04 Jun 24 – The Universal Call to Holiness

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] We actually have Bishop Strickland back from Europe.

[2] So welcome, Bishop Strickland.

[3] Thanks, Terry.

[4] Thank you.

[5] And how do we start off every show with the gospel if Terry doesn't forget to do it?

[6] And we are going to be talking about a lot of good things.

[7] You know, one thing that's going to be exciting for me is just talk about holiness and what the church calls us and what holiness means to a Catholic and to the world.

[8] and that that is the answer to all the problems of the world today with living our Catholic faith and the truths of the faith.

[9] So we're going to get into that also about the tweets that Bishop Strickland sends out.

[10] But before we get to that, we'd love to, this is June 4th, so we want to cover the gospel of the day, which is Mark chapter 12, verse 13 to 1.

[11] Mr. Strickland, if you could read the gospel for us, that'd be great.

[12] And then tell us so about it.

[13] A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

[14] Glory to you, Lord.

[15] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[16] Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.

[17] They came and said to him, Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion.

[18] You do not regard a person's status, but teach the way of God in accordance.

[19] with the truth.

[20] Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?

[21] Should we pay or should we not pay?

[22] Knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, why are you testing me?

[23] Bring me a denarius to look at.

[24] They brought one to him, and he said to them, whose image and inscription is this?

[25] They replied to him, Caesar's.

[26] So Jesus said to them, repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God, what belongs to God.

[27] They were utterly amazed at him.

[28] The gospel of the Lord.

[29] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[30] I'm ready.

[31] Well, I'm ready.

[32] Because, you know, this gospel really is beautiful.

[33] And I'm just going to throw one thing and then let you do it all.

[34] but I love asking questions, and our Lord did that throughout the gospel, and I think we have to imitate him when we're sharing the gospel, asking good questions.

[35] But continue, I want to hear your comment on this.

[36] Well, what's striking about this gospel is that Christ is able to handle the most cunning questions and the traps that they like for him, he does it very, very good.

[37] gently, but very, very clever.

[38] Yeah.

[39] I mean, what a perfect response when they're trying to corner him and get him in trouble regarding the tax.

[40] He says, whose picture is on it?

[41] And give to Caesar, what is Caesar, give to God, what is God's?

[42] I think the deeper message there, and there's always a deeper message for Christ, as he, even as he answers these questions where they're trying to trap him, he reminds us of truth that is beautiful and so important.

[43] And I think that the ultimate question here, and the reason I believe that the evangelists included it in the gospel, is not really the question of taxes.

[44] It's the Lord's reminder of who we belong to.

[45] Amen.

[46] We are gods.

[47] We are created by God, created in the image and likeness of God.

[48] And the entire world and too many in the church and leaders in the church need to be reminded of that basic truth, that we are gods.

[49] We can't parade around and pretend that we're, it's our world.

[50] We need to, in humility, remember everything we have, like Job reminds us, is, is given by God.

[51] It needs to be treated accordingly.

[52] I mean, really, the only thing that Caesar could claim was that coin because his image was on it.

[53] Even that really isn't Caesar's, but in this context, okay, we can give Caesar the money.

[54] But the stamp on the rest of creation is gods.

[55] And I think that's the important thing we need to remember because if we remember whose we are, then we are challenged to live accordingly.

[56] It reminds me of an interesting story.

[57] I'm reading a really wonderful book on The Miraculous Medal.

[58] Oh, yeah.

[59] And there's one story in there that's very dark, but also full of light about a man named Zachary King.

[60] I know him well.

[61] Really?

[62] Of course, I've known him for 25 years.

[63] Okay.

[64] Well, but very interesting.

[65] Interestingly, if you know Zachary's story at one point, when he was 13 years old, he signed his life over to Satan.

[66] But thankfully, he went through a tremendous conversion experience.

[67] It's a wonderful story.

[68] It starts all very dark and probably scary to people.

[69] I mean, honestly, Terry, as I read it, and I read it just recently, I actually prayed the, the St. Michael prayer out loud.

[70] I don't blame you.

[71] Why?

[72] As I was reading it.

[73] Yeah.

[74] But the point that I wanted to make in connection with this gospel is that what Zachary King shares is he's speaking to Christ himself.

[75] Yes.

[76] And he says, but Christ, I signed my life over to Satan.

[77] And Christ says, no, you didn't.

[78] Your life isn't yours.

[79] you can't sign your life over to Satan.

[80] I thought that was a remarkable element of that story because I've really never heard anything that clear.

[81] I mean, people do claim to sign their lives over to Satan.

[82] But I thought it was beautiful and profound.

[83] And it really illustrates what this gospel talks about, that we're gods.

[84] We're created by God.

[85] We're created in the image and likeness of God.

[86] The world is trying to forget that.

[87] Yeah.

[88] Trying to like, you know, I mean, it's just so devastating, so evil, so frustrating that even people in the hierarchy of the church are trying to change things, pretending they can change things.

[89] you know, basically saying we are our own creation and we can, you know, identify ourselves as whatever we want, it's simply not the truth.

[90] And the church needs to proclaim very clearly that we are gods.

[91] We have the mark of Christ on us, especially.

[92] for all of us you were baptized.

[93] Even if you're not baptized, you are still gods, and that's why you need to be baptized.

[94] But we, who have been baptized, have that indelible mark on our soul that we need to live up to.

[95] With all the evil that is happening in the world and the church weak and compromise in too many ways, We need to awaken to the truth that this gospel reminds us of that we are gods.

[96] We belong to God.

[97] And we need to give our heart, our mind, our soul to God.

[98] Body -minded spirit needs to be dedicated to the creator of all of us.

[99] And the more we flirt with things like Zachary, King flirted with.

[100] Thankfully, he came out of it and has become a great evangelist, a reminder of the truth that this gospel teaches us.

[101] But we need, you know, we need to be very serious and very clear about what the truth is.

[102] Because flirting with all these false messages, and being confusing and being conflicted and corrupt, that is not the church.

[103] It's not God's children.

[104] And we're playing with fire when we continue to, you know, cooperate with evil.

[105] And we better wake up as a church, as humanity.

[106] there are dire consequences.

[107] Read the Old Testament.

[108] Yes.

[109] Read about Sodom and Gomorrah.

[110] Read about so many episodes where the people rebelled against the truth that God revealed.

[111] And there were consequences.

[112] I think there are many in the world today that live as if and probably believe we can get away with whatever.

[113] Because whether they claim to be a thing, atheists or not, they're living a path of atheism where pretending that we're God, and we can do anything we want, and God's mercy and patience, his mercy, thankfully, is inexhaustible, but I don't think his patience is.

[114] And I think we need to, the Old Testament illustrates that he can reach a point where their corrections and you know I think we're nearing that point I agree to come back we'll talk more here on the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful radio stay with us family and now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour welcome back indeed thanks for the commentary on the gospel and I wanted just to mention about Zachary King I met him when he had that experience and we used to have him at conferences over the years, and one of the things that he said, Bishop Strickland, we can never have a show with you without talking about the unborn, is he told me that as a Satanist, he would go to abortion clinics and perform rituals.

[115] What?

[116] Yeah.

[117] And he told me that while he was at abortion clinics, whenever there were people praying at the abortion clinics, it was like they'd be praying this rosary, which he didn't even know what it was, but it messed them up as Satanists.

[118] And so I say that because sometimes people will think, well, what good am I there?

[119] I'm praying the rosary.

[120] Okay, I can pray the rosary.

[121] But I got to tell you, he said it to me. It was bad for the abortion business to have people out there praying.

[122] And that's what that works.

[123] That is in the story in the book.

[124] Oh, good.

[125] It was interesting because he, you know, he knew nothing about Catholicism.

[126] Net zero, yeah.

[127] He shared.

[128] And, you know, he was told, because I'm sure some of the Satanists knew exactly what they were doing, but they didn't say the word rosary.

[129] They just said they were holding these ropes and praying.

[130] That's right.

[131] He thought it was weird.

[132] Yeah.

[133] Another thing, I mean, it really is a remarkable book by Christine Watkins.

[134] One thing, another thing that I've thought in the Zachary King's, story was very interesting.

[135] Yeah.

[136] That's so pertinent to our time.

[137] Knowing nothing, I mean, deeply into Satanism, knowing nothing about Catholicism, he said, you know, they got a host, a consecrated host.

[138] Oh, yeah.

[139] And they were desecrating it.

[140] Yep.

[141] And he said something that I thought was really profound that just from his perspective, He said, what in the world are they doing?

[142] Why are they desecrating this little piece of nothing?

[143] Yeah.

[144] And to me, it just was a beautiful reminder that sadly, too many Catholics don't seem to know who is present in that consecrated bread.

[145] But the Satanists know.

[146] Absolutely.

[147] That's why they're desecrated.

[148] They're not desecrating a little meaningless piece of bread that, you know, what was it?

[149] Zachary said it looked like a nilla wafer.

[150] Yeah, he said that, yeah.

[151] And he said, why are they beaten up on a nila wafer?

[152] They know, so it's just a beautiful reminder that the evil one knows exactly who's there.

[153] And that's why he wants to undermine it and tell people, oh, this is just a piece of bread.

[154] But it's just really a reminder of how much we need the reverence and the faith in the Eucharist.

[155] Yes.

[156] And one more thing about him, I'll just add.

[157] I hope you don't mind.

[158] But when he went to visit the Catholic Church, after I kind of understand that this is Jesus Christ, when he's conversion, he spent a whole day in church.

[159] and he told me that while he was in there before the presence that he was like in another dimension in other words God was giving him infused graces that day before the blessed sacrament so what's the message to Terry Barber and Bishop Joseph Strickland the Eucharist is real man this is a story of a non -Catholic he'd believe nothing and you know I think this and you correct me right on the air Bishop Strick.

[160] I get kind of pumped about this.

[161] I didn't know you were going to bring this up, but I think that when you hear these things from converts who come into the faith and they say, this is amazing that Jesus Christ, true body, blood, infinity is in that sacred host.

[162] It's an amazing thing.

[163] I mean, I want to be with him.

[164] And I'm thinking to myself, God uses these examples when we're snoring, when we're sleeping at the church.

[165] Now, maybe I'm wrong.

[166] but he brings a convert in like whether it's Scott Hahn or Zachary King and tells us about the truths that maybe we've been taking for granted.

[167] So I just think that we need more people like that to come in and show us how, I mean, God uses extraordinary means like Father Don Calloway.

[168] He had infused knowledge.

[169] He was a non -Catholic, none.

[170] He knew nothing about Catholicism.

[171] But you see, I'm convinced that, and this is my take, and I'm the only quoting Bishop Robert Barron, he said a church that's not precise about what it teaches is corrupt and I'm going to make my con I'm going to add to that okay as a layman I'm convinced that what's going on in the church right now with compromises is another element of corruption in the highest levels of the church and we need to make reparation first of all for these sacrilegious and I'm going to throw one more thing at your bishop strickland and then you can tell me I'm all wet but something that happened just this week as a father, as a grandfather, this is horrible, okay?

[172] The Vatican had a male drag artist dancing for the kids at the Vatican's World Children's Day.

[173] At the Coliseum, this is part of, you know, the World Children's Day, and they're corrupting our children by having this guy dressed as a woman, and I watched the video, it made me sick, okay?

[174] And as a father, if I spent thousands of dollars to send my grandson, our granddaughter, or my sons back then, and my daughters, and they got that, let me tell you something, Bishop Strickland.

[175] If you were the bishop I needed to talk to, it wouldn't be pretty, because I'd be very upset at you as a representative to allow this to happen in the Catholic Church.

[176] So this is the kind of stuff that, you know, I can throw away or I can make reparation and say, Like I said the other day on the radio, I said to the Holy Father, and this is just me as a layman.

[177] Holy Father, it stops with you.

[178] Please stop this nonsense.

[179] This is corrupting souls.

[180] People are going to leave the church when they see that the church is compromising with the world when it comes to drag queens.

[181] This is wrong.

[182] So now, Bishop Strickland, that's my take as a father and a grandfather that this kind of stuff would make me many people, I believe, even leave the church because this scandalous action that's taking place.

[183] And that's why I'm speaking up as a granddaddy and saying, I don't want to see this happen in our church.

[184] So I'm calling out in a loving, but also a firm way to say, please stop this nonsense.

[185] And I would use stronger language when we're on the radio and I want to stand the grace of God.

[186] This is bad news.

[187] Your thoughts?

[188] Terry, I couldn't agree more.

[189] I was removed as Bishop of Tyler by Pope Francis and I will say Pope Francis you must address this that whoever allowed this I don't care who they are they should be removed if you can remove me Pope Francis for teaching the truth you can remove whomever You've made it clear that you don't need a process, you don't need a discussion, you can just act.

[190] Pope Francis, you need to act in this case.

[191] You need to remove anyone and everyone who allowed this to happen because it is evil.

[192] Evil is dancing in the Vatican and we cannot sit on our hands and quietly say, oh, that's too bad, or, oh, that's not very nice.

[193] It is evil, and it needs to be called out.

[194] Every cardinal there should be demanding that this be stopped immediately.

[195] Not a few studies down the road now.

[196] I mean, the corruption of children, it's bad enough to see it in public libraries in our country.

[197] And we know that too many of the government are corrupt, but for the church to allow it and probably promote it, frankly, that has to stop.

[198] And they can do whatever they want to do further to me. But that demands an outcry that should be loud and strong and clear for the sake of the children and for the same.

[199] sake of the church.

[200] I'll just add a biblical verse that we all know that our Lord said, if you scandalize the little ones, it would be better for you to put a noose around your neck and be thrown into the sea.

[201] So this is pretty, go ahead.

[202] Go ahead, Bishop.

[203] I agree.

[204] That's the perfect, perfect scripture quote.

[205] Because it's scandalizing.

[206] The kids are getting the impression that this is good.

[207] What?

[208] Come home and tell Daddy, okay, I'm done with that because I can spend more time.

[209] I just ask our listeners to make reparation.

[210] Because this is a sacrilege.

[211] I know that sounds really a strong language, but I really believe it's sacrilyle because it offends not just Bishop Strickland or even me. Who cares?

[212] This is offending our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we need to stand up for that.

[213] All right.

[214] Bishop Strickland, let's move on to something that will help also our listeners get to heaven.

[215] Because the way to get to heaven is to live a holy life, to live in the state of grace.

[216] We've been talking about this all my life.

[217] And you tweeted a little article, and it's very short, but I don't know if anybody's going to read.

[218] Because people don't read anymore.

[219] And it's called What Holiness Means to a Catholic end to the world.

[220] And when we come back from the break, I want to get into this because this is a layman, a convert to the Catholic faith.

[221] another story of people who come into the church and give contributions that are just outstanding whether it's Zachary King or Scott Hahn or Father Don Calloway this is what we need right now because the church is hurting in the sense of its clarity on what it teaches so when we come back we'll talk about holiness and something that the second Vatican Council pointed out that I don't hear enough of when people talk about Vatican too and that is the universal call to holiness that not just Bishop Strickland or a priest or a nun but guys like me fathers, moms, children the church has made this clarion call to holiness and I don't know.

[222] All the baptized.

[223] All the baptized.

[224] Thank you for putting it that way.

[225] All the baptized.

[226] And where are we, when are we talking about that?

[227] Well, we're going to talk about that when we come back.

[228] Also, I want to remind everybody the men's conference is coming up on June 14th, Jesse Romero, Johnny Romero will be there.

[229] I'll be there.

[230] And if you want to join us, just go ahead and go to vmpr .org.

[231] You can sign up there, especially the women.

[232] Sign your husband up for Father's Day.

[233] What a great gift to give him to hear two men who love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, inspire them to be really on -fire Catholics in their family and leading you, wives and the children to Jesus Christ in a very powerful way by example.

[234] So you can, you can even call if you feel like you can't do it on the internet, call 877 -526 -215 -1.

[235] Also, I want to mention this week that we have, we're centering it on.

[236] We never do fundraising like most radio stations, like every quarter there's a fundraising.

[237] We do it in the summer because that's when we're slow.

[238] So if you want to be a monthly donor to help us at $25 a month, I give you a couple hundred dollars worth of downloads every month to show our appreciation.

[239] Please, we need more monthly donors to pay the monthly bills.

[240] Call 877526 -2151 or go to vmpr .org.

[241] When we come back, what holiness means to a Catholic and to the world.

[242] Stay with us.

[243] We'll be back with more on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

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

[245] Welcome back.

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

[247] We're talking about what really matters in life, and that is to live in the state of grace.

[248] At the time of your death, we've talked about this.

[249] You know, that that's the only question that really matters in life, not that you're a millionaire or you've done all these great sporting events.

[250] I mean, who cares?

[251] Were you living in the life of Christ and the state of grace so you can be in heaven for all eternity.

[252] So this article by Jonathan Kavarra, he says holiness is a topic about which ignorance abounds and concerning which not much Catholic ink is spilled.

[253] In other words, nobody writes about it.

[254] Well, we're going to write and talk about it.

[255] It's also one of the most critical to understand if we were to have a clear idea of what it means to be a follower of Christ.

[256] Are you kidding?

[257] See, Bishop Strickland, I'm wondering really how well we have done.

[258] I'm pointing a finger at myself.

[259] Saying as a church, have we really communicated that, you know, the Trinitarian life, has that been communicated that that's what we're called to?

[260] Now, I can go on in the article.

[261] It says, holiness is typically taken as a sentiment for moral goodness.

[262] However, this is only one sense of the word.

[263] And I'll read this sentence and then this paragraph, short one, and then get your take on it.

[264] Holiness may not, may be understood in three sharply distinct senses.

[265] And these are big words that he's going to explain.

[266] We don't talk too much on ontological.

[267] I love it because it's very precise in its meaning.

[268] Entological, the moral and the ritual.

[269] The one definition that is critical to all three is this.

[270] Holiness is a clear distinction from one from many.

[271] To be holy is to be unique, to be set apart from what is common, imperfect or wicked.

[272] I want to take your take on this gentleman's article.

[273] Yeah, Terry, I think it's an excellent topic for us to discuss.

[274] Because as you've already said, it's the solution to all that we get steamed up about and upset, which we need to.

[275] Yeah, yeah, we do.

[276] Because when we see something that is.

[277] unholy and there's way too much in the world these days, then we need to react, but the best reaction is to grow in holiness.

[278] And the saints demonstrate that over and over again.

[279] The beautiful saints of our Catholic faith, they are people who sometimes in deep, dark, evil, and ugliness, they, as this author points out, they shine forth individually as a contrast to that darkness and ugliness because of the light of their holiness.

[280] And as the article says, ultimately, holiness, God is holiness in his very being.

[281] that's why he's the one true God there's only one God God is a mystery of a Trinity Father's Son and Holy Spirit but that one God that Israel embraced we know and the great mystery that ultimately the Trinity is a relationship of love and God is love God is love God is holiness not incarnate i mean christ is holiness incarnate but god is by his very being that's what the ontological aspect gets at is that by god's very being he is holiness parks a lot huh yeah as i mean it's hard to put in the word yeah but god is with a capital i s he is holiness.

[282] I am who am.

[283] That's what God is saying to Moses.

[284] He is the existence of holiness.

[285] And so that is a reminder that it goes back to what we were talking about earlier being created in the image and likeness of God.

[286] And as you said, Terry, you kind of raised the question.

[287] Have we done a good job of transmitting that?

[288] No. I don't think so.

[289] We've done a crummy job.

[290] And, you know, I'll be the first to admit it as you do that in my station in life, as a shepherd, as a bishop, as one among many bishops, we collectively have done a crummy job of really sharing what the church is about.

[291] And this author and, you know, the Zachary King that we spoke of earlier, they give us a better understanding of holiness because people, I mean, most people are not like Zachary King who saw evil up front and personal.

[292] But when people come to understand who God is, the converts to our faith, they really do a great service of waking us all up to the treasure that we have.

[293] But the understanding of hope, we're all called to holiness, like we said before.

[294] That's one of the paramount gifts of the Second Vatican.

[295] Council.

[296] Yes, there were some flaws in the sense that a lack of real clarity that allowed people to twist and misshape the message of the council.

[297] But one of the clear clarion calls of the Second Vatican Council is this universal call the holiness.

[298] That's really what the church is about.

[299] And again, saints beautifully illustrate that.

[300] The saints come from every walk of life, from wealth, from poverty, from great intellect, and from very minimal intellect.

[301] The saints are people who embrace holiness and remind us that that's the call we all share.

[302] The saints illustrate the universal call to holiness is not just for clergy, it's not just for religious.

[303] It's for everyone.

[304] And the saints are everyone.

[305] And they remind us that we're all called to be saints today.

[306] As a bishop, I'm called to be a saint.

[307] As a man, a husband, and a father, and a grandfather, you're called to be a saint.

[308] Amen.

[309] Every single person in whatever walk of life.

[310] And beautifully, the saints illustrate.

[311] that.

[312] Young and old, poor and wealthy.

[313] Every category of humanity is called the sanctity.

[314] And I love the way this author puts it that when we truly become, the more we become holy, it's the opposite of what the world tells us.

[315] Yes.

[316] We become not part of the crowd.

[317] We become that unique expression of God that we're created to be.

[318] To be in God's image and likeness means we're all unique.

[319] The tendency where we all want to be part of the group, part of the crowd.

[320] We want to be popular in the world.

[321] That is too often the path away from holiness.

[322] To be holy.

[323] I mean, like this, I think a great illustration that comes to mind for me, is this Harrison Butker.

[324] Oh, yeah.

[325] All of the controversy about a man who's willing to speak up and say what he believes, I mean, there are many layers to the controversy that I've seen.

[326] For one thing, I mean, how dare people shout him down for speaking to his family?

[327] Yeah.

[328] I mean, he was at a Catholic college of people who share the belief.

[329] That's right.

[330] And from what I understand, they received his speech very well.

[331] They did.

[332] People have no right to shut.

[333] It's like you and your, your wonderful wife talking about your faith and your home.

[334] Oh, yeah.

[335] Somebody comes in and says, you can't say that.

[336] Really?

[337] Yes, you can.

[338] You're in your own home.

[339] That's right.

[340] I mean, that's one element of that whole Harrison Bucker controversy that thankfully people have spoken up about.

[341] Yes.

[342] How dare you tell this man he can't speak in this way?

[343] This is what he knows to be the truth.

[344] And he was speaking to a college that invited him to be there.

[345] Yes, it hits the airwaves.

[346] And people may say, oh, I totally disagree with what this man says.

[347] Okay.

[348] But to shout him down and say he has no right to say it, that's terribly wrong because he was speaking to a. a community that wanted him there.

[349] That's right.

[350] That has the right to welcome someone who speaks the truth that they know.

[351] Of course, we know it's the truth for everyone.

[352] But he wasn't even trying to speak to everyone.

[353] He was just speaking to this college of graduates who had invited him to be there.

[354] But that man, Harrison Butker, is an example of what this article in holiness is talking about.

[355] I'm sure he'd laugh if we called him holy.

[356] Oh, he would.

[357] But he's on the path of holiness like we all need to be because he's willing to speak the truth and willing to suffer for it.

[358] Absolutely.

[359] And that's part of the path of holiness.

[360] Well, you're right.

[361] He'll be with us this Saturday at a conference I'm going to be at, and I'll ask him lots of good questions, and hopefully he'll come on via Virgin Most Powerful ready to talk about his Catholic faith, because he said this in another presentation, a week later, he said, what I value most is my Catholic faith.

[362] He values the truth.

[363] And so that's the kind of guy that we need as a role model.

[364] He's 28 years old.

[365] Bishop Strickland, you and him have something in common.

[366] And what I'm going to tell him that when I see him on Saturday is, you You're being persecuted for just proclaiming these perennial teachings of the church about family life.

[367] And people are getting upset at you.

[368] As a matter of fact, it's so bad that the community of Benedictine nuns who lost their faith, in my opinion, because they said to the media, we don't share those values of his.

[369] Really?

[370] You're consecrated virgins, Benedictine sisters.

[371] I feel so sad.

[372] I want to pray for them.

[373] I want to make reparation because that's a bad signal to tell the world today.

[374] When we come back, we'll continue to talk on holiness as the answer to all the problems of the Catholic Church and of the world.

[375] Because when we are one with Christ, the world will be better.

[376] Stay with us.

[377] We'll talk more on that.

[378] On the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[379] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[380] 14th of June, we have a dinner.

[381] It's a free dinner to our donors.

[382] Yeah, people who have been supporting Virgin Most Powerful Radio the day before the men's conference here at the Sacred Heart Chapel and have a great meal.

[383] Jesse Romero, myself would be there, Matt Arnold and others.

[384] So if you want to come to that dinner, call 877 -526215 or go online to vmpr .org.

[385] Bishop Strickland, this final segment of the show, and we've got tomorrow we'll get into your tweets and other things, but I really want to come and what you were just saying touched me to say, yeah, we need to promote holiness.

[386] And I think of a book I read when I was in high school by Pierre Dick Cassad, abandonment to divine providence.

[387] And I'll never forget.

[388] I wrote it here because they said, holiness consists in one thing, complete loyalty to God.

[389] And that rang a bell with me as a what, 17 -year -old kid.

[390] I have to be loyal to the gospel to Jesus Christ.

[391] So even in spite of people in the church, whether it was you or any other bishop or priest or official in the church that tells me this is what we're going to be doing now, I have to say with all due respect, no, my loyalty is to Jesus Christ to the perennial teachings of the church.

[392] End of story.

[393] And I appreciate that.

[394] And I appreciate the clarity on that because it gives me hope as a follower of Christ to stay focused, to stay in my lane, so to speak.

[395] Bishop, let me just say it occurred to me as we were talking about and with Harrison Butker saying he loves his Catholic faith.

[396] Yes, yes.

[397] Loving the Catholic faith is not loving an organization or a group.

[398] It's not a club that we belong to.

[399] Love of the Catholic faith goes back to exactly what you just were talking about.

[400] It's we love the church.

[401] Yes.

[402] Because she exists established by Jesus Christ to guide us in holiness.

[403] It's really the holiness that we love.

[404] The church we love and respect as the vehicle to.

[405] flourish in holiness the way we're called to.

[406] So when we say we love the Catholic faith, it's being loyal to God because that is what the church exists for.

[407] And that's why we have to speak up when church is failing to be who she is.

[408] When men hold office in the church and they aren't.

[409] living that office according to the mandate of what they're called to do.

[410] It becomes contradictory.

[411] It becomes confusing.

[412] And it really is very simple because holiness is about, just like the author said, about separating from everything that is not of God.

[413] And when we do that, then we become.

[414] holy, that's what the saints illustrate for us.

[415] Yeah, well, some of the statements he said, he says, during my little 20 -minute address, he unapologetically pushed back against abortion.

[416] And, you know, he said things as a layman, I think, as legitimately stating, he said things about the so -called Pride Month, which he called a deadly sin.

[417] If you don't agree with it, that's okay.

[418] You don't agree, but don't shut them up, because we have a right to say that as Catholic.

[419] He singled out President Joe Biden.

[420] He actually brought up some of the U .S. bishops and saying, stop being a coward.

[421] Speak up for the faith.

[422] Don't be silent on these issues just because of funding issues or whatever the situation is.

[423] He made some bishops, I'm sure, uncomfortable with that talk.

[424] But he also said that it's a decision I've consciously made, and I do not regret what I said, and I stand behind what I said.

[425] And I liked a man who says, look, you got issues with me?

[426] That's fine.

[427] Bring them out.

[428] Let's be manly about it.

[429] You disagree?

[430] Fine.

[431] But I just see this guy as a model for the church right now who's saying, you know, we've got to be quiet because, you know, they might not like you.

[432] And you might not get your contract back if you speak up.

[433] This is a guy who has the second best field goal record in the entire NFL.

[434] 89 .9 % times that he kicks a ball for a field goal, he makes it.

[435] So nine out of ten times.

[436] And I say this because he's good at what he does.

[437] And people, I'm sure, will say to him, hey, Harrison, dude, stay quiet.

[438] You've got a career.

[439] You're 28 years old.

[440] This could hurt you your career.

[441] And he's saying, hey, you know what?

[442] So be it.

[443] So be it.

[444] I'm not going to compromise.

[445] The truth's the truth.

[446] and if I have to pay a price, you know, for speaking about my Catholic faith, hey, life is short and eternity is forever.

[447] That's the kind of man that, in my opinion, we need more of in the Catholic Church today.

[448] Absolutely.

[449] And thankfully, he didn't apologize.

[450] No. He stood behind everything he said because, I mean, that's the trend in the world and in the church these days.

[451] I mean, probably a lot of people expected him to apologize.

[452] You can't apologize for the truth.

[453] And, you know, Bishop Strickland, we have our show tomorrow that we're going to have.

[454] And I want to talk about some of those things that we have going on in our church that makes Harrison Buckler look really good because what he's saying, Some of the things he's saying, I would think priests, bishops would be saying.

[455] And many times they're not saying those things by calling out for the unborn.

[456] They're not calling out enough on homosexuality in the sense of so -called same -sex unions.

[457] You say, you know, we love these people enough to say, this isn't according to God's design.

[458] God has made man and woman, and marriage is between a man and a woman.

[459] If that's controversial and you can't say that today, well, so be it because we are followers of Jesus Christ.

[460] If our government or even our church, I'm going to say that even if the church said, Terry, stop talking about abortion.

[461] You know what, Bishop Strickland?

[462] I'm going to say, stay in your lane.

[463] You shouldn't be doing that.

[464] You should be defending life.

[465] And I've had to tell bishops, I won't get into stories, I do have stories where they have told me that, hey, this is how it goes.

[466] And I said, well, I'll do respect your eminence, but, you know, I don't agree with you, and I don't think the church does.

[467] I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing.

[468] And if you want to go to canonical court over it, let's do it.

[469] And that was a cardinal I had to talk to.

[470] Why?

[471] Because I knew I was right.

[472] And guess what?

[473] He was wrong, and we were able to part ways.

[474] But my point to you, Bishop Strickland, is this is, this is.

[475] not the time to be silent.

[476] And Harrison is the guy that I think turned, I think, a lot of people on to say, I'm tired of being quiet.

[477] He's inspiring me to speak up.

[478] Do you think I'm on to something?

[479] Absolutely.

[480] And we have an obligation.

[481] There is, when silence in the face of evil in the face of false messages, that means you're complicit.

[482] I mean, you know, again, it comes to mine, for me, you know, Nazi Germany.

[483] There you go.

[484] People were silent.

[485] Too much of the church was silent.

[486] And silence is not neutral.

[487] I mean, if you're silent in the face of evil, you begin to cooperate with that evil.

[488] Even if you're not doing anything evil, that's right.

[489] You have to speak out against it.

[490] Yep.

[491] Very well.

[492] The Christ itself gets in trouble in the gospels.

[493] Yeah, that's right.

[494] when he's not willing to be silent when he needs to speak.

[495] Yes, so Bishop Strickland, we have a couple minutes left.

[496] We want to summarize the call to holiness that this gentleman's article is all about.

[497] It's on your tweeting page, and people can read it if they get on to your, I guess it's called X now.

[498] I keep forgetting, but the, you know, the X. Yeah.

[499] And I just want to tie in what he had to say, but every sacramental or liturgical act, the church segregates certain things from among common elements.

[500] I think that that's another element that we've missed the council, and that is sacredness of the mass. We've kind of dumbed it down.

[501] This is just me speaking, Bishop Strickland.

[502] I see people not really understanding, what takes place at the altar because we've had, I mean, the Novus Ordo Mass, if it's celebrated properly, it's a very reverent mass. But we have also opportunities that I've seen over my lifetime where they just took in liturgical abuses and made it so mundane and even a sacrilegious being dressed up as a clown, as a priest, things like these things going on that I think we haven't done a good job communicating the sacraments as signs of Christ and as graces for us all.

[503] And also to have a love for the Holy Eucharist, even.

[504] I don't think our examples the last 50 years has been stellar on that.

[505] That's just me and my experience as a Catholic.

[506] Well, Terry, I agree.

[507] And sadly, there's way too much evidence that, you know, as you talk about holiness, as the author indicates, you know, God is the ultimate holiness.

[508] He is holiness itself.

[509] But he's created a world that can point to his holiness.

[510] And that's what the sacred, the profane of the sacred, that distinction, there's not enough of that distinction in the world.

[511] And we don't.

[512] I mean, the church has been very clear.

[513] And it's still in canon law that, I mean, once a chalice is consecrated and dedicated to being used at mass, you can't use it for your iced tea.

[514] Nope.

[515] Even though you love ice tea, you can't.

[516] I mean, that's sacrilege.

[517] That's right.

[518] There's too much sacrilege in the world and in the church today where it's as if it doesn't matter.

[519] Oh, it's just another cup.

[520] No, it's not.

[521] It's been dedicated to the secret.

[522] He nailed it.

[523] And ultimately, through our baptism, we are dedicated to the sacred.

[524] So all of that, we need to do a much better job of reminding ourselves and others of who we are and what our colits.

[525] To ultimately dwell in eternity with God, as Christ says in the gospel, you must be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

[526] That's another way of talking about this holiness.

[527] that we've been focusing on to be like God.

[528] We're called to that.

[529] By God's grace is the only way it can happen.

[530] Amen.

[531] How about a blessing before we have to run, Bishop Strickland?

[532] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us that we may continue hearing the call to holiness and striving to turn from darkness and sin.

[533] We ask this in the name of the Father, the Son of the Holy Spirit.

[534] Amen.

[535] You'd like to hear more of Bishop Strickland's shows go to vmpr .org and all on podcasts on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[536] Thank you for supporting us here.

[537] And may God richly bless you and your family.

[538] And tomorrow we'll have another show same time, same station.

[539] God love you.