[MUSIC] >> WELCOME ONCE AGAIN TO "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE," WHERE IT'S ALWAYS SAFE AND SOUND AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. I'M DOUG KECK YOUR NAVIGATOR AS WE CONTINUE ON WITH OUR TRAVAILS THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM OF CATHOLIC TEACHING. YOU CAN REACH US ON EMAIL, VIA FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE magiscenter.com WEB SITE. THAT'S FATHER SPITZER FABULOUS WEB SITE AND HE CAN ALWAYS USE YOUR HELP. AND NOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH crediblecatholic.com, WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. WE KNOW IT IS! BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER. THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, IT IS THE HOLY EUCHARIST. AND WE HAVE SOMETHING NEW ALWAYS AT EWTN. THE BOOK OF THE MONTH, TRUSTFUL SURRENDER, STORIES OF GRACE AMIDST CRISIS. SEEMS PERFECT IN THIS TIME WE'RE IN NOW. THAT'S WRITTEN BY DEBBIE GEORGIANNI AND JERRY USHER THEY ARE ON THE TAKE TWO RADIO SHOW AND JERRY HAS BEEN ON EWTN MANY TIMES. NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, LET'S TURN TO OUR TRUSTFUL FRIEND, FATHER SPITZER OUT ON THE WEST COAST TO LEAD NEWS PRAYER. >> Father: ABSOLUTELY. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT. HEAVENLY FATHER WE THANK YOU FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS OF THIS MINISTRY AND THE BLESSINGS OF THIS SHOW ASKING YOU TO SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT DOWN UPON DOUG, MYSELF, THIS WHOLE AUDIENCE THIS DAY SO EVERYTHING WE DO IS BROUGHT TO FRUITION IN YOUR WILL, FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR PEOPLE, CHURCH, AND KINGDOM. BLESS, TOO, LORD, OUR FAMILIES, OUR COUNTRY, OUR WHOLE WORLD THIS DAY. PUT AN END TO THE PANDEMIC, SOCIAL UNREST SO THAT WE MAY TRULY HAVE THE PEACE THAT YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR US AND DESIRE FOR US. WE ASK ALL OF THESE THINGS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN. MARY SEAT OF WISDOM, PRAY FOR US. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> Doug: AMEN. ESPECIALLY, KEEP THOSE PRAYERS GOING, THAT'S RIGHT. WE HAVE OUR TOPIC OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. WE'LL GET INTO THAT. AND WE LIKE TO GET INTO QUESTIONS FROM OUR AUDIENCE. AS USUAL WE LIKE TO GET YOUR TAKE OF THINGS HAPPENING OUT THERE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S AN INTERESTING POLITICAL SEASON THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. WE APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY WORLD-WIDE THAT WE TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT THING OCCURRING HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. INTERESTING ARTICLE, AS EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE THIS PRO LIFE VERSUS PRO ABORTION KIND OF SITUATION OR PRO CHOICE VERSUS PRO LIFE. WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT AND HOW CAN SOMEBODY VOTE. ABOUT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE SOMEBODY WROTE IN A CATHOLIC PERIODICAL THAT TENDS TO BE ON THE MORE LIBERAL SIDE, THINK THAT'S FAIR TO SAY. THIS PERSON AT ONE TIME HAD BEEN IN THE PRO LIFE OFFICE FOR VARIOUS DIOCESAN OFFICES, EVEN THE BISHOP'S CONFERENCE, ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO. THEY WERE THERE. BUT FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE I STAND, I AM OPPOSED BOTH PERSONAL AND SPIRITUAL. CATHOLICS ARE TAUGHT NOT TO TAKE THE LIFE OF AN UNBORN CHILD. I WANTED TO ASK YOU, ARE WE THE ONLY ONES TAUGHT THAT? I THOUGHT THAT UNIVERSALLY THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD. >> Father: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THAT IS TRUE, IT'S UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD, YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE THE LIFE OF AN INNOCENT PERSON. THAT'S PART OF THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH. AND CERTAINLY BELONGING TO THE PAGAN WORLD AS WELL AS THE CHRISTIAN WORLD. CLEARLY, FOR CHRISTIANITY, RIGHT, FROM THE DIDACHE WRITTEN AROUND 80AD, VERY, VERY EARLY IN THE CHURCH. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CATECHETICAL WORK IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. THE DIDACHE EXPLICITLY TALKS ABOUT ABORTION AND CERTAINLY PART OF THE UNIVERSAL TRADITION IN THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH, IT'S UNIVERSAL. I WAS APPEALING TO THE AUTHORITY. BUT I BELIEVE THE REASON IT IS AS UNIVERSAL AS IT IS BECAUSE EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THAT A BABY IN THE WOMB IS STILL A HUMAN BEING. AND TO KILL THAT BABY, KILLING AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING IS TRULY AN ABROGATION, NOT ONLY OF DIVINE LAW BUT NATURAL LAW. AND THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE RECOGNIZED IT. FURTHERMORE, TODAY, WE DON'T HAVE AN EXCUSE! WE HAVE DNA SEQUENCING AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THIS IS A UNIQUE, INTRINSICALLY GOOD HUMAN BEING. WE KNOW FROM THE MOMENT OF CONCEPTION, A SINGLE-CELLED ZYGOTE, WE KNOW IT'S A HUMAN BEING. IT HAS A FULL AND A UNIQUE HUMAN GENOME. IT'S A UNIQUELY HUMAN GENOME. IT'S UNIQUE IN ITS SPECIFICATION OF THE HUMAN BEING THAT IT IS. THERE'S NO OTHER HUMAN BEING LIKE IT IN THE WHOLE OF HUMAN HISTORY. THAT BEING HAS MITOCHONDRIAL DNA WHICH IS THE DNA WE SHARE WITH FIRST ANCESTORS AND WHY CHROMOSOME ADAM 200,000 YEARS AGO BE LONGING ONLY TO HUMAN BEINGS. AND LET'S FACE FACTS -- WELL, Y-CHROMOSOME ONLY BELONGS TO MEN BUT THE MITOCHONDRIAL EVE, THAT BELONGS TO EAVE. BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A HUMAN BEING AND WE KNOW THAT THIS ZYGOTE IS GOING TO DEVELOP INTO A FULL HUMAN BEING. THE ODDS ARE, YEAH, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF MISCARRIAGE BUT FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, THAT HUMAN BEING IF ALLOWED TO GO THROUGH THE LIFE STAGE, WILL BECOME A FULL HUMAN BEING. NO EXCUSE. THAT'S AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING, DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S IN UTERO OR NOT. IT TRULY AMOUNTS TO THE KILLING OF AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING WHICH IS WRONG ACCORDING TO DIVINE LAW, NATURAL LAW SINCE THE 80A.D., YOU HAVE AN EXPLICIT DEDICATION IN THE DIDACHE IN CHRISTIANITY. >> NOW, THIS IS A CONSISTENT ETHIC OF LIFE, HUNGER, LACK OF AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, ET CETERA, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE TIED TOGETHER WHICH THEY ARE IN FACT TIED TOGETHER BUT THERE'S A BIT OF A HIERARCHY AND THAT IS DISCUSSED ALL THE TIME. BUT SHE MADE THIS POINT IN HERE, AS TRAGIC AS ABORTION IS, IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY, WE HAVE IN THE U.S. LAWS REFLECTING THE CONSENSUS OF THE GOVERNED. ARE WE SAYING WE'RE ABDICATING THE FACT THAT SOMETHING IS HEINOUS? WHAT IF THIS WAS SLAVERY, GETTING RID OF GENOCIDE. WOULD WE SAY BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE IN FAVOR OF IT, WE GO ALONG AND THINK IT'S OKAY? >> Father: THIS IS EXACTLY THE BIG PROBLEM THAT HAS COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN. ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LEGISLATE MORALS? WELL, THE ANSWER IS, IF WE DON'T LEGISLATE MORALS, THEN WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO LEGISLATE INTRINSIC EVILS, FROM GENOCIDE TO SLAVERY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? OF COURSE, WE LEGISLATE MORALS. WE TRY TO MAKE THEM NOT JUST SOMETHING DECLARED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, SHOWING THAT ACCORDING TO THE NATURAL LAW, THIS IS PERCEIVABLE AS A DIRECT INTRINSIC KILLING OF A HUMAN BEING WHICH IS WRONG. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IT'S WRONG. YOU CAN'T ALLOW THE KILLING OF AN INNOCENT, IT'S THE MOST HEINOUS ACT OF INJUSTICE, IN THE NATURAL LAW, NOT JUST IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S PERCEPTION OF THE DIVINE LAW. EVERYBODY IN THE LAW SAYS, WHAT'S JUSTICE. WELL, JUSTICE BEGINS WITH DO NO WRONG, THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL INJUSTICE, PLATO RECOGNIZE IT, THE PAGAN WORLD RECOGNIZED IT. AND IF YOU ALLOW HUMAN REASONING TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PRINCIPLE OF MALEFICENCE, DO NO HARM TO OTHERS. OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO LEGISLATE AN INJUSTICE, THAT IS IMMORAL, AN OBJECTIVE IMMORAL WRONG. JUSTICE IS BAD. OKAY. IF WE AGREE WITH THAT, THEN MURDERING AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING, WHETHER IN UTERO OR NOT IS JUST BAD. IT'S EVIL, WRONG, AND WE SHOULD LEGISLATE AGAINST IT. AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE GUTS TO DO IT. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE SAY THAT A DEMOCRACY SHOULD OVERRULE THE NATURAL LAW OF JUSTICE. THIS IS PRECISELY WHY INALIENABLE RIGHTS HAVE BEEN PART OF OUR COUNTRY SINCE THE INCEPTION WRIT LARGE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE WHAT? SELF EVIDENT! THEY DON'T COME FROM A LEGISLATURE OR CONSTITUTIONAL WRIT. WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? THEY COME FROM SELF EVIDENCE. EVERY HUMAN BEING IS CREATED EQUAL, ENDOWED BY THE CREATE BY THE INALIENABLE -- MEANING YOU CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY. THE STATE GOVERNMENT OR CONSTITUTION DIDN'T GIVE IT TO ANYBODY AND THEREFORE, THE STATE GOVERNMENT CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY FROM ANYBODY. THEY ARE ENDOWED WITH THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF THE RIGHT TO THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, FREEDOM, AND LIBERTY. AND NO CONSTITUTION OR LEGISLATURE DECLARED IT. THEREFORE NO LEGISLATURE OR CONSTITUTION CAN TAKE IT AWAY. IT'S AN INALIENABLE RIGHT AND IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T TAKE AWAY. IT'S BELONGING TO US BY THE VERY WRIT OF HUMAN JUSTICE, THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING DESERVES. FUNDAMENTAL INJUSTICE LIKE TAKING THE LIFE OF AN INNOCENT ARE EVIL. WE KNOW THAT. THEREFORE, WE HAVE THE RIGHT INTRINSIC TO US, NOT DECLARED BY A GOVERNMENT THAT WE DESERVE TO LIVE IF WE HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO POST SCRIBE THAT RIGHT BY OUR ACTIONS. THAT'S FIT TO GO AN UNBORN HUMAN BEING TO ME. YOU CAN'T SIMPLY OVERRIDE THIS AND SAY A DEMOCRACY CAN UNDO THIS. THAT MEANS WE CAN HAVE A TYRANNY OF THE MAJORITY OVERNIGHT. OH, OKAY. WE JUST DON'T LIKE THIS KIND OF HUMAN BEING SO LET'S KILL THEM ALL. LET'S GET A VOTE, 51% SAID YOU GOT TO DIE. WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT! THE SUPREME COURT IS OUT THERE TO PROTECT YOUR INALIENABLE RIGHT TO LIFE! AND THAT LAW THAT SAYS, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE UNDER 6-FOOT TALL, OR SAY, YOU ARE UNDER 200 POUNDS IN WEIGHT, OR YOU HAVE THE COLOR OF PURPLE SKIN, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE. WE CAN'T LEGISLATE THAT! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE AND IT'S AGAINST OUR INALIENABLE RIGHTS. WE'RE SWORN UNDER JUSTICE TO DEFEND THOSE INALIENABLE RIGHTS. AS ST. AUGUSTINE SAID A LONG TIME AGO, EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY PERSON THAT I KNOW AS A POLITICAL THEORIST OR SOCIAL ACTIVIST SAYS, AN UNJUST LAW IS NO LAW AT ALL. SO, THE KILLING OF AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING, THERE'S NOTHING MORE UNJUST THAN THAT. SO, THEREFORE A POSITIVE LAW WHEN IT'S DECLARED BY LEGISLATURE OR VOTE, THEREFORE, A POSITIVE LAW CAN NEVER BE UNJUST. AND IT'S CONTRARY TO ITS OWN PURPOSE AND IT'S NO LAW AT ALL. IT HAS NO POWER, NO FORCE OF ITSELF. ONLY THING THAT IT CAN GIVE IT FORCE IS THE RULE OF A TYRANT. SO, I WOULD JUST SAY, YES, ABSOLUTELY. LET'S STOP THE NONSENSE RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NO SENSE TO IT. AND IF THAT PERSON ON THE BUSED ACTUALLY MADE SUCH A DECLARATION, THAT PERSON IS WRONG. YOU CAN NEVER, EVER, EVER SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO VIOLATE THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF SOMEBODY. AND BY THE WAY, ROE V. WADE DECISION IS A CLEAR SANCTIONING OF THE VIOLATION OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF PRE CORN HUMAN BEINGS. FOR NO GOOD REASON OTHER THAN, THERE WAS APPARENT CONFUSION WHEN LIFE BEGAN. WELL, THERE'S NO APPARENT CONFUSION TODAY! AND IN THAT TIME ANYWAY, THERE WAS NO APPARENT CONFUSION. IT WAS JUST A BYPRODUCT OF SHEER IGNORANCE IN PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ASKING AROUND BLINDLY. AND A LAW CLERK THAT WROTE IT UP FOR BLACKMAN, THIS IS JUST COMPLETE NONSENSE. TANTAMOUNT AS YOU IMPLIED, DOUG, SANCTIONING OF SLAVERY BY THE SUPREME COURT IN A UNANIMOUS DECISION THAT DECLARED BLACK MEN WERE INFERIOR AND SUBJECT TO THE SUPERIOR RACE! I'M QUOTING THE DECISION. THIS IS A UNANIMOUS DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT. VALIDATING THAT SLAVERY. LET'S STOP THIS NONSENSE! WE NEED TO REVERSE THIS, IT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL INJUSTICE. EVERY LEGISLATURE HAS THE RIGHT TO DECLARE IT. WHY NOT? WHY DON'T THEY JUST STOP THIS NONSENSE RIGHT NOW! >> AND THE COURT DECISION, REMINDED ME OF AN OLD BOSS USED TO SAY, LET'S NOT LET THE FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE. OKAY. >> LET'S NOT LET FUNDAMENTAL INJUSTICE GET IN THE WAY OF WHAT WE WANT TO LEGISLATE HERE. >> RIGHT, WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE QUESTIONS. SOMEBODY FITTING INTO THE COVID STORY AND WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN RECENT WEEKS. DEAR FATHER, ON A RECENT SHOW YOU GAVE A WEBSITE ABOUT ETHICAL VACCINES FOR CATHOLICS NOT USING HUMAN EMBRYOS. I MISSED THE WEBSITE. CAN YOU GIVE IT AGAIN? >> Father: YEAH, THAT'S OUR WEB SITE, magiscenter.com. YOU LOOK FOR THE SEARCH BUTTON WHEN IT COMES UP. AND PUT IN VACCINATION, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO YOU THE PAGE OF VACCINATIONS AND YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE VARIOUS VACCINATIONS THAT ARE NON EMBRYONIC AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT IS NOT IS MODERNA. AND IT'S ALREADY NEARLY PHASE 2 CLINICAL TRIALS. IT'S IN PRODUCTION. AND THERE'S QUITE A FEW SO YOU HAVE TO INVESTIGATE EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY. I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT, THINK IT'S CALLED SANTIFLY, AND IT'S NON EMBRYONIC AND THERE'S QUITE A FEW OUT THERE TO CHECK OUT. SO GO TO THE WEB SITE, magiscenter.com AND PUT IN VACCINE AT THE SEARCH BUTTON AND IT BRINGS YOU RIGHT THERE. >> Doug: ALL RIGHT. EXCELLENT. NEXT QUESTION. DEAR FR. SPITZER, I RECENTLY READ ABOUT THE PRIEST IN DETROIT WHO WAS BAPTIZED USING THE WRONG WORDS, MAKING HIS BAPTISM INVALID. SO, WHAT IT WAS, IT WAS A PRIEST WHO DISCOVERED WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED USED THE WRONG WORD. THIS ALSO MADE HIS ORDINATION INVALID. THANKFULLY, THIS WAS QUICKLY RECTIFIED. HE WATCHED AN OLD VIDEO THAT HIS PARENTS HAD OF HIM BEING BAPTIZED. I WORRY ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WENT TO HIM FOR CONFESSION OR RECEIVED LAST RITES AND THEN DIED. SINCE HE COULD NOT VALIDLY PERFORM THOSE SACRAMENTS DID PEOPLE DIE IN THE STATE OF SIN? FRANK I KNOW THE ANSWER IS NO. BUT EXPLAIN IT. >> Father: THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. THE ANSWER IS NO. FRANK, THE LORD KNOWS WHAT THE INTENTION WAS OF THAT PRIEST. EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T HAVE A VALID ORDINATION, THE LORD RESPECTS THE INTENTION TO DO THAT EVEN THOUGH THE DEACON WAS SEEMINGLY UNTRAINED, I GUESS. UNEDUCATED MAYBE IT SEEMS. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM UNKNOWN TO THE PERSON RECEIVING THOSE SACRAMENTS OR UNKNOWN TO THE PERSON ADMINISTRATING THEM. OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS NOT CERTAINLY LICIT. BUT THE LORD KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THE INTENTION WAS AND KNOWS THAT THOSE PEOPLE IN THEIR HARTS WERE TRULY CONTRITE. -- IN THEIR HEARTS WERE TRULY CONTRITE. THEY ARE NOT DYING IN THE STATE OF MORTAL SIN OR THREATENED BY SOMETHING THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW. SAME REASON THAT WE HOLD AS CATHOLICS, NO ONE CAN GO TO HELL BECAUSE OF WHAT WE CALL AN ACCIDENT OF BIRTH. LET'S SUPPOSE A PERSON WAS BORN IN TIMBUKTU AND DOESN'T HAVE ANY SENSE OF CHRIST, NEVER HEARD OF CHRIST. CAN THEY GO TO HELL BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT CHRIST. NO! OF COURSE NOT. OUR OWN DOCUMENTS SAY THAT ANYONE WHO IS TRYING TO FOLLOW GOD AND THEY HAVE A SENSE OF GOD, TRYING TO FOLLOW THE WILL OF GOD AS THEY BEST KNOW IT, ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE, THEN THEY TOO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE SAVED. YOU CAN'T BE CONDETERMINED BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT AT BIRTH OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED THAT WAS COMPLETELY BEYOND YOUR CONTROL OR THE PRIEST'S CONTROL. SO, REST ASSURED THAT THEY DID NOT DIE IN A STATE OF MORTAL SIN. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. LET ME ASK YOU THIS. THE PERSON DOESN'T KNOW YOU SAID SO THEY ARE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE. AND IN THE EARLY DAYS, ISAAC JOGUES AND THEM CAME OVER TO CONVERT THEM, AND IF THEY WERE NOT GOING TO HELL, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE ANY WAY. OR IF I MAKE THEM AWARE OF CHRIST AND THEY DON'T ACCEPT CHRIST, I'M PUTTING THEM AT RISK OF GOING TO HELL WHEN RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE THAT. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO AN ARGUMENT LIKE THAT. >> WELL, I WOULD SAY, THE FIRST THING IS, WHEN YOU SAY THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GO TO HELL. I CERTAINLY DIDN'T SAY THAT. I SAID IS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE SAVED. YOU HAVE TO BE FOLLOWING GOD. ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THESE INDIANS, MAYBE THEY WERE TRYING TO FOLLOW GOD. MAYBE THEY WERE NOT. GOD KNOWS THEIR INTENTION. BUT BOY, IF YOU ARE GETTING THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO KNOW THAT KILLING INNOCENT HUMAN BEINGS WHO ARE DOING NOTHING MORE THAN PREACHING, SCALPING THEM AND TORTURING THEM IS WRONG. AT LEAST YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE THAT INTRODUCES YOU TO THE GOD OF JUSTICE AND LOVE. THIS IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE PEOPLE IN A STATE WHERE THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD THE GOSPEL PREACHED WITH RESPECT TO LOVE. AND ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE GOING DOWN THE WRONG ROAD AND NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE SAVED. SO, YOU WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOU PREACH THAT WORD. YOU WANT TO BE SURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERY CHANCE OF BEING SAVED AND THAT THEY CAN, THE MAIN THING, YEAH, OF COURSE, PREACH THE WORD OF GOD AND MAKE SURE THE PERSON IS ON THE WAY! DO THEY HAVE A CHANCE OF BEING SAVED WITH EXTRA KNOWLEDGE. GOD KNOWS THE INTENTIONS ALONE. BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD SAY YOU ARE VOUCHSAFING THEIR PATH. ABSOLUTELY. CERTAINLY ARE. SO, PREACH THE WORD! >> AND I THINK THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS, IF WE'RE GIVEN A GIFT, THE LORD IS LOOKING FOR US TO MULTIPLY THE GIFT AND IF WE BURY IT AND SHOW BACK UP, HE WAS NOT THAT HAPPY! >> Father: RIGHT-O! EXACTLY. >> Doug: HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION. TALKING ABOUT FORM AND LANGUAGE. DEAR FR. SPITZER, DURING THE CONSECRATION AT MASS THE PRIEST USED TO SAY CHRIST'S BLOOD WAS POURED OUT FOR ALL. NOW HE SAYS IT WAS POURED OUT FOR MANY. WHY HAS THIS CHANGED? DID NOT JESUS DIE FOR ALL? KATY. >> Father: OR KATIE. OKAY. KATIE, HERE'S THE BRIEF ANSWER. THE RUBRIC WENT BACK TO THE LATIN, WHICH IS MANY. ACTUALLY, IF YOU GO BACK TWO MORE LANGUAGES, TO THE GREEK AND TO THE HEBREW BEHIND THE GREEK, THAT'S THE ACTUAL WORDS OF JESUS AT THE LAST SUPPER. IT PROBABLY IS ALL. AND HERE'S THE REASON WHY THAT IS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREEK IN BOTH MATTHEW AND MARK, MARK AND MATTHEW'S VERSION OF THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS, THEN YOU SEE THE WORDS IN THERE, [FOREIGN WORDS] THAT MEANS, THE MANY. WELL, THERE'S NO EXPRESSION THE MANY IN PROPER GREEK, IN KOINE GREEK NO SUCH EXPRESSION. SO WE SAY, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM, THE MANY. AS IT TURNS OUT, IT'S A SEMITISM. AND A SEMITISM MEANS WHEN THE GREEK TRANSLATOR TOOK JESUS HEBREW OR ARAMAIC WORDS, AND HE TRIED TO PUT THEM IN GREEK, HE DID IT LITERALLY. SO, WHAT IS THE HEBREW THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. WELL, IN HEBREW, THE WORD IS RABINE. AND THAT WORD COULD MEAN BOTH, MANY OR ALL. IF IT'S ACCOMPANIED BY THE DEFINITE ARTICLE, THE. IF YOU PUT THAT IN FRONT OF RABINE, THE DEFINITE ARTICLE, YOU WIND UP WITH ALL. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DEFINITE ARTICLE IN FRONT OF MANY, IT WINDS UP BEING MANY. NOW, HERE'S THE DEAL. THE GREEK SAYS [FOREIGN WORDS] THE MANY. WHICH MAKES NO SENSE IN GREEK AT ALL. HOWEVER, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE IN HEBREW. SO, JESUS IS EITHER SAYING IT IN THE SACRED LANGUAGE HEBREW OR ARAMAIC. SO, BASICALLY, HE USES THE DEFINITE ARTICLE WITH RABINE. AND IF HE'S DOING THAT, THEN OF COURSE, HE MEANS ALL. JESUS VERY, VERY LIKELY MEANT ALL. SO, I WOULD PROBABLY SAY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRANSLATION, GO BACK TO THE LATIN, IT'S REALLY MANY. AND IF YOU GO BACK TO THE ACTUAL HEBREW THAT STANDS BEHIND THE GREEK, WHICH STOOD BEHIND THE ORIGINAL VULGATE LATIN, THEN YOU GET THE WORD ALL. SO, I WOULD PROBABLY SAY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THE NEXT LITURGICAL COMMISSION MAY REVERSE IT BACK FOR ALL I KNOW. BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS A PRETTY WELL KNOWN FACT. I WOULD HAVE TO SELECT THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE ONES THAT GOES BACK, MAYBE IT WON'T. BUT ALL WAS PROBABLY THE ORIGINAL HEBREW. >> AS A LAY PERSON, THINK THAT GOD WANTS EVERYBODY TO BE SAVED AND JESUS DIES FOR ALL IN THE SENSE OF MAKING HEAVEN AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY. I THINK THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK SOMEBODY SAVING MEANS EVERYBODY SAVED WHICH IS NOT THE SAME THING. >> Father: NO, NO. IT'S NOT SAME THING. AND IN FACT, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE MEANING IS, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR EVERYBODY. THAT MEANS THAT IT'S AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYBODY WILL ACCEPT IT, THAT EVERY ONE WILL LIVE ACCORDING TO IT AND BE SAVED. >> OKAY. AND ANOTHER PREVIOUS SHOW, THEY ARE WATCHING YOU CLOSELY, FATHER. YOU SAID, NO SUCH THING AS SELF ACTUALIZATION. THIS MIGHT BE MASLOV'S FAMILY CALLING US. NOW, WE CANNOT DO IT OURSELVES. YOU TOLD US ST. AUGUSTINE WHO THROUGH GOD'S GRACE BY SAINT MONICA, THAT HE WAS FINALLY SAVED. AND IF NOT, WHY DOESN'T EVERYBODY AWAKEN LIKE THIS. YOU TOLD THE STORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, WHO BY GOD'S GRACE THROUGH ST. MONICA AND ST. AMBROSE, WAS AWAKENED TO THE TRUTH. HOW DID HE FINALLY LISTEN TO GOD'S VOICE? IS IT GOD'S GRACE? IF SO, WHY DOESN'T GOD AWAKEN EVERYONE LIKE THAT? MAX . >> NOW, HERE'S THE STORY, GUS, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE NOT SEARCHING. BUT ST. AUGUSTINE WAS TRULY LOOKING FOR GOD. THIS HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF TIME. ST. AUGUSTINE WAS NOT A SAINT IN HIS EARLY YEARS, I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU. HE HAD DEFINITE PROCLIVITIES IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. BUT THE MAIN THING IS HE WAS LOOKING. HE GOES TO THE MANACHES, HE'S SEARCHING AND THE MANACHES ARE TELLING HIM, EVERYTHING MATERIAL IS BAD AND YOU OUGHT TO DO THIS. SO, BECAUSE HE'S SEARCHING, HE'S FINDING THE HOLES IN THEIR ARGUMENT. AND THEN HE BEGINS TO DOUBT THAT. SLOWLY BUT SURELY HE SAYS, IN THE CONFESSIONS, BASICALLY TALKING TO GOD, LORD. OKAY. IF YOU ARE REALLY NOT A MANACHES AND REALLY SORT OF SOMETHING ELSE, YOU GOT TO HELP ME OUT HERE. SO, HE'S OPEN AND HE'S LOOKING. HE SEES THE HOLES IN THE ARGUMENTS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE BEGINS TO SEE, OH, WAIT A MINUTE, THESE CHRISTIANS SEEM TO HAVE A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO LEAP THE INFINITE GULF BETWEEN MY INFINITUDE AND GOD ALL BY MYSELF. THE CHRISTIANS HAVE THE CHRISTIANS OF GOD COMING TO US, EMMANUEL, GOD WITH US. SO, ESSENTIALLY, HE SEES, AUGUSTINE SEES. OKAY. THE CHRISTIANS FILLED THIS HOLE AND I SEE THAT. AND HE'S AN HONEST TRUTH SEEKER. SO THEN HE GOES FURTHER. AND HE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT. HE SAYS, IF I LOOK AT THE OLD TESTAMENT, THIS IS HARD TO BELIEVE AND SEEMS PRIMITIVE TO THE NEW TESTAMENT. THEY GOT PEOPLE KILLING EACH OTHER FOR THIS, GOD ORDERING THIS, THAT, AND I JUST CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW THAT CAN BE. AGAIN, AUGUSTINE MAKES PROGRESS. HE LISTENS TO SAINT AMBROSE. HONESTLY LOOKING AND LISTENING AND SAINT AMBROSE IS TALKING ABOUT, YEAH, OKAY, THERE IS A PROGRESSION OF DOCTRINE. AS THE PERSON WHO IS HEARING THE DOCTRINE, WHATEVER IS RECEIVED IS RECEIVED IN THE MANNER OF THE RECEIVER. AND THEY ARE MORE MATURE AND THE WORD COMES TO THEM IN FULLER AND FULLER REVELATION IN JESUS. SO, HE HEARS THIS. THERE'S A PROGRESSION IN REVELATION THAT HE HEARS AND THEN HE HEARS, THERE'S THE FULLER SENSE, THE THINGS THAT ARE PREDICTED, SOMEHOW, THEY ARE MEANT TO BE SEEN IN LIGHT OF CHRIST AS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE REVELATION. SO, HE SAYS, OKAY. THESE CHRISTIANS THEY GOT ANOTHER SOLUTION TO ANOTHER ONE OF MY PROBLEMS. AND HE GOES ALONG LIKE THIS. HE'S LISTENING, LOOKING, POKING HOLES, DOING THINGS AND GOING ON, OH MY GOSH, MAYBE MY MOTHER WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG. AND MAYBE HE'S THINKING THAT THE CHRISTIANS HAVE IT. AND THIS GUY AMBROSE, HE REALLY MIGHT, I GOT TO LISTEN A LITTLE BIT MORE TO HIM. SO, HE MAKES A BEELINE TO HEAR HIM AND EVEN SPEAK WITH HIM. FINALLY, OF COURSE, HE'S TRYING LIKE MAD BECAUSE THEY ARE DOMINATED BY LUST. HE JUST IS. SO, HE HAS A HARD TIME DEALING WITH THIS SIN. BASICALLY, AT ONE POINT, HE'S PUSHING AND SAYS, LORD, OKAY. I GET IT. NOT JUST NOW. I LIKE THE WOMEN TOO MUCH. BUT FINALLY, AGAIN, HE'S LISTENING. AND HE HEARS THAT CHILD IN THE GARDEN. HE ALSO HAS THESE OTHER LITTLE MINI-ENCOUNTERS. DEATH OF ONE OF HIS GREAT FRIENDS. AND SO FORTH. ALL OF THESE LITTLE ENCOUNTERS, THEY ALL SORT OF LEAD UP FINALLY TO THE POINT WHERE HE CAN NO LONGER SAY NO. THE CHRISTIANS HAVE THE ANSWER AND HE SEES THAT. HE SEES THAT HE HAS BEEN RUNNING AND HE BURSTS INTO THAT PRAYER LATE, LATE HAVE I LOVED THEE, 0 BEAUTY ANCIENT, EVER NEW. LATE HAVE I LOVED, YOU PURSUED ME AND I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU. I WAS LOST AND ALL OF THE CREATURES LEANEST OF THE WORLD, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE CREATED, WAS LOST. SO, OKAY. OKAY. HE SAYS THIS PRAYER. THEN, OF COURSE, HE HAS THAT MOMENT OF TRUE CONVERSION. THEN, HE DECIDES, I'M GOING ALL THE WAY. AND HE DOES GO ALL THE WAY OF BEING BISHOP OF CARTHAGE AND THE REST AS THEY SAY, THE REST IS HISTORY. ONE OF THE GREATEST FATHERS OF THE CHURCH THAT EVER LIVED, BOTH GREEK AND LATIN CHURCHES. GOD WAS GRACING HIM. AND AUGUSTINE WAS SEARCHING, THAT'S THE MAIN THING. HE WAS LISTENING. HE PUT IT TOGETHER. AND AUGUSTINE WAS A FREE AGENT AND GOD MUST MAKE IT THAT WAY. SO, THAT'S THE BASIC ANSWER THERE. >> Doug: THEY PICKED UP ON THE WAIVERS THERE! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS! PEOPLE HAVE TO BE OPEN AND SEARCHING. WE FIND THAT WITH THE EWTN, YOU KNOW, FINDING THAT WITH THE magiscenter.com, AND IF THEY ARE SEARCHING THEY GET HOOKED IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY. SO, MUCH MORE COMING YOUR WAY, AND FATHER SPITZER TOPIC OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. STAY WITH US. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> Doug: THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART OF "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." RIGHT HERE ON THE STUDIOS OF THE WEST COAST AND ALABAMA, MOTHER ANGELICA, 39 YEARS AGO AND COUNTING. WE TURN ONCE AGAIN TO FATHER SPITZER. I WANTED TO MENTION SOMETHING YOU CAN GO OUT THERE DIOCESANWIDE, AND YOU CAN GET OUT THERE, PRAYING THE ROSARY, EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION, NOTHING AND ADORATION. IT'S A WONDERFUL OUTREACH OF LAY CATHOLICS, VATICAN. AND UNITE OUR NATION DOT NET THAT'S THE PLACE TO GO AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION BIT. IT'S QUITE EXCITING AND SOME GREAT MEN ARE BEHIND THIS. THEY CAN REALLY USE YOUR SUPPORT. I WANTED TO MENTION THAT. BEFORE WE GET INTO MORE QUESTIONS. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION AS TO A FOLLOWUP OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, WITH THE PRIEST, HAVING TO DO WITH DETROIT. THE IDEA OF, I HEARD ALSO, WHEN THEY EXPLAINED WHY, WHAT HE DID WASN'T CORRECT BUT IT WAS, HAVING TO DO WITH TERMS LIKE, SOMETHING BEING LICIT, NON LICIT, WHY IT WAS OKAY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT DONE RIGHT. >> Father: WELL, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LICIT AND VALIDITY. >> Doug: RIGHT. YEAH, UNDERSTAND THAT, IT'S NOT JUST THAT DOUG CAN BAPTIZE PEOPLE AND SOMEBODY LATER SAYS, OH, HE MEANT TO BAPTIZE PEOPLE. >> Father: WELL, THE CHURCH MAKES A DISTINCTION BETWEEN LICIT, WHICH IS LEGAL, I GUESS, THE BEST TRANSLATION FOR IT. VERSUS VALID WHICH MEANS THAT THE ACTUAL EVENT IS OCCURRING, EX-OPERANDI. AND YOU KNOW, SOMETHING COULD BE VALID THE SACRAMENT IS PRESENT BUT WHAT IS LICIT, IS THAT IT WAS ILLICIT, IMPROPERLY DONE OR EXECUTED. SO, YOU KNOW, IN THE PARTICULAR CASE, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT A CANONIST SO I'M NOT SURE HOW IT APPLIES BUT I BAPTIZE YOU IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER,SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S NECESSARY FOR VALIDITY, BUT FOR LICITNESS. AND NOT BEING A CANONIST, I'LL JUST SAY THAT MAYBE IT WAS VALID BUT ILLICIT. ALSO, THOUGH, IT MAY BE INVALID BECAUSE IT HAD TO DO WITH THE ACTUAL FORM OF THE BAPTISM. NEVERTHELESS, IN ANY CASE, THINK THAT CERTAINLY THE LORD IS NOT GOING TO INVALIDATE AT LEAST IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE SOMETHING WHICH WAS INTENTIONALLY DESIRED AND IN GOOD FAITH, DESIRED AND PERFORMED AND THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT WAY BACK AT THE TIME OF THE BAPTISM. SO, PROBABLY IS A MATTER OF THAT WAS A VALID SET OF SACRAMENTS THAT WAS DONE ILLICITLY. BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT! LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT A CANON LAWYER. BUT THE LORD SNOT GOING TO HOLD THAT -- IS NOT GOING TO HOLD THAT PERSON RESPONSIBLE ON EITHER THE SIDE OF THE PRIEST OR THE PEN TENTH. >> Doug: AND THE LORD IS NOT LIMITED BY WHAT HE SETS UP FOR US. HE CAN ACT OUTSIDE OF THAT. >> Father: ABSOLUTELY. >> Doug: AND THE ISSUE IS, NOT THAT IT'S OKAY TO DO THAT, BUT THAT IT HAPPENED BY ACCIDENT OR MISTAKE, THE LORD DOESN'T PENALIZE PEOPLE WHO IN ALL INTENTION TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND I THINK THE DEACON NEEDS TO GO BACK AND LEARN HIS LESSONS. AND IT WAS THE EARLY DYKE TOMATO THAT THEY RECOGNIZED LATER THAT THE TRAINING WAS NOT AS SUBSTANTIAL AS IT NEEDED TO BE IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE DYKE TOMATO. >> Father: AND THE FORMATION WAS PROBABLY, IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THAT, ALMOST IMPLYING THAT THE COMMUNITY IS BAPTIZING HIM INSTEAD OF CHRIST WORKING THROUGH THE PRIEST -- >> Doug: WELL, THAT'S WHERE YOU RUN INTO THE PRETTY BASIC, KIND OF MENTALITY THAT THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION IS ACTUALLY INFECTING THE EUCHARIST, RATHER THAN THE PRIEST BEING THE ONE WITH THE ACTION AND THE PERSONA CHRISTE. I THINK THAT IT'S OVERLY, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, LATERAL, OR KIND OF -- >> THIS IS OUR BODY? RIGHT. YEAH. >> Doug: ALL OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE DEALT WITH IN CLOWN MASSES AND PUPPET MINISTRIES ALL THROUGH THE YEARS. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ANOTHER QUESTION. THE PERSON SAYS. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I AM A LIFELONG CATHOLIC, BUT THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME A LOT LATELY. SEEING HOW WE DID NOT HAVE A FREE CHOICE WHETHER TO BE BORN INTO THIS WORLD, HOW CAN IT BE FAIR TO BE JUDGED BY GOD WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SPENDING ETERNITY IN HELL SEPARATED FROM OUR CREATOR? IF I HAD A CHOICE OF BEING BORN, I MIGHT HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO EXIST, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE SUFFERING WE ENDURE IN THE LIFE. THANK YOU, RICH. >> Father: RICH, FIRST OF ALL, THE FACT IS THAT YOU WERE BORN. AND YOU WERE BORN TO BROUGHT INTO ETERNAL LIFE AND ETERNAL JOY. YOU OUGHT TO BE THANKFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET TO HEAVEN, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE, THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED TO YOU. YOU ARE GOING TO GET TO SPEND THIS IN ETERNITY, WITH EVERYBODY WHO EVER LOVED YOU. AND AS ST. PAUL TELLS US, NEXT TO THAT, HE SAYS, WHO CARES! I COUNT ALL OF THIS SUFFERING THAT I AM ENDURING. AND HE ENDURED PLENTY, RICH. I COUNT ALL OF IT AS MERE REFUSE WHEN COMPARED WITH THE LIFE THAT IS TO COME, THE CLOWN THAT AWAITS ME THIS IS MERE REFUSE! IT IS A BIG NOTHING. YES, SUFFERING IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY, YES, ALLEVIATE SUFFERING ON THE PART OF PEOPLE. YEAH, DON'T LET THEM SINK INTO DESPAIR BUT WE MUST ALSO KNOW AS CHRISTIANS, THIS IS ALL GOING TO END. THAT EVERY TEAR IS WIPED AWAY! WE CAN LEVER EVERY SINGLE BIT OF SUFFERING TO PURIFY OUR LOVE, GET OUR EGOS OUT OF THE WAY. TO GET OUR SENSUALITY OUT OF THE WAY AND JUST TO PURSUE THE GOOD OF THE OTHER HUMAN BEING AND LOVE OF THE OTHER HUMAN BEING FOR WHO THEY REALLY ARE. THE INTRINSIC GOODNESS AND LOVABILITY THAT THEY ARE AND DIVINE SPIRIT OF SELF GIFT TO WHICH WE ARE CALLED WHICH BRINGS US ETERNAL JOY. THIS IS THE REAL REASON THAT WE WERE BORN INTO THE WORLD. FOR YOU TO EVEN SUGGEST THAT YOU WOULD RATHER NOT BE BORN. BECAUSE THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY OF HELL. YOU ARE FREE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE HELL. YOU KNOW, GOD DOESN'T JUST SEND US TO HELL. WE CHOOSE IT. SO, THE MAIN THING IS, DON'T CHOOSE HELL. BUT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. CHOOSE CHRIST. STAY ON THE ROAD. IF YOU FAIL, DON'T WORRY. GO TO CONFESSION. GO BACK ON THE ROAD. YOU ARE GOING TO GET THERE. JUST KEEP DOGGEDLY GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD. EVEN IF YOU ARE GOING TO CONFESSION EVERY WEEK AND EVEN IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLES GALORE. THE LORD SAYS 70 TIMES 7 TIMES, MEANING AN INFINITE NUMBER OF TIMES, IN THE HEBREW MANNER OF SPEAKING. BASICALLY, JUST KEEP GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD, KEEP TRYING, KEEP STRIVING FOR CHRIST. KEEP TAKING THE MORAL TEACHING SERIOUSLY. KEEP RECEIVING THE SACRAMENTS. KEEP ON THE ROAD. YOU ARE GOING TO GET THERE. DON'T WORRY! AND THE MAIN THING, DON'T BE THINKING EVER, THAT I WOULD RATHER NOT BE BORN AT ALL. DON'T EVER SAY THAT. DON'T TEACH ANYBODY THAT. DON'T EVEN THINK THAT. REALLY, THE ETERNAL JOY THAT AWAITS YOU WILL BE WORTH EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE ENDURED. AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE ENDURED CAN BE USED AND LEVERED TO BRING YOU MORE READILY INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I DON'T RELISH BEING BLIND. >> RIGHT. MAYBE YOU NEED TO WATCH IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE AND THEN YOU GET A GOOD PERSPECTIVE ON WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS GLAD HE WAS BORN OR NOT! NOW, HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION THAT YOU CAN PROBABLY GET TO QUICKLY. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, MY CHILDREN HAVE SAID THAT FREE WILL IS NOT A GIFT, IT'S A CURSE. THEY SAY GOD IS NOT LOVING US BY GIVING PEOPLE THE POWER TO DECIDE TO GO TO HELL. I TOLD THEM FORCED LOVE IS NOT REALLY LOVE. WHAT DO YOU THINK? SINCERELY, FRANCES. >> Father: FRANCES, YOUR ANSWER IS RIGHT ON THE MARKER! I JUST SAY, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, IT IS MUCH BETTER TO SPEND LIFE IN HEAVEN AS A FREE AGENT LOVING PEOPLE, BEING LOVED, THAN TO SPEND LIFE IN HEAVEN AS A ROBOT HAVING BEHAVIORS OF LOVE PROGRAMMED INTO YOU BECAUSE YOU NEVER HAD ANY FREEDOM TO SELF INITIATE YOUR LOVE. JUST TURN RIGHT BACK TO YOUR CHILDREN. AND FRANCES, YOU WERE RIGHT ON BY THE WAY. TURN TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND ASK, WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER BE, A ROBOT OR A HUMAN BEING THAT KNOWS HE HAS THE CHOICE TO LOVE AND KNOWS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOVING THEM AND CAN FREELY ENTER INTO A LOVING RELATIONSHIP IN A PURE ACT OF A REAL SELF GIFT. WOULD YOU RATHER BE A ROBOT OR A HUMAN BEING? IF YOU WOULD RATHER BE A ROBOT, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING BECAUSE A ROBOT HAS NO SELF CONSCIOUSNESS THAT IS CAPABLE OF RECOGNIZING WHETHER OR NOT HE'S HAPPY OR NOT. YOU WOULD RATHER BE A MACHINE OR NOT EVEN KNOW THAT YOU ARE HAPPY, UNHAPPY, SAD OR NOT SAD? YOU WOULD RATHER BE A MACHINE THAT HAS NO COGNIZANCE OF WHETHER HIS LIFE IS GOING IN A GOOD DIRECTION OR NOT. WHETHER HE WAS APPRECIATED OR NOT. WHETHER HE HAS PURPOSE, DIGNITY OR NOT. YOU JUST WANT TO BE A FUNCTIONING, PROCESSING UNITE. IS THAT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO BE. OF COURSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THERE. AND OF COURSE, YOU WOULD CURSE YOURSELF TO SAY, OH, PLEASE, LORD, LET ME BE A ROBOT, WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T PRAY THAT PRAYER! TELL YOUR KIDS, THAT PROBABLY IS AN UNWISE WISH. TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE, SHTICK ON THE ROAD. RIGHT? ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS JUST STAY ON THE ROAD WITH THE SACRAMENTS. IF YOU GET OFF THE ROAD, GO BACK TO CONFESSION AND KEEP FOLLOWING THE TEACHING OF CHRIST. KEEP TRYING TO DO THIS. DO NOT DESPAIR OF YOUR SALVATION. THAT QUESTION COMES OUT OF DESPAIR AND DESPAIR COMES FROM THE EVIL ONE. JUST KEEP NOT SUBMITTING TO DESPAIR. KEEP FOLLOWING THE TEACHING OF CHRIST. YOU GET OFF, JUST GO BACK TO CONFESSION, KEEP ON THE ROAD DOGGEDLY. AND WHEN YOU GET TO ETERNITY, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BLIP ON THE RADAR SCREEN, AND WHEN YOU GET TO ETERNITY, YOU ARE GOING TO SAY, WOW! I GET THIS? I'LL TAKE IT! AND HERE'S GOD, HERE'S PURE ECSTASY COMING HIMSELF, HERE'S ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT I GET TO ENJOY IN THE STATE OF PURE ECSTASY AND THIS MAKES EVERYTHING ON EARTH LOOK LIKE NOTHING! WHAT? YOU ARE GOING TO BE LIKE STEVE JOBS IN HIS DEATH BED. HE SAID, WOW. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID REALLY. BUT YOU ARE GOING TO BE BLOWN AWAY. >> Doug: SO LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR CLOSING TOPIC IN THE FEW MINUTES LEFT IN THE SHOW. IN THIS SECTION, HE TRANSFORMED THIS FROM SLAVERY IN EGYPT TO HEAVENLY FREEDOM FROM EVIL TO DEATH LEADING TO ETERNAL LIFE AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. AS SUCH, THE HOLY EUCHARIST IS THE POWER AND LOVE OF SQUEEZE TO PROTECT US FROM SATAN AND TO USHER US INTO HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM. >> Father: THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. IN FACT, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT IMPLICITLY THROUGHOUT THE SHOW. AND YOU CAN SEE, AS YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY EUCHARIST, SLOWLY BUT SURELY, YOU ARE BEING TRANSFORMED, SLOWLY BUT SURELY, YOU ARE BEING GIVEN THESE LITTLE FREEDOMS. YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THEM COMING IN YOURSELF. I CERTAINLY DIDN'T WHEN I STARTED GOING TO DAILY MASS. I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE TRANSFORMATION THAT WAS REALLY OCCURRING IN ME. IT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. AND THESE TRANSFORMATIONS, THEY DO PROTECT YOU FROM EVIL. THERE'S NOTHING THAT THE EVIL SPIRIT HATES WORSE THAN YOU STARTING TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION ON A MORE AND MORE REGULAR BASIS, DURING THE WEEK, ET CETERA. BECAUSE IT'S JUST REINFORCING YOU, GIVING YOU A SENSE OF RESOLVE THAT YOU DID NOT HAVE BEFORE, A SENSE OF FREEDOM THAT YOU DID NOT HAVE BEFORE. YOU ARE ACTUALLY BEING TRANSFORMED IN THE HEART OF CHRIST. AS YOU RECEIVE IT WORTHILY, BUILDING UP YOUR PRAYER LIFE, AROUND THE MORE FREQUENT RECEPTION OF THE EUCHARIST, PRAYER BUILDS TOWARD THE EUCHARIST AND EUCHARIST BUILDS TOWARD PRAYER AND AS YOU GET THAT TWO-FOLD INTERACTION GOING, THE PRAYER AND THE EUCHARIST IN YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE JUST GOING TO SEE YOUR FREEDOM TOWARD PURITY OF HEART, YOUR FREEDOM TOWARD AUTHENTIC HUMILITY AND GENTLENESS. YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THAT FREEDOM ACTUALLY PURSUING THE LORD AND LEAVING BEHIND THE SO-CALLED SENSUAL DELIGHTS AND LEAVE BEHIND THE EGO-DRIVEN STUFF. YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IT HAPPEN TO YOU AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE BLOWN AWAY. AND AS YOU DO, YOU ARE GOING TO BE VOUCHSAFED ONTO THE ROAD TO SALVATION. SO, IN MY VIEW, RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST. THE MORE FREQUENTLY, THE BETTER. THE MORE PROTECTION YOU HAVE FROM EVIL, THE MORE YOU ARE JUST BEING PULLED LIKE THE TRACTOR PULLED, BY GOD, INTO HEAVEN BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFORMED HEART THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. THAT YOU HAVE FREELY ACCEPTED AND WORKED INTO YOUR LIFE THROUGH YOUR PRAYER AND ACTIONS, BUT AS YOU DO THAT, NOTICE THAT THE TRACTOR INCREASES IN FORCE AND YOU ARE JUST PULLED IN MORE AND MORE BY THE LORD OF LOVE. >> Doug: AND OKAY. THIS IS ANOTHER TOPIC THAT COMES UP, YOU KIND OF ADDRESSED THIS IN HERE AND SOME DEGREE, HAS TO DO WITH WHY YOU NEED A VALIDLY ORDAINED PRIEST AND THE EUCHARISTIC CONNECTION THROUGH THE APOSTOLIC HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT JESUS INTENDED TO GIVE US HIS REAL BODY AND BLOOD, HIS REAL CRUCIFIED RISEN SELF RATHER THAN MERELY SYMBOLIC PRESENCE IN THE BLOOD AND WINE AS SOME PEOPLE, SOME CATHOLICS EVEN MISUNDERSTAND THE CHURCH'S TEACHING ON THAT. >> Father: RIGHT, YEAH. ACTUALLY THERE ARE 3 MAJOR REASONS. AND FIRST ONE, JOHN 1:53, I BELIEVE, WHERE HE SAYS, THE BREAD THAT COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN IS MY FLESH. I AM THE BREAD, LIVING BREAD WHO COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN. AND THE BREAD THAT COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN IS MY FLESH FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD. YOU CAN'T READ THE GREEK IN ANY OTHER WAY. THAT'S THE VERY CLEAR IN JOHN. AND PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS IS CLEAR. AND THE OTHER THING THAT'S CLEAR, THE UNDERSTANDING THAT JESUS HAS OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST, HIS PROPHETIC WORDS GOING OUT INTO THE FUTURE AND BRINGING BACK HIS BODY ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY INTO THE BREAD DISTRIBUTING INTO THE APOSTLES AND CALLING IT THE COLLAPSE OF THE SACRED TIME WHICH ACTUALLY IS SOMETHING THAT JESUS KNOWS VERY WELL. IT CAN HAPPEN BECAUSE ALL TIME IS IN THE MIND OF GOD. SO, HE'S ACTUALLY DOING THIS. AND THAT'S HIS INTENTION IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST. THERE'S SOME VERY, VERY GOOD BOOKS WRITTEN ABOUT THAT. IF YOU WANT A SUMMARY OF THAT, I WROTE GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD. IN THAT BOOK, GO TO, I BELIEVE IT'S CHAPTER 3 WHICH IS ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST. IT'S ALL EXPLAINED THERE WHAT THAT SLAPS OF TIME IS. AND -- COLLAPSE OF TIME IS. AND GO TO crediblecatholic.com, ALL EXPLAINED RIGHT THERE IN VOLUME 9 OF THE BIG BOOK. GO TO crediblecatholic.com, CLICK ON THE BIG BOOK, VOLUME 9. AND YOU WILL SEE THE ENTIRE THING THERE. ANOTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT IN ALL OF THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS, THERE'S NO OTHER INTERPRETATION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST EXCEPT THAT IT IS THE REAL PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST. NOW, THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS WERE PROBABLY IN CONTACT WITH THE APOSTLES AND IN CONTACT WITH THOSE WHO KNEW THE APOSTLES. SO, IT IS VERY, VERY UNLIKELY THAT THEY UNANIMOUSLY INTERPRETED CHURCH TRADITION COMING TO THEM ALMOST WITHIN THE FIRST CENTURY, RIGHT? COMING TO THEM AND IN A COMPLETELY WRONG WAY. SO, LET'S FACE IT. THEY ARE GETTING IT FROM THE APOSTLES AS WELL. AND THEY ARE VERY CLEAR AND EXPLICIT ABOUT THE REAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST BEING IN THE EUCHARIST. BY THE WAY, WHAT SENSE WOULD IT MAKE FOR PAUL TO BE TALKING ABOUT RECEIVING CHRIST INTO OUR HEARTS UNWORTHILY, AND THE TERRIBLE ACT THAT IT IS. IF HE DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT WAS THE REAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST. AND BY THE WAY, IF THE APOSTLES REALLY DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT JESUS WAS SAYING THAT IT WAS HIS REAL FLESH AND BLOOD IN JOHN 6, WHY WOULD EVERYBODY HAVE WALKED AWAY AND JESUS SAID TO THEM, WELL, ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE ME TOO? AND THEY GO, NO, LORD, WHERE WOULD WE GO. YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF EVERLASTING LIFE. I THUNK ALL OF THE EVIDENCE, UNANIMOUSLY, AND IF WE LOOK AT THE COLLAPSE OF SACRED TIME, JESUS CERTAINLY BELIEVED IN THE MIND OF CHRIST, TAKING A LOOK AT 1 CORINTHIANS WITH ANY DEGREE OF SERIOUSNESS, I TELL YOU, LOOKING AT THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS WRITING WITHIN THE FIRST CENTURY OF THE CHURCH, THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COME UP WITH ANY INTERPRETATION OTHER THAN THE REAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST. LUTHER WAS SIMPLY MISTAKEN IN THE REGARD. HE IGNORED WHAT WE FIRST THOUGHT WAS FIRST RATE SCHOLARLY EVIDENCE. BUT HE WAS NOT AS HIGH ON IGNORING THE REAL PRESENCE, MORE ON THE CONSUBSTANTIAL CASE RATHER THAN THE TRAN SUBSTANTIAL ONE. AND CALVIN, CALVIN WAS COMPLETELY IGNORANT OF THE SCHOLARLY, AT LEAST, NOT IN THE SCRIPTURES. LUTHER WAS. CALVIN STARTED THAT TRADITION GOING STRONG IN THE PRO STANT AREA. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, HE WAS IGNORANT OF THE ENTIRE CONTEXT IN WHICH THIS THING WAS TO BE. AND HE WAS IGNORANT OF THE CHURCH FATHERS IN THIS CASE AS WELL. >> JUST LOOKING BACK, A PERSON THINKING LOGICALLY, IF IT WASN'T TRUE, WHY DID THEY BOTHER WITHOUT HAVING TO DO WITH THAT AS AN ISSUE. IF IT WAS SIMPLE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EASIER SELL TO PEOPLE WHO HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RELIGION ABOUT THE ROMANS WHO THOUGHT THE CHRISTIANS WERE CANNIBALS, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEY SAID, NO, NO. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS JUST A SYMBOL. IT'S NOT REALLY HIS BODY AND BLOOD. BUT THEY DIDN'T. SO, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT AND HAVE A PRIESTHOOD AND HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS TO MAKE IT APPROPRIATE. WOULDN'T IT BE EASIER TO HAVE JUST LET IT BE A SYMBOL? >> ABSOLUTELY. APOLOGETICALLY, THEY ARE ALL LEAVING JESUS IN JOHN 6, BAILING SHIP BECAUSE THEY ARE THINKING TO THEMSELVES. WELL, WAIT A MINUTE. YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE US YOUR REAL FLESH AND BLOOD TO DRINK, YOU ARE A LITTLE WHACKO, SIR. SO, THEY ARE LEAVING AND THE CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS JESUS DID, SELLING THE SAME THING. SO, WHY FOR EXAMPLE, WHY DID THEY DO IT? WHY DID THEY INSIST ON IT? WHY IS IT UNANIMOUSLY HELD BY THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS. BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID THEY THINK IT WAS TRUE BUT THEY GOT IT FROM THE APOSTLES THAT THIS WAS JESUS' TRUE INTENTION AS IT WAS REFLECTED IN 1 JOHN AND 1 LET LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS. YEAH, MUCH EASIER THAN THE APOLOGETIC SELF. AND ALAS IT STANDS FORTH FOR ALL NATIONS TO RECEIVE BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST THROUGH HIS SON, HE REALLYN'T WITH A TOAD GIVE THE REAL BODY AND BLOOD, HIS REAL BODY, BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY TO ALL OF US, TO TRANSFORM OUR HEARTS, VOUCHSAFE OUR PATH INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND TO FRUSTRATE THE DESIGNS OF THE EVIL SPIRIT. >> Doug: I THINK THAT'S IT. AND BASICALLY, THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM, FATHER. IF YOU WOULD, GIVE US YOUR BLESSING ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR. THAT WOULD BE TERRIFIC. >> Father: YES. BOW YOUR HEADS AND PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSING. AND MAY YOU, IN YOUR FAITH ACCEPT THE LORD'S GIFT OF HIS REAL PRESENCE, THE GIFT THAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU OF REAL FREEDOM TO INITIATE LOVE AND TO ACCEPT HIS LOVE, THE GIFT THAT IS GOING TO BRING YOU INTO THE FULLNESS OF LIGHT, LOVE, AND ECSTASY AND FREEDOM WITH THE LORD FOREVER INTO HIS ETERNITY BY TRUSTING IN HIS WORD, IN HIS SON, IN HIS SACRAMENTS, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> Doug: AMEN. THANK YOU, A PLEASURE ALWAYS, FATHER. STAY SAFE SO WE CAN SEE YOU NEXT TIME. >> Father: WILL DO! >> Doug: THE ONE AND ONLY FATHER SPITZER. DON'T FORGET, THE PROGRAM AIRS ON THE WEB, ON YOU TUBE AND YOU CAN SEE THE RE-AIRS TONIGHT AND CHECK OUT OUR SCHEDULE AT ewtn.com. DON'T FORGET, ewtnRC.com HAS A NUMBER OF WONDERFUL BOOKS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN OF FATHER SPITZER. SOME OF THEM HE MENTIONED AND EVEN IN THIS PARTICULAR SHOW. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THAT'S OUR TOPIC AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. WE CERTAINLY HOPE SO. WE ALL NEED TRANSFORMATION! THIS WEEKEND, I HAVE THE ONE AND ONLY DOCTOR HAHN, SCOTT HAHN EVANGELIZING CATHOLICS. WE NEED THAT NOW. THAT'S FOR SURE. DON'T FORGET, CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA HAVING THE MASS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT COMING UP ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, COMING UP RIGHT HERE ON EWTN WHERE IT ALL STARTED. AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME AT THE BUSY INTERSECTION AND SAFE INTERSECTION OF FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE. [MUSIC]
