21 Jul 2020 – Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name's Terry Barber.

[2] I'm your host, and I'm excited today, but I'm excited every day.

[3] You know why?

[4] Because I know the meaning and purpose of life.

[5] And if there's one thing we can do here at Virgin Most Powerful, is help you meet Jesus Christ and get to heaven.

[6] Those are the two things we're trying to help you do.

[7] Bishop Strickland, welcome again to your hour.

[8] Thanks, Terry.

[9] Thank you.

[10] And today we're going to be talking about the Second Commandment.

[11] You shall not take the name of the Lord God.

[12] in vain.

[13] You have heard that it was said to men of old, you shall not bear, not swear falsely, but I say to you do not swear at all.

[14] This is the topic for today, but the first segment of the show with Bishop Strickland, we talk about the cultural issues are going on in our country today, and I asked the bishop to comment.

[15] He obviously, on his Twitter account, if you get involved with his Twitter account, you'll see that he's tweeting quite a bit.

[16] And Bishop Strickland, you tweeted on the 4th of July regarding Black Lives Matter rallies.

[17] Can you share a little bit about that tweet and why you did it?

[18] Sure, Terry.

[19] I had just heard some things that concerned me about what really goes on behind Black Lives Matter.

[20] It sounds like, of course, Black Lives Matter.

[21] But if you dig a little deeper, which I just went to the website, looked up.

[22] Black Lives Matter.

[23] And I was very concerned about what the website had to say.

[24] And in the tweet, I pointed to two specific things.

[25] It says, we want to dismantle the nuclear family, which is the only kind of family there is, as far as I understand.

[26] If you dismantle the nuclear family, you dismantle the family, the mother, the father, and the children.

[27] That's the nuclear family.

[28] One, on that point, I was concerned, I saw no mention of dad.

[29] It said parents, and it said mother, but it didn't say father.

[30] It didn't mention the dad.

[31] And I think that's part of the underlying issue is, where's dad in the culture and in society?

[32] And the second point was, I forget the exact terminology on the website, but it basically said, we have to get away from a presumption of heterosexual.

[33] sexuality.

[34] And it's like that's this bad thing that we need to get away from presuming.

[35] And what I pointed out is God made us male and female.

[36] And it's God's intention that the male and the female come together in marriage with the openness of children, basically the teaching of God.

[37] So undermining the family and undermining that basic idea of who we are, we either are male or female.

[38] And that, like we've talked about before, on different shows with you, Terry, that it's not to disparage anyone who's confused or has issues, but to come back to that home base, either you're male or female, biologically and in every other way.

[39] And to have a tenant in Black Lives Matter, which, for one thing, it's like, what's that got to do with Black Lives Matter?

[40] And I think it just illustrates that there's a whole agenda there that has nothing to do with, absolutely, if you listen to Jesus Christ, what does he tell us?

[41] Every life matters.

[42] Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

[43] Treat others the way you would have them treat you.

[44] The basic commandments like we're talking about.

[45] Absolutely.

[46] Black Lives Matter.

[47] Why?

[48] lives matter, red lives, every color in the rainbow of life.

[49] Every life matters.

[50] And hopefully we can get to the point where we aren't looking at people's skin color or what language they speak or any of the accidents of the human person, of a specific person.

[51] We all came from a certain place, we have a certain genetic background.

[52] We have a certain aspect of everything that we are.

[53] But we are ultimately created in the likeness and image of God.

[54] And if that's a human life, of course that life matters.

[55] So I think it's important for us as believers, certainly as Christians, we know Jesus Christ is the God man who revealed fully to us who we are to be.

[56] We are to be children of God.

[57] The scriptures tell us that in many places.

[58] And we need to believe that.

[59] We need to embrace that.

[60] that good news with others, and go out into this culture that is so broken and say, every life matters.

[61] And what I read on this Black Lives Matters website, it's sort of narrowing the field that much less than every life matters.

[62] And it's a certain description of life that doesn't, isn't based in sacred scripture, isn't based in what God has revealed to us.

[63] And frankly, I'm going to stick with what God has revealed.

[64] And God has revealed us as male and female.

[65] God has revealed that the family is the core of how we live as human beings.

[66] Male and female are to come together in what we call the sacrament of marriage and commit their lives to each other.

[67] That's where every life is going to begin to matter in helping children understand that their lives matter because they're children of God and they're loved by a mother and a father.

[68] Wow, clarity with charity, Bishop Strickland.

[69] It's nice to have clarity and charity go together and you just did that.

[70] I want to play a little clip for our listeners just to confirm, you know, they can go to the website.

[71] You can read what Bishop said is absolutely true, but I have a clip from one of their members basically saying something that was really shocking to me, but not that shocking because as I read into the website, I can see why it fits but let's play that clip and see what you think folks full um i also think that it might um i think of a lot of things the first thing i think is that we actually do have an ideological frame myself and alicia in particular are trained organizers um we are uh are trained marxists we are super versed on sort of ideological theories and I think that what we really try to do is build a movement that could be utilized by many, many black folk.

[72] Now that was one of the founders of Black Lives Matter saying that they're Marxists trained.

[73] I thought, do I need to say any more?

[74] Give me a break.

[75] Bishop Strickland, I have one more action.

[76] question to ask you before we go to the next segment, and that is a bishop, I'm in Los Angeles for those who don't know, Archbishop Gomez is the president of the bishop's conference, and he came out today and told all the priests in our diocese, something that I thought was really just magnificent.

[77] What happened on Friday here in California, in L .A., the governor told us and churches that we cannot sing at mass. And we were like, wow, we can't sing.

[78] What's that about?

[79] We have Melkite rite mass after ours, and they chant their masses.

[80] I mean, how's that going to work?

[81] So Archbishop Gomez came out and said, you know what?

[82] We're not going to do that.

[83] We're going to sing in church, and we don't think that the governor has a right to tell us how to worship God.

[84] And I say, here, here, Archbishop, thank you so much.

[85] And Bishop Strickland, I wanted to quote a paragraph for the catechism.

[86] I didn't know if Archbishop Gomez was talking about this, but I looked it up because I was so impressed.

[87] There's a catechism paragraph that talks about citizens, and here it is, folks, for those who want to take a record of it, it's 2242.

[88] Paragraph 2242 says, the citizen, which the archbishop is, is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order.

[89] to the fundamental rights of persons are teaching of the gospel refusing obedience to civil authorities when their demands are contrary to those of the upright conscience finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community as the Bible says, render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God things that are gods.

[90] We must obey God rather than man. Now Bishop Strickland, our archbishop made it very clear that he's not going to obey that you made it very clear on another topic about aborted baby material being used for a vaccine i think they're both the same way they go against what we believe as catholics and christians on moral issues what do you think of the archbishop coming out and saying that you support him absolutely i applaud archbishop Gomez for because I'm sure that there were people saying, oh, don't, you know, don't do that and it'll be disruptive and you don't know how people react.

[91] But, you know, to acknowledge that a significant part of our worship, and for many Christians, for many believers of whatever religion, certainly in the Judeo -Christian world, chanting and singing, is part of prayer.

[92] as we probably grew up as kids learning when we sing we pray twice.

[93] And so the archbishop just gave us permission to double our prayer capacity by being able to sing and worship God.

[94] And so, and I think that as bishops, we're in a time where we need to, again, without attacking, I mean, to do it as Christ did, if we look in for the model, he was often in opposition, even to the religious leaders of his time, but certainly to the Caesars of his time.

[95] But, you know, he's the one that tells us, Rinda under Caesar, what is Caesar's, but unto God what is gods.

[96] And I think that we just need to keep making that distinction and being leaders of the church that the people need and to give them clear leadership that says, this is how we will pray.

[97] Absolutely.

[98] We pay attention to whatever degree is possible in the churches of making sure distance and in guarding against the virus but not letting compromise our work what we're as we get into the commandments we are have a commandment to worship God absolutely we have to do that hey Terry barber here with Bishop Strickland the Diocese of Tyler we'll be back with much more to help you fall deeper in love Jesus Christ.

[99] We got Ernesto from Long Beach.

[100] You know, I just wanted to comment, you know, and I just wanted to thank you guys.

[101] And I kind of wanted to encourage people that are listening, maybe they are not donating, you know, because honestly, I got to be honest.

[102] I used to think you guys were a little over the top time, you know?

[103] You know, yeah.

[104] That's right.

[105] If God gave us a lot, you know, and I have the blessing of listening to all this.

[106] I just want to call all the people, you know, I've got five kids, you know, and I don't make a lot of money.

[107] And I'm still donating to you guys.

[108] God bless you, brother.

[109] So you're amazing.

[110] We gotta.

[111] We have to do this.

[112] We have to do the extra.

[113] And is that even the extra?

[114] People see it like it's extra.

[115] Meaning for communion.

[116] Saying your rosary.

[117] Saying the divine murky chaplain.

[118] It is not extra.

[119] It's what the church tells us to do.

[120] Amen.

[121] You're a good man, brother.

[122] 30 years old, 29 years old, five kids.

[123] And I thank you guys.

[124] So everybody else, man. Get on fire.

[125] Fight for the truth, man. I know what I'm telling you guys.

[126] I love it.

[127] Ciroc 1124 says, Do not say I am self -sufficient.

[128] What harm can come to me now?

[129] According to St. Catherine of Siena, presumption is like vermin, burrowing at the root of the tree of our soul.

[130] If we do not uproot it with great care and humility, it will eventually destroy the soul.

[131] May God keep us from all presumption of mind and heart, and realize that we depend on him for everything.

[132] This is Terry Barber.

[133] I want to thank you for your support.

[134] here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

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

[136] If you're going to sell or buy a house, call real estate for life 877 -543 -3871 because they're going to get you a Christ -centered agent to purchase your home or to sell your home.

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

[138] Call 877 -543 -3871.

[139] Thank you so much for your support.

[140] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[141] My name's Terry Barber.

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

[143] And I do a show with Jesse Romero, the Terry and Jesse show.

[144] Lots of other good shows.

[145] If you'd like to know about us, go to virgin most powerful radio .org.

[146] Bishop Strickland, before we get into the Second Commandment, we're systematically going through the commandments because there's a need in the church today, I believe, after 41 years of doing apostolic work, that Catholics need to know.

[147] know their fundamentals of their faith.

[148] But before I get into this second commandment, you have an institute.

[149] I want to plug that, and I also want to plug not just your institute, but I want to plug vocations to priesthood and religious life.

[150] So if you can hit on those two topics before we get into the commandments, first your institute and also if young men are thinking of becoming a priest, what they can do and young women want to be religious, how you could help them in both areas.

[151] Thanks, Terry.

[152] The Institute is the St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization, St. Philip 1L, St. Philip Institute .org.

[153] The website is a very active place where people can go for what it's based on as a constitution on teaching that we produced here in the Diocese back in 2017.

[154] and whatever place you find yourself in life, we have seasons of life laid out and they're teaching tools, their things to learn for each of those seasons for, and that's what I'd encourage people to really get to know the St. Philip Institute there.

[155] With all the craziness we're seeing, with all the confusion and darkness and the worries that people have, there are many good things, like your radio work and some, great institutes, and thankfully, even as a small diocese, the St. Philip Institute is really starting to share some truth that people need, just like we said.

[156] We talked about, I have a brother -in -law that's a coach, and I think we've talked about it before.

[157] We were talking recently, and he said, for coaching, if your team is sort of not doing well and not winning games, you go back to the fundamentals.

[158] And I think it really applies to the Catholic faith.

[159] We need to go back to those basics of Catholic teaching that haven't been taught very well, and that people need to know in order to navigate some of these things in life.

[160] And that's what St. Philip Institute .org is all about.

[161] And, you know, I know you love to promote vocations.

[162] And really, Terry, it goes hand in hand.

[163] If people know the truth, if they know what life is about, then their hearts are going to be more open to asking a question, hey, I wonder what God wants me to do.

[164] And I would encourage, I was the first vocation director for the Diocese of Tyler back in 1987.

[165] And I always have encouraged young people to just ask the question for a teenage girl or a teenage boy to at least ask, I wonder what God is asking me to do.

[166] To ask the question, to pray about it, to be open to the possibility.

[167] And I've always believed that if young people just ask the question, then we will have vocations from them really listening to what God is calling them to do.

[168] And I can share with the young men that may be listening or their granddad's or their moms or dads or whoever listens, there's, the priesthood is a life that's exciting, that's interesting, that is you laugh, you cry, you're there with people in joyful moments and in difficult moments.

[169] It's a very interesting life.

[170] And I think a lot of young people especially would have the idea that priesthood or being a religious woman, that it's sort of boring and it's not really engaged in the world.

[171] But really it's the opposite.

[172] You're dealing with what everyone out there in the workplace and in schools and in society, they're struggling through whatever.

[173] As a priest or as a religious, you're there to help them navigate all of that.

[174] And it's interesting.

[175] It's enriching.

[176] It's never boring.

[177] Every day is different.

[178] So I would encourage people that are already on their vocation path to encourage the younger people they know to consider what is God calling you to do?

[179] And I think it really becomes a perfect segue into the second commandment that we're going to eventually start talking about.

[180] Absolutely.

[181] Because to keep holy the Lord's name means we know the Lord.

[182] We use his name with reverence.

[183] And more that you use his name with reverence, the more you can hear him speaking to you.

[184] Just to give an example, Bishop Strickland, I've been involved in apostolic work, as I say, for 41 years.

[185] I have a Carthusian monk who's now Father Superior up in Vermont, up in New England, who used to replicate cassette tapes for me back in the 1980s.

[186] And I said to him, you know, have you ever thought about being a priest?

[187] He's from South Korea.

[188] And he said, yeah, I was thinking about it, but I'm, you know, and he ends up being a monk.

[189] I'll give you another example I always ask people wherever I go Have you thought about becoming a priest I've worked with the youth mission for the Immaculata Here's another story 35 years ago Father Joe Ilo Who's in San Francisco right now Standing up against the state of California In the city to have rights for worship of God This man 35 years ago Came to a summer program to learn his faith A four -week course because he knew nothing He told me that what got him Was the day he came to the conference coming from the airport we had an all -night vigil before the blessed sacrament and he spent all night before Jesus and we were explaining to him that that's actually Jesus Christ his body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.

[190] He never had anybody tell him that.

[191] He was 17 years old.

[192] He fell in love with Jesus Christ and he ends up going to the seminary up in Stockton, California and ends up being incarnated into the San Francisco Diocese.

[193] And now he has perpetual adoration for decades at his parish, all because we encouraged him, you know, to fall in love with Jesus and the Eucharist.

[194] What's the message?

[195] Young people, visit Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and pray there.

[196] I guarantee you vocations will come.

[197] All right, I just had to say that Bishop Strickland because our church is in need of really holy priests and religious, and they really give good example to all of us.

[198] And really, that message is that they believe in that there's another life after this.

[199] Just the very fact of you wearing your collar.

[200] impresses me, Bishop Strickland, as a person, I go, hey, that's a priest, that's a man of God.

[201] He's living a life centered on Jesus Christ in a very powerful way and a very strong commitment.

[202] All right, let's get to the commandments, Terry, stop pontificating.

[203] All right, here we go, folks.

[204] The second commandment, you shall not take the name of the Lord, your God in vain.

[205] How many people listening right now have heard that take place at work or at home?

[206] later we're going to talk about how we can actually help that situation out with people and also by our actions but bishop strickland this is a very important commandment is it not absolutely um it really terry i think like we've talked about with each of the commandments it's just i'd use the image of the tip of an iceberg oh yeah and that's what each commandment is it's just a little a few words that has a huge basis of that is so important for us to, for all of us who feel called and believe we are disciples from our baptism, it's very significant that we come to know much and more of that iceberg.

[207] I mean, as you're pointing out, to just know the tips of the icebergs of the just the Ten Commandments to start with.

[208] But then to keep going deeper, since we started this conversation about the commandments, I've uncovered a book that, you know, I have many books on my shelves.

[209] And it's a timeless catechism of St. Robert Bellarmine.

[210] Oh, my God.

[211] And, you know, a great saint.

[212] And it just reminds us that through the ages, people have thought about these commandments and have helped to dip into that iceberg.

[213] And it's really an endless well of truth and beauty and goodness.

[214] And this second commandment is closely tied to believing in God.

[215] If you believe in God, that's the first commandment.

[216] There is, I'm the Lord your God, you shall have no false gods before me. The second commandment is about really living that.

[217] And I think what St. Robert Bellarmine points out is how we use our language is significant.

[218] We all know that.

[219] If I just said, hey you, then that's different.

[220] For you to call me Bishop Strickland or Bishop Joseph, and for me to call you Terry, it already brings us to a level of intimacy that is important.

[221] It's about human relating to human.

[222] And to use the name of God, which, as we know in the Hebrew tradition, they didn't even want to use the name of God because God was so sacred for them.

[223] I think we can take a page there from the Hebrews that, you know, to use the name of God is a sacred act.

[224] And it can help to deepen that relationship with God or help to erode it.

[225] And sadly, I mean, I don't want to pick on your means, but you turn on the radio, you turn on the television, you watch a movie, you read a book too often these days, and you're going to see the name of God, whatever form of the name of God, whether Jesus Christ or God the Father, used in blasphemous ways that it's a habit, it's a bad habit that even believing Christians can fall into.

[226] And I think we really need to wake up to the destructive nature of that, because it's just like knowing the name of God is a privilege.

[227] Speaking the name of God is a privilege.

[228] And to abuse that name by disrespect and using it as a, you know, something you say when somebody, you know, passes you too fast on the high.

[229] highway or any kind of circumstance, it's used as an expletive rather than as the sacred name of God, I think that begins to erode our relationship with God and our relationship with each other.

[230] So I don't think we can overstate how important it is the Second Commandment and overstate how far we've eroded from keeping the name of God sacred.

[231] I mean, you watch a movie these days and you'll hear Jesus Christ mentioned, but not in a worshipful way, but in a blasphemous way that sometimes is connected to some of the deepest iniquity in our human society.

[232] And we need to call that out and help young people to change that and to say, let's keep the name of the Lord sacred instead of allowing it to be just this expletive that is used, like with so many other crass and evil words that are just too often in the vocabulary, even of young people in our schools and in our families, because they hear it in the media.

[233] And you see it on social media.

[234] I'm surprised at, you know, when people disagree with something that I tweeted, I'm not surprised they disagree.

[235] But I have to admit, I'm naive enough, I guess, to be surprised that at the language they're used, they'll actually, even if it's just a tweet, they use some language that should never be used ever.

[236] Well said, that's paragraph 2144, Bishop Strickland's talking about in 2145.

[237] We'll be right back with more.

[238] Hi, this is Jesse Romero from the Terry and Jesse show also from Jesus 9 -1 -1.

[239] Let's face it, we all need to use the Internet, but we need screen account.

[240] accountability.

[241] Why?

[242] Pornography is a huge problem, especially on the internet.

[243] And every time we tap into the internet, we get bombarded with images and temptations that degrade our humanity.

[244] So we need Covenant Eyes to block these pornographic sites and advertisements from infiltrating our lives.

[245] Covenant Eyes helps us take custody of our eyes and custody of our intellect.

[246] So I recommend you go to CovenantEyes .com and type in the promo code.

[247] VMPR to support the network, protect yourself and your family from the eminent threats on the internet.

[248] www .covenanteyes .com code VMPR, live porn free.

[249] Thank you for listening to Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[250] Thank you.

[251] God bless you.

[252] Keep the faith.

[253] This is Terry Barber.

[254] I want to thank you for supporting Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[255] Here's an easy way to support us by going to smile.

[256] Amazon .com and type in Catholic Resource Center or Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[257] And when you log in your Amazon account and you purchase products, a portion of it will go right back in supporting Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[258] And it doesn't cost you a dime.

[259] I want to thank you ahead of time because that supports us year round.

[260] And God bless you and your family.

[261] This is Terry Barber.

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

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

[264] If you're going to sell or buy a house, call real estate for life 877 -543 -3871 because they're going to get you a Christ -centered agent to purchase your home or to sell your home.

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

[266] Call 877 -543 -3871.

[267] Thank you so much for your support.

[268] welcome back to the bishop strickland hour my name's terry barber i want to welcome you if you're a first time listener we have uh virgin most powerful radio we have lots of good shows on jesus 9 -1 -1 if you just go to our website virgin most powerful radio dot org you can find out about a lot of good solid teachings and as the good bishop said we have to go back to the fundamentals of the faith i'm i'm a ball player and i know in baseball if you don't work on the fundamentals you strike out And our good friend, Dr. Scott Hahn, said this many years ago at a family conference, 25 years ago.

[269] He said that a quarter of a billion of Catholics have left the Catholic Church.

[270] And his opinion was it's because they didn't know their faith and that we need to get back to the fundamentals.

[271] And I thought, Scott, well said.

[272] And that's what he's been trying to do for years in teaching people the faith.

[273] And Bishop Strickland, as a bishop, is doing something that we as Catholics know that a bishop is to teach, govern, and sanctify.

[274] so he's teaching us and bishop strickland you were just you were talking about respect for the name of jesus christ and that's stated right in the catechism and for those who own a catechism it's paragraph 2144 and i would encourage everyone to buy a catechism of the catholic church but bishop strickland write it uh in the paragraph 2145 it says a very bold thing the paragraph says the faithful that's us should bear witness to the lord's name by confessing the faith without giving way to fear.

[275] Are you kidding?

[276] Yes, no giving way to fear.

[277] Preaching and catechizing should be permeated with adoration and respect for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[278] That paragraph, I'm going to let you speak on this, but I want to share something.

[279] I wrote a book called How to Share Your Faith with anyone.

[280] Archbishop Gomez has endorsed my book, Scott Hahn, Carl Keating, lots of people.

[281] and basically it's a how to share your faith with anyone and I use basic laws and one of them is call people by name and what Bishop Strickland was saying about our Lord when we talk to homeless people one thing I found out very important is get their name when you're helping them once you got their name they have a dignity and that's what you can do to anyone so call people by name ask questions and this is all biblical teachings in my book how to share your faith with anyone But Bishop Strickland, paragraph 2145 talks about confessing our faith without giving way to fear.

[282] Can you share a little bit about that, please?

[283] Sure.

[284] I think that that, as a cradle Catholic myself, I think we're, we tend to be pretty shy about sharing our faith.

[285] And I grew up in a very non -Catholic area.

[286] It's grown since I grew up here in East.

[287] Texas, we're approaching probably 8 % Catholic, but that's after a significant growth.

[288] We were probably about 4 % Catholic when I was growing up here.

[289] And I can tell you stories about talking to, you know, my friends about the faith.

[290] Yes.

[291] And some of them were much more aggressive than we as Catholics tend to be because they would, and they would make, you know, accusations about what we, what they suppose that we do as Catholics.

[292] And I think we, for one thing, you know, we call it apologetics, but to be well -versed in our faith is the first step.

[293] For one thing, that's how we benefit from it the most.

[294] But the more we know, the more we can with kindness, but with clarity, explain to people why we believe what we believe.

[295] I mean, you alluded to one of the primary beliefs that is so strong for me in the Catholic faith that I think we as Catholics really need to embrace more deeply.

[296] And you talked about the vocation of that young man because he spent time in the real presence of Jesus Christ.

[297] I think it all connects for me that, and I would encourage people to spend the time in front of the Lord and use his name.

[298] I have to tell you that that's not something that I was really trained to do, and it's fairly recently as a bishop, but I like to, in my prayer, to really talk to Jesus and to use his first name.

[299] You know, be on a first name basis with Jesus, the Lord of the universe.

[300] That's a privilege he invites all of us to take advantage of as the baptines.

[301] And I think to even put it in those human terms, how many people are we on a first name basis with?

[302] probably for you, you seem like a guy that probably loves people and knows all kinds of people.

[303] And as a bishop, there are a lot of people that I know by name.

[304] A lot of people I don't know by name.

[305] I'd have to say a lot of people I know on a first name basis and a lot of people I know on a face basis.

[306] I know their face.

[307] I recognize them.

[308] It's a little easier for them because they're just one of me and say, I don't even have to know that my name.

[309] They can just say bishop, and they got it.

[310] But, you know, I need to know your name is Terry.

[311] And I think we need to take the same approach with the Lord, because he is a real person.

[312] He is really present there, not in a way that is necessarily easy for us to grasp and is so evident, but as people of faith, we know that he's there.

[313] that's one of the things that I love to hopefully gently and lovingly but to tell people why do we believe that bread and wine becomes the body and blood soul and vanity of Jesus because Jesus told us then just read the gospel this this god man that we know by his first name we're on a first name basis part of the reason we're on a first name basis is because he's given us, his presence, to be nurtured by it, to be food and drink.

[314] And as Catholics, I think we need to really embrace that and to rejoice in that.

[315] Because like I said, I'm in a part of the country where most of the Christians, and thankfully, we're blessed that this is a strongly Christian area.

[316] People are always amazed as you drive into East Texas with a number of churches.

[317] Most of them aren't Catholic, but there are a lot of churches, a lot of Baptist churches, a lot of Church of Christ, a lot of Methodists.

[318] These days, a lot of non -denominational.

[319] But as you drive one down one of our highways in the Diocese of Tyler, you're going to see church after church after church.

[320] And occasionally, you'll even see a Catholic church, have about 68 of them in the 33 counties of our diocese.

[321] And so people do believe in Jesus.

[322] and they believe in the power of his name.

[323] I think that's one thing that we really need to highlight also.

[324] I think we've talked about before.

[325] Both probably been touched by somewhat of what we call the charismatic movement, the gift of the Holy Spirit and how strong that is in the sacraments and in the life of the church.

[326] But we are Jesus' people, and we need to be respectfully but lovingly sharing his name with others.

[327] Maybe, I hadn't really thought about it before, Terry, but maybe one of the reasons we're a little shy about using his name is that we want to make sure we don't get it wrong.

[328] But as long as you're using his name out of love and using his name to call other people to him, that is going to be blessed by Jesus and his father and his spirit.

[329] And the more we can let people know that we know Jesus on a first name basis, then the more they're going to be attracted to the one that we know.

[330] And he wants every person to know him.

[331] So I think that's all tied to this Second Commandment.

[332] Because certainly we know the name of God is Father, Son, and Spirit.

[333] Is God the Father, Jesus' Son, and the Holy Spirit?

[334] And so all of those are ways that we can use the name of God and draw other people to him.

[335] Well, said Bishop Strickland, I was thinking of Mother Teresa, who I've had the pleasure of recording many, many times in my lifetime.

[336] She used to always say, Jesus, mercy, Mary, help.

[337] And I thought, wow, she said that, and that just picked up on as a young man. I said, I'm going to start saying that.

[338] Jesus, mercy, Mary, help.

[339] And that was something that I would say when I would hear somebody, use God's name in vain.

[340] And I also said this at a real estate office.

[341] I remember when people would use God's name in vain, I would say praise be Jesus Christ now and forever.

[342] And they would look at me and they go, what?

[343] And I said, yeah, he's my he's my savior.

[344] Praise be Jesus Christ now and forever.

[345] I mean, you blasphemed God.

[346] You might not realize what you're doing, partner, but that's my God.

[347] And so I would say it in a loving way but you know again I'm a little guy got a big smile on my face I'm not condemning I'm just saying be careful when you use that name partner I know that I want to that's who I want to introduce you to our God and so it's just important the catechism says it right in paragraph 2142 46 the second commandment forbids the abuse of God's name every improper use of the name of God Jesus Christ the catechism also says something I had forgotten bishop I had forgotten that it said that, but also of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints.

[348] So we shouldn't be using these names flippantly and abusively.

[349] And I think what's happened in our world is secularization has kind of entered into even Christian lives.

[350] And we have to continue to try to live in the presence of God.

[351] Because when we live in that presence of God, then using his name in the proper way becomes a lot easier.

[352] That's my take, Bishop.

[353] Yeah, I agree.

[354] And And, you know, I think I love, I mean, I'm sure both of us have volumes of things that we love about St. Teresa of Calcutta, Mother Teresa.

[355] Think about what she says there.

[356] Jesus' mercy, Mary help.

[357] I love it.

[358] Those four words of tremendous theology.

[359] You got it.

[360] That is the greatest apologetic for why and what we believe about Jesus and Mary.

[361] Jesus has the power to help us as God's divine son.

[362] He's the one who offers us mercy.

[363] Mary's the one asking.

[364] She doesn't have the power, but she has the power of being a mother who knows how to ask her son.

[365] And so Jesus' mercy, Mary help is great theology and a great way of reminding us.

[366] And there's some great little nuggets, little treasures like that in our Catholic tradition that I think we need to uncover and dust off and bring back into practice.

[367] Well, I'll confess something that is a, we're about to break.

[368] Yeah, hang on one second.

[369] I want to hear that about you confessing something.

[370] Here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio, we'll be right back.

[371] Help the Helpless, a Minnesota -St.

[372] Paul nonprofit organization, chaired by Father of Tear and Volunteers, is humbly asking you for your kind support to help the poor and the handicapped.

[373] children in India and Ecuador.

[374] Through financial support from the help of the helpless benefactors, the children are provided with clothing, food, education, shelter, and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

[375] The mission is to help children thrive and become self -sufficient young adults leading productive lives.

[376] We also provide aid to poor families in Ecuador with food baskets, medicines, medical assistance, and help with funeral needs for the deceased.

[377] The work in India, is done by Father Antonio's organization, St. Mary's.

[378] In Ecuador, the work is being done by the servant -sisters of the home of mother.

[379] You can call us at 877 -762 -8857.

[380] To learn more, please visit our website www .org .org.

[381] God bless you.

[382] In 1 Corinthians 1313, St. Paul says, so there abide faith, hope, and love, these three.

[383] According to St. Ignatius of Antioch, faith is the beginning and love is the end.

[384] And God is the two of them brought into unity.

[385] Then comes everything else that makes up a Christian.

[386] This is Terry Barber.

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

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

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

[390] 543 -3871 because they're going to get you a Christ -centered agent to purchase your home or to sell your home.

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

[392] Call 877 -543 -3871.

[393] Thank you so much for your support.

[394] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[395] My name's Terry Barber.

[396] I'm the co -host with Jess Romero, the Terry and Jesse show.

[397] but I'm actually the host now for this show with Bishop Strickland I'm honored to be here with you our listener and I just wanted to throw it back to Bishop Strickland we're having this conversation about the commandments, we're on the Second Commandment but we got cut off because of a break we had to take Bishop Strickland.

[398] You were saying that you wanted to share some insight about your own personal life with our listeners so I'm all ears.

[399] Yeah, I actually said that I wanted to confess something I could tell you got all excited people enjoy it when a bishop is confessing something well you're human too don't worry it's not anything too juicy but what I was going to confess is I went to the seminary at 18 straight out of public high school in Atlanta Texas never went to a Catholic school and I discovered something as talking to other friends and seeing letters that people got that people would have J .M .J. at the top of their letter.

[400] And I didn't know what that was.

[401] I didn't go to a Catholic school.

[402] I didn't have the nuns telling me to put JMJ at the top of my papers.

[403] And so I came to discover that it means Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

[404] A great little Catholic nugget that what a great way for the nuns to, to teach kids to remember, you know, and I'm sure there were plenty of times when those kids, you were probably one of them.

[405] That's right.

[406] That would put that on the top of the paper saying, please help me, please help me get past this exam or help me to write this paper or whatever.

[407] But I think that, and what is that?

[408] That's the initials of the sacred names of Jesus, the Son of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Joseph, the foster father of Jesus.

[409] Just like you quoted the catechism saying, keep the name of Jesus sacred, the name of God, Father, Son, and Spirit, the name of the Virgin Mary, who is the woman protected from sin, the woman who is full of grace in a way that no other human being is.

[410] And then St. Joseph, the holiest man that ever lived, beyond, of course, Jesus is fully man, but he's also fully God, so absolutely sinless.

[411] St. Joseph probably committed some minor sins.

[412] We certainly know of no great transgressions of St. Joseph, and I doubt there were any, because he was so close to his son and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[413] But I think that just that simple putting those initials on your papers, in a Catholic school.

[414] And I still see older people do that when they write a letter or something.

[415] It's a great reminder of those sacred names that are part of the family.

[416] And that's part of the beauty of the Catholic tradition also.

[417] Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, all the saints are part of our family.

[418] And that's why we turn to them praying for the saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary to help us in praying to our Lord because he's the source of grace.

[419] He is mercy.

[420] He is love.

[421] And he and the Father and the Spirit are always ready to respond to our prayers.

[422] So keeping their name sacred just helps us to be more sacred to recognize the value that we have.

[423] Bishop Strickland, I know our next segment when we come back next week, we want to talk about oaths.

[424] That's another section in the catechism.

[425] But I also want to talk about restitution and reparation because many of us I live in Los Angeles County of 10 million people yeah a lot of people live here and you hear a lot of horrible things and I wanted to just ask your take about how we can offer reparation when we hear of bad things people using our Lord's name in vain and how are we talk about our lady of Fatima saying that souls are going to hell because no one's there to pray and make reparation for them how is it that we can actually connect when we hear these horrible things like even on the news how we can lift those up in prayer how can we sanctify even things that are bad how do we bring God into this in other words how do we respond in a Catholic way when we hear blasphemous language Terry I think that's a great question and a very really essential one and I think it comes down to very simple you gave a great illustration and something you said earlier.

[426] You hear somebody in the real estate office, use the name of God in a blasphemous way, you just say, praise be Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.

[427] And I think that if all of us who believe and want to keep the name of the Lord sacred, Father, Son, and Spirit, the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, all the saints, we want to keep sacred the sacred, one of the simple things, but I think it's meaningful.

[428] It's not just some simple thing that doesn't really mean.

[429] I think it's very meaningful because it, but what we can do is really pledge to do what you did.

[430] Every time we hear that to, if we can say to the person the opposite, but even if we hear it on television, to just say out loud, praise be your name.

[431] Praise me the name of Jesus Christ.

[432] Praise me the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, whatever.

[433] But to really, if we got in the habit of every time we hear it, it's sort of match point.

[434] You know, they say it wrong.

[435] We match it with holiness.

[436] And that begins to change us and to make us more holy.

[437] And it also, we can trust that, I mean, the scriptures tell us, the power of Jesus, name is powerful.

[438] And to use his name as the power that it is, the acts of the apostles has the apostles like Peter and Paul and the other apostles after the gift of the Holy Spirit, they simply use the name of Jesus and he brings healings and transformations.

[439] If you remember, they are told, stop using that name.

[440] And sadly, in our culture, we as Christians don't have to told too often we're not using the name.

[441] Let's be the ones that, you know, if let's use it as a badge of honor.

[442] If some, if we use the name of Jesus enough that someone says, you better stop using that name just like the apostles and the acts.

[443] They said they gloried in any suffering that they were afflicted with because of the name of Jesus.

[444] We need to have the same attitude and to trust that his name is powerful and people need to hear his name well well said I know I've done some prison ministry and actually I've had men when they use their Lord's name in vain and I said praise be Jesus Christ now and forever and the gentleman who I'm visiting in prison said to me oh I'm sorry did I offend you and I said no you offended God brother let me tell you that's a sacred name and you know those people that I met in prison many times are doing it because they just hear it so often and they don't even think about it and so it gives me an opportunity to evangelize them about who Jesus Christ is and I think that you know even if you can't do what I do one thing I encourage people because I'm I meet people I'm all over the place but not everybody has my personality you can also say it quietly and just say it quietly to yourself praise be Jesus Christ now and forever and I think that this is what we call about sanctifying the present moment.

[445] Sanctifying, I mean, I just want to throw one more kicker because we've got a few more minutes left and a little bit of homework.

[446] I would encourage our listeners to read good Catholic books.

[447] Bishop Strickland talked about a book that he's reading on the sacraments from St. Robert Bellarmine, who's one of my heroes.

[448] And I just want to recommend something called Abandonment to Divine Providence by Pierre de Cassad, a Jesuit, priest writing letters to nuns and it's all about the sacrament of the present moment that we are in the presence of God and that little book you can get it I have it on our CD now I are on a download if someone really wants that I'll give it to you okay you can go through Virgin Most Powerful radio call them at 877 526215 and tell him some bald -headed old man said that he could get you could get that for him and if you want to make a donation great it's not necessary Why am I sharing that book?

[449] Because it helps you understand that God's will is manifested moment by moment as long as we're staying faithful to our duties in our state and life.

[450] And that's the key to living a God -centered life.

[451] Bishop Strickland, you always inspire me to hear you teach us about the sacraments.

[452] Is there any homework?

[453] Well, my homework, and I'll just give the people, my thought is paragraph 2150, talks about taking the name of the Lord, excuse me, I'm getting mixed.

[454] Yeah, 2150, taking oaths.

[455] I want to talk about the rejection of oaths for next week.

[456] But Bishop Strickland, is there anything, any advice for this week that we could practice to help a virtue or something?

[457] I know you mentioned visits to the Blessed Sacrament, but believe me, when you give advice, I want to follow it.

[458] So what advice would you give our listeners for this week to prepare for next week?

[459] well Terry I would specifically ask and I will join in you know I'll be the professor doing the homework too yeah but I would ask us all to pray a rosary during this week for all the ways that the name of the Lord is blasphemed in the world you got it to just pray a rosary during the week that's a pretty easy assignment one rosary between now and next time you listen to this program, but to pray a rosary, and I want to specifically say in another book I'm reading, I'm usually reading several books, but I'm reading another book about the power of Mary, and she is powerful, and we have to trust that when we say the Hail Mary, and I encourage if you're, you know, I know that certainly we respect others, if you're in a chapel with other people you don't want to be praying out loud but if you're in your car pray the rosary out loud any opportunity i think it helps us we're we learn by auditory by visual by all kinds of different means and we know the rosary of course but to deepen that experience i encourage people to pray out loud.

[460] Talk to the Lord.

[461] Use his name out loud.

[462] For one thing, Satan and his minions don't like it.

[463] And they don't want to hear the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[464] The exorcists tell us that the demons hate it when we pray the rosary.

[465] So let's make them really squirm and pray the rosary out loud if you can.

[466] But if you can't silently, certainly, God knows that your heart is going to him and you're honoring the woman that he honored and you're worshiping him and seeking to live in the light of his son.

[467] But prayer rosary specifically in reparation for all the ways that the name of God is blasphemed in the world today.

[468] Well said, Bishop Strickland.

[469] It's the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[470] My name's Terry Barbara.

[471] I hope to see you again next week.

[472] Same time, same station, and I'll leave you on a good note from Fulton Sheen.

[473] It's impossible to lose your footing when you're on your knees.

[474] May God bless you and your family here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[475] Check us out.

[476] God love you.

[477] St. Faustina's Prayer for priests.

[478] Oh, my Jesus, I beg thee on behalf of the whole church, grant it love and the light of thy spirit, and give power to the words of priests, so that hardened hearts, might be brought to repentance and return to thee, O Lord.

[479] Lord, give us holy priests, thou thyself maintain them in holiness.

[480] O divine and great high priest, may the power of thy mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares, which are continually being set for the souls of priests.

[481] May the power of thy mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests.

[482] For thou canst do all things.

[483] Amen.

[484] Virgin Most Powerful, pray for us.

[485] Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[486] Sharing the gospel with clarity and charity.