♪ >> Doug: HELLO AND WELCOME TO "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE". I'M DOUG KECK, WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE BEFORE. COMING TO YOU AT OUR EWTN STUDIOS IN IRONDALE, ALABAMA AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. LOOK FOR THE SIGNS AND YOU WILL FIND US! CHECK OUT THE EMAIL, AND YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL ON TWITTER IF THAT'S THE WAY WE ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. FOR ALL OF THE THINGS FATHER SPITZER CHECK IT OUT AT THE HIS WEB SITE, magiscenter.com. TODAY'S TOPIC, CHAPTER 7, FINDING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OPPORTUNITIES OF SUFFERING. IN FATHER'S WONDERFUL BOOK THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH CHAPTER BY CHAPTER AND PAGE BY PAGE. AND MYSTICAL SUFFERING OFFERING IT AS A SELF-LOVING SACRIFICE. STAY WITH US. THOUGH MOTHER IS NOT WITH US, THE MINI-BOOKS ARE BEING SERIALIZED IN THESE WONDERFUL HARD BOUND BOOKS. MOTHER ANGELICA ON PRAYER AND LIVING FOR THE KINGDOM. EWTN RELIGIOUS CATALOG HAS THAT. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BIG EVENTS COMING UP. FATHER STANLEY ROTHER, HIS BEATIFICATION IS COMING UP. AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY COMING UP THIS WEEKEND. THE ACTUAL BEATIFICATION IS COMING UP, LIVE FROM THE COX CONVENTION CENTER IN OKLAHOMA CITY. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT LIVE RIGHT ON EWTN. PADRE PIO, SOLEMN MASS COMING UP ON FRIDAY, 10:00 PM, FEATURES THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, INCLUDING TWO WONDERFUL PROGRAMS, BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH AND ALSO, ENCOUNTER WITH PADRE PIO, VERY, VERY POPULAR SAINT RIGHT HERE ON EWTN. EWTN, ewtn.com FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT FATHER ROTHER AND PADRE PIO. AND COMING INTO VIEW ONCE AGAIN TO US, FROM ORANGE COUNTY, FATHER SPITZER. GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU. AND BEFORE WE KICK THE SHOW OFF, I THOUGHT WE'D LIKE TO OFFER PRAYERS FOR THOSE KILLED IN THE HORRIBLE EARTHQUAKE IN MEXICO CITY AND THE HURRICANE THAT IS BATTERING PUERTO RICO AS WE SPEAK. >> ABSOLUTELY. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK YOU TO BLESS OUR WONDERFUL FRIENDS IN MEXICO CITY, ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS EARTHQUAKE AND WE ASK THAT YOU MIGHT PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE, STILL NEED TO BE RESCUED. ALL OF THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST SO MUCH. AND THEY HAVE SO LITTLE SOMETIMES ALREADY. AND WE ASK YOU THAT YOU HELP THEM TO REBUILD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ESPECIALLY THAT WE MIGHT BE AS GENEROUS AS POSSIBLE TO ASSIST THEM IN THEIR TIME OF NEEDS. WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THE VICTIMS OF THE HURRICANE MARIA IN PUERTO RICO, HELP THEM IN THE RECOVERY AND KEEP THEM SAFE AS THE HURRICANE CONTINUES TO DO ITS DAMAGE. BRING THEM BACK SPEEDILY TO THEIR OWN NORMALCY AND WAY OF LIFE. WE ASK YOU TO SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT DOWN UPON THEM TO PROTECT THEM, AND OF COURSE, OUR WONDERFUL MOTHER MARY TO PROTECT THEM AT THIS TIME. THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> Doug: AMEN. VERY GOOD. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE WORKING ON ONE OF YOUR BOOKS. THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT BOOKS AND WE'LL PUT THOSE UP, THE QUAD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE. OF COURSE, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIGHT SHINES ON IN THE DARKNESS IN CHAPTER 7 AND WE WANT TO GET TO THAT FIRST BEFORE WE GET BACK TO THE BOOK FROM THE PRIOR SHOWS. LET'S GET STARTED AND RIGHT INTO THIS. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, CAN WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO OFFER UP OUR SUFFERINGS AND THEN ASK OTHERS FOR PRAYERS, INTERESTING. WHEN I WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, I SAID I WOULD OFFER IT UP FOR THE POOR SOULS IN PURGATORY. I SURE COULD USE THE PRAYERS OF LOVED ONES, THOUGH! MARY KATHERINE WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS I'LL OFFER UP PRAYERS FOR YOU, AND THEY ARE SUFFERING, ARE THEY NEGATING ANYTHING. >> NO, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR LORD DID IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANI. HE PRAYED THE LORD WOULD TAKE THE CUP OF SUFFERING FROM HIM, REMEMBER, THE PRAYER IN THE GARDEN, HEAVENLY FATHER, ABBA. HE CALLS HIM ABBA, IF IT BE YOUR WILL, TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME THE CUP OF SUFFERING THAT WAS ABOUT TO BEFALL HIM. TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME. BUT NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE. SO, YES, JESUS IS AT ONCE PRAYING THAT JESUS WILL TAKE THE CUP FROM HIM AND HE'S OFFERING THE SUFFERINGS, EVEN THE SUFFERINGS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANI AND ALREADY A PART OF HISSELF OFFERING, UNCONDITIONAL GIFT OF LOVE FOR THE WORLD. SO, HE'S DOING BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I MUST ADMIT, I HAVE DONE THE SAME THING, DOZENS OF TIMES MYSELF. I DO OFFER UP, THIS BLINDNESS FOR THE POOR SOULS IN PURGATORY, FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYBODY IN NEED AND THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH IN ITS NEED AT THIS TIME. SO, I DO SORT OF A TRIPLE PRAYER, THE POOR SOULS AND I ALSO DO THE PEOPLE IN NEED RIGHT NOW. AND I ALSO DO THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH AS ST. PAUL ENCOURAGES US TO DO IN THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M DOING TWO OTHER THINGS. I'M ASKING PEOPLE TO PRAY FOR ME. AND ALSO, I'M PURSUING A REMEDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, AND WE WANT ALLEVIATION FROM THE SUFFERING. BUT IF HIS WILL IS TO HAVE US SUFFER, AS JESUS KNOWS, IF THAT'S HIS WILL THAT WE BE ALLOWED TO SUFFER, THEN LET'S OFFER IT UP AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ONE WHO IS IN NEED CAN BENEFIT FROM THE GRACES OF THAT SUFFERING WHICH IN FACT DOES 0 OCCUR AND COMES OUT SO BEAUTIFULLY IN THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS. AND THE LETTERS OF ST. THERESE OF LISEAUX AND SO FORTH. >> Doug: EXACTLY. VERY GOOD. LET'S MOVE AHEAD. ONE FROM FACEBOOK. THERE'S A FRIEND IN MY PRAYER GROUP WITH A VERY TOUGH LIFE, FROM PERSONAL ILLNESS TO FAMILY. I'VE ENCOURAGED HER TO KEEP PRAYING THE ROSARY, AND ASSURING HER OF MY PRAYERS. HER SITUATION IS YEARS LONG, SO IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO TELL HER TO NOT GIVE UP HOPE AND TO KEEP FAITH? CAROL HERE IS SOMEBODY OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY, TELLING THEM TO PRAY AND KEEP THE FAITH. BUT THAT PERSON IS CONTINUING TO SUFFER AS A DIFFICULT LIFE AND STARTS TO THINK, MAYBE THERE'S NOBODY LISTENING. >> Father: WELL, I WOULD SAY TWO THINGS. FIRST THING, SO MANY OF THE SAINTS WERE VERY LONG SUFFERING. AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE OF NOT GIVING UP, RIGHT? BUT OF COURSE, LOOKING TOWARD THE RESURRECTION THAT THE LORD HAS PROMISED US WHO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT AND FINISH THE RACE. GIVING UP IS THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO. WHAT WEIGH WANT TO DO IS KEEP, AS ST. PAUL ENCOURAGES US TO DO, WE WANT TO KEEP FOCUSED ON THE RESURRECTION, KEEP FOCUSED ON WHAT WE'RE LIVING FOR, KEEP FOCUSED ON THE GOOD COMING OUT OF OUR SUFFERING, RIGHT? CAN WE BE A WITNESS TO SOMEBODY ELSE IN OUR SUFFERING OR CAN WE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME GOOD COME OUT OF IT BY OUR SELF OFFERING THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT MOMENTS AGO. OR CAN WE GET SOME KIND OF PURIFICATION OUT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO FAITH OR TO LOVE, OR TO PRAYER, OR TO COMPASSION, ET CETERA. SO, THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS, A, NOT GIVE UP BUT LOOK TOWARD WHAT THIS LIFE IS ALL ABOUT. THIS LIFE IS NOT THE REASON FOR THIS LIFE. LIFE ETERNALLY AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE WITH GOD, AFTER OUR PURIFICATION IN LOVE, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIFE. AND THIS LIFE IS JUST A LITTLE BLIP ON THE ETERNAL RADAR SCREEN. JUST A LITTLE BLIP. SO, THE FACT IS YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF THAT MENTALITY OF NOT GETTING THIS MUCH OUT OF THIS LIFE. WE'RE GETTING AS MUCH OUT OF THIS LIFE AS WE NEED IF WE'RE GOING TOWARD, WHICH I'M SURE, CARROLL, YOUR FRIEND IS GOING TOWARD THAT ETERNAL LIFE IN HER FAITH. AND THE SECOND THING. SOMETIMES THE ROSARY IS A VERY, VERY GOOD PRAYER. AND IN MY LIFE, I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE BEST PRAYERS AROUND. I CAN GET IN CONNECTION WITH THE LORD. I CAN GET IN CONNECTION WITH MARY, OUR MOTHER, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR JUST BRINGING CONSOLATION. EVEN JUST SOMETIMES WHEN WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE PSYCHIC ENERGY TO CONCENTRATE ON DOING CONTEMPLATIONS, MEDITATIONS, CALLED THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY. AND FREQUENTLY ENOUGH, WE CAN JUST THINK ABOUT THE PRAYERS AND JUST SAYING THE PRAYERS PUTS US IN CONNECTION WITH THE LORD AND PUTS US IN CONNECTION WITH OUR BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. AND THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR REALLY ALLOWING CONSOLATION TO COME IN. AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, I WANT SOME OTHER PRAYERS THAT I WANT TO UTILIZE. SO, THERE'S TWO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I HAVE. FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU DON'T MIND GOING AUTO CHAPTER 4 OF MY -- GOING TO CHAPTER 4 OF MY BOOK, GO TO MY WEB SITE, magiscenter.com. THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF SPONTANEOUS PRAYERS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE THAT ARE VERY GOOD IN TIMES OF SUFFERING. YOU CAN KIND OF REPEAT THEM WITH THE LORD THERE. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO MUSTER ENERGY IN ON THE WORDS. THERE'S, LIKE, FIVE, SIX WORDS, VERY REPEATABLE AND SUCH A GOOD CONDUIT OF RELIEF AND GRACE. THAT'S THE SECOND AREA YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT. GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL PRAYERS. THERE'S SOME VERY, VERY GOOD PRAYER BOOKS OUT THERE. AND SOME OF THEM ARE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING. AND WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM AND MANY OF THEM ARE GOOD, GO AHEAD AND GOOGLE AMAZON PRAYER BOOK, CATHOLIC SUFFERING. AMAZON PRAYER BOOKS, YOU KNOW, SUFFERING, AND CATHOLIC. AND TAKE THOSE FOUR SEARCH WORDS. LOOK OVER WHO IS PUBLISHING THAT BOOK. IF THE PUBLISHER LOOKS GOOD, THEN YOU CAN ORDER THEM ON EWTN OR AMAZON. AND THEY DO THE SEARCHING FOR YOU AND I KNOW THEY ARE GOOD. AND MOTHER ANGELICA WROTE A PRAYER -- >> LIVING FOR THE KINGDOM AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GO TO ewtnRC.com AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF EWTN, AS GOOD AS AMAZON MAY BE, I HAVE TO BE SURE I SAID THAT. IF WE SEND EVERYBODY TO AMAZON, THEY ARE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED. >> WELL, I UNDERSTAND. AMAZON, YOU GET A MASSIVE SEARCH ENGINE TO SEE EVERYTHING. BUT YOU CAN ORDER AT EWTN. >> Doug: THERE YOU GO! JUST A SEARCH FUNCTION THAT WE'RE USING IT FOR. >> Father: THAT'S WHAT I DO. >> I KNOW YOU ARE A SUPPORTER OF EWTN AND MOTHER ANGELICA. SO, THERE'S A WONDERFUL SUPPORTER OF US. OKAY. NOW, HERE'S THE NEXT QUESTION. THIS IS RELATED BUT LIKE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE QUESTION HERE. THIS IS AN EMAIL TO YOU, FATHER. DEAR FATHER, I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING WITH A CHRONIC DISEASE. DESPITE MY DAILY ROSARY AND DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET PRAYERS, I AM FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND COMPASSION OR EMPATHY FOR OTHERS ABOUT LESSER PROBLEMS. MY PERSPECTIVE HAS ALTERED CONSIDERABLY. HOW CAN I REBUILD COMPASSION AND EMPATHY? GOD BLESS YOU. SO I GUESS THIS IS SOMEBODY SITTING THERE LISTENING TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH ACHES AND PAINS AND HE'S THINKING, HOW CAN I BE UPSET FOR YOU LOOK AT MY TERRIBLE CONDITION. >> Father: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHOEVER IS ASKING THIS, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL. WE CAN'T HELP OURSELVES. AND WE LOOK COMPARATIVELY. YOU WANT SYMPATHY FROM ME? I'M GOING THROUGH THE WRINGER MYSELF. BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING TO DO, TRY TO DO IS THINK ABOUT THE WISDOM AND THE DEPTH OF SPIRITUAL LIFE THAT YOU HAVE GARNERED FROM YOUR SUFFERING THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. SO, WE DO HAVE THIS LITTLE BANK DEPOSIT, IF I CAN CALL IT THAT OF REAL WISDOM, OF DEEPENED FAITH AND, YOU KNOW, PUTTING OURSELVES IN THE HANDS OF GOD THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM OUR SUFFERING. AND THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD DO, I WOULD PUT IT INTO A MINISTRY. SO, IF SOMEBODY IS TELLING YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S OBVIOUSLY COMPARATIVELY LESS, THAN THE SUFFERINGS THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO ENDURE, I WOULD MAKE A MINISTRY OF THE LESSONS, THE WISDOM, THE FAITH THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO APPROPRIATE THROUGH YOUR SUFFERING. BUT I WOULD TALK TO THEM AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IN MY OWN LIFE, I'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS AND IT'S BEEN PRETTY BAD. HERE'S THE THREE OR FOUR THINGS THAT I HAVE REALLY GOTTEN FROM MY SUFFERING. HERE IS THE THREE OR FOUR THINGS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN DEALING WITH MY SUFFERINGS. HERE IS WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU. I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY AND IT'S A LITTLE DEPTH OF FAITH HERE FOR MY SUFFERING. AND THE THING THAT YOU WANT TO DO, PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD CHRONIC DISEASES LIKE YOURSELF, YOU REALLY GOT A GREAT MINISTERIAL OPPORTUNITY THERE TO HELP OTHERS WHO ARE IN LESSER SUFFERING. BUT THE FIRST THING THAT YOU GOT TO DO IS YOUR HOME WORK. IF YOU CAN, TRY TO GO TO MAYBE A RETREAT SETTING OR SOMEWHERE OUT OF YOUR HOUSE, WHERE YOU CAN GET JUST ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, CLEAR OUT THE COBWEBS OF THE MIND. SIT DOWN WITH A NOTEBOOK AND SAY, WHAT HAVE I LEARNED FROM MY SUFFERING. WHAT HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO GLEAN, SOME LESSONS. AND SOMETIMES JUST PRACTICAL LESSONS. I STARTED WHEN I WROTE THIS BOOK, THE LIGHT SHINES ON IN THE DARKNESS AND I SAT DOWN AND SAID, WHAT HAVE I LEARNED FROM GOING BLIND. WHAT HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT OF THIS? WELL, THE FIRST THING YOU THINK ABOUT, WELL, I'VE LEARNED A LOT OF PRACTICAL LESSONS AND I SHOULDN'T COMPARE MYSELF TO THE WAY I WAS A YEAR AGO, AND CERTAINLY NOT 10 YEARS AGO. THAT CERTAINLY WOULD CAUSE DEPRESSION. I SHOULD TELL PEOPLE NOT TO DO THIS, I'VE LEARNED MY LESSONS AND I HAVE LEARNED NOT TO COMPARE MYSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE SORT OF WISHING I WERE THERE THEY. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. YOU HAVE YOUR OWN GRACE INS YOUR LIFE AND YOU DON'T WANT SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE. >> Doug: THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT YOU JUST MADE. AND OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE WITH UNBELIEVABLE CONDITIONS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING THROUGH, EVEN SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE PHYSICALLY FINE. YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEIR OWN PERSONAL SITUATION OR THE MENTAL AGONY THAT THEY MAY GO THROUGH OR THE LOSSES THEY HAVE HAD IN THEIR LIFE, RELATIONSHIPS THAT MAY HAVE EXPLODED. YOU NEVER KNOW. >> YOU JUST DON'T. AND THE IDEA OF TRYING TO WISH YOU WERE SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, OR EVEN JUST SAYING, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. LOOK AT ME. SO, I WOULD JUST TAKE THAT RETREAT OPPORTUNITY OVER TWO DAYS. TAKE A TABLET WITH YOU, GO BEFORE THE LORD IN THE MORNING. AND SAY, LORD, LEAD ME TO KNOW THE WISDOM THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GIVE ME OVER THE LAST YEARS WITH THIS CHRONIC CONDITION. LEAD ME EVER MORE DEEPLY, WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT COMPASSION. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT FAITH. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT DEPENDING ON YOU. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT HOW FRIENDS JUST SUDDENLY APPEAR AND HELP ME OUT. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT GIVING MY LIFE OVER TO YOU. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT THE RESURRECTION AND LIVING MY LIFE FOR THE RESURRECTION TO WHICH YOU ARE CALLING ME. AND WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT SERVING OTHERS THROUGH THIS CONDITION THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME AND BEING A WITNESS TO OTHERS ABOUT THE CONDITION THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME. SO, JUST TAKE GOOD REFLECTION QUESTIONS WITH YOU, LIKE THOSE, TO YOUR RETREAT. IT'S HARD AT FIRST. AND THEN IT'S PRACTICAL. YOU WILL START UNEARTHING THINGS. AND YOU WILL SAY, OH, I LEARNED THINGS ABOUT PRAYER, FEAR, THE RESURRECTION, I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THINGS OF FOLLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT. I'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS OF FRIENDS, HOW FRIENDS WORK. AND I'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS ABOUT BLESSINGS AND BLESSINGS DON'T ALWAYS COME BY HAVING A PERFECT LIFE. THEY COME THROUGH HARDSHIP AND SOMETIMES THE MOST IMPORTANT BLESSINGS COME THROUGH HARDSHIP ESPECIALLY GETTING ME TO SALVATION IN HEAVEN AND HELPING ME TO DO SO. THAT'S HOW I GOT ALL OF THE CHAPTERS IN MY BOOK TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I WAS STARTING TO THINK ABOUT, OKAY. OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, I'VE REALLY BEEN GOING BLINDER AND BLINDER. WHAT ARE THE LESSONS THAT I WANT TO GIVE TO PEOPLE. AND GOD HAS GIVEN ME ENOUGH TIME AND REFLECTIVE POWER TO DO THAT. I PUT IT INTO A BOOK. YOU DON'T. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COMMUNICATE THAT TO PEOPLE WITH THE WISDOM THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN. BUT IT TAKES A COUPLE OF DAYS TO REFLECT ON IT. AND IF YOU DO THAT, THOUGH, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A LIFETIME OF MINISTRY BECAUSE THERE'S A WORLD OF HURTING PEOPLE OUT THERE. AND IF THEY FIGURE OUT YOU HAVE SOMETHING, THEN THEY ARE GOING TO COME ASK YOU. YOU ARE IN THE PRIME CONDITION AND OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO YOU AND TALK TO YOU, YOU HAVE A LOT TO GIVE. THIS IS THE TIME TO REALLY, I TAKE CREATIVE GOOD MINISTRY FOR YOURSELF. >> LET ME ASK YOU, YOU BROUGHT IT UP IN YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, THE FACT THAT YOU WERE GOING BLIND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. WERE YOU AWARE BASICALLY THAT THIS WAS AT LEAST GOING TO BE NOW, A FAIT ACCOMPLI, THAT YOU WERE GOING TO LOSE YOUR SIGHT AND NOTHING THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO ABOUT IT. HOW DID THAT EFFECT YOU KNOWING THAT'S WHERE YOU WERE GOING. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. AND 10 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING ANYBODY COULD DO. ARE EVERY OPTOMETRIST I TALKED ABOUT, R.P.? OH. NOTHING I CAN DO. AND I WOULD SAY, OH, THANKS FOR TELLING ME THAT. LIKE BILLY CRYSTAL SAYS, RUBBING LEATHERWOOD INTO THE WOUND. SO, I DIDN'T NEED THAT ANYMORE. SO, I JUST KIND OF GAVE THAT UP. WHAT I STARTED DOING WAS THINKING, OKAY. I HAVE TO RETURN TO THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE. THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE IS NOT TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS WITH THE SAME PROFICIENCY THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THEM BEFORE. THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE IS THREE-FOLD. FIRST, I HAVE ST. IGNATIUS WHO PUT IT THIS WAY, YOU GOT TO GET TO HEAVEN. SECOND PURPOSE, YOU GOT TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE TO GET TO HEAVEN. THIRD PURPOSE, YOU GOT TO SERVE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WAY THAT YOU CAN TO HELP THEM ALLEVIATE THE BURDENS THAT THEY HAVE. SO, THAT IN THIS LIFE, YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER BY THE BENEFIT OF YOUR WISDOM AND SERVICE. OKAY. THAT'S CALLED FAITH AND LOVE. SO HERE'S THE DEAL. THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE. I HAVE TO REORIENT. FIRST THING, I HAVE TO DROP THESE OTHER, LIKE, ALTERNATIVE PURPOSES THAT CREEP IN. SO, THE TRUE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE WILL BE TO, YOU KNOW, PUBLISH X. NUMBER OF BOOKS. WELL, IF THERE ARE BOOKS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE, FINE. BUT IF THEY ARE BOOKS JUST ABOUT THEORY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT SO FINE. SO, I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE? AND I HAVE TO KIND OF REORIENT THINGS BECAUSE ALL KINDS OF LITTLE OTHER ALTERNATIVE GOALS COME IN THERE. THAT REALLY ARE NOT THE TRUE PURPOSE OF LIFE. AND YOU JUST HAVE TO SORT OF PURGE THEM BET BACK TO THAT. AND HELPING OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH SUFFERING. OKAY. I CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. HOW AM I GOING TO DO GET THAT FLOOD OF THINGS INTO YOU. >> OH, I DO A LOT OF PUBLIC SPEECHES, HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS, GET THROUGH THE AIRPORT. DON'T WORRY! THERE'S ALWAYS AN AGENT THERE AT THE COUNTER. IF YOU PRE ARRANGE IT, IT TAKES YOU FROM ONE GATE TO THE NEXT GATE AND YOU CAN GET TO YOUR PLACE. SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS WILLING TO PICK YOU UP WHEN YOU GET THERE. AND IF NOT, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET THE GATE, I MEAN THE AGENT OF THE AIRLINE TO TAKE YOU TO THE UBER SPOT, CAB SPOT. PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU. SO, YOU START TO SEE. DON'T WORRY! GOD SENDS PEOPLE TO YOU YOUR WAY. I GET STUCK WHERE, THEY CHANGE THE GATE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I FEEL LIKE, CAN YOU HELP ME IF THEY CAN'T FIND SOMEBODY, THEY GET THEM. I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RAISE FUNDS BECAUSE THEY WANT WINNERS. NO, NO. THEY WANT PEOPLE FAITH FILLED, PEOPLE WHO ARE CONVINCED IN THAT FAITH. THEY WANT PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRUE ACCUMULATED AND THAT ARE SAINTLY AND LOVELY AND GOD TAKES CARE OF ALL THAT COMPASSION AND IN THAT HEART, IT TRANSCENDS ALL OF THAT STUFF. THE MAIN THING, WHEN YOU GET THERE, YOU KNOW, TO THAT POINT, OH MY GOSH, I'M GOING TO BE BLESSED. I HAVE THIS CHRONIC CONDITION, THERE'S NOT A THING THEY CAN DO. FIRST THING, REPURPOSE YOUR LIFE. GET BACK ON THE THREE THINGS THAT MATTER. POINT NUMBER TWO. WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU ARE DOING, GOD IS GOING TO HELP YOU TO DO THAT. IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE, GOD WILL HELP YOU TO DO THAT TOO. IT WAS VERY CLEAR AS MY EYES STARTED GETTING WORSE, BEING A UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT WAS NOT GOING TO BE AN OPTION. THERE WERE JUST TOO MANY THINGS THAT I HAD TO DO TO USE MY EYESIGHT. SO, I KNEW THAT I HAD TO TAPER BACK AND I CAN TELL YOU, MY LIFE IS A TESTIMONY TO THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY, GOD IS HELPING OUT. EVERY SINGLE DAY I HAVE AN ESCALATION IN MINISTRY DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY PROBLEM GETS WORSE. DOUG: GONZAGA'S LOSS. SO WE GOT THE BENEFIT AND WE ENDED UP WITH YOU! WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK. AND "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" CONTINUES. DON'T FORGET TO STAY WITH US. WE'LL GET INTO FATHER'S BOOK, "THE LIGHT SHINES ON IN THE DARKNESS". RIGHT AFTER THIS QUICK BREAK. SO DON'T GO ANYWHERE. GET YOUR QUESTIONS READY. ♪ ♪ >> Doug: AND WE ARE WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE. IN THE MIDDLE OF "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" AND LOOK FOR A GREAT SPOT WE HAVE, WHERE YOU REALLY GET THE IDEA OF THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON BEING A LITERAL LOCATION RIGHT HERE ON WEDNESDAYS, ON EWTN. HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE THAT SOON AND FINDING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, TRANSFORMING SUFFERING THROUGH FAITH. WE'RE BACK WITH FATHER SPITZER AND PICKING UP ON THE END OF CHAPTER 7. SINCE I'M NEVER GOOD WITH THE BOOK MARKS, I WANTED TO START AT THIS PART BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING. PAGE 303 IN THE BOOK, YOU WROTE, IT CANNOT BE SAID THAT WE REQUIRE SUFFERING IN ORDER TO MOVE FROM THE SUPERFICIAL LEVEL OF HAPPINESS IDENTITY TO THE HIGHER MORE PERVASIVE AND DEEP ONES. IS THAT THE NORMAL COURSE FOR MOST OF US? >> Father: WELL, YEAH, EXACTLY. THE NORMAL COURSE FOR MOST OF US IS, WE NEED SOME SUFFERING WE NEED CHALLENGE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE NEED FAITH TO INTERPRET THAT, FAITH IN THE RESURRECTION, FAITH THAT THE LORD IS PRESENT, FAITH THAT THE LORD WILL LEAD US THROUGH THIS TO SOME DEEPENING OF OUR FAITH, SOME DEEPENING OF OUR LIVES AND EVEN TO THE KIND OF MINISTRY THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, TO SERVE OTHERS IN THEIR SUFFERING. ALSO, TO OFFER THAT SUFFERING UP WHICH IS ANOTHER KIND OF MINISTRY. SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED FAITH. AND WE DO NEED SUFFERING. AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DO NEED THAT. BECAUSE I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE LIKE ME. IF I GET INTO THE GOOD TIMES, JUST LIKE ST. AUGUSTINE, INTO THE GOOD TIMES, WE CAN GO SAILING ALONG IN THE INERTIA OF GOOD TIMES. THEN, SUDDENLY, IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOMETHING MORE OUT OF OUR LIVES, I MEAN, WHAT WOULD ST. AUGUSTINE HAVE BEEN ---I MEAN, WHAT WOULD ST. AUGUSTINE HAVE BEEN IF HE HAD NOT HAD ALL OF THESE THOUGHTS ABOUT DEATH, LIFE'S MEANING AND THE EMPTINESS, IF HE HAD NOT SUFFERED, IF I HAD NOT SUFFERED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. I JUST THINK THE IDEA OF SPENDING THE REST OF MY LIFE AT THE GOOD OLE TIMES, THE COLISEUM AND CHARGING THE STUDENTS HIGH TUITION AND DEBATING EVERYBODY AND WINNING EVERYTHING. BIG DEAL. BUT LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM! INFLUENCED. GENERATIONS UPON GENERATIONS TWO MILLENIA PRACTICALLY, GENERATIONS OF CHRISTIANS WHICH WAS SUFFERING AND ACCOMPANIED BY EVEN MEDIOCRE FAITH. AND WHEN HE STARTED, HIS SUFFERING WAS WEAK, BUT SUFFERING PLUS A LITTLE FAITH, AND ON AND ON, YOU KNOW, HE WAS GROWING IN HIS FAITH AND THEN HE GETS A DOSE OF AMBROSE AND THEN YOU KNOW, HE'S ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FATHERS OF THE CHURCH. REMARKABLE AS THAT IS, I THINK THAT'S THE ROAD THAT MOST OF US WILL TAKE. I THINK IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT SUFFERING, WE NEVER WE'LL NEVER REALLY REPURPOSE OURSELVES TOWARD THE RESURRECTION, PER SE, AND WE'LL NEVER REALLY LOOK AT TURNING OUR LIFE INTO A MINISTRY OF HELPING OTHERS IN THEIR SUFFERING, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE CAN DO. WE'LL NEVER LOOK AT OUR LIFE AS A MINISTRY OF OFFERING OUR SUFFERING UP TO OTHERS. AND PROBABLY, WE'D BE IN THE REAL DEPTHS OF SUPERFICIALITY, A REAL, YOU KNOW, JUST LIVING FOR WHAT I CALL LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2 HAPPINESS. AND BEWILDERED, FILLED AS WE WOULD BE WITH EMPTINESS, LONELINESS AND ALIENATION ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL. NOT KNOWING, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING WRONG. BUT GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF BEING BETTER THAN EVERY ONE, ENJOYING THE HIGH TIMES. BUT OF COURSE WE WOULDN'T BE HAPPY. >> RIGHT. AND WE SEE THAT MANY TIMES WITH PEOPLE THAT WE SEE IN THE NEWS. SITUATIONS WHO FROM THE OUTSIDE, YOU THINK THEY HAVE EVERYTHING. AND THEY ARE LIVING THE LIFE OF RILEY AS THEY USED TO SAY. OR PARTING ON THE CUTTING EDGE AND YOU FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, YOU READ IN THE PAPER AND YOU SEE SOME EMAIL BLAST THAT COMES OUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF DESPAIR IN THEIR LIFE. >> Father: OH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. AND THESE PEOPLE THAT LIVE FOR RETIREMENT. BOY, I FINALLY GET OUT OF WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN THE DEPTHS OF MEANINGLESSNESS AFTER THEIR WORK AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND MEANING AGAIN THROUGH TRYING TO HELP OTHERS OR TO DO SOMETHING BEYOND JUST PLAYING GOLF AND HAVING A DRINK. SO, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK, THAT'S THE NORMAL ROUTE. YEAH, I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY, EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE SUFFERING LIKE THAT. LIKE I SAID, I'VE KNOWN PEOPLE IN MY LIFE, THAT ARE ALMOST NATURAL SAINTS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GOT IT FROM. BUT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF SUFFERING. BUT AGAIN, WHAT DO I KNOW? THEY MAY HAVE HAD ALL KIND OF SUFFERING WHEN THEY WERE KIDS. >> OR YOUNGER OR EVEN HAVING SOME SORT OF INNER ANGUISH THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED TO KEEP THERE. >> Father: ABSOLUTELY TRUE. >> Doug: AND SINCE YOU ARE ON SUCH AN UPBEAT PERSPECTIVE, PAGE 306. DEATH MAY WELL BE ONE OF THE BEST GIFTS WE'VE BEEN GIVEN. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN THAT ONE TO US? >> Father: WELL, IT CERTAINLY WAS FOR ST. AUGUSTINE, WASN'T IT? ONE DAY, YOU WAKE UP AND YOU SAY, I'M GOING TO DIE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU LET THAT PENETRATE FOR A MOMENT. WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MY LIFE? WHAT'S THE TRUE MEANING OF MY LIFE? ALL THESE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT HUMAN BEINGS WERE MEANT TO ASK BECAUSE WE ARE ENSOULED, WE HAVE A SOUL AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR PERFECT LOVE TRUTH BEAUTY AND HOME. AND WE HAVE TO ASK, WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? WHAT'S MY HIGHEST PURPOSE? WHAT'S THE HIGHEST DIGNITY TO WHICH I CAN ASPIRE? ET CETERA. ET CETERA. AND NOW, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES AS I SAID BEFORE, WE CAN BE ON THE GOOD TIMES TRACK. AND I CAN SEE HOW THAT CAN HAPPEN. BEING RAISED IN A WEALTHY FAMILY, EDUCATION EASY FOR ME. ET CETERA. ET CETERA. I HAD GREAT FRIENDS IN SCHOOL. AND I THOUGHT, WOW, LIFE IS A BREEZE. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE YOU GO ALONG AND YOU ARE ON THE TRACK OF JUST FRIVOLITY AND THE EFFECT THAT YOU CAN HAVE, YOU ARE JUST GOING TO STAY IN A SUPERFICIAL BUBBLE AND DO NOTHING MUCH FOR ANYBODY, LIVING LIKE THAT. BUT THE KEY THING, SUFFERING BURSTS THE SUPERFICIALITY BUBBLE. THAT'S THE FIRST FUNCTION IT HAS. AND DEATH, WHEN YOU SUFFER, YOU GENERALLY, THE QUESTION OF DEATH DOES COME UP AND IT IS A WONDERFUL THING. AS I WAS SAYING, I THINK AT THE END OF THE LAST PROGRAM, I HAD A STUDENT ONCE WHO JUST ASKED ME, WELL, GOD, WE'RE ALL LOVING AND HE'S CERTAINLY WOULD NOT HAVE CREATED DEATH. HE WOULD HAVE JUST LET US KNOW RIGHT AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE'RE DESTINED FOR ETERNAL LIFE AND SO FORTH, SO ON. SO, I FINALLY HAD TO SAY TO THIS KID, HEY, I'M NOT SO SURE YOU ARE RIGHT. I SAID, IF GOD LET ME KNOW AHEAD OF TIME THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE AN ETERNAL LIFE, NO NEED TO DO ANYTHING QUICKLY. NO NEED TO ASPIRE TO GETTING TO THE TRUE POTENTIAL THAT I HAD. NO NEED TO LEARN ANY DEPTH OF WISDOM. NO NEED FOR ANY DEPTH OF COMPASSION. NO KNEED FOR ANY DEPTH IN FAITH. JUST CONTINUE ON THE OLD SAILING COURSE OF INERTIA. YOU KNOW, I SAID I THINK I WOULD HAVE WOUND UP IN DESPAIR FROM BOREDOM NOT HAVING EVER DISCOVERED MY TRUE SELF, THE TRUE DIGNITY AND DESTINY TO WHICH I WAS CALLED. I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE DISCOVERED IT. I MIGHT HAVE DIED OF BOREDOM AND EMPTINESS IN LEVEL TWO. AND THE KID IS LOOKING AT ME. AND HE SAYS, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CASE FOR ME. AND I SAID, YOU NEED TO THINK A LOT MORE ABOUT DEATH. BECAUSE IF YOU DO, I PROMISE YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO STOP -- I DIDN'T ACCUSE HIM OF BEING IN THE SUPERFICIALITY BUBBLE -- BUT YOU ARE GOING TO STOP FROM THE LEVEL OF BOREDOM AND EMPTINESS IN LEVEL ONE, YOU ARE GOING TO DISCOVER THE RICHNESS OF LEVEL THREE. AND YOU ARE GOING TO DISCOVER THE DEPTH AND BEAUTY THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO IN LEVEL FOUR. YOU ARE GOING TO DISCOVER THE ETERNITY FOR WHICH YOU ARE DESTINED IN LEVEL FOUR. AND YOU ARE GOING TO DISCOVER THAT BY COMBINING LEVEL THREE LOVE WITH LEVEL FOUR FAITH. IF YOU COMBINE THOSE THINGS, YOU ARE GOING TO FIND A SELF INSIDE OF YOU THAT YOU NEVER KNEW YOU HAD. AND BOY, WHEN YOU START TO EXERCISE AND ACTUALIZE THAT SELF, YOU ARE GOING TO GO CRAZY IN A WHOLE NEW KIND OF HAPPINESS. I MEAN A GOOD CRAZY IN A WHOLE NEW KIND OF CRAZINESS THAT YOU NEVER EVEN KNEW WAS INSIDE OF YOU! AND THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO CALL YOU OUT OF THAT, IN YOUR FREEDOM, TO THAT KIND OF SELF DISCOVERY, AND SELF DEVELOPMENT IN LOVE AND FAITH IS A GOOD THING LIKE DEATH AND SUFFERING. I THINK I SENT THAT KID HOME ACTUALLY THINKING, WELL, MAYBE GOD WASN'T SO DUMB AFTER ALL. OR MAYBE GOD WASN'T SO UNLOVING AFTER ALL. SO, MAYBE JUST THINKING ABOUT DEATH IS A KID GLOVE WAY OF BRINGING HIM TO THE LOVE AND FAITH DESTINY IN HEAVEN TO OUR ETERNAL JOY WITH GOD FOREVER AND EVER. BUT I THINK HE HAD TO GET A DOSE, FOR A SECOND, OF THE CULTURE, YOU KNOW, WHO VIEWS DEATH SO NEGATIVELY. AND PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT WRITE BOOKS ABOUT THE NON EFFICACY OF DEATH. BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I'M IN THE AUGUSTINIAN CAMP. I THINK DEATH IS A WONDERFUL IMPORTANT, BEAUTIFUL CALL INTO THE ETERNITY OF FAITH AND LOVE AND THE DISCOVERY OF THE WHOLE NEW SELF, THE LEVEL THREE-FOUR SELF WITHIN. AND I COULD HAVE SO EASILY DIED OF EMPTINESS AND BOREDOM IN LEVEL THREE AND FOUR. >> ISN'T IT EASY IF THERE'S PEOPLE, IF THERE'S NO END IN SIGHT OF ANYTHING TO APPRECIATE. WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT'S ONLY AFTER SOMETHING IS OVER, WE REALIZE HOW GOOD IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN OR WHAT WE DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING AND ITS GIVEN TO YOU, FREE, ENDLESS, AND YOU JUST CAN KEEP GOING ON AND ON, YOU JUST DON'T APPRECIATE IT ANYMORE. YOU TAKE IT FOR GRANTED AND IT GETS BORING. AND IT'S THE SAME STUFF, REGARDLESS OF HOW GOOD IT IS. AND THE TWILIGHT EPISODE WHERE THE GUY TURNS OUT TO GO TO HELL. AND HE'S A GAMBLER, HE ALWAYS WINS AND THERE'S NO EXCITEMENT IN THAT. SO, FOR HIM, IT WAS HORRIBLE. >> YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KIND OF GREAT ANALOGIES ABOUT THAT. NOW, DISCOVERED WAY BEFORE THE EXISTENTIALISTS LIKE ST. AUGUSTINE. I KNOW YOU HAVE READ THIS, BUT IF THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE CONFESSIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT! THIS GUY IS RIGHT ON THE VERGE OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE DESCRIPTIONS OF EXISTENTIAL BOREDOM. HERE'S A GUY WHO HAS EVERYTHING, RIGHT? I MEAN, HE'S SMART. HE'S GOT EVERY KIND OF MEANS OF INCOME. YEAH, HE'S GOT A FEW STUDENTS WHO ALWAYS PUSH HIM OVER THE LINE, LOUSY STUDENTS, COMPLAINING STUDENTS. BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, THE GUY HAS A LIFE THAT ANYBODY WOULD ENVY. THE GIRLS LOVE HIM. YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE LOVES HIM. AUGUSTINE IS JUST REVELING IN IT. AND YOU KNOW, HE HAS THESE FEELINGS, HOW COME I AM SO BORED WITH BEING THE GREAT ARTICULATE WINNER THAT I AM. AND WHAT ABOUT THESE EMPTY DEPTHS I'M FEELING. THERE MUST BE MORE TO MY LIFE OTHER THAN SCHOLARLY, COMPETITIVE, RECOGNIZED, HAVING HIGH STATUS AND POPULARITY. SOMETHING MIGHT BE MISSING. AND THEN THE BIG D., DEATH, COMES ALONG AND OLE ST. AUGUSTINE SAYS, YIKES! NO WONDER I WAS BORED. I WAS BORED ONLY BECAUSE I HAD DISCOVERED THE FIRST TWO LEVELS OF MYSELF WHICH WERE NOT EVEN ONE PERCENT OF WHO I AM! BASICALLY, I'VE GONE THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT THE DISCOVERY OF LOVE WITHIN MYSELF, OF FAITH WITHIN MYSELF, OFF MY OWN TRANSCENDENT NATURE. I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH LIFE TREATING MYSELF LIKE AN ANT. BUT I'M NOT AN ANT. I'M A, ESSENTIALLY I'M A BEING OF IMMENSE TRANSCENDENT VALUE WHO ONLY CAN BE HAPPY IN GOD. FOR THOU HAS MADE OURSELVES ONLY FOR GOD AND OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY REST IN THEE. SO, KABAMMO AND THE BOREDOM AND ALL OF IT STARTS TO DISSIPATE. AND HIS WHICH POINT, HE SAID THANK GOD. LATE, LATE HAVE I LOVED THEE, 0 BEAUTY EVER ANCIENT. AND HE MEANS BEAUTY WITH A CAPITAL B! HE MEANS ECSTASY, GRANDEUR, AWE-INSPIRING AND COME ALIVE, NOT ONLY OF HIS FAITH BUT COME ALIVE OF THE TRANSCENDENT NATURE WITHIN HIMSELF THAT HE NEVER KNEW HE HAD THROUGH HIS FAITH. OH BUDDY EVER ANCIENT, EVER NEW, LATE HAVE I LOVED THEE! SO, IT'S LIKE HIS WHOLE BEING IS COMING ALIVE THROUGH HIS FAITH. AND OF COURSE, IT'S AUGUSTINE WAY BEFORE THE EXISTENTIALISTS WHO RECOGNIZED, RIGHT, THAT THE DIFFICULTY OF LIFE IS, RIGHT, NON DISCOVERY OF THE TRUE SELF. WE ARE DYING A SLOW, BOREDOM, EMPTINESS DEATH BECAUSE WE NEVER GOT TO OUR LOVING SELF OR OUR TRANSCENDENT SELF OR EVEN DISCOVERED OUR TRANSCENDENT SELF. THIS IS THE SOURCE OF STREW EXISTENTIAL BOREDOM WHICH MAKES OF COURSE, THE CHRISTIAN EXISTENTIALISTS, LIKE SCHALER, AND GABRIEL MARCEL, AND EVEN KIERKEGAARD, NOT EVEN A CATHOLIC, BUT VERY MUCH A CHRISTIAN EXISTENTIALIST. AND MANY OTHER IMPORTANT THINKERS, LIKE KARL JASPERS. AND THIS IS HOW IT LEADS THE CHRISTIAN EXISTENTIALISTS TO THE GREAT TRUTH, TRANSCENDENCE IS THE ANSWER. IT'S THE VERY TRUTH, THOUGH, OF COURSE, THE ATHEIST EXISTENTIALIST LIKE NEITZSCHE NEVER DISCOVERED IT. AND THAT'S ALL OF THE EXISTENTIALS AND JEWISH EXISTENTIALISTS AND OTHERS. YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, THE CHRISTIAN EXISTENTIALIST DISCOVERED TRANSCENDENCE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET THEIR BY THEMSELVES. CHRISTIAN EXISTENTIALISTS KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET THERE BY THEMSELVES. THEY HAVE GOD. AND BOY, ONCE YOU HAVE UNMASKED THIS, ONCE YOU LET THAT LOVING PART OF YOURSELF, AND ONCE YOU LET THAT TRANSCENDENT PART OF YOURSELF LET GO, THERE'S GOING TO BE A SIMPLICITY, A BEAUTY, LAST THING IN YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO BE BOREDOM. BUT WHEN I WAS LIVING TO BE A BIG SHOT, I WAS BORED, EMPTY, LONELY, AND SELF ALIENATION. ISN'T THAT JUST PERFECT. BECAUSE GOD HAS MADE US FOR HIMSELF AND OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY REST IN HIM. >> THAT'S THE WAY IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO WORK. WORKS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK LIKE. ON PAGE 309, IN THE BOOK, YOU TALK ABOUT CHOICE, FREEDOM, AND THIS KIND OF FITS INTO WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, ST. AUGUSTINE. CHOOSING TO LIMIT PLEASURE CAN BE JUST AS DIFFICULT AS ENDURING PAIN FOR THE SAKE OF GOOD OR NOBLE. THAT'S THE LIMITING OF PLEASURE, CAN BE JUST AS SELF DEFINITIONAL AS ENDURING PAIN. >> Father: YEAH. ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, AS I ALWAYS SAY, PLEASURE CAN BE ALMOST ADDICTIVE. AND GIVING UP CERTAIN ESSENTIAL PLEASURE CAN BE QUITE PAINFUL. BUT IF YOU DO THAT, BECAUSE YOU WANT AT THAT ACHIEVE SOMETHING MORE NOBLE, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO REACH A DEPTH OF LOVE OR FAITH THAT YOU COULDN'T GET TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE SORT OF ALLOWING THIS PLEASURE TO SORT OF TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE, THEN YEAH, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT SACRIFICE. SO, OF COURSE, I WOULD OFFER THAT UP JUST AS I WOULD OFFER UP PAIN. IF YOU HAVE THIS MINISTRY OF OFFERING UP YOUR SUFFERING. BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SELF DEFINITIONAL, IN EVERY SINGLE WAY. YOU DID SOMETHING THAT WAS SACRIFICIAL FOR SOMETHING MORE NOBLE THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY ENNOBLE THE KINGDOM. SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES A PERSON WHO JUST, IT'S NOT JUST SENSUAL PLEASURES, COULD BE EGO PLEASURES TOO. AND THOSE CAN BE SOMETIMES EVEN HARDER TO GIVE UP. I REALLY DO WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE ME FOR THE SMART GUY I AM! [LAUGHTER] >> Doug: IN ALL HUMILITY. >> Father: EXACTLY. EXACTLY. SO, THE KEY THING, TRYING TO GIVE THAT UP SO THAT GOD CAN BE IN THE CENTER AND PEOPLE CAN BECOME LOVABLE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO, ALL OF THESE THINGS. YEAH, THEY REQUIRE DISCIPLINE. AND IF WE DO IT, IT'S VERY SELF DEFINITIONAL. >> AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THE CHAPTER, EMPATHY, HUMILITY AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, A STORY THAT YOUR DAD TOLD YOU WHEN YOU WERE AN ADOLESCENT THAT GOD GAVE. WHAT DID YOU INCLUDE THAT STORY FOR AND WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY IT? >> Father: WELL, THAT STORY HAD A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME. AT THE TIME MY DAD TOLD IT, IT HAD A HUGE INFLUENCE. THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING BECAUSE HALF THE TIME I WAS OFF SOMEWHERE ELSE IN MY THOUGHTS. AND I WAS, LIKE, OKAY, DAD IS GOING TO GIVE US SOME WISDOM HERE. [LAUGHTER] TRULY A LOT OF THE TIME, I THOUGHT I KNEW IT ALL! AND THEN, OF COURSE, I FIND OUT 50 YEARS LATER, AS I'M GOING BLIND, HE WAS NOT SO DUMB AFTER ALL. BUT ANYWAY, HE TELLS THIS STORY. IT'S A GREAT STORY AND IT GOT TO ME AT THE TIME. ONCE UPON A TIME, YOU KNOW, GOD CREATED THE ENTIRE WORLD AT A BANQUET TABLE. HE CREATED ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE WITHOUT ELBOWS OR NECK JOINTS. AND THEN HE LAYS A SUMPTUOUS FEAST IN FRONT OF EVERY ONE. OF COURSE, THE PEOPLE START SPECULATING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FEED THEMSELVES. THEY HAVE NO ELBOW JOINTS, SO THEY CAN'T RAISE IT TO THEIR MOUTH. AND THEN, THEY HAVE NO NECK JOINTS TO BRING THEIR HEAD DOWN TO THE PLATE OR EAT. SO, THEY ARE JUST LEFT TO LOOKING AT THE FOOD AND SMELLING IT AND THEY ARE STARVING. AND THEY BEGIN TO THINK TO THEMSELVES. AND THE FIRST GROUP SAYS, GOD IS NOT OMNISCIENT, ALL KNOWING OR ALL POWERFUL. BECAUSE IF GOD WERE ALL KNOWING, HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO MAKE PEOPLE WITH ELBOW JOINTS AND NECK JOINTS TO BE ABLE TO EAT THIS. AND SO CLEARLY GOD IS NOT ALL KNOWING AND ALL POWERFUL. SECOND GROUP AT THE TABLE. THEY ARE SPECULATING AND THEY ARE SAYING, NO, NO. IF GOD EXISTS, HE WOULD BE ALL KNOWING AND ALL POWERFUL, BUT HE'S JUST NOT ALL LOVING. GOD IS REALLY A SADIST. HE'S UP THERE AND HE'S JUST GOING TO PUT THIS BEAUTIFUL SUMPTUOUS FEAST OUT HERE AND JUST SKEWER EVERYBODY. HE'S SADISTIC, HE WANTS TO SEE THE PAIN AND PEOPLE REALLY WRIGGLING ON THE SKEWER. AND OF COURSE, THE THIRD GROUP IS SITTING THERE. AND THEY ARE A BUNCH OF NIETZSCHIANS AND THEY SAY, IF GOD EXISTS, HE WOULD BE ALL LOVING AND ALL POWERFUL. CLEARLY GOD DOESN'T EXIST. AND THEN WE GET TO THE TABLE AND WE DON'T ASK HOW THE FEAST GOT ON THE TABLE. THEY JUST PROCLAIMED THE NON EXISTENCE OF GOD. BUT THE FOURTH GROUP STOPS ALL OF THE SPECULATION. THEY LOOK ACROSS THE TABLE. AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT WITHOUT ELBOWS, THEY CAN ACTUALLY FEED THE OTHER PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE AT WHICH POINT, THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN, IN THIS INTERDEPENDENT NETWORK AND DISCOVER THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS OF THEIR LIVES, NAMELY, LOVE. THE SERVICE OF OTHERS. THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE LED TO THAT LOVE BY SIMPLY OFFERING THIS FOOD ACROSS THE TABLE TO THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AND OF COURSE, THEY DISCOVERED THE JOY OF LOVE AS WELL AS ACCEPTING THE LOVE OF OTHERS AS WELL AS THE JOY OF BEING FED ALL AT THE SAME TIME. AND IT WAS THAT SUFFERING THAT LEADS THEM IN THEIR FREEDOM TO THAT DISCOVERY. AND LOVE HAS TO BE FREE, THAT DISCOVERY OF, I PREFER TO FEED ANOTHER PERSON. AND OF COURSE THAN ALLOWING THE OTHER PERSON TO FEED YOU. THAT'S OF COURSE, THE GOODNESS OF CHALLENGE. IT LEADS TO LOVE. AND IT LEADS THEN TO A TRUE PERSPECTIVE OF FAITH IN THE DISCOVERY OF LOVE. SO, THAT'S WHY HE TOLD THE STORY. AND REALLY, IT DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON ME. IT'S ACTUALLY A STORY ABOUT A RABBI, AND IT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL. BUT AS USUAL, MY DAD HAD ADAPTED IT SO IT TURNED OUT TO HAVE A PHILOSOPHICAL BENT AND FEW OTHER ITEMS. BUT EXACTLY THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR. I INCLUDED IT IN THE BOOK BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AS RELEVANT TO ME AT 65 THAN WHEN I WAS AT 15 OR 16, HOWEVER OLD I WAS. >> YOU MADE A POINT OF COMPASSION, ACCEPTING COMPASSION AND COMPLIMENTARY AND GIVING RISE TO EXPANDING CYCLE AND TO THE GENUINE GOODNESS OF PEOPLE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD POINT BECAUSE WE THINK OF GIVING COMPASSION BUT WE HAVE TO BE OPEN TO RECEIVE IT FROM OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR THEM TOO, RIGHT, AND FOR US. >> Father: ABSOLUTELY. AND RECEIVING COMPASSION, IN THIS CULTURE, I HAD MORE TROUBLE RECEIVING COMPASSION THAN GIVING COMPASSION TO BE HONEST. AND THE IDEA THAT SOMEBODY HAS TO HELP ME. I DON'T WANT TO TROUBLE ANYBODY. I JUST WANT TO CARRY MY OWN WEIGHT. YOU CARRY YOUR OWN WEIGHT. EVERYBODY WILL BE FINE, RIGHT. SO FORTH AND SO ON. AND WE GOT IT BUILT INTO THE CULTURE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. SUDDENLY, YOU ARE IN A POSITION, YEAH, I NEED HELP. SOMEBODY HAS TO HELP ME OUT HERE. AND BOY, TALK ABOUT A LESSON IN HUMILITY. IT WAS NOT A LESSON IN JUST RECEIVING COMPASSION. THE LESSON IS HUMILITY. YOU NEED HELP AND YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT HELP AND YOU ARE NOT SELF SUFFICIENT, POP THE SELF SUFFICIENCY BUBBLE, SPITZER, NOT ONLY DO YOU NEED HELP, YOU NEED HELP FROM GOD. SO, YOU BETTER START ASKING AND YOU BETTER START GETTING HUMBLE. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHEN I FINALLY DISCOVERED THE LESSON, RIGHT, I ALSO GET A TRIPLE BONUS. I NOT ONLY DISCOVERED THE NEED FOR HUMILITY AND THE NEED TO GET HIM AND THE NEED TO ASK FOR HELP. BUT I ALSO DISCOVERED THE GOODNESS OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO HELP. AND THAT'S WHY I GAVE THAT LITTLE EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THAT LADY THAT WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME. AND THE EYE DISEASE STARTED GETTING BAD AND I ASKED LOST MY DRIVER'S LICENSE. AND PEOPLE HAD TO DRIVE ME TO SAINT PHILOMENA'S CHURCH IN SEATTLE. THAT'S A WONDERFUL CHURCH IN SEATTLE. >> AND THE FACT WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT TIME RUNS OUT, EVEN ON US, IN "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." EVEN IN YOUR OWN UNIVERSE, YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE TIME, FATHER. WE HAVE TO CALL IT A DAY. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AS WE CONTINUE INTO CHAPTER 8, THE LIGHT SHINES ON IN THE DARKNESS, TRANSFORMING SUFFERING THROUGH FAITH. WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT NEXT WEEK. SEE YOU THEN, FATHER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND FOR ALL OF US HERE AT EWTN, DON'T FORGET, WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." MOTHER ANGELICA HAS A WONDERFUL NEW BOOK WE TALKED ABOUT. ALL ABOUT PRAYER AND LIVING FOR THE KINGDOM AS FATHER TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER. DON'T FORGET ABOUT SOME BIG EVENTS COMING UP THIS WEEKEND, AMERICAN MARTYR SEARCHED OF GOD. FATHER STANLEY ROTHER. AND THAT'S FOLLOWED ON SATURDAY, SERVANT OF GOD. GOING TO BE BEATIFIED AND LOOK FOR THAT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23. LIVE FROM OKLAHOMA CITY WITH FATHER CONNOR. AND WE HAVE PADRE PIO EVENTS. SEE THEM LISTED ON YOUR SCREEN. AND MASS, FEATURES BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, ENCOUNTER WITH PADRE PIO AND CHECK IT OUT. ewtn.com FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION. I'M DOUG KECK RIGHT HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON, I'M DIRECTING TRAFFIC. AND WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE. ♪
