

[43] But this is the great thing about the truth is it doesn't change.

[44] Even though people say that it changed, it doesn't change.

[45] The same truth is there.

[46] And I would just emphasize that there's always the opportunity to change your heart, to have a conversion experience, to come back to the truth.

[47] That's where God's mercy is so marvelous.

[48] He's always welcoming us back.

[49] We all wander from the truth to some extent because we're sinners.

[50] But God is always giving us the opportunity to come back to his truth.

[51] And that is what we need to remember.

[52] And you know, Bishop Strickland, I keep, every time I hear another bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal, speak so clearly on a topic that you also speak so clearly on, it makes me realize that, you know, we're not alone.

[53] When I have strong leadership in the church, it really does affect us positively.

[54] And our good friend, who I consider a good friend of mine, Archbishop Cordillian, when he was in San Diego, I knew him well and picked him up many times at the airport for family conferences.

[55] so had a really good relationship with him.

[56] And when he went to San Francisco, I thought, oh my gosh, from Oakland to San Francisco, man, that's going to be a tough job.

[57] Well, he's really done a great job because, you know, he's been standing up for the unborn when even it's going to be very difficult because he's got politicians in his diocese who are diametrically opposed to what the church teaches and they're baptized Catholics.

[58] And he's saying, hey, like, for example, Archbishop Cordillet alone, And I mean, he took out the President of the United States and said, you know, stop supporting abortion.

[59] There's 63 million babies have been murdered.

[60] It's a bloodbath.

[61] And I think, you know, sometimes people say, well, you can't say it that way because you might offend him.

[62] No, it's exciting for us as laymen to have our leadership speak so clearly about what's going on and not sugarcoat the killing of innocent life.

[63] when we're talking 63 million babies, I mean, give me a break.

[64] That's a lot of souls that are dying because we're of our selfishness in our country.

[65] And the idea that he's calling it a bloodbath, I think he's very accurately describing it.

[66] And here you are retweeting that because I think you're on the same page as the Archbishop is.

[67] Absolutely.

[68] Yep, yep.

[69] And I thank you for that.

[70] Now, Bishop Strickland, you have something on your website that I want all of our listeners to download.

[71] Not too long ago, you had a letter to your own flock in Texas, you know, in Tyler, but I think it's open for other people to read your, you know, your documents.

[72] You did a document on the wondrous truth of the Eucharist.

[73] Christ suffered and died for us, his sacrificial love.

[74] It's a document that is a letter.

[75] How can people, you know, outside your diocese have access to that?

[76] well um i'm not sure exactly what letter you're referring to but okay a lot of things are posted on my website bishop strickland dot com and also on the diocese of tyler website got it well very good let me ask this next question you tweeted how the power i call it the hidden power of confession that's my title whenever i talk about the power of the confessional and what i wanted to tell you is this um let me just shut this down I saw this tweet and I thought well this is really simple and I like it you got an image everybody look at this you got an image of a priest hearing a man's confession it looks like he's praying over him for absolution right now and you've got at least one two three four five six points he said confession restores our relationship with God and increases I would say sanctifying grace but it just says grace but it's the life of God in us.

[77] So it's sanctifying grace.

[78] Number two, confession you point purifies and removes the burden and the weight of sin from you individually.

[79] That's a great point.

[80] Benefit number three, because I'm a salesman, I point in benefits.

[81] Confession strengthens and prepares you for spiritual combat.

[82] Wow.

[83] Number four, confession takes away pride and helps you grow in humility and virtue.

[84] Man, check that one.

[85] That's a powerful one for us, man. Confession.

[86] makes you aware of your weakness and helps you achieve greater self -control.

[87] Sign me up, man. Next one.

[88] Confession prevents your sins from turning into bad habits and also helps you overcome the bad habits.

[89] Bishop Strickland, what you just tweeted should motivate us for the Advent season to get to confession.

[90] Is that one of the reasons why you did that?

[91] Absolutely, Terry.

[92] And really, where we find, ourselves in the church and in the world today, I would urge people to make this Advent a celebration of confession to really focus on the sacrament of confession and all those points and so many others.

[93] And if you haven't been to confession in recently, just go.

[94] Just go.

[95] Just go to confession.

[96] But I think we really, and even as we're talking, it inspires me. I've already designated around the Immaculate Conception Feast that week of the second week of December to really encourage people in what I'm calling a festival week of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.

[97] But to really, I emphasize there, prayer and fasting.

[98] And confession needs to go right along with that.

[99] And it does mention, because it offers an indulgence for saying those prayers and going to confession.

[100] But really, Terry, you inspire me to really focus on that for this Advent.

[101] It's a time to confess our sins.

[102] That's the beauty of, you know, the church in her wisdom offers us a liturgical year.

[103] We all get off track.

[104] We all get wander into bad habits.

[105] We're all sinners.

[106] I would encourage people.

[107] We're coming to the very last days of this liturgical year.

[108] This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.

[109] And from what you said, we'll already be in the seat.

[110] of Advent by the times people see this.

[111] Yes.

[112] I would encourage people to really take this Advent season as a time to renew confession in their life.

[113] If they've been going regularly, every couple of weeks or once a month, wonderful.

[114] And they already know if they're going to confession that regularly, they already know that it's a blessing.

[115] It's all those things that was mentioned in that tweet.

[116] It's a healing of our relationship with Jesus Christ, with the Son of God, and through him with the Father and the Spirit.

[117] That is the primary relationship we're all called to live.

[118] So let's make this Advent a time of renewal for confession.

[119] We're talking about a revival of the Eucharist, and we desperately need it.

[120] But we also need a revival of the sacrament of confession.

[121] And if you haven't been in too long, and if you can't remember, that's definitely too long.

[122] Yeah.

[123] If it's more than a month, that's too long.

[124] You might say, well, I haven't done anything bad, but you're missing out on the grace of healing that relationship with Jesus Christ.

[125] When we come back with the Bishop Strickland Hour, we'll point out something from St. John Paul, too, about devotion to confession.

[126] Stay with us.

[127] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[128] talking about the Advent season, and Bishop Strickland was explaining the value of confession.

[129] And I want to just encourage anyone, we're going to give you a free download of Dr. Scott Hahn's powerful presentation.

[130] It's 50 minutes long called the Hidden Power of Confession.

[131] And I think we distributed over 100 ,000 of those through our Lighthouse Catholic Media ministry to the parishes.

[132] And I'm happy to give that away for free.

[133] Just call 8 ,7.

[134] 7 -7 -5 -26 -215 -1.

[135] Why?

[136] Because this is the sacrament of mercy and of love.

[137] And St. John Paul 2, I teased you, I said, St. John Paul 2 said that even if you don't have mortal sin on your soul, devotional confession is a highly recommended thing to do, as the saint tells us.

[138] Why?

[139] Because the graces that you received and going to confession are fantastic.

[140] And this is something that some people in the church might not see a value of, but traditional Catholics who, you know, see the beautiful, the positive faith that we have, saints have told us confession is critical to staying in line with Christ.

[141] So that power of the, of confession is something all of us should be going to.

[142] And I think Bishop Strickland's little note here about December 5th to the 12th, to the 12th.

[143] the festive week of the Immaculate Virgin.

[144] It seems like Bishop Strickland, our lady, you know, as being the first evangelist, you know, when Christ came through Mary, that Our Lady, and through a lot of the approved apparitions, confession is part of something that she's been promoting for 2 ,000 years.

[145] In other words, turning our life over to Christ, as she did.

[146] She's the first example of that, and it seems that this is very appropriate that you have this called Festival Week of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.

[147] Now, as we were saying, just emphasizing confession and taking advantage of that is it's part of the journey.

[148] And for too long, confession hasn't been emphasized.

[149] And what's happened is a less of a reverence for the Blessed Sacrament.

[150] Fewer people really believe.

[151] and who is there, present, really present in the Blessed Sacrament.

[152] So what I encourage people, because it's certainly none of us like to acknowledge that we've done wrong, but as they say, confession is good for the soul.

[153] And the perspective I like to take is to remember as I like to focus on so often, the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

[154] He's also present in a different way, not in the same way, but in a way that brings tremendous healing, especially for people that have been away from the sacrament for a long time or have gotten caught up in very serious sin.

[155] I've seen people's lives transformed when they finally take the step of going to confession and it's very humbling and I know every priest would say they've had the humbling experience of offering somebody absolution in confession when they've been caught up in a terrible sinful situation and they've finally broken free from it and to be able to offer that absolution, and to encourage that person to know that as they walk away from the sacrament of confession, they're brand new.

[156] It's as if they, we don't believe in re -baptism.

[157] Baptism only happens once.

[158] But with confession, they're renewed in their life in Christ.

[159] Well, let me ask you this.

[160] Most of my priest can tell me, that when they do hear confessions, that it confirms them in their priesthood.

[161] So I ask you as a bishop, Bishop Strickland, do you find that when you're, like, let's say you're going to men's conferences and you're there hearing confessions for hours at a time, how does that confirm you in your priesthood and he's a bishop?

[162] Well, I would say it's very humbling.

[163] Yeah.

[164] because you hear people confessing and you know if your if your heart is open at all you have to acknowledge maybe I need to confess the same thing yeah and the people inspire you to be holier yourself and hopefully that's what the priest's job is to inspire the person coming to confession to be holier And frankly, even just standing in line, whether it's a communal reconciliation, which happens a lot during Advent and Lent, which is wonderful.

[165] If the sacrament is celebrated properly, it's a wonderful opportunity because it's a reminder.

[166] We come together in community at Mass, and we have the penitential right in some form at every Mass, and that is appropriate.

[167] there is a prayer of absolution in the penitential right.

[168] It's not sacramental confession.

[169] It doesn't substitute for it.

[170] But if you remember what all the sacraments remind us is, as you've said, Terry, we need to ensure that we are living in the grace of God and sanctifying grace.

[171] That we are in the state of grace, as we say.

[172] And going to Mass and contractly acknowledging that we're sinners, even though hopefully we've gone to confession recently, and we've had the blessing of sacramental confession, even, I mean, like this past Saturday, I went to confession in the morning and had Mass in the afternoon.

[173] Beautiful.

[174] And it's not, you can never say, oh, well, I just went to confession, so I don't need to, we can skip.

[175] the penitential right of mass. No, it's always the proper disposition.

[176] And that's what we need to remember with all the controversy about Eucharist.

[177] None of us are worthy, but what do we say at mass?

[178] Lord, I'm not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

[179] It's the word of God that heals us.

[180] The loving word of Christ, come unto me. So we humbly approach the Eucharistic altar.

[181] And as I said at the Mass that celebrated just this past Saturday, I said to the people, the greatest reverence we can bring to that Eucharistic celebration to the mass is confessing our sins.

[182] And I urge the people in the diocese with a recent letter to make the habit of, of even as you're in the confessional line to make a little, hopefully you've made an examination of conscience.

[183] I mean, we need to do that constantly.

[184] But if you are in the confessional, I mean, in the communion line, and if you take a moment to say, Lord, am I ready to receive you and to really prepare yourself, the greatest reverence, if you say, hmm, I really need to confess something before, I receive the Lord again.

[185] Hopefully not a mortal sin.

[186] If it's mortal, absolutely.

[187] But maybe just a sin that you know is a bad habit that's not mortal, it's venial, but it's still something you need to continue to work on.

[188] And if you humbly acknowledge that, Lord, I should confess that sacramentally before receiving you, I think that's the greatest reverence.

[189] And certainly, I mean, I don't think we have big issues with scrupulosity in the church today, but it can.

[190] People that, as they're seeking holiness, it can get out of balance.

[191] Because if you're thinking, oh, you have to be perfectly worthy, you're not going to be.

[192] And certainly, the Eucharist is, does bring, I mean, it's the presence of the Son of God.

[193] It's the gift of his real body and blood.

[194] So, yes, it heals us of our sins.

[195] if we're properly disposed.

[196] But a lot of the saints talk about it, and we need to really be aware that if we receive Christ with unconfessed mortal sins, then it's like we're blocking that grace of the Eucharist, and it's a sacrilege.

[197] We should all do our very best to never receive communion in a sacrilegious way.

[198] I mean, even, I mean, I apply that to myself, and I encourage priests to when they, to make sure they get to confession before they celebrate Mass. If there's even the question that it's a sin that rises to the level of mortal sin, I think that sometimes, Terry, we can think of mortal sin as, well, I didn't kill anybody, I didn't rob a bank, something huge.

[199] And certainly those are mortal sins.

[200] Sure.

[201] But I think we have to be aware that mortal sin is anything that is a deadly mark on our soul that prevents us from really living in the state of grace, from receiving sanctifying grace from the sacraments.

[202] The great gift of confession is it always unlocks that door that may be present in our lives.

[203] It may have, the door to sanctifying grace may have been shut through our own actions of sinfulness, but we can always unlock it through the sacrament of confession.

[204] It takes humility, it takes self -awareness, but if we remember the stakes, and the stakes are eternal, then it makes it easier to say, sure, I'll be a little embarrassed or I'll go out of my way, but yes, I'll do what I can to make sure that I get to confession.

[205] And what's interesting to me, Terry, because I try to go to confession often, and very often I'll think, well, I'm not sure I'll have the opportunity this time.

[206] And so often, the opportunity just sort of falls in place.

[207] It's like, I didn't know I was going to be in a situation where it would be possible to go to confession.

[208] But so often, when I kind of form that intention that, you know, it's been long enough, I really need to get to confession before I celebrate Mass again.

[209] And so often, the opportunity just falls into place without my planning it, without, you know, really scheduling or calculating.

[210] But it's just like, hey, I can go to confession, and this is appropriate.

[211] So I encourage people to just know what a treasure it is.

[212] I can just recommend something that I have found for my own life has been very edifying for me is making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament as an exercise for Advent.

[213] And what I found is as I stay quiet before our Eucharistic King and I do an examination of conscience, I think that, I don't know if it's the graces of being in the presence of Christ, but I find that I get motivated to go to confession.

[214] And I'll tell you why that is, from my perspective, is I'm there before our Lord in the blessed sacrament, in the presence of God, and I'm trying to reflect on my life there.

[215] And I'm thinking that it's because I'm staying focused and away from the daily duty of thinking about operations, but right there just focusing on Christ, that getting to confession is like almost pops up and says, okay, I need to go, and I thank you for that grace.

[216] Hey, we're talking to Bishop Strickland on the Bishop Strickland Hour about penance, about confession, about Advent.

[217] We're going to talk more with him and also the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[218] Stay with us, family.

[219] We'll be right back.

[220] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[221] We were just talking about the hidden power of confession, and Bishop Strickland's been encouraging all of us, including myself, to get to confession in this Advent season.

[222] I wanted to just make one more recommendation that a good holy priest gave.

[223] me for Advent.

[224] He said, you know, during Lent, we do something that, you know, we give up candy or we, you know, do something for the Lenton season.

[225] And the priest told me that for Advent, I want you to do something in form of penance, some extra thing for God during Advent.

[226] I remember the first response was, Father, are you getting mixed up?

[227] This isn't Lent, it's Advent.

[228] And then he gave me the revelation and said, well, Terry, Advent is also a time of penance.

[229] And I never heard that.

[230] I don't know if we hear enough of that, Bishop Strickland.

[231] Am I on to something?

[232] Absolutely.

[233] It is a penitential time, not as deep as Lent, but we need repentance.

[234] And so Advent does need to be emphasized.

[235] And the thing is, in both the Lenton season and the Advent season, both have those joyful Sunday.

[236] In Advent, it's called Gaudete Sunday.

[237] And that happens to be the Sunday that this festival week of the Immaculate Virgin Mary ends.

[238] It's also Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12th, which is very significant.

[239] I know to all the Spanish -speaking world, and very important to our diocese, and I know it is there in California.

[240] Big time.

[241] But we need to really remember.

[242] that penitential is joyful because we're freeing ourselves from everything that separates us from Christ.

[243] And what can be more joyful than that?

[244] I think we do need to really emphasize the penitential season that Advent is in preparation for the welcoming of the birth of the Word of God, the incarnate word, just like the Lenton season is in preparation for the resurrection of the Lord, but both are penitential seasons.

[245] And I think what I want to emphasize is that repenting of our sins is a joyful act, and we don't tend to look at it in that way.

[246] Because we're ashamed of our sins, and we were reluctant to confess them, sometimes people will go for a lifetime with unconfessed sins.

[247] But I urge people, the great liberation that comes from just humbly, yes, it's humbling.

[248] It's embarrassing.

[249] But doing that for the Lord is what we need to do.

[250] One of the stations of the cross that I like to reflect on the most is when Jesus is stripped of everything.

[251] And that's how we can feel when we go to confession, even when it's hopefully not mortal sins and not very serious things, but it's just humiliating to acknowledge that we weren't kind and we said bad things and we did things that we're ashamed of that we know we shouldn't have done.

[252] It's humiliating.

[253] But that being willing to be humbled before the Lord who humbled himself so much before us, he's stripped himself of everything when he became a human being.

[254] As St. Paul says so beautifully, he set aside he didn't cling to his divinity.

[255] He still remained the fully God and fully man, but he lived a real human life.

[256] He didn't cling to that immortal life of himself as the son of God.

[257] That humility is the great model that Christ gives us.

[258] It's what unlocks our ability to be the children of God.

[259] We have to be humble.

[260] That's what Satan wasn't, and that's what great sinners aren't.

[261] The arrogance of Satan can infect all of us.

[262] That's what evil is, is an arrogance to think that we're in charge of this world and that we make the choices and that we're running everything.

[263] So to be humble like Christ, and that's what confession is a great practice of humility.

[264] Beautifully stated, I want to shift gears now for those who are brand new to the show, we usually go in the second half of the show in the catechism of the Catholic Church and take paragraphs and then have Bishop Strickland just kind of explain the paragraph in a simple way.

[265] And for those who don't have a catechism, I'd recommend that you get one.

[266] If you can't, if you don't know where to get one, I'm happy to shoot one to you.

[267] Just call me on my cell phone.

[268] Yes, I give my cell phone out because I want you to, Study your faith, because I'm convinced if you don't study your faith, you'll lose your faith.

[269] You can call me at 661 -9 -7 -2 -78 -72, and I'll send you a catechism so that you can be studying.

[270] But we're right now in paragraph 258, and we're talking about the Trinity.

[271] And this is really delicate material, but it's so important to have the groundwork of who God is and understanding the best at our ability, the divine economy, so to speak, of how it all works.

[272] So I'm going to read a little bit from paragraph 258, and we'll have Bishop Strickland comment on it.

[273] Terry, let me interrupt.

[274] Sure, absolutely.

[275] I would like to interject something before we get into going back to the catechism.

[276] Absolutely.

[277] And let me just pull it up here.

[278] Sure.

[279] But I'm reading a book, and let me just say, I'm not getting royalties or anything.

[280] There's no kickback, but it's just an excellent book.

[281] Yeah, what is it?

[282] It's called Light from Darkness by Steve Weidenkopf.

[283] And let me just see if I can get, yeah, light from darkness.

[284] You can't see his name, but it's Steve Weidenkopf.

[285] Who's the publisher?

[286] Who's the publisher, please?

[287] The publisher?

[288] Publisher is Catholic Answers Press.

[289] Good, that's a great one.

[290] Okay, good.

[291] But it's just, it's easy to read, but it's basically, well, let me read this subtitle.

[292] It tells you.

[293] Nine times the Catholic Church was in turmoil and came out stronger than before.

[294] Can I just jump?

[295] It's a book for this advent, Terry.

[296] Can I just, can I jump in?

[297] Guess who we interviewed two hours ago?

[298] Steve Widenkopf.

[299] Correct, about that book.

[300] We interviewed him here at our studio also.

[301] Oh, gosh.

[302] Well, listen to each of the interviews.

[303] I was very impressed because it gave me such hope in the church among the times that we're living in.

[304] So continue, because this is a great book.

[305] I recommend this for Advent reading in this time of great turmoil.

[306] Tremendous turmoil in the church and in the world.

[307] And especially if you say, I don't have time to read a book, I would say read the chapter on the Enlightenment, because I'm just reading that chapter.

[308] And it's, it's like it's, I mean, it's like we think we've got it bad.

[309] Yeah.

[310] It actually just read, this is during the French Revolution.

[311] Yeah.

[312] And France was falling apart.

[313] The Pope was kidnapped to France at one point, which honestly, I'm not any great historian, but I didn't realize, I mean, you know about the Avignon Papacy and all, but that's way before this.

[314] But the Pope was kidnapped to France for like six years in the midst of all this in the Enlightenment period.

[315] It talks about in Notre Dame Cathedral at one point, because all the Enlightenment was taking over and faith was dying, they thought the Catholic Church was dead, but they actually installed a prostitute in Notre Dame as the goddess of reason.

[316] I mean, just, I mean, it's like, wicked, it really struck me as some of the lunacy you see happening in the world today.

[317] Thankfully, it hasn't gotten that far, but we've seen some pretty bad stuff happen in the past several months.

[318] I'd encourage people to read this book and be reminded.

[319] I mean, people were even gloating that the church was going to be dead.

[320] And here we are.

[321] Hundreds of years later, this was in the early or the 18th century, just before the 19th century in the late 1700s.

[322] But it's, we need to be reminded of history.

[323] Christ promised that the gates of hell will not prevail.

[324] And that's, that's everything we're going through the catechism.

[325] The deposit of faith is what we have to hang on to.

[326] no matter what crazy things are going on in the world or in the church, we know the truth.

[327] And the catechism is the book that captures it.

[328] The Bible, of course, more important than the catechism, because it is actual Word of God.

[329] But most of the catechism is just a bunch of quotes of the Word of God with some great papal documents through the ages, teachings of saints.

[330] So I just wanted to highlight that book.

[331] as another part of making Advent a really significant time for all of us.

[332] Can I add one more thought on that, on Steve's book that I thought was brilliant?

[333] All nine times in his book, he brings up that when the church looks so bad in the sense of, you know, immorality or whatever it is that they compromise, the world, the devil and the flesh, the church comes out stronger at the end.

[334] And that, to me, gives me hope, like even right.

[335] now, Bishop Strickland, you know, my lifetime, your lifetime, we've never had anything this bad in our lifetime.

[336] Okay, we've always, you know, it's been very stable compared to what it is right now.

[337] But every time this happens, the church comes up stronger.

[338] So I'm actually kind of excited in this respect, because I'm an optimist.

[339] I know it could probably get much worse than it is now, but maybe you and I won't see it.

[340] But the next generation is going to see the fruit of the church falling and then coming back.

[341] And I think of Cardinal Ratzinger, you know, soon to be Pope Benedict the 16th, but it was 1969.

[342] He did a radio interview in Germany.

[343] And he actually kind of prophesied that this was going to take place and saying that the church would be much smaller.

[344] But, you know, the people who hang in there are going to be very fervent and the people who aren't are going to leave for the world, the devil and the flesh.

[345] and I think pretty much that's what's happening right now so I want to give people hope that book I think the last chapter of the book you could correct me if I'm wrong but the last chapter of the book he gives you solutions to living in our time is that right?

[346] Yeah the last chapter So that would be encouraging How to respond to crisis in the church is the last chapter That was very inspirational Hey we're just coming to another break That book by Steve is very good Father one more time The title of that book Light from darkness.

[347] Light from darkness.

[348] What a great title.

[349] When we come back, we'll get right back into the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

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

[351] Stay with us, family, for more inspirational material.

[352] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[353] My name is Terry Barber.

[354] And now we're shifting into the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

[355] And we're on paragraph 258.

[356] and we're going to talk about the Trinitarian Life.

[357] And I want to just, I just feel like I should mention this.

[358] Dr. Scott Hahn did a series on the Trinitarian Life years ago, and I'm happy to give that away by just calling 877526215, and it'll be a download.

[359] It's free.

[360] If you want to give a donation, that's up to you, and I thank you ahead of time.

[361] But if not, that's fine.

[362] But I want you to get a good three -hour course.

[363] Basically, you'd have to go to Steubenville to get that course.

[364] I taped it from the school, a classroom, but it was very good.

[365] Here's what paragraph 258 says.

[366] The whole divine economy is common work of the three divine persons.

[367] Whereas the Trinity has only one and the same nature, so too does it have only one and the same operation.

[368] The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not three principles of creation, but one principle.

[369] However, each person performs a common work according to his unique personal property.

[370] Thus, the church confesses the following in the New Testament.

[371] One God and Father, from whom all things are and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom all things are, and one Holy Spirit in whom all things are.

[372] it is above all the divine mission of the son's incarnation and the gift of the Holy Spirit that shows forth the properties of the divine persons that's a mouthful bishop strickland but it is important for us to understand that all three have their missions what it calls to mind for me Terry just bringing it into our own human experience there have been studies done of children that, for whatever reason, were in complete isolation.

[373] And it dehumanizes them.

[374] If there's no one to relate to, if they're totally isolated, an infant child, even if they're given proper nutrition and everything, if they have no relationship with another human being, It stunts their humanity.

[375] They're not, they're still certainly sacred and hopefully can be healed of this, but it doesn't allow them to really be in the image and likeness of God.

[376] And even beyond anything that extreme, when we live, I mean, you know, the saying is no man is an island, it's a reminder that we.

[377] We're nurtured by relationship with others.

[378] That's why marriage and family are so essential.

[379] And beyond that, just living in a community of life.

[380] I don't know much about the Japanese culture, but I know that there is a phenomenon of people being very isolated.

[381] And it causes them to basically shrivel up and die.

[382] And that really happens in all cultures, but it's been something that I've read about specifically in the Japanese culture because there are people that were totally isolated and people didn't even know that they died months before, but people need relationship.

[383] And that's because we're created in what 258 is talking about in the image and likeness of God.

[384] that we that's a and it's it's hard to describe in in this language of the catechism it you have to kind of reread it again and say okay what is that saying um but that is what the catechism is reminding us that we are created in the image and likeness of god we need that relationship with others we need to relate with other human beings makes sense to me bishop strickland i just want to ask this because it's at the end of the show, something that the catechism has taught us is like there's fundamental things that we do.

[385] Oh, I see, my headset is not in.

[386] Okay, that's what it is.

[387] Hang on one second, Bishop.

[388] Thank you, Richard.

[389] I was having a malfunction, but now I can hear much better.

[390] Thank you, Richard.

[391] So what I wanted to ask is, in the catechism of the Catholic church, it seems that they're very precise on what it says.

[392] And I asked the question to you is how important is it for lay people to really have a catechism in their home and to actually maybe for the Advent season, just as an idea.

[393] This is just a brainstorm.

[394] But it made me think about it, wouldn't this be a great idea to have the Advent season of time where maybe the father as the spiritual leader and the family open up a section of the catechism and maybe on the incarnation section where God became man and read right from the catechism what we believe about Jesus and, you know, the incarnation.

[395] I'm just throwing that out as a suggestion.

[396] What do you think?

[397] Absolutely, Terry.

[398] I think that families and individuals, all of us need to constantly be referring to the catechism.

[399] It should be a well -worn book in our home.

[400] And I'd encourage, I mean, it has a glossary of terms at the end.

[401] Just go through that glossary and just say, hey, you know, family, you want to talk about, you know, look up something.

[402] You want to talk about chastity.

[403] What's the catechism say about chastity?

[404] Great.

[405] But to really use it as a tool to help your family because, and the marvelous thing about what we just read, number 258 in the catechism.

[406] It refers to things like the Council of Florence from 1442.

[407] Wow.

[408] Council of Constantinople from 553.

[409] It reminds us that this didn't just get put together by some committee back in 1970 something.

[410] Right.

[411] This is developed through 2 ,000 years.

[412] Beautiful.

[413] With great wisdom and great people of faith, great saints are quoted.

[414] And it's a rich resource.

[415] of the deposit of faith.

[416] And recognizing that that deposit of faith, just like the Bible is God's word, this, and the Bible was first an oral tradition that got written down, it came from God.

[417] The catechism is really revelation as well, through tradition, and the church listening to scripture and living, seeking the Word of God and seeking the call of the gift of the Holy Spirit and through the ages, encountering different issues about who really is Jesus?

[418] Who are we as human beings?

[419] What does it mean to follow Christ?

[420] All of the questions that the original apostles had and then through the ages as more questions came along, this is a treasure that developed, we call the Deposit of Faith or the Catechus.

[421] And it really is something that it's every family and every man and woman need to make it something that they're constantly studying.

[422] I mean, we can spend the rest of our lives doing this once a week going through the catechism and still not finish it.

[423] But you're constantly learning and growing.

[424] And it's all about the truth that God has revealed to us, the deposit of faith.

[425] And you know, Bishop Strickland, I think of every host, every home.

[426] having this catechism in their home so that, you know, we live in a time where, unfortunately, and I don't mean to be critical, Bishop Strickland, I really don't, but sometimes we don't get our clergy to proclaim the teachings of the church clearly.

[427] And so there might be some ambiguity.

[428] And it seems to me that St. John Paul II said right at the introduction, that this is a sure norm for resources for people to go to, to understand exactly what the Catholic Church teaches.

[429] So it seems to me, I've been around before and after this catechism, and it seemed like this was such a great resource because for so long a time, there was some ambiguity, and people really couldn't say, well, what does that mean?

[430] Well, now we do know.

[431] This catechism will give us clarification on almost any topic you want to think about, whether it's the sacraments, the commandments, it's all here.

[432] And so, to me, St. John Paul II's greatest contribution, this is just me as a layman.

[433] I mean, I know the canon law was codified and all that.

[434] That's great.

[435] But I think this catechism gave us such a resource at a time where it was needed.

[436] And I think of what Fulton Sheen said back after the council.

[437] And he actually said that what was lacking as a catechism.

[438] And it was 1985.

[439] I remember reading this cardinal law from.

[440] Boston made the comment at the bishop's conference.

[441] It was probably what a year before you were ordained or when you were just a young priest.

[442] But he said, we need to get a catechism started.

[443] People don't know their faith.

[444] We're realizing this.

[445] And so what happened?

[446] The bishops conference said, you're right.

[447] And so they made the recommendation.

[448] And Holy Mother the Church, I think it was under Cardinal Ratzinger and another Cardinal Shunborn.

[449] Yes.

[450] He ended up taking this project on.

[451] and we were all excited about this catechism.

[452] I remember Father Fesio getting involved from Ignatius Press and just working out a catechism of clarifications on all these things, and then when it came out, so many of us were just so grateful because we could have a source that would really clearly teach what the Catholic Church teaches and it's perennial teachings are here in the catechism.

[453] So I just want to recommend again, Bishop Strickland.

[454] First of all, I recommend that everybody owns one.

[455] And number two, several bishops, not just you, I know several that are actually doing what you're doing and teaching the flock right from the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[456] And I think about some of the saints, they've done that over the years, St. Charles Borromeo.

[457] Other saints have just gone to fundamental teachings.

[458] And it seems to me, I'm not in management, I'm in sales, but it seems like the church has a great need for studying her faith in these times of confusion.

[459] Absolutely.

[460] I endorse everything you said.

[461] I was a newly ordained priest, and we didn't have the catechism, and it was harder because people would argue with you in confession.

[462] They still do, but at least you can say, well, this is what the catechism says.

[463] This is the deposit of faith that's developed over 2 ,000 years.

[464] Well, said, and I don't mean to be controversial, but my good friend Dr. Scott Hahn gave something about the catechism that he thought as a convert to the Catholic faith, he had given this catechism to friends of his who were non -Catholic, and he told me that it was instrumental in many of them coming into the church because they were looking for clarity on lots of topics, and many of them come from traditions that had no catechism, and he just thought that was so beautiful that the church would offer that.

[465] Bishop Strickland, before we end, Could you give us a blessing, please?

[466] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all who are participating in this radio program, that it may be an opportunity to grow in faith and to share the light of your son with others.

[467] In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

[468] Thank you so much, Bishop Strickland.

[469] Don't forget, folks, all these shows are podcast on VMPR .org, not just Bishop Strickland's show, but all the other shows that we do from pro -life to apologetics.

[470] Add to the Terry and Jesse show, Jesus 9 -1 -1, many others.

[471] They're on your access by going to the NPR.

[472] May God richly bless you, and I hope this Advent season is the best ever.

[473] God love you.