>> TONIGHT ON EWTN LIVE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW THE LOVE, POWER, AND SELF-CONTROL FOUND IN CHRIST'S SERMON ON THE MOUNT CAN POINT US TOWARD TRUE AND LASTING HAPPINESS. WE ALL WANT THAT. SO PLEASE STAY WITH US. ♪ [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND WELCOME. WELCOME TO EWTN LIVE WHERE WE BRING YOU GUESTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. BUT OUR GUESTS DIDN'T HAVE TO COME FROM TOO FAR AWAY FROM HERE. HE'S FROM THE DIOCESE OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, WHERE HE'S A PARISH PRIEST AT OUR LADY OF GRACE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN A TOWN CALLED INDIAN LAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. IT IS ACTUALLY A SUBURB OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. BE CAREFUL IF YOU DON'T GET LOST OF VISITING HIS CHURCH AND FATHER KIRBY IS HAPPY TO BE HERE AND HAPPINESS IS WHAT FATHER KIRBY WANTS TO SHARE WITH US TONIGHT RIGHT HERE IN IRONDALE, ALABAMA, AND WHEREVER YOU ARE AS WELL. HE'S THE AUTHOR OF A NEW BOOK CALLED, KINGDOM OF HAPPINESS, LIVING THE BEATITUDES IN EVERYDAY LIFE. SO PLEASE WELCOME, FATHER JEFFREY KIRBY. [ APPLAUSE ] FATHER KIRBY, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> NOW, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BEATITUDES. >> YES. >> WHY DO YOU CALL A BOOK ABOUT THE BEATITUDES, THE KINGDOM OF HAPPINESS? >> RIGHT. >> WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO THERE? >> I THINK IT CATCHES PEOPLE OFFGUARD. >> IT CAUGHT ME OFFGUARD. >> YEAH, WHAT'S GOIN' ON. IF WE LOOK AT THE BEATITUDES CALL US TO A CERTAIN ELEMENT OF SUFFERING AND YOU KNOW, JUST DENYING DARKER PARTS OF OUR INCLINATIONS OR, YOU KNOW, OUR NARCISM AND SO ON AND WE LOOK AT THE BEATITUDES AND SAY, HOW CAN YOU FIND HAPPINESS? THIS INVOLVES SOME TYPE OF SUFFERING, BUT THE BOOK MAKES THE ARGUMENT THE REASON WHY WE THINK WE'RE NOT HAPPY AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS FINDING HAPPINESS IS OUR DEFINITION OF HAPPINESS, SO TODAY PEOPLE THINK, WHOA, HAPPINESS MEANS I'M ALWAYS GOING TO GET MY WAY, OR IT MEANS THAT I'M ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE PLEASURE, OR THAT IT MEANS THIS EUPHORIA. ALWAYS THIS FEELING OF SO GREAT, OH, I'M HAPPY. YOU KNOW, AND WELL, WE LIKE ALL OF THOSE AND THOSE CAN BE PARTS OF HAPPINESS. IN THE END, HAPPINESS MEANS WE KNOW WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE LOVED. WE'RE BLESSED. WE LET THAT GOODNESS FLOURISH IN OURSELVES AND WE SEEK TO BE AN INSTRUMENT OF THAT GOODNESS FOR OTHER PEOPLE. SO LET'S BEGIN TO REALIZE WHAT HAPPINESS IS, WHICH IS IN TERMS OF OUR HUMAN NATURE, HUMAN LIFE, OUR MORAL EXPERIENCE AND CERTAINLY THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST. THEN WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, HAPPINESS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO ABANDON, YOU KNOW, OR ACCEPT THIS LIFE OF MISERY. HAPPINESS IS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY. >> SOMETHING THAT MY SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR WHEN I LIVED UP IN CHICAGO AND I NOTICED WHEN WE WERE GOING FOR A WALK ONE DAY TOGETHER THROUGH CHICAGO, WHICH HAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, TENT "A"MENTS WHERE WE LIVE AND IT WAS SATURDAY EVENING AND WE WERE VISITING HIS ELDERLY MOTHER WHO LIVED NOT FAR AWAY AND WE NOTICED THAT AS WE PASSED THAT BY WARM DAY AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PARTIES GOING ON IN APARTMENTS, ON BALCONIES AROUND. VERY FEW PEOPLE WERE LAUGHING. >> HMM. >> AND IT STRIKES ME, AS PART OF THE MOOD AND RELATED TO THIS SUBJECT, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE LAUGH SO MUCH IN TERMS OF HAVING A REALLY BELLY LAUGH WHERE THEY JUST THINK SOMETHING IS HILARIOUS. >> YES. >> THEY WILL GO YAHOO AND THING LIKE THAT, BUT WHEN I HEAR COMEDY SHOWS, I DON'T HEAR DEEP LAUGHTER AT THE IRONY OF LIFE. >> YES. >> AND WITH THIS ISSUE OF BEING ABLE TO LAUGH ESPECIALLY AT YOURSELF OR THE ABILITY TO HAVE HAPPINESS, THE ABILITY TO LAUGH AT ONE'S SELF IS MY SHORTHAND INDICATOR TO SEE IF SOMEBODY IS NUTS. [LAUGHTER] >> I LIKE THAT. >> PEOPLE WHO ARE MENTALLY OFF-BALANCE CAN'T LAUGH AT THEMSELVES. >> YES. OR, PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN UP ON THE IDEA OF HAPPINESS AND JUST ACCEPTED HOPELESSNESS OR MISERY. LET'S GO TO THE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE OF THE TENTAMENTS AND IT'S NOT THE POVERTY OR HARD WORK AND WE CAN GO TO A NUMBER OF MISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO AREAS WHO HAVE COMPLETE POVERTY WHO HAVE TO WORK TO GET CLEAN WATER AND YET WE SEE THIS TREMENDOUS LAUGHTER AND JOY, SO WAIT A MINUTE, IF IT'S NOT THE SOCIOECONOMIC, WHICH WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT, THEN WHAT REALLY HAS CONVINCED THESE PEOPLE THAT HAPPINESS IS IMPOSSIBLE? I THINK IT'S FALSE DEFINITIONS AND I THINK THE ABILITY TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES OR TO LAUGH AT THE DEVIL. TO LAUGH AT DARKNESS, TO LAUGH AT THE FALLENNESS OF THE WORLD AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, YEAH, IT HAPPENS, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE THE LAST WORD AND DOESN'T DEFINE US. WE WILL KEEP MOVING. THAT'S COOPERATION WITH GRACE. I'M GOOD. THE PEOPLE AROUND ME ARE GOOD. THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT. THAT IS HARD TO DEAL WITH. THAT'S REALLY EVIL BUT NOW WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOOD AND SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE RESURRECTION, WE CAN FIX THIS. WE CAN COOPERATE WITH GRACE AND WE CAN ALLOW THIS NOT TO HAVE THE LAST WORD. I JUST THINK THAT SENSE OF HOPE IS WHAT GIVES JOY, AND I THINK IN A LOT OF AREAS IN OUR WORLD BECAUSE OF THE ABANDONMENT OF GOD IN OUR CULTURE AND BECAUSE OF THE COMPLETE MORAL RELATIVISM, WE'RE LOSING HOPE AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE POOR. BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES OR BECAUSE OF EDUCATION AND ALL THESE THINGS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, BUT WE KNOW FROM AS CATHOLICS FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND THE BEATITUDES, HAPPY IS NORTHBOUND FOUND FROM KNOWING THAT WE'RE LOVED AND WE'RE GOOD AND WE KNOW HAPPINESS FLOWS IN VIRTUE AND THE SOLUTION TO ONE'S MISERY IS NOT GOVERNMENT OR POLICY OR MONEY. THE SOLUTION TO MISERY IS ACCEPTING THIS WAY OF LIFE OF THE BEATITUDES, THE SOLUTION IS VIRTUE, SUFFERING WITH GRACE. >> WHEN I LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO DO WORK IN MUCH OF THE GOVERNMENT, I DON'T FIND THEM VERY HAPPY. [LAUGHTER] I FIND THEM VERY ANGRY. >> SURE. >> ALMOST ALL THE TIME, OR THEY WILL BE LAUGHING AT SOMEBODY ELSE NOT WITH JOY BUT THE KIND OF, HA, GOTCHA. I SEE THAT. >> YEAH. >> OR WITH COMMENTATORS. I DON'T SENSE THAT MANY POLITICIANS ARE SOURCES OF JOY. >> RIGHT. RIGHT. RIGHT. WE CAN SAY THAT ABOUT THE BUSINESS WORLD. WE CAN SAY THAT WITH SOME ASPECTS OF THE CHURCH. LIKE WHEN WE HAVE WHATEVER VOCATION OR ROLE WE HAVE IN LIFE AND IN THE WORLD AND WE HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR VOCATION AS HUMAN BEINGS TO HAPPINESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET STUCK IN THIS CESSPOOL OF MISERY AND HOPELESSNESS AND WE WILL BE MISERABLE. MISERY LOVES COMPANY, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THAT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WITH GOVERNMENT AND SO ON, IT BECOMES COMPETITION WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE FOCUS IS NO LONGER THE COMMON GOOD OR THE BEST POSSIBLE SITUATION FOR A SOCIETY OR VIRTUE AND THOSE ARE ABANDONED AND WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED WHEN COMPETITION, ANGER, MISERY TAKE OVER, AND WE LOOK AT THE SITUATION AND SCRATCH OUR HEADS, HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN? >> IT CERTAINLY IS NOW A PRINCIPLE IN OUR SUPREME COURT DECISIONS AND OTHER COURT DECISIONS NOT TO PROMOTE VIRTUE. >> YES. >> THEY-- THEY WILL NOT PROMOTE VIRTUE AT ALL. THEY WILL PROMOTE FREEDOM AS AN ABSOLUTE SO THAT NOBODY CAN STOP YOU FROM DOING WHATEVER YOU THINK YOU WANT TO DO UNLESS YOU CAUSE DIRECT HARM. >> YES. >> BUT TO SEEK WHAT IS GOOD AND VIRTUOUS DOES NOT PLAY INTO THE KEY DECISIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT. I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE '60s. >> YES. AND DEFINITELY AFTER ROE V. WADE AND CASEY vs. PLANNED PARENTHOOD, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFINE REALITY HOWEVER WE WANT. >> EVEN BEFORE THE EARLIER DECISION AGAINST THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT IN THE MID-'60s. >> WITH BIRTH CONTROL, YES, YES. >> AND THAT'S WHERE THEY-- I LOVE THIS LINE, THAT IN THE PENUMBRA, EMANATIONS OF THE PENUMBRA OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS CAN BE FOUND A RIGHT TO PRIVACY. [LAUGHTER] IN PENUMBRA BEING THE SHADOW AND I CUT THEM IN THE PENUMBRA OF COWS AND THEY CAN GET ALL THE EMANATION THEY WANT. IT WON'T MAKE THEM HAPPY, THAT'S FOR SURE. >> YES, YES. TO YOUR POINT WHERE IF THAT'S HOW WE ALLOW JURISPRUDENCE TO BE DEFINED IN TERMS OF OUR PUBLIC POLICY AND LEGISLATION AND WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT AND THAT'S FREEDOM-- FIRST, THAT'S NEVER BEEN FREEDOM NOT JUST BIB BIBLICALLY. FREEDOM IS TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT NOT WHATEVER WE WANT. THAT'S BARBARITY AND FREEDOM IS I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT AND I HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEEK OUT AND PURSUE WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD. THAT'S FREEDOM. >> AND ONE OF THE POINTS OF THE BEATITUDES AND BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. >> YES, YES. >> YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF BLESSEDNESS IS-- WELL, THEY HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. THAT IS THEN MET WITH WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER, HOPE. FOR THEY SHALL BE SATISFIED. >> YES. >> BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE MERCIFUL, THEY SHALL FIND MERCY. >> YES. >> BLESSED ARE THE PURE OF HEART, THEY SHALL SEE GOD. INHERENT IN THESE BEATITUDES IS HOPE. >> YES, YES. >> THAT GOD WILL REVERSE WHAT SEEMS AN OBVIOUS INJUSTICE OR SOMETHING THAT IS LOOKS LIKE THE PRESENT MOMENT EVIL, HE PROMISES THE HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE REVERSED. >> YES. THAT'S KEY TO EACH, ABSOLUTELY, AND THE WAY GOD DOES THAT IS SO POETIC AND BEAUTIFUL. I WOULD SAY HIS PEDAGOGY HE FIXES WHAT IS BROKEN. OUR DAMNATION CAME TO AN END WHEN EVE SPOKE TO LUCIFER AND GOD ALLOWED OUR SALVATION WITH A VIRGIN SPEAKING TO AN ANGEL, MARY SPEAKING TO ANGEL. HE USES AND FIXES AND HE MAKES BETTER WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE DARKNESS OR EVIL AND SO BY GOD'S GRACE, WHATEVER HAPPENS TO US IN THIS LIFE, WE CAN HOLD ONTO HAPPINESS AND NOT LET THAT DARKNESS HAVE THE LAST WORD. SO THAT, OF COURSE, MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP THE CROSS. IT MEANS WE HAVE TO WILLING TO SUFFER. AS YOU WERE DESCRIBING THE BEATITUDES, I'M GETTING FIRED UP. I WANT TO BE FORGIVEN. I WANT TO BE HAVING CONSOLATION. >> I WANT TO SEE GOD. >> YES. WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE WE ARE HIS CHILDREN. THIS IS A NATURAL DESIRE WE HAVE, AND I THINK WHEN WE MYSTIFY AND INCOMPLETELY DEFINE HAPPINESS, WE SELL OURSELVES SHORT AND WE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED THAT WE'RE MISERABLE. >> YEAH. >> BECAUSE THE SOLUTION IS TO FOLLOW THIS PATH GIVEN TO US. I LOVE SOMETHING HE SAID-- >> POPE BENEDICT. >> EXACTLY. HE SAID THAT THE BEATITUDES ARE THE INTERIOR BIOGRAPHY OF THE LORD JESUS. YOU KNOW, SO-- >> WHAT DOES HE MEAN BY THAT? I LOVE THAT LINE. WHAT DOES HE MEAN BY THAT? >> YOU CAN IMAGINE LIKE, I CELEBRATE FIRST FRIDAY MASSES AND YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF FOCUSING ON THE SACRED HEART OF OUR LORD, AND IN MY OWN PRAYER, THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SACRED HEART, SOMETIMES WE CAN THINK, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT HEART? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WHAT'S IN THERE? YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE HEART I WANT. THAT'S THE HEART I SEEK. THAT'S THE HEART I WANT TO TRANSFORM ME. LIKE, WHAT'S IN THAT HEART? WE DON'T HAVE TO PLAY GUESSING GAMES, RIGHT? >> RIGHT. >> BECAUSE THE BEATITUDES, THEY ARE THAT INTERIOR BIOGRAPHY. THEY DESCRIBE THE SENTIMENTS AND THE SPIRITUAL STATES OF OUR LORD'S SACRED HEART. THEY SHOW HIM BEING POOR IN SPIRIT. SHOWING HIM TO BE A MAN OF SORROW OVER EVIL. THEY SHOW HIM TO BE MEEK, AND WE SEE IN HIS HEART, YOU KNOW-- WE SEE THE BEATITUDES REFLECTING THAT HEART. WE THINK ABOUT THE SACRED HEART AND WE WANT TO KNOW OUR LORD BETTER, RIGHT, THE BEATITUDES, THEY'RE THE CLEAREST IN INTERIOR BIOGRAPHY AND THAT BRINGS ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY AS I LOOKED AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE ACCEPTING MISERY, YOU KNOW, AS INDIVIDUALS, AS A PEOPLE, AS A CULTURE, I THOUGHT YOU KNOW WHAT, SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE, RIGHT? AND THE LORD HAS GIVEN TO US THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND ESPECIALLY IN THE BEATITUDES. THIS HAS TO BE TOLD. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ANNOUNCING FROM THE ROOFTOPS, AND I THOUGHT THIS HAS TO BE SAID. WE HAVE TO SHARE THIS PATH TO TRUE HAPPINESS, THIS PATH TO PEACE. >> AGAIN, I LOOK AT SOME OF THE EVENTS GOING ON IN OUR SOCIETY. ONE OF THE BEATITUDES THAT THAT STRIKES OUT FOR ITS ABSENCE IS BLESSED ARE THE MEEK. WE SEE PEOPLE BECOMING SO ANGRY AND UPSET AND INSISTENT IN PUSHING THE AGENDA, IT GOES ON A LOT. >> YES. >> AND YOU SEE IT ALL OVER. AND IT GOES TO EXTREMES OF HOW MANY PEOPLE JUST STANDING AROUND GETTING MURDERED AND THAT HORRENDOUS SITUATION IN VEGAS OR SO MANY POLICE GETTING SHOT DOING THEIR DUTY. >> YES. >> THAT BEATITUDE OR HAPPINESS WAS BEING MEEK, WITH HOPE OF AN INHERITING THE EARTH. >> YES. >> IS UNDONE BY PEOPLE SAYING, NO, I WANT THE EARTH NOW! >> RIGHT, RIGHT. THE SENSE OF ARROGANCE, AND I TELL YOU WHAT'S INTERESTING IS IN TALKING ABOUT MEEKNESS, IF I COULD JUST PUT THAT IN CONTEXT BECAUSE WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT THE BEATITUDES IS IN ADDITION TO BEING AN INTERIOR BIOGRAPHY OF OUR LORD, THERE'S ALSO AN INNER LOGIC TO THE BEATITUDES. SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONLY THE FIRST AND LAST ACTUALLY MENTION THE KINGDOM AND THE FATHER IS TAUGHT IS THE FIRST IS HOW WE ENTER AND THE EIGHTH IS THE COMMISSION AND IN BETWEEN IS WHAT THE KINGDOM LOOKS LIKE WITHIN OUR HEARTS, WITHIN CIVILIZED SOCIETY. SO THE FIRST BEATITUDE, POOR IN SPIRIT. WELL, OBVIOUSLY THAT INVOLVES SOME SIMPLICITY OF LIFE, ACCORDING TO OUR STATE IN LIFE BUT MORE PROFOUNDLY, IT MEANS THE WILLINGNESS AND THE ACKNOWLEDGE OF OUR EMPTINESS BEFORE GOD. LORD, I NEED YOU. I HAVE A POVERTY OF MY HEART, YOU KNOW. YEARS AGO, A RELIGIOUS SISTER SAID TO ME HER GREATEST POVERTY WERE FAREWELLS. MANY OF HER RELIGIOUS SISTERS ABOUT HER AGE WERE BEGINNING TO DIE AND HAVING TO SAY GOOD-BYE, RIGHT, THAT WAS HER GREATEST POVERTY OF SPIRIT. SO IN TERMS OF ENTERING THE KINGDOM, THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS, LORD, I CAN'T DO THIS. I CAN'T FIX THIS. I CAN'T DO THIS. LORD, I NEED-- I NEED YOU. IT'S NOT IT'S NICE TO TURN TO YOU OR THIS IS A GOOD SOCIAL CONVENTION, OR OKAY, YOU KIND OF HELP SOMETIMES. NO, THIS RADICAL AND PROFOUND, LORD, I NEED YOU. SO WE ENTER THE KINGDOM BY THIS ACKNOWLEDGE WHICH LEADS US TO SORROW AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE SORROW OVER THE DEATH OF LOVED ONES BUT BIBLICALLY THAT SECOND BEATITUDE IS SORROW OVER SIN. SO WE CALL REPENTANCE AND IF I KNOW I NEED GOD AND I LOOK AND ALL THE TIMES WHEN I CHOSE SOMETHING OTHER THAN GOD AND I REPENT, I ALSO AM CONVINCED AND I CARE ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND ME. SO I REPENT OVER THE EVIL SO THE EVIL IN LAS VEGAS, THE CRIMES, YOU KNOW, THE FLU EPIDEMIC. YEAH, I FEEL AS CHRISTIANS WE CANNOT BE APATHETIC. PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT. LIKE, WE CARE AND SORROW OVER MY SINS, SORROW OVER THE EVILS OF THE WORLD, AND THAT LEADS US THEN TO MEEKNESS AND WHAT IS MEEKNESS IN TERMS OF THE BEATITUDES TO NO-- TO KNOW ONE'S VOCATION AND TO DO IT. CERTAINLY ARROGANCE SHOULDN'T BE THERE. THAT'S CONTRARY TO THE CALL THAT WE HAVE AS HUMAN BEINGS, MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE BUT MEEKNESS ALSO MEANS SOMETIMES STANDING UP. YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M PREACHING AND ESPECIALLY TO CHRISTIAN PARENTS AND I USE THIS BEATITUDE A LOT, YOU OUGHT TO BE MEEK. THAT MEANS YOU DO WHAT GOD HAS ASKED TO YOU DO. THAT MEANS IF THE TEENAGER COMES IN LATE, YOU HOLD THE LINE, YOU EXERCISE DISCIPLINE AND THAT'S BEING MEEK, RIGHT. SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE THIS IMAGE WHERE MEEKNESS MEANS THE QUIET, RELIGIOUS SISTER. BEING THIS QUIET, RELIGIOUS SISTER AND NO, MEEK CAN BE A DRILL SERGEANT, TO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO TURN A CIVILIAN INTO A SOLDIER SO EVEN AS HE'S SCREAMING AND DEMANDING, HE'S BEING MEEK. HE'S NOT OVERSTEPPING HIS BOUNDS. HE'S NOT CLAIMING SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO HIM. HE'S FULFILLING HIS VOCATION, AND I THINK ONCE WE BEGIN TO SEE THAT LOGIC OF THE BEATITUDES BECOME THE MEEKNESS, OH THIS IS WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO. THIS IS MY PLACE. THIS IS MY ROLE AND THAT LEADS TO US HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS THE FOURTH BEATITUDE. YOU CAN JUST SEE, THIS IS LIKE ALMOST FUN. YOU SEE THIS DYNAMICS OF, WOW, THERE REALLY IS A SURE PATH TO HAPPINESS. LIKE THIS MAKES SENSE. >> UH-HUH. YEAH, IT'S IMPORTANT. SOMETHING, TOO, JUST SO THAT FOLKS SEE ANOTHER ELEMENT ABOUT THE BEATITUDES, THE BEATITUDES ARE THE OPENING SPEECH, THE FIRST OPENING SPEECH OF JESUS CHRIST IN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY. >> YES. >> THE CLOSING PUBLIC SPEECH IN THE SAME GOSPEL OF MATTHEW IS-- >> THE JUDGMENT. >> NO, THAT'S JUST IN THE EPISTLES. THE LAST PUBLIC SPEECH ARE THE SEVEN WOES. >> YES. >> AGAINST THE PHARISES. >> YES. >> AND WOES FOR THEIR PRIDE AND THEIR-- HE SAYS, YOU ROB FROM WIDOWS, YOU TRY-- YOU GO OUT AND YOU DON'T MAKE CONVERTS OR IF YOU DO, YOU MAKE THEM WORSE THAN YOU ARE, IT'S MEANT TO BE SEEN AS BOOKENDS. >> YES. >> THE BEATITUDES GIVE US THE INNER LIFE OF CHRIST. >> YES. >> LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S A GREAT WAY THAT POPE BENEDICT PUT IT, BUT THE WOES ARE THE INNER LIFE OF THE SINNER IN THE WORLD. NOT JUST THE PHARISES, IT'S ANY ONE OF US. >> WHAT I LIKE ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO ACCEPT CORRECTION AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THE HUMILITY AND THE GENTLENESS TO OFFER IT BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS WE CAN'T ALLOW THE GOSPEL TO BE COTTON CANDY OR A SELF-HELP GUIDE. THE BEATITUDES ARE DEMANDING. IN FACT, THEY'RE SO DEMANDING THAT WE'RE CALLED TOGETHER IN A COVENANT WITH CHRIST AND WE'RE CALLED TO HELP ONE ANOTHER, IRON SHARPENING IRON, BUT WE'RE ALSO GIVEN SHEPHERDS WHO TEACH AND INTERPRET. YOU CAN IMAGINE THESE WOES SAYING DON'T DO THIS AND DON'T DO THIS AND WHEN YOU DO THIS AND SOMETIMES WE WANT JESUS TO BE THE WARM, FUZZY TEDDY BEAR AND NO. LIKE, THIS IS A VERY DEMANDING WAY OF LIFE. IT'S ONE THAT GRANTS WHAT IT PROMISES BUT IT'S ONE THAT WILL-- IT DOES CALL FOR THE CROSS AND IF WE'RE NOT CARRYING THE CROSS BUT WE'RE SAYING WE ARE, THE LORD WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. >> TO ME, I THINK ONE OF THE-- JUST IN THE WAY THAT ST. MATTHEW HAS STRUCTURED HIS GOSPEL, HE'S SAYING THAT ALL OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, THE WHOLE PUBLIC MINISTRY STANDS IN BETWEEN THE EIGHT BEATITUDES OR THE SEVEN WOES. AND THAT'S YOUR SPECTRUM. NOW WHAT'S IN BETWEEN HAS TO BE JUDGED BY THAT. IF YOU CHOOSE AGAINST THE HOPE THAT CHRIST OFFERS US AND THE REST OF IT IS TEACHING, YOU'LL EXPERIENCE THE WOE, WHICH IS AN OLD TESTAMENT TERM, THAT IN HEBREW WAS USED FOR FUNERALS. THEY WOULD SAY WOE TO SOMEBODY. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN PEOPLE WOULD GO TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE AT OUR GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND MOTHER SUPERIOR WAS THE PRINCIPAL. THE OTHER KIDS WOULD BE SINGING FROM NOT KNOWING THE AUTHOR, THEY'D BE SINGING THE FUNERAL MASH BY CHOPIN, DUMB, DUMB, DUMB [ HUMMING ] BECAUSE YOU'RE GOOD AS DEAD. THAT'S WHAT WOES ARE. YOU'RE AS GOOD AS DEAD. WHERE BEATITUDE, AS YOU POINT OUT, IS BASED ON HOPE. >> YEAH. >> THIS IS THE TWO SETS OF CHOICES. >> YES, YES, THE IMPORTANCE OF REALIZING THAT CHOICE. OBVIOUSLY, THE SACRAMENTS GIVE US THE LIFE OF GRACE BUT ST. PAUL SAID WE HAVE TO FAN AND FLAME THE GRACES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US. WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FOR THE LIFE THAT HE PROMISES US, FOR HAPPINESS AND EVERY DAY TO CHOOSE TO LIVE THE BEATITUDES, AND THAT'S NOT EASY AND WHAT I LIKE IS, YOU KNOW, THIS HEALTH AND WEALTH GOSPEL GOING ON ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND I DENOUNCE THAT ALL OVER THE PLACE AND I SAID, LORD, NEVER LIED TO US BECAUSE HE LOVES US. HE MADE IT CLEAR IF WE WANT TO FOLLOW HIM, WE HAVE TO PICK UP THE CROSS. I LIKE TO GIVE THE EXAMPLE THAT IN THE LORD'S PUBLIC MINISTRY, CROWDS FOLLOWED HIM. THEY WERE ALWAYS THERE. AT THE END OF HIS LIFE, HE HAD 72 DISCIPLES, 12 DISCIPLES AND HIS MOTHER. LESS THAN 100 PEOPLE ACCEPTED THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP AND THAT SHOWS US THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT HE WAS SAYING TO DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS. SOMETIMES I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR US ESPECIALLY IN THE CHURCH TODAY FOR ALL OF US BAPTIZED TO ASK DO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD IS SAYING, AND ARE WE READY EVERY DAY TO GIVE THAT GENEROUS YES? LORD, I WILL FOLLOW YOU. I DO LOVE YOU. LORD, I CHOOSE HAPPINESS IN YOU. LORD, HAPPY ME TO COOPERATE WITH YOUR GRACE TO DO IT TO SPREAD THIS KINGDOM. THAT'S THE PART I THINK WE MISS. IF WE GET BUSY OR THERE'S THE STATUS QUO AND THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE, NO, LET'S SLOW THIS DOWN. >> NOT TO OMIT EITHER THE FEAR THAT WE HAVE. WHAT IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT? WHAT IF JESUS DOESN'T WORK? LIKE, PEOPLE-- >> SURE >> THINK THAT. >> SURE, SURE. >> YOU KNOW, AND YOU ARE TAKING A CERTAIN RISK WITH HIM AND IS IT WORTH RISKING TO BE AS GOOD AS HE SAYS AND FOLLOW HIM? >> YES. >> YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION. >> YES. YES. AND THAT, I THINK, INVOLVES THE LEAP IN TERMS OF FAITH, TRUST, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GOING TO FULFILL WHAT YOU PROMISED? WILL YOU MAKE ME HAPPY? WHAT IF THIS FAILS? WHAT IF THIS IS ALL A JOKE? AND WE LIVE IN A SKEPTICAL SOCIETY AND SO THOSE QUESTIONS-- >> ON THE GOOD DAYS. [LAUGHTER] >> YEAH. IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING, RIGHT? AND ON THE GOOD DAYS, WE HAVE THIS SKEPTICISM. MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO PEOPLE IS LIVE THEM, LIVE THEM FOR EIGHT DAYS. I CALL IT THE BE BLESSED CHALLENGE. JUST EIGHT DAYS LIVE THEM AND TELL ME IF YOUR LIFE IS BETTER. >> LET ME ASK YOU THIS, THOUGH. YOU MENTION, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF YOUR BOOK IS THE KINGDOM OF HAPPINESS. HOW DOES THAT FIT WITH JESUS SAYING, UNLESS YOU PICK UP YOUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW ME, YOU CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE? >> YES >> HOW DOES THAT GO TOGETHER? PICKING UP THE CROSS IS HARD. >> YES, EXACTLY, AND AT ANY AGE. >> SUFFERING, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HAPPINESS? [LAUGHTER] >> EXACTLY. I WANT TO BE HAPPY SO I DON'T SUFFER, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE THINK. I THINK ONCE WE GO BACK TO THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT HAPPINESS IS BEING BLESSED, THAT WE'RE GOOD, THAT WE'RE LOVED, THAT WE ARE GOOD AND WE HAVE TO LET THIS GOODNESS FLOURISH, WE BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT AREN'T GOOD IN US, THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALLOWED TO BE IN OUR LIVES AND THINGS THAT WE'RE COOPERATING WITH THAT ARE NOT GOOD. THAT'S WHERE THE SUFFERING COMES IN, RIGHT? WHEN THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOOD, EITHER BECAUSE OF OUR FAULT OR THE FAULT OF HUMANITY. >> OR, SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE AFTER YOU. >> EVIL PEOPLE, WHICH WE KNOW ARE THERE. SO IN TERMS OF ALL THIS, WE LOOK AND WE SAY, OKAY, THIS SUFFERING IS SO THAT GOOD CAN TRIUMPH, AND SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SUFFERING HAS PURPOSE. IT HAS VALUE. WE ARE TO DIE TO OURSELVES AND THEN WHAT WE'RE SUFFERING OVER IS THE BATTLE OVER EVIL SO THAT GOODNESS CAN WIN. THAT'S WORTH IT. >> UH-HUH. >> AS GOODNESS WINS AND AS IT TRIUMPHS IN OUR LIFE AND IN SOCIETY THAT WE SEAT FLOURISHING OF THE HUMAN PERSON. WE SEE VIRTUES THAT WE DIDN'T THINK WERE POSSIBLE IN OUR LIFE. WE SEE VICES DISAPPEAR IN OUR OWN LIVES. WE SEE IN SOCIETY, THE UNBORN, PROTECTED. WE SEE THE TERMINALLY ILL AND THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, CHERISHED, YOU KNOW, AND SO ON. SO WE SEE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING, HUMAN THINGS WHEN WE SAY YES AND THE SUFFERING IS WORTH IT. SUFFERING AND HAPPINESS ARE NOT AT ODDS. IN FACT, IF WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE HAPPY, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT SUFFERING AND HAPPINESS CO-EXIST. >> YES. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS-- YOU KNOW, THIS MIX TO ALWAYS GO BACK TO THAT VIRTUE OF HOPE, WHICH IS A THEOLOGICAL VIRTUE. YOU HAVE HOPE BECAUSE GOD GIVES YOU THE GRACE TO HAVE HOPE, BUT ALSO TO CHECK OURSELVES BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY SKEPTICISM. THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF CYNICISM IN OUR SOCIETY. SOMETIMES THERE ARE CERTAIN HUMAN PROJECTS THAT DESERVE IT, BUT CYNICISM IS HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IT'S THE WAY THAT COWARDS SHOW ANGER. >> YES. >> IT'S THE ANGER OF COWARDS TO BE CYNICAL. THEY DON'T WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND DO SOMETHING. THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ON THE FORCES OF EVIL. I MIGHT GET HURT. I'M NOT GOING TO GET HURT, BUT BOY, THIS IS ALL NON-SENSE OR EQUIVALENT TO THAT, AND THEY JUST ARE CYNICAL, AND THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO CHECK OURSELVES WITH. THE ANTIDOTE TO THE CYNICISM IS THIS HOPE THAT CHRIST GIVES US. >> YES. >> THAT'S KEY. >> ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK THAT OF ALL THE VIRTUES IN TERMS OF THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES THOSE THAT ARE FUSED IN OUR SOUL, THE ONES THAT SEEM TO BE THE MOST NEGLECTED, MOST ECLIPSED, MOST FORGOTTEN AND OF THOSE OF THE THREE HOPE. WE CAN SEE DEVIATIONS OF LOVE, DEVIATIONS OF FAITH. THEY ARE WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO BUT IN TERMS OF HOPE, PEOPLE ABANDONED HOPE. >> I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. >> WHEN YOU LOSE HOPE, EVERYTHING TAKES OVER. EVERY DARKNESS BECOMES THE END OF THE WORLD. CATASTROPHE IS ON EVERY TURN, AND I TELL PEOPLE IF YOU WANT A LIST OF THINGS OF WHY YOU COULD BE MISERABLE, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT LIST IN A FALLEN WORLD. IF YOU PLACE YOUR HAPPINESS, IF YOU PLACE YOUR HAPPINESS AS DEPENDENT UPON, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S PERFECT, EVERYTHING'S THE WAY YOU WANT IT, EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING WHEN AND HOW YOU WANT, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MISERABLE. [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THAT IS NOT REALITY. [LAUGHTER] IT WAS A FEW MINUTES OF A COUPLE OF THESE REALITY PROGRAMS WHERE PEOPLE WERE HAVING CELEBRATIONS AND ONE WAS ABOUT BRIDES AND ANOTHER ONE WAS ABOUT GIRLS HAVING SWEET 16 PARTY AND THEY WOULD GET ALL THAT THEY WANTED BUT SOMETHING MIGHT GO WRONG AND WENT INTO THE EAGLE, MANIACAL TANTRUMS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T ENJOY THE PRESENT MOMENT AND >> WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK. WE HAVE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE ON THE SHOW AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES BECAUSE WE INTEND TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE DISCUSSION. LIVING THE BEATITUDES EVERYDAY LIFE. YOU CAN GET THIS FROM EWTN OR C.COM IF YOU GO ONLINE TO OUR RELIGIOUS CATALOG OR CALL THEM, 1-800-854-6316. SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A WINNER THAT A LOT OF US NEED IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND CHRISTIAN HAPPINESS AND JOY. WE'LL BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES. SO PLEASE STAY WITH US AND WE'LL CONTINUE ON THIS CONVERSATION AND GET SOME QUESTIONS. [APPLAUSE] ♪ ♪ [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, WELCOME BACK. I WANT TO INVITE YOU AND NOW THAT IT'S FEBRUARY, WE'RE ALREADY MOVING TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF SPRINGTIME DOWN HERE IN ALABAMA. AND WE LOVE TO HAVE YOU COME AND VISIT. PRETTY SOON, THE FLOWERS ARE STARTING TO GROW UP. I'LL BE GETTING FORSYTHIA PRETTY SOON AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU COME VISIT US. IT'S SO PRETTY HERE IN THE SPRINGTIME. IT'S A LONG SPRINGTIME. IF YOU CAN MAKE A PILGRIMAGE HERE, GO ONLINE AND CONTACT PILGRIMAGES@EWTN.COM, OR YOU CAN CALL 205-271-2966. WE GIVE YOU INFORMATION ABOUT SCHEDULING OF PROGRAMS AND SUCH AS THAT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, SO I GUESS I'LL CONTINUE ON. [LAUGHTER] THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU. ONE PART OF THE BEATITUDES ESPECIALLY TOWARD THE END, YOU KNOW, IN SOME WAYS IS A BEATITUDE BUT ALSO A WARNING, IMPLICITLY, BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN MEN PERSECUTE YOU FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. >> YES. >> OR WHEN THEY PERSECUTE YOU FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST IN HIS NAME. WE'VE HAD THE LAST CENTURY SAW MORE MARTYRS THAN ANY OTHER PERIOD IN HISTORY, IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH THERE HAVE BEEN 75 MILLION MARTYRS IN THE LAST IT,000 YEARS BUT 40 MILLION OF THOSE MARTYRS DIED IN THE 20th CENTURY. SO IT'S BEEN THE WORST PERIOD OF PERSECUTION BOTH FOR PRINCIPLES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. I REMEMBER NUNS WHO WERE WORKING WITH THE POOR IN CENTRAL AMERICA WERE MURDERED. >> YES. >> AND MANY OTHERS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS JUST ONE THAT WAS PROMINENT AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE MARTYRED BECAUSE THEY'RE CHRISTIANS AND WE SEE THAT QUITE A BIT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND PAKISTAN AND IRAQ, IRON AND OTHER PLACES. >> YES. >> SYRIA. >> YES. >> TERRORIST GROUPS LIKE AL-QUEADA AND ISIS, THEY'VE DONE THIS HORRIBLE THINGS. >> YEAH. >> AND HOW IS THAT BEING PERSECUTED RATHER FOR PRINCIPLES FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS OR FOR THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST, HOW DOES THAT MEAN HAPPINESS >> AS YOU SAID, FATHER, THE AMOUNT OF MARTYRS THAT WE'VE HAD SHOULD AND IN ONE SENSE SHOCK US BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT THE LIGHTS, MANY LIGHTS AND CIVILIZATION ARE GOING OUT AND AS WE SAY, YOU KNOW, DARK AGE IS NOT WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT BUT WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND NO ONE NOTICES THIS AND THE FACT THAT MORE AND MORE CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN ARE BEING CALLED TO STAND UP AND DIE FOR THE FAITH IS LIGHTS ARE GOING OUT AND IT APPEARS THAT IF A LOT OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND OUR SOCIETY AREN'T RECOGNIZING IT. AND IT'S A MINORITY OF THOSE MARTYRS WHO DIED AT THE HANDS OF MUSLIM TERRORISTS AND SUCH. AND THE VAST MAJORITY IN THE 90 PLUS PERCENTILE, I THINK IT'S ALMOST 98% HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ATHEISTIC GOVERNMENTS. >> YES. >> COMMUNISTS. >> YES. >> THE NATIONAL SOCIALISTS, THE NAZIS. >> YES. >> THEY HAVE BEEN THE MAJOR PERPETRATORS ALL OF THESE MARTYRDOMS. >> INCLUDING OUR FIRST MARTYR HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BLESSED STANLEY, THE PRIEST OF OKLAHOMA. HE DIED UNDER A COMMUNIST-INSPIRED GOVERNMENT IN CENTRAL AMERICA. SO WE SEE THIS EXACTLY. IT'S MILITANT, YOU KNOW, ISLAM, EXTREME ISLAM AND IN SOME CASES AND IT'S ALSO COMMUNISM. YOU KNOW, CORRUPT GOVERNMENTS. IT'S ALL KINDS OF THESE AREAS AND IN EACH ONE WHEREVER IT IS AND OF COURSE, WHEN WE START TO SPEAK ABOUT AFRICA OR ASIA, THERE ARE PERSECUTIONS THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE WEST HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD ABOUT, RIGHT? AND YET WHAT IT SHOWS IS MORE AND MORE CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN, WE CARE. WE'RE NOT INDIFFERENT. WE ARE INVOLVED. WE HAVE COMPASSION TOWARD OUR NEIGHBOR. WE STAND UP FOR OUR NEIGHBOR. EVEN IF IT MEANS OUR OWN PERSECUTION AND WHILE IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, MA MEANS SHEDDING BLOOD AND I WANT TO STRESS RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN THE WESTERN WORLD, WE ARE ALSO CALLED THE MARTYRDOM. GO AHEAD AND STAND UP FOR NATURAL MARRIAGE AND WATCH OUT OR PREACH ABOUT THE PERSONHOOD OF THE UNBORN. >> EVEN CALLING THEM A BABY. >> EVEN CALL THEM A BABY. PEOPLE WILL OBJECT TO SAYING THAT A CHILD INSIDE A WOMB IS A BABY. >> YES, YES. IF A PERSON ACCEPTS THE WAY THE WAY OF HAPPINESS AND THE BEATITUDES, THAT BEATITUDE, THE WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT PERSECUTION AND THE EARLY FATHERS, IT'S INTERESTING THEY SAW THE FIRST BEATITUDE IS THE ENTRANCEWAY, THIS DYNAMICISM >> REPEAT THAT BEATITUDE? >> THE FIRST ONE? >> YES. >> THE POOR IN SPIRIT. EXACTLY, POOR IN SPIRIT. LORD, I NEED YOU, AND SO ON AND THIS INNER DYNAMICS THAT WE HAVE AND THE EARLY FATHERS THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE 70 BEATITUDES AND THEY SAID THE EIGHTH BEATITUDE IS THE COMMISSIONING. AND IN PART, THEY DID THAT FOR REASONS BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEVEN BEATITUDES THAT MATCHES THE SEVEN TENETS OF THE LORD'S PRAYER AND SO ON. >> THEY LIKE-- EXACTLY, RIGHT. IT ACCENTUATED THE FACT THAT THE EIGHTH BEATITUDE IS A COMMISSION THAT IF WE LIVE, LOVE, LIFE THE KINGDOM THEN WE KNOW OF ITS GOODNESS AND WE KNOW THE HAPPINESS THAT WE HAVE AND WE WILL FIGHT AND HOLD THE LINE SO THAT GOODNESS CAN WIN, AGAIN, I STRESS IN OUR OWN SOCIETY, WE CAN SEE THAT. WE CAN SEE IT IN HOMES AND FAMILIES AND WE CAN SEE THEM IN WORKPLACES. WILL WE HOLD THE LINE, OR WILL WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE SHAMED IN THE SILENCE? WILL WE ALLOW THAT TO BE FORCEFULLY PRIVATIZIZED OR WILL WE STAND UP? WILL WE LET THE AGE OF SILENCE, RELIGIOUS SHAMING END? THE EIGHTH BEATITUDE CALLS TO US THAT AND BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND HOW GOOD THE KINGDOM IS AND THE HAPPINESS THAT COMES WITH IT, BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR, WE ARE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR THAT AND EVEN SUFFER PERSECUTION. WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MOCKERY, WHETHER THAT'S SLANDER, WHETHER THAT'S GOSSIP OR SHEDDING OUR BLOOD, WE WILL FIGHT BECAUSE WE CARE AND WE WANT TO SHARE THE HAPPINESS THAT WE HAVE FOUND. >> SOME OF THE WAYS-- ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THE BEATITUDES IS THAT MOST OF THEM SAY, BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO-- BLESSED ARE THE POOREST IN SPIRIT. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR (INAUDIBLE) BUT WITH THESE, BLESSED ARE YOU. NOW THIS CHANGES FROM A THIRD PERSON, PEOPLE IN GENERAL. >> WHICH IS SAFE. >> YEAH. A LITTLE BIT SAFE AND DOING IT AND IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT REMOVED BUT THEN IN THE LAST BEATITUDE, BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN YOU ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN YOU ARE PERSECUTED FOR MY NAME AND THIS IS CHRIST TURNING AWAY FROM THE CROWD IN GENERAL AND TURNING TO ME AND THIS IS A DIRECT ADDRESS THAT HE'S MAKING TO US. >> AND LITMUS TEST ON WHETHER OR NOT WE ACCEPT AND ARE SEEKING TO LIVE THIS, BY THIS KINGDOM, THIS PATH TO HAPPINESS AND IF WE ARE AND WE HAVE SEEN THE CHANGE IT'S MADE AND WE CARE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR, THEN WE WILL SAY I WILL GO, LORD, WHATEVER THEY MIGHT SAY OF ME, WHATEVER MOCKERY THEY MIGHT GIVE AND IF THEY SHOULD CAUSE VIOLENCE OR EVEN TAKE MY LIFE, I WILL DO THIS AND THIS RADICALLY CHANGED MY LIFE AND THIS IS ABOUT LOOKING WITH HAPPINESS, THE KINGDOM PREACHED BY JESUS CHRIST. >> I THINK WE NEED, ALL OF US WHO ARE WATCHING AND THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND ANYONE WHO READS YOUR BOOK, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW THERE ARE PRESENTLY ATTEMPTS TO DO SMALL ACTIONS OF SHAMING CHRISTIANS INTO DENYING THEIR FAITH. CLASSIC EXAMPLE WAS A FEW YEARS AGO, A PROFESSOR HAD STUDENTS MAKE LARGE AND THEY SAID PUT THAT PIECE OF PAPER ON THE FLOOR. NOW STAND UP AND NOW STOMP ON IT. ALL BUT ONE MORMON CHILD, STUDENT, NOT CHILD. A YOUNG MAN BUT ALL BUT ONE MORMON YOUNG MAN DID IT. NOW THAT TO ME IS PROBLEMATIC OR SHAMEFULLY, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY WHICH HAD THE NAME OF JESUS INSCRIBED IN GREEK IN THIS ONE ROOM AND WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA CAME THERE TO SPEAK, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN FRONT, THE FRONT MEN CAME IN AND SAID YOU GOT TO COVER THAT UP. SHAMEFULLY THEY DID IT. . THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE MUST WATCH OUT FOR. JUST A WEEK OR TWO AGO AT A SCHOOL, KIDS WERE TOLD TO TAKE THE AMERICAN FLAG AND STOMP ON IT. THE NAME OF JESUS IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE FLAG. IT'S THESE ATTACKS ARE SACRED AND I GUARANTEE YOU IT'S TO DESENSITIZE US FOR NOT STANDING UP FOR JESUS AND PERSECUTION. >> ABSOLUTELY. THE LANGUAGE IS SEDUCTIVE THAT THEY USE AND IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY AND IF THAT'S OKAY FOR YOU AND YOU SHOULD DO IT PRIVATELY. WE SHOULDN'T DO IT IN A PUBLIC FORUM. WE CAN'T IMPOSE THIS ON OTHER PEOPLE. THESE ARGUMENTS ARE ALWAYS BEING USED AND THEY SOUND CONVINCING TO OUR AMERICAN SENTIMENTS AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO STEP BACK AND SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, FOR EXAMPLE, BCE AND INSTEAD OF BC OR ALL THESE LITTLE WAYS AND EVENTUALLY WE STEP BACK AND SAY MORE AND MORE, ANY RELIGIOUS SENSE, ANY TRANSINNOCENTAL SENTIMENT IS DISAPPEARING MORE AND MORE THE LATE MOREHOUSE WOULD SPEAK ABOUT THE PUBLIC SQUARE. THAT'S NOT HELPFUL TO A CIVILIZED SOCIETY. WE NEED RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM. WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS. WE HAVE THIS TRANSCENDENCE. WE WERE MADE FOR HAPPINESS. WE NEED THESE THINGS IN ORDER FOR OUR SOCIETY TO BE ENRICHED. BOTH RELIGIOUSLY, IN TERMS OF OUR OWN FAITH, BUT THEN ALSO JUST AS HUMAN BEINGS HAVE THIS SPIRITUAL NATURE THAT THESE ARE IMPORTANT AND IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CHRISTIANITY. YOU KNOW, AND SO EVEN I WOULD SAY THE NON-CHRISTIAN SHOULD ARGUE TO PRESERVE THESE SYMBOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE SYMBOLS, FIRST AND FOREMOST OF JESUS CHRIST AND ALSO THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GREATER THAN THE GOVERNMENT. RIGHT? THAT THERE'S SOMETHING DEEPER THAN THE HUMAN HEART. THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK WE CAN ALL RALLY AROUND WITH AND I THINK WE HAVE TO WATCH OUT BECAUSE MORE AND MORE IT'S JUST DISAPPEARING AND IT SEEMS AS IF SECULARISM SEEMS TO MORE AND MORE BECOME THE RULE OF THE DAY. >> I DID NOTICE KNOW, THOUGH, THIS YEAR, THAT A LOT MORE PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS. >> FUNNY HOW THAT WAS. >> BUT IT'S-- AND YOU KNOW, IF I KNOW THAT SOMEBODY IS JEWISH, I WISH THEM A HAPPY FEAST FOR WHATEVER FEAST IT MIGHT BE. I SHOW RESPECT, YOU SHOW RESPECT TO JEWS. YOU SHOW RESPECT TO MUSLIMS WHEN CELEBRATING THEIR HOLIDAY AND SO ON. IT DOESN'T MEAN I AGREE WITH THEIR RELIGION. BUT I RESPECT THEIR CONSCIENCE. I MUST ALSO RESPECT MY CHRISTIAN FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE. >> YES. >> THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE ECONOMY. IT'S ABOUT JESUS CHRIST THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING. >> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THIS YEAR AND OF COURSE, I JOKE BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR PRESIDENT ENCOURAGED MERRY CHRISTMAS AND I THINK I WAS ENCOURAGED BY HOW MANY JEWISH SCHOLARS AND MUSLIM SCHOLARS CAME OUT AND SAID, YES, CULTURALLY WE UNDERSTAND THIS. WE'RE NOT FORCING ANYONE, NO RELIGION IS BEING FORCED. IT'S A CULTURAL EXPRESSION THAT IN ONE BROADER SENSE HE EXPRESSIONS THE RELIGIOUS NATURE OF EVERY HUMAN BEING. IN THIS CULTURE, IT'S CHRISTIANITY. IF I GO TO ISRAEL, THEY WILL WISH ME HAPPY SABBATH AND I WILL HAD WISH THEM THAT BACK. I CAN APPRECIATE THAT AS A SPIRITUAL BEING. >> ABSOLUTELY. EVERY TIME I SEE JEWISH PEOPLE ON FRIDAYS, I ALWAYS-- AND WHEN I'M IN ISRAEL, SHABBAT SHALOM, A SABBATH OF PEACE, A REST OF PEACE. OF COURSE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO STAND UP FOR AND PART OF WHAT THAT BEATITUDE OF, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE BLESSED AND PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS OR FOR THE NAME OF JESUS. >> YES. >> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN THAT DAY. >> I WILL SAY, FATHER, WHAT'S ENCOURAGING FOR US AS AMERICANS IS EVERY CULTURE HAS ITS WEAKNESSES. EVERY CULTURE HAS ITS STRENGTH AND I THINK ONE OF OUR STRENGTHS AS AMERICANS IS WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO SUFFER PERSECUTION FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. I MEAN THIS IS OUR BEATITUDE, RIGHT? >> YEAH. >> SO WHETHER IT WAS NAZIISM, YOU KNOW, WORLD WAR II, WHETHER IT WAS A COLD WAR WITH SOVIET COMMUNISM, WHETHER IT'S THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS AND WE HAVE AND (INAUDIBLE) RALLYING FOR THEM AND MOST AMERICANS ARE OPPOSED TO ABORTION AND THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE SENTIMENTS BECAUSE OF THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY TO THROW OFF TYRANNY, TO ARGUE AND FIGHT FOR&DIE FOR FREEDOM, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING IN OUR JUST NATIONAL CHARACTER THAT REFUSES THAT DOES NOT WANT EVIL TO WIN AND PEOPLE ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE, WHEN THEY TRY TO REDEFINE AND THERE'S SOMETHING CERTAINLY IN THE HEART OF A GOOD PERSON, CERTAINLY IN THE HEART OF A BELIEVER, BUT I WOULD ARGUE SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE IN THE HEART OF AN AMERICAN, RIGHT, WE KNOW THAT EVIL IS NOT SUPPOSED TO WIN, RIGHT, WE KNOW THAT LAW AND ORDER IS WHAT WE WERE CREATED FOR, AND IT WAS THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY. I THINK THAT IN MANY RESPECTS WHILE THE BEATITUDES APPLY AND THAT BEATITUDE RESONATES WITH AMERICANS. YES, WE WILL FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. >> ONE OF THE BEATITUDES THAT MAY HAVE FAULTS OF A CULTURE AND A VARIETY AND ONE THAT IS TRULY NEGLECTED NOW IS BLESSED ARE THE PURE OF HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD. PURITY ON A VARIETY OF WAYS, PURITY OF MOTIVE AND PURITY OF LOVING BECAUSE IT'S GOOD TO LOVE AND WE NEED TO CALL OUR CULTURE BACK TO A PURITY ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO IN TERMS OF THAT BEATITUDE, I LIKE TO STRESS IS, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS BEATITUDE MEANS THAT WE SEE THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE THE CLEAN, THE PURE HEART THAT CAN SEE GOD. THAT'S THE BLESSING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BEATITUDE AND THAT WE CAN SEE HIS PROVIDENCE. WE CAN SEE HIS GOODNESS SO WHEN PEOPLE SEE, YOU KNOW, EVIL, WE CAN SEE THE CAPACITY FOR GOODNESS AND WHEN PEOPLE SEE DARKNESS, WE LOOK FOR THE LIGHT. WHEN PEOPLE SEE BROKENNESS, WE KNOW THAT THE HEALING IS POSSIBLE AND WE SEE WHAT OTHERS CANNOT SEE, RIGHT? THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST AND A LOT OF YOU HAVE THAT PROVIDENTIAL VIEW AND THEY BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND OTHER THINGS, SACRED THINGS, OUR BODIES ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE BODIES OF OTHERS ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. >> THEY'RE NOT FOR MY SELF-CENTERED USE. >> RIGHT. AND TO OBJECTIFY ANYONE WHO IS ALSO A CHILD OF GOOD AND HAS THIS VOCATION TO HAPPINESS AND IT'S SACRELIG TO OUR HUMAN NATURE AND TO GOD. FROM A FLOWING FROM OUR HEART, WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND PURITY FROM MODESTY AND CHASTITY AND SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE SOMEONE THAT BEING CELIBATE AND CHASTITY WERE SYNONYMS AND CHASTITY APPLIES TO EVERY PERSON OF GOOD WILL AND CERTAINLY TO EVERY BAPTIZED PERSON ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE MARID AND IN TERMS OF THIS BEATITUDE, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO RETRIEVE IT AND I THINK GO BACK TO THE INTERIOR AND BEGINS IN THE INTERIOR LIFE AND ACCENTUATE THAT THIS IS THE UNIVERSAL CALL AND NOT JUST TO THOSE IN CONSECRATED SERVICE BUT THOSE WHO ARE MARRIED, THOSE WHO ARE SINGLE TO STRESS THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR DESIRE FOR HAPPINESS. >> ONE OF THE EVENTS I REMEMBER WELL AND I THINK IT WAS IN THE '80s WAS WHEN POPE ST. JOHN PAUL SAID, IT IS A SERIOUS SIN FOR MARRIED PEOPLE TO SHOW LUST TO THEIR SPOUSES AND TO LUST AFTER ONE ANOTHER. THE PRESS TOOK HIM OVER THE COALS. THE ONE GROUP THAT UNDERSTOOD WERE THE FEMINISTS. THEY MAY DISAGREE WITH US ON ABORTION AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS BUT THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT HE MEANT WOMEN ARE NOT TO BE OBJECTIFIED NOR ARE MEN TO BE OBJECTIFIED BUT THERE'S A DIGNITY INHERENT AND YOU DON'T LUST FOR SOMEBODY WHICH IS SELFISHLY USING THEM. >> YES. >> YOU HAVE A CHASTE MARITAL LOVE THAT IS SELF-GIVING AND NOT TAKING FROM THE OTHER. >> YES. I WAS GLAD THIS YEAR AND I SAW THAT THE BOOK ON PURITY FROM THE PHILOSOPHER DIETRICH VAN HILDEBRAND WAS REPRINTED AND THAT GOES TO THE HEART OF PURITY. >> YES. >> PURITY BRINGS ABOUT REVERANCE. REVERANCE TO GOD, REVERANCE TO OUR OWN DIGNITY, REVERANCE TO THE DIGNITY OF OTHERS AND IT'S ACTUALLY VERY LIBERATING AND BEAUTIFUL WHEN YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT THIS CLEANLINESS OF HEART, THIS PURITY OF HEART ALLOWS US TO BE FREE AND AS YOU INDICATED WITH THE FEMINISTS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND LIKE LUST DOMINATES, LUST CONTROLS, LUST USES. >> YEAH >> AND ALL OF THOSE PORTRAY THE PURITY. >> WE'VE SEEN THAT ALL OVER HOLLYWOOD. >> YES. >> AND POLITICS RECENTLY. SO YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO STAND WITH THAT, NOT AS A POWER ISSUE BUT AS ONE CALLING US TO DIGNITY. >> YES. >> I GOT A PROBLEM. >> OH, NO. >> WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME >> OH, NO. [LAUGHTER] >> YEAH, YEAH. THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BEATITUDES, AND YOU KNOW, THIS ISSUE IN CONNECTION WITH THESE OTHER VIRTUES LIKE HOPE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WRITING THIS AND FOR JOINING US HERE, AND IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME IN GIVING THE BLESSING TO OUR AUDIENCE. >> I'D BE HAPPY TO. MAY MIGHTY GOD BLESS AND YOU KEEP YOU AND CAUSE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON AND YOU LEAD YOU IN ALL OF YOUR WAYS BY HIS PEACE. GOD BLESS YOU, THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> AMEN. >> AND OF COURSE, I HOPE YOU REALIZE THAT MOTHER ANGELICA WAS INSPIRED TO BEGIN THIS NETWORK SO THAT IT WOULD BE BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU. YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO BE HERE AND DO INTERVIEWS AND PROGRAMS WITH GREAT PRIESTS LIKE FATHER KIRBY AND SO MANY OTHER GUESTS WHO COME HERE. SO AS MOTHER ANGELICA ALWAYS BROUGHT UP, WE ASK YOU TO KEEP US IN BETWEEN YOUR GAS BILL, YOUR ELECTRIC BILL AND CABLE BILL SO WE CAN PAY OUR BILLS. IN FACT ONE LADY DIED AND THEY LOOKED AT HER CHECKBOOK. WE WERE RIGHT IN BETWEEN THE GAS BILL AND THE ELECTRIC BILL. PLEASE KEEP US GOING. GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ♪
