13 Aug 24 – Preach the Truth as if You Had a Million Voices

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

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

[2] Bishop Strickland, in season and out, is running to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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

[4] Thank you, Terry.

[5] Thank you.

[6] And how do we start every show with the gospel?

[7] I mean, you can't be, if I, well, don't forget, but the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ, and this is August 13th, right before the vigil.

[8] of the assumption, and maybe we'll talk a little bit about Our Lady and the assumption too since that's coming up for maybe the next show, but I want to just, this is the Memorial of St. Pontian, Pope and Martyr, Memorial of St. Hippopolis, priest, and martyr, and it's the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 18.

[9] We've been getting a lot of Matthew in.

[10] So Bishop Strickland, if you could read the reading and then give us your commentary, that would be great.

[11] A reading from the Holy Gospel, according to Matthew.

[12] The disciples approached Jesus and said, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

[13] He called the child, though, replace it in their midst and said, Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

[14] Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

[15] and whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones.

[16] For I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly father.

[17] What is your opinion?

[18] If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the 99 in the hills and go in search of the stray?

[19] and if he finds it amen i say to you he rejoices more over it than over the 99 that did not stray in just the same way it is not the will of your heavenly father that one of these little ones be lost the gospel of the lord praise to you lord jesus christ well really terry i think this gospel passage reminds us of some basic and essential things things about following Jesus Christ.

[20] The question of the disciples is a perfect question for Jesus to respond to.

[21] Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

[22] And he brings a child over and says that unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

[23] And that reminds us so really for human history, this message contradicts what the world says.

[24] Oh, yeah, big time.

[25] And I think it underscores why it's so important that we remember that as disciples of Jesus Christ and as Catholics, we know that we are part of the church that he established, the church of his disciples, that.

[26] we are called to be in the world but not of the world.

[27] And I think in terms of this gospel, we are to seek the, in this world, we're to seek the kingdom and greatness there and not the greatness that the world offers.

[28] The saints, and like you mentioned, we're coming up on the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[29] And I think that's a beautiful feast that reminds us as in the rosary, what follows on the assumption is the coronation of Mary is queen of heaven and earth.

[30] It's a reminder.

[31] She's that model of greatness that Christ refers to because she is childlike in the ways of innocence and the ways of poverty, in the ways of lacking any power in terms of the world, but she has the power of the greatest intercessor in all the human family, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[32] So as Jesus reminds the apostles, and it's not really mentioned explicitly in this passage, but we know in other places in the gospel, they're worried about who is the greatest.

[33] And so this question, it's a very human question, and it's in the hearts of the apostles, those who are following Jesus.

[34] And we can hear in it also, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

[35] I think the connotation there is that the apostles are still trying to figure out what kingdom Christ is building.

[36] And they are envisioning a kingdom here on earth.

[37] I think in many ways we can see.

[38] And I think that's the natural human understanding is they're walking with this man, a great teacher, a miracle worker.

[39] He's definitely someone different than they have ever seen before someone they're very attracted to, but it's very human to think of it in terms of our human experience.

[40] So they're familiar with Rome's dominance over the world in their lifetime and with various kingdoms that they've studied in the people of Israel.

[41] So the kingdom of heaven there, you can tell they're trying to figure out exactly what Christ's kingdom is.

[42] And he's always reminding them.

[43] He doesn't say it explicitly here, but in other places, he says, my kingdom is not of this world.

[44] And I think he illustrates what that means by placing before them a child who, he says, is the greatest, is the one who's like this child.

[45] That's not the world, what the world says.

[46] This child has no worldly power, has no wealth, has no influence, And Christ is saying these are the greatest in the kingdom to humbly recognize that in the kingdom of God, only God is king.

[47] And we are, we glorify and rejoice in the opportunity to be children in his kingdom.

[48] That's what we're called to.

[49] In the second part of this gospel, I think Christ really speaks.

[50] to our time, because there are many lost sheep.

[51] The lost sheep are multiplying by people who have never known Christ, never known his truth.

[52] And the church is very, you could say, laid back about promoting the truth.

[53] Some even say, oh, don't try to proselytize.

[54] It's the word they use.

[55] We used to have, it's our heritage.

[56] It's in our DNA.

[57] As Catholics, joyfully proclaim the truth of Christ and evangelize the world.

[58] We're told to be quiet about it now.

[59] And if people don't embrace Christ, that's okay.

[60] There are other masters to embrace.

[61] That isn't the truth.

[62] And so we're in a time where it's critical that we who know Jesus Christ and in humility are seeking to be his.

[63] children to be members of his flock.

[64] He shifts from that imagery of children to the imagery of one sheep lost from the hundred.

[65] But he points out God's attitude is that he's going to go after the lost sheep.

[66] Christ says in another place in the gospel that we've read in daily mass just recently, I'm here seeking the lost sheep of Israel.

[67] So Jesus models what you talks about in this passage, he's going after the strays.

[68] And we who serve him and are seeking his kingdom, we are obliged to go after the strays as well.

[69] And the shepherds of the church, that's our obligation.

[70] That's our work.

[71] Like we've said so many times, it's about the salvation of souls.

[72] Christ doesn't use that language here.

[73] That's what he's talking about.

[74] The lost sheep is the soul that it's being lost from the flock that Christ is creating at the end of time.

[75] I mean, uses that imagery.

[76] It will be separated, goats and sheep, and the sheep will be the flock of the Lord.

[77] So anyone who is in their journey through this life who becomes lost from the truth, in other words, lost from Christ, who is truth incarnate, it's his mission, and it has to be our mission as his disciples in the world today to go after the lost sheep.

[78] I was having a conversation recently with a group of faithful Catholics talking about the importance of free will.

[79] And that is woven into both sections of this gospel passage.

[80] God has given us free will to choose.

[81] Will we be like children?

[82] Or will we follow the voice of the world and gain power and be arrogant and do everything that isn't like children?

[83] The other part of free will is these lost sheep wander on their own.

[84] They're using their free will to turn from the truth.

[85] But Christ makes it clear that it's the mission of the church to bring them back, to bring them to understand the pearl of great price that is the faith, to come back to the truth.

[86] And I think, like I said, we're in a critical time of lost sheep in this time.

[87] I talk to so many families who have family members that are lost sheep.

[88] Sure.

[89] And they're trying to bring them back.

[90] And I do encourage them to pray.

[91] But We have to pray and trust in the Lord, but I think it's critical for us to remember and understand that God has, it's free will is God given, as so many of our basic rights are given by God, not given by some organization, not given by the church, not given by government, but given by God.

[92] There's no entity on earth that gives us free will.

[93] It's God, how he created us.

[94] To have free will is to live in the image and likeness of God.

[95] So I think what Christ is reminding us of is to always be on the alert for the lost sheep.

[96] Like him, at times, to lay down our lives for the lost sheep.

[97] Well said, we'll be back with more of Bishop Strickland Hour.

[98] Stay with us, family.

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

[100] Welcome back.

[101] Indeed.

[102] Bishop Strickland you were talking about free will and it's so you were spot on I really enjoyed what you had to say I think of came to my mind was Bishop Sheem when he says the only value in saying yes to God is you have the freedom to say no and our yes is mimicking our lady in the gospel of Luke with enunciation I mean we it's such a beautiful thought that we give ourselves to Christ we say yes and our yes is for life and I think that's so beautiful I'm going to throw you a Kerbal because I also got something from St. Catherine of Siena, one of my favorite women saints.

[103] And I thought of you when I read this quote because this really speaks about where you're at right now.

[104] She said this, Bishop Strickland, preach the truth as if you had a million voices.

[105] It is silence that kills the world.

[106] Now, Bishop Strickland, you've talked about this over and over again for years on this show that you feel called by God not to be silent, that you have to speak the truth in charity.

[107] We continually say that.

[108] But St. Catherine of Siena, her point is it is silence that's killing the world.

[109] I want to apply this.

[110] I'll use my own language.

[111] I think it's silence in the church right now that's really destroying souls, because souls are not being fed because too many people dressed like you and me, not just the hierarchy, but guys like me are not wanting to speak the truth because we fear not being liked or we fear that we're not going to be esteemed by other people, all the wrong reasons.

[112] What did your take on St. Catherine's comment about speaking the truth like you had a million voices and saying that it's silence that kills people.

[113] Well, Terry, I completely agree.

[114] St. Catherine of Sienna is a great saint of her time and a great witness for our time because she was bold enough to speak truth that wasn't the popular thing, wasn't the thing that was accepted, and she wasn't willing to be silent as many in her time were silent about the issues she saw as important to speak up about.

[115] I think it is important to speak.

[116] And obviously, I do.

[117] It's interesting.

[118] I just heard recently as I travel around, I'm traveling right now, and as I visit different places, sometimes I'm not welcome.

[119] And just recently, I was with a group that said, well, we were told not to go to this conference that you're giving bishop by the local bishop.

[120] Oh, yeah.

[121] Because he said, oh, I don't support Bishop Strickland because he speaks out in too much.

[122] And he said, you know, and I don't really even know this bishop, But he said, to me, it sounded like with pride, he said, we, we bishops present a united front.

[123] Oh, I see.

[124] And united in what is my question.

[125] I'm just going to say that too.

[126] The only principle of unity that is worth being a principle of unity for us as Catholics is Jesus Christ.

[127] The truth unifies.

[128] But as Christ points out, it also divides.

[129] when false messages are out, we need to divide ourselves from those, and we need to unite in the truth that is one in Jesus Christ, the way the truth and the life.

[130] So I think there are many voices and much encouragement to be silent about the false messages that we are seeing in the world today.

[131] And the idea of being united in that silence and being united in false messages to me is ridiculous.

[132] And it's, it goes back to the imagery that we started with in today, with reading today's gospel.

[133] It creates more and more lost sheep.

[134] People say, well, the bishops haven't spoken up.

[135] Or even sometimes the Vatican doesn't speak.

[136] up about things that just by instinct people know, we should reject and we should be very clear that this is wrong.

[137] This is not of Christ.

[138] In silence implies acceptance and agreement.

[139] We have to be very clear that we don't agree with what the world is saying.

[140] And as we've talked to, you may mentioned some instances, not in the church, but just in the world of bishops.

[141] Thankfully, there are bishops willing to speak up against evil, willing to speak up against movements that are contrary to the truth and contrary to the gospel.

[142] To be silent in the face of those, I believe, is wrong.

[143] Amen.

[144] And I know people dislike it and say silence bishops Strickland.

[145] But like St. Catherine says, as long as I have one voice, it's my obligation to speak the truth.

[146] And as we say all the time, with clarity and charity, to speak it as the greatest compassion, like we've said before, the greatest compassion is to share the truth.

[147] It's a false, empty compassion that may bring you a little apparent piece for the moment in this world.

[148] But if it's not based in the truth, it is not going to be lasting peace.

[149] Bishop, thank you.

[150] And I'll give you exhibit A, why we have this situation is because I don't know that Bishop who he is, but I would say, Bishop, look at the flock.

[151] We know that they don't believe many people don't believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

[152] Way too many.

[153] I just researched this because I've been doing the catechism on the Terry and Jesse show.

[154] We're doing the four last things.

[155] and every show we end with the catechism.

[156] And one of the things that I research was what percentage of Catholics even know there's a catechism?

[157] Father Kirby helped me out on this.

[158] Less than 10 % of Catholic.

[159] That's horrible.

[160] So are we doing a good job communicating the faith?

[161] First, they don't believe in the real presence.

[162] They don't even know about a catechism.

[163] Okay, that's an indictment.

[164] I'm sorry, Bishop Strickland, on us, the church.

[165] We're not doing a good enough job explaining the deposit of faith to the people.

[166] And what I find ironic is that's what you're running on, the deposit of faith constantly.

[167] We don't talk about any show without talking about the perennial teachings of the church.

[168] And this is something that Catholics don't know about.

[169] And I say this because we're worried about too many other things in the church that really don't even pertain to the salvation of souls.

[170] And remember, you bring it up the last canon of canon law.

[171] What's the church all about?

[172] The salvation of souls.

[173] Now, the quote I gave you from St. Catherine of Siena, I thought was appropriate for you, but for other bishops, there's a Catholic bishop in Mexico.

[174] He just gave a homily in front of everybody, public.

[175] He said, he warns that communism is eminent in Mexico and says the government rigged an election.

[176] Wait a minute.

[177] I can just hear the brother Bishop saying, can't you be silent?

[178] Do you really have to say that?

[179] But Bishop Asencio Garcia, he thanked the people for praying for Mexico in the face of this eminent arrival of communism.

[180] He said after leftists swift the country's elections, which he said should be invalidated because of the unprecedented fraud.

[181] Now, Bishop Strickland, you're living in Mexico.

[182] This isn't America.

[183] Okay, for him to say that we've had bishops shot for undermining the government.

[184] And I want to pray for him because he's congratulating Catholics for continuing to pray the rosary and inviting people to pray the rosary to fight communism.

[185] I think he must have known in Europe back in the 50s the stories where Austria was going to have communism come in.

[186] And 80 % of the people, through a Franciscan priest, got a rosary rally going so that 80 % of the population was praying that the communists wouldn't come in to their country.

[187] And miraculously, they came in and they left without firing a shot.

[188] So I think he understands the power of prayer for his country.

[189] But Bishop Strickland, didn't that inspire you as a bishop when you see someone doing something like that?

[190] I mean, as a layman, I'm going, man, that guy is willing to put it all out.

[191] Your thoughts?

[192] Absolutely.

[193] Thankfully, in this country, you could, you still, we still have free speech.

[194] And people may want to shout you down and want you to be quiet.

[195] But you're not, we're not at the point, we could get there, but we're not at the point where you're risking your life.

[196] Yeah.

[197] To do what we do and to speak the truth.

[198] But that bishop is risking his life, and we need to prayerfully support him and support the good people of Mexico.

[199] We know that just 100 years ago, Mexico was going through an attack on Catholicism, just like communism is an attack on Catholicism in the world today.

[200] And once again, we need to speak up.

[201] I'm reminded of a saint we celebrated a few days ago.

[202] St. Cajiton.

[203] Oh, you tell us.

[204] Oh, yeah, yeah.

[205] He says, seek to live innocence in your life.

[206] Yeah.

[207] If you're not living innocence, which, you know, we need to realize, I mean, all of us are sinners, to some degree, we're not innocent.

[208] And I have to own that.

[209] Yeah.

[210] But St. Cajitin says very wisely, if you find you're not innocent, seek repentance.

[211] So I think St. Cachetton reminds us, and to me it weaves right in with what Catherine of Siena has said, to be silent in the face of evil is being complicit with evil.

[212] And if you look at the silence of too many in the church and in the world today, whether it's in government setting or in the church, too often, the reason for the silence is correct.

[213] It's not just being silent, but they're being silent because they're wanting to guard their position, or they're afraid to be exposed or for some corrupt reason, or they're on the take.

[214] I mean, Mexico is facing a huge crisis of corruption in law enforcement at every level of the government.

[215] And we have too much of it in this country where people are silent because they're being paid to be silent.

[216] And it's hard to stomach, but that's even true for the church.

[217] The bishops may not be being paid.

[218] Some may be.

[219] I don't know.

[220] But definitely church organizations are receiving funding.

[221] And so therefore, they're silent on issues, which we shouldn't be silent on because they're afraid of losing the funding.

[222] I think we have to look to Christ and boldly speak the truth.

[223] And as God has left us, we're free to embrace it or not.

[224] But we need to share the truth and not be silenced because we're afraid of losing donors or losing public support.

[225] Amen.

[226] And that's why people support us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[227] I get that all the time.

[228] They go, you guys just tell it like it is.

[229] Well, that's what we try to do because we're called to do that.

[230] No compromise on any of the moral teachings.

[231] When we come back, I want to talk about the issue of reparation for what took place at the Olympics, the blasphemy that took place.

[232] And I want to talk about Pope Pius I 11th, 1928, encyclical on reparation with the sacred heart of Jesus and much more.

[233] Stay with us, family.

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

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

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

[237] I quoted a encyclical by Pope Pius XI