17 Oct 23 – Will Everyone Be Saved?

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name's Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[2] And each week I have the honor and pleasure to chat with Bishop Strickland about how to fall in love with Jesus Christ through his, what I call infallible teachings about life.

[3] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for joining us.

[4] Thank you, Terry.

[5] Thank you.

[6] Bishop Strickland, you've been a busy bishop over the weekend.

[7] We were with you in California.

[8] There had to be almost a thousand people in Riverside at the Divine Mercy Conference.

[9] And then you whisked away to Pasadena, California, where Jim Caviso gave a beautiful speech on the protection of human life.

[10] I think that was up until 11 o 'clock at night.

[11] And, you know, so it was a long day.

[12] I mean, I don't know how many people were at that fundraiser, but 500 I would imagine.

[13] I don't know.

[14] It was a lot.

[15] One of the biggest rooms that I've ever had been in.

[16] And I want to thank you for inspiring us Californians to fall deep in love with Jesus.

[17] so thank you for that.

[18] Bishop Strickland, you wrote another pastoral letter.

[19] Before I get into this letter, I wanted to just say something to you that I thought about over the weekend because, you know, I was with you there and I thought, you know, I don't get it in one sense.

[20] I see you teaching the faith by example, by word, quoting the catechism of the church, the Bible and the catechism, and I'm going, what's so controversial about this?

[21] guy.

[22] I mean, I've begun to know you after so many years of doing the radio.

[23] I'm like, what is it?

[24] Well, then I came to my analogy, and some of you don't know that when I was a young man, I loved baseball so much.

[25] I tried out for the Oakland A's when I was 18.

[26] I didn't make it, so I decided to go to a trade school to become a professional umpire, and I was certified one step out of the majors, AAA baseball.

[27] And so I loved the game of baseball.

[28] Well, I ended up going into a monastery and then out of monastery coming out and starting this apostolate.

[29] So it's an interesting life.

[30] But here's where my analogy is, the analogy, when I was coaching with my brother, Dr. Barber now, his little league team, I would carry the rule book, just like Bishop Strickland has the catechism and the Bible, okay, when he teaches.

[31] Well, I would use that rule book whenever there was a problem in the game to inform the umpire, follow the rules.

[32] This is what the say?

[33] Well, one time, it was so funny, my brother and I were coaching, and we came out with the rule book.

[34] And the umpire says, you bring that rule book out one more time and you're out of the game.

[35] And we just started laughing.

[36] We thought that was hilarious, that the umpire was so upset that we were calling him to fidelity to the baseball rule book.

[37] And Bishop Strickland, I'm sorry, but I see the analogy.

[38] People are upset in the church with you, not because of the way you cart your hair?

[39] No. It's because you keep bringing up scripture, your depositive faith, the catechism.

[40] And so many of them are saying, I want to fire you if you keep bringing up catechism and the deposit of faith and the scriptures.

[41] And so anyhow, Bishop Strickland, I know you can't change because you have a mandate that you made as a promise, even when you became a priest and a bishop, to not deviate from the deposit of faith.

[42] Am I onto something?

[43] Yeah, I love that analogy, Terry.

[44] And, you know, I didn't play a lot of baseball, but I did play football.

[45] Yeah.

[46] Both games, most sports have some very specific rules.

[47] Yes.

[48] And, you know, you might say, well, those rules aren't that important.

[49] But if you go far enough with the rules of baseball in ignoring them or changing them, it's not baseball anymore.

[50] No, that's right.

[51] And I think we can carry your analogy.

[52] if you keep changing what is Christianity, the Catholic faith, the church that Christ has left us, then it's not the church anymore.

[53] That's right.

[54] And I read something, I forget who wrote it, but just recently I read, I don't want a church of all these changes.

[55] I want the Catholic church.

[56] And that's, I echo that.

[57] Yeah, me too.

[58] And I think it's a great analogy because the world.

[59] rules that we are guided by come from God.

[60] They're contained in sacred scripture, in the catechism, in the teaching of the church, in the sacred tradition, the magisterial traditions through the teachings, through the history of the church.

[61] You start changing those rules, then you start to change the very nature of the church.

[62] It's the mystical body of Christ.

[63] I want to be faithful to who he is, because it's about being disciples of Jesus Christ.

[64] So I love your analogy.

[65] Okay.

[66] Well, it just hit me over the weekend because I did a lot of driving back and forth, and I go, you know, what is it that people get so upset?

[67] This guy is, the people there at these conferences are loving a bishop who believes.

[68] And you know what, Bishop Strickland?

[69] You're not teaching anything that is extraordinary.

[70] It is just the faith.

[71] but it tells us that there's a need for it so thank you for that I want to get into your tweets and then we'll get into your pastoral letter but I wanted to just start off because I think this fits in with what I just said about you in the baseball analogy Bishop Fulton Sheen talked about tolerance and I think this is what you're not willing to do tolerate sin or evil Bishop Sheen says about tolerance indifferent are those who deny that there's any thing, any such thing as good or evil or who have no philosophy of life and who accept no goal or purpose, right or wrong to them is merely a point of view.

[72] Some people in the church see that.

[73] It's your opinion.

[74] Who cares?

[75] Tolerance is identified with an equal value to right and wrong, truth and error, virtue, and vice.

[76] that statement right there nails what we're dealing with today.

[77] He says, the indifferent, generally boasts that they are open -minded, they are willing to hear all sides but refuse to accept any.

[78] Their minds are so open that the idea passes right through them.

[79] Last week, you know what you said in Texas?

[80] You guys have a saying that, you know, it goes right through you.

[81] What was that saying that you said?

[82] It was about...

[83] Your mind's so open your brain falls out.

[84] Yeah, your brain falls out.

[85] The same thing.

[86] So what I'm saying is it seems that we hear this word tolerance and it's somehow they're trying to redefine it as a good thing.

[87] And, you know, I think Bishop Sheen nailed it.

[88] That was 70 years ago.

[89] And really, Terry, I guess it's analogy day for us, but what it calls to mind for me is, you know, in the we're blessed in our time to have many intricate machines and I mean think about the the internal combustion oh my gosh yes there are some very precise tolerances yeah that have to be paid attention to of course if you want to operate properly and to operate with precision the more precision it needs the more it's amazing I mean if you look at some of the tolerances.

[90] I remember, you know, as a kid, I've always loved these kind of gadgets and machines and all these things.

[91] And I remember I'm talking about the tolerances that were, that had to be followed for like the space capsules, the rockets that's right into the moon.

[92] Those tolerances are unimaginally precise.

[93] And if you ignore those tolerances, if you ignore tolerance in a different way, the machine doesn't work.

[94] And I think, again, analogously, if you just tolerate anything that isn't the truth, the church ceases to function as she is, as the body of Christ.

[95] There are certain tolerances there that have to be paid attention to.

[96] And, you know, what people say, oh, you're being, you're not being tolerant of another person.

[97] But to tolerate something that's false, certainly, it doesn't mean ever.

[98] Yeah.

[99] I mean, that's where the balance has to come in.

[100] You always respect the other person.

[101] Of course we do.

[102] You always know the intrinsic value of the other person.

[103] But because of that intrinsic value, if.

[104] they're tolerating something that isn't true, you've got to call them on it.

[105] Amen.

[106] Out of respect, out of deep appreciation of the value of the other person.

[107] And to just tolerate, and that's what we're kind of encouraged to do, just tolerate the other person, if they're on a path that is destructive, that isn't real love.

[108] And that's not what we're called to from the word of God.

[109] it seems to me that goes back to being one with the world because the world is very tolerant in our culture to say well you have your opinion i have my opinion come on let's just get along and you know move forward and but when it comes to revealed truth objective truth we as catholics we believe that this is there's no expiration date on the bible so so then if that is the case then we have to act like it so i appreciate that when we come back from the break, Bishop Strickland, I'd like to get into some of these tweets that you have because they're important and then get into your next pastoral letter.

[110] Also, I want to remind everybody and I keep forgetting, I think that your institute, the St. Philip Institute, can you put that on the screen, Mr. Engineer?

[111] I want people to have resources on that because I was just there not too long ago, and you've got great family stuff there that families all over the world can access through their computer.

[112] They don't have to be in the Diocese of Tyler to access it.

[113] There's no, oh, if you're not in the member, then you can't.

[114] No, this is all free material on the faith.

[115] And so I would encourage you to visit the St. Philip Institute.

[116] Remember it's St .S .T .Philip Institute .org and check that out.

[117] Also, I want to encourage people to go back to the podcasts of all the different shows that we have, Bishop Strickland, because many new people are on our show today.

[118] that will have come to Riverside, California for the Divine Mercy Chaplain, or the, I was handing out cards at the dinner for the Right to Life conference for the podcasts and for the app.

[119] So I want to welcome all our new listeners and put your seatbelt on because we're going to be getting into a pastoral letter, Bishop Strickland, that is just meat and potatoes on our faith.

[120] Stay with us, family.

[121] We'll be back after a quick break.

[122] And now back to the Bishop Strickland.

[123] Drickland Hour.

[124] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[125] I have to laugh at myself, Bishop Strickland.

[126] I always think about God uses the weak to confound the strong.

[127] And I mean, you know, you brought that up over the weekend.

[128] I mean, I'm just an ordinary guy, you know, and God called me to my priesthood and then to my bishopry, and I'm just, you know, going to do what I can for as long as I can.

[129] And I think that, I think of myself and I think, you know, I have no degree in theology.

[130] I have no, I'm just a guy who loves the Lord who has zeal to share the gospel.

[131] And, you know, I like what Jim Caviso said when we were there Saturday, when somebody told him, you know, he said to the guy in Hollywood, I'm not so sure I'm the guy that played Jesus Christ in the movie The Passion of Christ.

[132] And the response was, hey, Jim, you're probably not, because God never uses the best person to get the job done.

[133] He uses the weakest person.

[134] and I thought, boy, that hit me right between my eyes, Bishop Strickland.

[135] He's using the weakest to get, because you know why?

[136] Then it becomes God's work.

[137] It's not our work.

[138] So I'm not trying to downgrade you.

[139] I'm just saying the reality is God uses the weak to confound the strong.

[140] Am I on to something?

[141] Yeah, we're in pretty good company if we're there with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[142] Yeah.

[143] And she's the one that says that originally.

[144] Amen.

[145] Bishop Strickland, we're praying for the folks.

[146] in Rome right now because the Senate is going on on on senedality and I just want to recommend Archbishop Shepu wrote a letter and I know you've seen it if you have it it's a great letter just to recommend to our listeners you know that's from first things it's a good advice and he almost sounded like you because he talked about coming from that supernatural aspect of the faith in other words we got to make statement focused on Jesus Christ not the world so I thought that was good advice But here's what you said in a tweet that ties right into this.

[147] You said on, Let us humbly fast and pray in reparation and atonement for our sins.

[148] Yep.

[149] And the sins of the world, well said.

[150] Many lament the state of the world and the church, and there are certainly things to lament.

[151] May our lamentations prompt us to pray more fervently and let us turn to God.

[152] And I say that, that quote there is that you're calling us to repentance.

[153] This has been going on for 2 ,000 years.

[154] This isn't new.

[155] And it's very important, as we've talked about, repentance, reparation, and atonement for faithful people.

[156] I think this is a time when we really have to enter deeply into that.

[157] Like we've talked about in previous weeks, to really look maybe simple ways, but ways that we can offer.

[158] things up, make sacrifices, just fine tune ourselves back to the truth that this life is a journey to everlasting life.

[159] Amen.

[160] And to get too caught up in the pleasures or the comforts of this world.

[161] And that's what the penitential attitude does.

[162] It gives up a little bit of comfort or pleasure in order to remind us that we're seeking the ultimate fulfillment that is eternal life with God.

[163] So, yeah, we can give up a little bit along the way, just like Christ models for us.

[164] He poured himself out in order that we could share in the eternal life of the Father.

[165] And this ties right into your next tweet where you said, because many have asked, I want to reiterate the unchangeable church teachings, as stated by the congregation of the doctrine of faith just on March 15th, 2021.

[166] And you've said it, and this is now controversial to say what the church has always said, that God does not and cannot bless sin, and the church does not have, and cannot have the power to bless unions of persons of the same sex.

[167] That doesn't seem so on, I mean, that's, you had to say that?

[168] Well, Bishop Strickland, what is ordinarily taught, If you would have said that even 30 years ago, 20 years ago, I would have said, well, of course.

[169] But it seems that right now we need clarity.

[170] And I think it was Bishop Robert Barron, who's at the – he's one of the delegates in the Senate.

[171] I love what he said, that a church that's not precise about what it teaches is a corrupt church.

[172] And I think you echo that statement from the bishop.

[173] Am I on to something?

[174] Absolutely.

[175] There's that precision again.

[176] You know, we have to be as precise as we can with the truth because it's what allows us to flourish individually and communally as the body of Christ.

[177] I can go on.

[178] I'm just going to go on one more and then we'll get to your letter because you consistently talk about the truth.

[179] You talk about the life of Leon Boren.

[180] You talk about the Eucharist, the sacraments, the penance.

[181] This is like we're repeating ourselves, but I think we need to.

[182] You said in a tweet, let us rejoice that no matter who tries to change, distort the truth, it doesn't change.

[183] Truth has a face.

[184] And this is very important.

[185] I'll tell you, he said that the face of Jesus Christ, let us be reminded that any wandering from the truth is always temporary.

[186] Empires fall, corrupt leaders die, false teachings fade, and you encourage us to persevere.

[187] I think that's important for us today that you reassure us that the teachings of Christ that have been given, we call it, the positive faith, cannot change.

[188] Absolutely.

[189] I appreciate it.

[190] The phrase that comes to mind, I know we've talked about before, because it's a classic encouragement in our faith, final perseverance.

[191] Oh, big time.

[192] And that's something for us individually, for us as the mystical body of Christ to just persevere.

[193] Yes.

[194] Going even when it's tough, even when there's much resistance, the great saints and martyrs model for us staying with the truth no matter what happens.

[195] Yep.

[196] Well, said.

[197] All right.

[198] Well, first of all, I don't know if I've asked you this question, but you're writing these pastoral letters.

[199] is this the sixth one am I on to say I don't know fifth or six one one one more to go one more to go now repeat you're making these letters and they're all fundamental teachings it looks like you're taking pasting from the catechism scripture and you're not coming up with any new ideas okay I'm just saying this isn't a novel idea letter this is basically the meat and potatoes of our Catholic faith why are you doing this because there's so many novel questions out there.

[200] There's so much confusion.

[201] There's so many people contradicting what I've said in these six letters so far.

[202] And, you know, we pray for anyone who is saying things that aren't true.

[203] We pray that their hearts will be turned back to the truth.

[204] That is Jesus Christ.

[205] But we've got to, real love is to speak up and say, that's not the truth.

[206] Right.

[207] And that's, I think we're in a time where we need this clarity.

[208] Like you said, and many people have said to me, you know, don't be offended, Bishop, but you're not saying anything new.

[209] It's not offensive at all.

[210] It's what we need to do.

[211] I'm not claiming to have invented some great new concept that I want to get out there.

[212] I just want to revisit the wondrous truth that God has revealed to us because it brings fulfillment.

[213] and happiness, even in this life, and ultimate fulfillment with God in heaven.

[214] And, you know, with all the sad things that we see in the world and in the church, the truth is the solution.

[215] It always is.

[216] And we never perfectly live it in this world.

[217] But the more we seek it, the more we encourage each other to seek the truth.

[218] the better our lives are.

[219] I totally agree, and this is why to me, the Bible says it, the truth sets us free.

[220] See, this is freeing to know my meaning and purpose of life.

[221] I think the world is really just looking in all the wrong places because they're looking for pleasure, they're looking for power, and none of that relates to truth, really.

[222] It's titillation.

[223] Can I get entertained more?

[224] you know can i watch more movies and get out of my own life and just live vicariously somehow and then what and then what as bishop sheen says on life is worth living bishop strickland on your letter dated october 10th uh the document yeah the pastoral letter uh is uh bishop strickland refutes the error that all men will be saved emphasizes conversion and new letter you warn against trying to offer a way of salvation other than through Jesus Christ in his church and urge Catholics to embrace the wondrous metanoia, Greek word, conversion, that God offers only through his son in this latest pastoral letter.

[225] So I don't think we need to read the whole letter.

[226] People can read it by going to bishop strickland .com.

[227] Is that correct?

[228] Correct.

[229] And then I would encourage you to pass it on to your friends and let them read it for themselves.

[230] But, you know, you're outlining this pastoral letter that talks about nothing more than we follow Jesus Christ and we take up our cross and follow him.

[231] You give Matthew chapter 16, 24, you know, biblical evidence.

[232] But I like what you said that, and I'm included, you said, we are all sinners and we are all in need of a Savior because we are all born into original sin.

[233] Bishop Strickland, I just had people calling me about wanting to go see a psychiatrist because the priest said you need, I think you need some help more than just spiritual.

[234] You've got some mental issues to help.

[235] And they ask me, do you have references?

[236] And I don't know about you, but you know, one thing I tell everybody who looks for a Catholic psychiatrist, the first question you ask him, ask your doctor if he believes in original sin.

[237] if he doesn't believe an original sin hang up thank him hang up and find someone that you can now if you can't find somebody I'm a referral guy I don't mind I get my cell number out on the on the radio 6 -6 -1 -9 -7 -2 7 -8 -72 I'll find you a medical doctor who's a Catholic who believes in original sin so I'm going back to what you just said we're all sinners it seems that even in the church I think as Bishop Sheen used to say that are we all immaculately conceived?

[238] No, but it seems that people are thinking that possibly that we don't need the Savior or somehow if we have a Savior, we don't have to do anything.

[239] And I think what you're seeing in this letter is you're sharing the full gospel of Jesus Christ about salvation.

[240] Your thoughts?

[241] Absolutely.

[242] In this letter specifically, the question of universalism that it's sort of like everyone's saved and you don't have to, you don't have to, there doesn't have to be any metanoia, you don't have to change.

[243] Well, that's an easy gospel.

[244] That really, I think your question is great for the person seeking a good doctor.

[245] Yeah.

[246] Because really what that universalism does is deny that there is original sin.

[247] Yeah.

[248] that there's anything that needs to be healed that we need to turn from.

[249] And you just have to look at the world to see that sin is destructive.

[250] Yeah.

[251] To the individual, to the community, to so many things in the world.

[252] And the more we can turn away from sin and live the good news of the gospel, the freer we are, the happier we are, the more peaceful we are.

[253] Life is just better.

[254] well you also give the answer and we're going to take a quick break but you the answer to original sin is called repentance and you know you offer the sacraments the sacrament of confession and this letter really just outlines true teachings of what our catholic faith has always taught stay with us family we'll come back to bishop string's bishop's newest pastoral letter and now back to the bishop strickland hour Welcome back, indeed, to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[255] Bishop Strickland has written a new pastoral letter dated October 10th.

[256] It's the sixth one, and its teachings on the Catholic faith.

[257] It has nothing to do with Bishop Strickland's personal preferences.

[258] Absolutely nothing.

[259] This is all Catholic teaching.

[260] Bishop Strickland, you quote the catechism of the Catholic Church about what sin is.

[261] I think that can you just share with our listeners a review what the church teaches about sin?

[262] Well, I think the catechism says it the best, but just more or less paraphrasing what that says.

[263] Sin is an offense against God, against the truth.

[264] Right.

[265] Against it's, you know, going back to your analogy with baseball, in terms of human life, is not a game.

[266] It's the most essential thing that we do.

[267] But there are rules that.

[268] are the truth of God.

[269] When we sin, we ultimately, it's an offense against God.

[270] The more serious an offense, the more serious the sin against God, because he is the fond of all truth.

[271] God is perfection itself.

[272] And so when we sin, we're breaking the rules in that sense.

[273] And thankfully, by the grace of God, through his mercy, and through ultimately his son, who is the sacraments, it's his power available to us through the sacraments.

[274] Our sins can be forgiven.

[275] Those transgressions against God can always be forgiven.

[276] But that's what sin ultimately is.

[277] It's, you could say, breaking the rules.

[278] Yeah.

[279] It's living contrary to the truth, and it can have deadly consequences, or it can have, you know, the more menial or venial consequences that add up over time as well, if they're ignored, just like any other situation when we, like with our physical health, you know, to do something that is destructive of our life is sinful.

[280] incrementally if we do small things that are harmful to us that add up over time that can be sinful also but sin is ultimately a transgression against God well said and I like the paragraph where you start out and say in our current society which is so afflicted with the errors of moral relativism I'd like you to define what that is the temptation is all too strong to look at the weight of sin from a human perspective, rather from a divine perspective.

[281] That statement right there says a lot.

[282] So tell us exactly this error of moral relativism that we have so prominently in the world and even inside our church.

[283] Well, I think it's mainly about like that, like you just quoted, not seeing them, not seeing our lives, not seeing any circumstances from the perspective of God and His truth.

[284] Yes.

[285] But saying, well, it's all relative to who I am, what moment I'm in, what's going on in my world.

[286] And it's all instead of being theocentric, it's centered on us.

[287] Instead of being centered on God, it's centered on us.

[288] And when you get, when you follow that logically, you get further and further away from God.

[289] Yes.

[290] And ultimately, further and further away from who we are.

[291] Yeah.

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

[293] You also mentioned in this pastoral letter, and I think we include myself and you, we're all sinners.

[294] I mean, there's nobody here that doesn't go to confession on a regular basis.

[295] You mentioned we make excuses for our sins explaining that the things we do are not all that bad.

[296] And I will go on, but I just want to make that.

[297] connection, that even in the church we're saying, you know, like, for example, fornication.

[298] I mean, the Bible says no fornicator will enter the kingdom of heaven.

[299] But, you know, there's mercy for people who commit fornication.

[300] It's called repentance, okay?

[301] And that's what we do.

[302] Or adultery, it's repentance.

[303] Any serious sin, it's the same answer, repentance.

[304] And so it seems to me, Bishop Strickland, that this letter really clarifies that you don't make excuses for people who are not living a life according to God's teaching, God's commandments.

[305] You don't do them a service by saying, oh, it's okay.

[306] God understands, you know, we just got to, we'll look the other way or wink, wink, you know, it's okay.

[307] You can still receive all the communion.

[308] This is your second or third marriage.

[309] It's okay.

[310] You're doing the best you can.

[311] This attitude is really prevalent in the church today.

[312] And so it's refreshing just to have you say what we've always taught that is repent and believe in the gospel so when we sin we don't say it's okay the church tells us repent and it seems that uh that's not as loud as it should be in the church today so thank you for making that clear that we don't just accept a sinner and say it's okay junior you're fornicating or committing adultery or you're living in a homosexual active homosexual relationship but you're actually saying what the gospel is says in the Bible, and that is calling them to repent of any serious sin.

[313] Bishop Strickland, what's so controversial about that?

[314] I don't get it.

[315] Well, I don't either.

[316] And I think what I would add to what you're saying, Terry, is the whole basis of it is love.

[317] Just like you talked about going back to your baseball analogy, because you love the game, you want to follow the rules explicitly precisely.

[318] Yes.

[319] Because we love God.

[320] Yes.

[321] We want to follow his rules.

[322] It's about love.

[323] And you look to Christ, his sacrificial love is the model of love for all of us.

[324] And so, you know, it's not just about rules for the sake of rules, but it's the purpose of those rules to call us closer to God who is love.

[325] And I think that that element of love, I mean, we say in the act of contrition, Yes.

[326] Oh, my God, I'm hardly sorry for having offended thee.

[327] And I detest all my sins because of thy just punishment.

[328] Yes.

[329] But most of all, because they offend thee, oh, God, we're all good and deserving of all my love.

[330] Amen.

[331] It can't just be, oh, I've broken the rules.

[332] Yeah.

[333] But if we understand truly who God is as our loving father, our creator, then out of love, we're called away from sin.

[334] and we're called to repentance.

[335] And thankfully, out of God's love for us, he's always ready to forgive us.

[336] Amen.

[337] And I think that's something to really, we all need to reflect on even more.

[338] We believe it, obviously.

[339] But I think even you and I, we need to really embrace more fully how much God loves us.

[340] And it's because he loves us that he doesn't want us to sin.

[341] And it's because he loves us that he's.

[342] always ready to forgive us.

[343] Yes.

[344] Think about your love for your wife.

[345] Of course.

[346] That isn't perfect because you're both imperfect human beings.

[347] But you're ready to forgive her.

[348] Absolutely.

[349] Because you love her.

[350] And you don't want to hurt her because you love her.

[351] Yep.

[352] That's why in scripture, the marital love her, the marital relationship is often analogous to the relationship of God and his people, the people of Israel, the prophets speak of.

[353] They use all kinds of imagery that is based in that relationship of marriage because, and that's what you and your wife are called to do.

[354] You're called to be a sacrament.

[355] You're called to be a sign of God's life and the world.

[356] So all of that is a beautiful reminder of just how loving God is and how important love is.

[357] We hear an awful lot about love in the world today.

[358] I mean, since we were kids, I mean, love, love.

[359] Yeah, for sure.

[360] But real love, we don't hear enough about.

[361] Yes.

[362] And that's the love that is sacrificial.

[363] Amen.

[364] Amen.

[365] Jesus Christ models for us.

[366] And that you and your wife, she sacrifices for you.

[367] You sacrifice for her.

[368] all the time.

[369] That's what your love is about.

[370] Absolutely.

[371] I'm just saying, shaking my head, saying, you got it.

[372] You got it.

[373] And, you know, I think of what Bishop Sheen says, that sacrifice is the language of love.

[374] And so this is what we try to do in a marriage, and this is why it's not all about me or it's not all about her.

[375] We give ourselves to each other in service.

[376] Now, I thought of something when you were talking about great love that God has.

[377] And I think that when I was a kid, it was the first time I heard that if God stopped thinking about Bishop Joseph Strickland or Terry Barber that he would cease to exist.

[378] And I remember as a teenager for the first time, and I can even remember where I was sitting out in the backyard, looking up at the stars, and maybe I'm just weird, but it hit me. And I said to myself, oh, my gosh, God loves me that much.

[379] He's constantly thinking about me?

[380] It hit me, and I really wonder if our people today really know that because we live in such a world of numbers and you're just an individual, you're just a customer, or you're this.

[381] I'm really wondering, how do we, how do we instill in that message to our flock, you know, to the Catholics, that God loves them so much that if he stopped thinking about them, they would cease to exist and that, yet Jesus Christ would die on the cross if Bishop Joseph Strickland was the only person on planet Earth or Terry Barber was.

[382] I just think that that's something to really think about.

[383] And my question to you, Bishop Strickland, how do we instill that into our flock?

[384] Well, I think one thing is to keep repeating it.

[385] Yeah.

[386] Because as you mentioned, as a teenager, you've probably heard it before.

[387] Yeah.

[388] But at some moments, you never know when it's finally going to sink in to a young person or an older person.

[389] I mean, many people convert later in life.

[390] or more deeply convert, come closer to understanding just how much God loves us.

[391] So I think we keep repeating it, and we keep doing our best to model it, even when we're not loved back.

[392] Yeah.

[393] You know, that's one of the greatest loves is to love when the love isn't reciprocated.

[394] Yes.

[395] In many ways, sadly, that's where Christ is.

[396] I mean, he's, you know, as we look at his passion, as we've talked about before, that the passion is very real in the world today.

[397] Christ is suffering.

[398] If we realize the church is his mystical body, he's suffering now.

[399] Absolutely, he's suffering right now.

[400] We can unite our sufferings with the sufferings of Christ to help redeem the world.

[401] Stay with us, family.

[402] When we come back, we're going to talk about the discussion on the word metanoya.

[403] Stay with us.

[404] We'll be back in a moment.

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

[406] Wow, this hour goes so fast.

[407] Bishop Strickland, this letter, this pastoral letter on really the idea of salvation and how we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.

[408] And you have a great section in the pastoral letter that talks about the word metanoya.

[409] And I remember a first time hearing that and with the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

[410] But can you let our listeners know a little bit why metanoia is important in regarding our turning to Christ?

[411] Well, it's just a word that captures that, that idea of a turning around, of a repentance, of taking a different path.

[412] And I guess what comes to mind as we're talking about it, Terry, is, you know, we probably, I remember as a kid being lost in the wood sometimes.

[413] I mean, it wasn't any huge forest.

[414] There wasn't any danger, but I wasn't on the correct path.

[415] Of course.

[416] And sometimes you go far enough and you say, I think I better turn around and kind of retrace my steps and get back to something that I know.

[417] That's all it is.

[418] That's a good analogy.

[419] We're wandering spiritually.

[420] We wander into darkness and sinfulness.

[421] All of us do, as we've said.

[422] And metanoya is saying, hmm, I need to turn around.

[423] around.

[424] I need to turn in a different direction with my life.

[425] And the great thing about the metanoia, as I mentioned in the letter, many of the saints model it for us.

[426] And I mean, I think, you know, St. Augustine is a classic.

[427] He was not on a path of Christ.

[428] No. He was not on a Christian path.

[429] He was actually going in the other direction.

[430] Amen.

[431] And his mother, Monica, prayed for him.

[432] And he had a metanoia experience, he turned around, repentant, and became one of the great saints.

[433] St. Paul.

[434] The conversion of St. Paul is a metanoia experience.

[435] He turns from being a persecutor of Christians to being one of the greatest of the apostles and the beginning of the early church.

[436] That is what metanoia is about.

[437] It's a change.

[438] And that's where it's so critical.

[439] that Jesus tells us that if we want to follow him, we have to repent.

[440] That's really another word for metanoia.

[441] And if that's missing, then we're going to keep wandering into the darkness.

[442] If we stay on that same path and we don't turn around, we don't turn around and see the light of Christ, we're just going to keep going into deeper and deeper darkness.

[443] That's why it's an essential element of living in the church.

[444] And to say we don't need metanoia, ultimately is to say we don't need the church.

[445] And to me, that's the illogic or the logical consequence of some of what we're hearing is if you start to dismantle too much of it, like we said earlier, I keep going back to your analogy.

[446] It's such a good one, the baseball.

[447] But you change enough of the rules of baseball.

[448] Yeah.

[449] The game is gone.

[450] Exactly.

[451] It's not baseball any longer.

[452] And the same thing is true with the mystical body of Christ that is the church.

[453] If you ignore enough of the teachings, it's not the church anymore.

[454] It's, I don't know what it is, but it's not the church of Jesus Christ.

[455] That's the only church that is that's the only church I want anything else is a counterfeit that I say no. Yeah.

[456] Well said, Bishop Strickland, in this letter you talk so much about the sacrament of reconciliation or confession or penance and you really encourage the reader who's reading this letter to go to confession repent of your sin and obtain pardon from God's mercy and you quote again, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1422.

[457] And I have to say this, Bishop Strickland, it seems that I want to be optimistic.

[458] Maybe even 20 years ago, 25 years ago, you know, you go to confession at your local parish.

[459] Now, maybe the Diocese of Tyler's different.

[460] But here in L .A., we have like 4 ,000 or 5 ,000 families at a parish, and you go to confession on a Saturday evening, and there's three or four people in line for the confession.

[461] and either everybody's living a great life of holiness, which I doubt because we're sinners, but we didn't get the message.

[462] I'm seeing more people embracing the idea that we need to go to confession on a regular basis.

[463] I know St. John Paul too encouraged everybody at least once a month to go.

[464] Even Padre Pio, I read that he also encouraged at least once a month going to confession.

[465] What are your thoughts about our listeners?

[466] What's your recommendation on frequenting the sacrament of penance?

[467] I would echo what you've just said at least once a month.

[468] Yeah.

[469] I go more than that myself because I'm a big son.

[470] And I do too.

[471] And I think, frankly, the more you become aware of what you're doing, the more you recognize, you need it.

[472] Yeah.

[473] But the more attractive it is also.

[474] And I want to talk about that a little bit.

[475] Yeah, let's do that.

[476] Because we're, you know, in the midst of this Eucharistic revival.

[477] Yeah.

[478] And as I said, as we began it, and I still believe, we need a penitential revival to go right along with it.

[479] Of course.

[480] Because the more you're aware of your, and people don't want to be aware of their sin, but there's something freeing.

[481] Yes.

[482] When you know the confessions available and you know what we were talking about, you know the tremendous love of Lord, then confession really becomes what we believe it is, but you really experience it more as another encounter with Christ really present in our lives.

[483] Not like the Eucharist, it's not a material reality where the Eucharist is actually in a physical presence, that consecrated bread that's in the tabernacle or in the monstrance and adoration.

[484] There is Jesus, body and blood, soul and divinity, present.

[485] But in the sacrament of confession, yes, he is present also.

[486] That's right.

[487] I would like to say his sacred, his merciful, sacred heart.

[488] Oh, beautiful.

[489] It's present.

[490] Yes.

[491] In the sacrament of confession.

[492] Yes.

[493] Not in a physical way, but in the words of the sacrament in the presence of the priest.

[494] So in that sense, in a physical presence, I mean, the only way you properly validly confess your sins in the sacrament of confession is in the physical presence of a priest there to listen to give you a penance to give some advice maybe and to offer the words of absolution that's one and I think this is great for us to think about as people who do believe and do celebrate the sacrament yes the church early on with all this technologies that's developed, said, no, you can't go to confession over the phone.

[495] No, you can't have a Zoom confession.

[496] It's got to be physically present, not touching.

[497] I mean, most confessionals, out of respect for both the penitent and the priest, they're not touching each other.

[498] It's not that kind of physical presence, but you're there in the presence of a priest who represents that mercy of Christ, I think there's something very significant about that.

[499] And, you know, people, even Catholics will say, oh, I just like to go for a walk in the woods and ask God's forgiveness.

[500] Certainly we can do that.

[501] But sacramentally, we need that encounter with Christ.

[502] That's right.

[503] There, again, in persona Christi, the priest, the presence of Christ, and I've always emphasized that when I hear confessions, especially.

[504] in the beautiful moment of a difficult confession that is really a metanoia for that person, a turning around in a real moment that is significant, it can be emotional for the priest and the individual.

[505] And I've always emphasized, I'm not, it's not Joe Strickland who's forgiving anything.

[506] I don't have the power to forgive someone in sacramentally.

[507] I mean, we're called to forgive each other.

[508] But as far as forgiving someone's sins, it's Christ doing the forgiveness.

[509] I'm his vessel.

[510] I'm his instrument in the sacrament.

[511] But I think it's critical that people understand and we keep preaching that good news that if you're carrying around this burden of sin, and sin does become a burden, you can be freed from that burden in the sacrament of confession.

[512] God forgives us through his son in the sacrament.

[513] Towards the end of your letter, you said that you quoted, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and life.

[514] No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14, our Lord, also told us plainly that not all will be saved.

[515] Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father.

[516] And, Matthews, Chapter 7.

[517] Therefore, it is imperative that we remain firmly anchored to the sacred, deposit of faith, and reject any idea which would deviate from the perennial teachings of the church.

[518] Mr. Strickland, you've been saying that for years, and I just think you're reiterating what the church is always taught.

[519] And so I thank you for that.

[520] Can you talk a little bit, if we see if we have a little, the conclusion of your letter, I like what you said about God's love for us.

[521] Can you talk a little bit about that?

[522] Because I think people really need to understand that God loves them so much.

[523] read it poor me Terry I don't have it in front of him Let us rejoice and be glad Because God loves and calls us all to himself He built a bridge in the shape of a cross I love that analogy A bridge man So that our sins would not be kept And separated from him He gave us the sacrament of baptism confirmation Here's summarized reconciliation So that many cross the bridge And be adopted into the family of God He said Jesus Christ The Son of God was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was born in Bethlehem.

[524] Remember, Bethlehem means house of bread, lived and taught among us, suffered and died for us, and rose from the dead.

[525] He did all of this to free us from our sin and death and to offer to us the opportunity.

[526] Here it is!

[527] This is it, sign me up, to gain everlasting life with God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[528] This is the good news, and we must joyfully share it with the world.

[529] And then you gave a blessing.

[530] Bishop Strickland, this is what I call meat and potato Catholicism.

[531] Thank you.

[532] What occurs to me as you read that, Terry, is that's what, as Catholics, all of that should be summed up in when we look at a crucifix.

[533] Yes.

[534] When we look at Christ on the cross, for us, we don't leave him on the cross.

[535] It reminds us of all the sacrifice and of his, of the whole carigma, of all.

[536] mystery, the saving grace that is offered to humanity through the Son of God.

[537] So when we look at a crucifix, let us all be reminded of that.

[538] That whole story, it's captured there in that image of the Son of God dying on a cross for you and for me, like you said, even if we're the only person in the world died for us.

[539] Amen, without Good Friday.

[540] There's no Easter Sunday.

[541] Wow, Bishop Stricklandauer.

[542] Tell your friends about the show.

[543] Bishop, how about a quick blessing, if you could?

[544] We've got 20 seconds.

[545] Thank you, God, for answering your blessing.

[546] Thank you so much for joining us, and may God richly bless you and your family, and please share this show with all of your friends and family.

[547] Thanks again for supporting us here, that Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[548] God love you.