[MUSIC] >> Doug: WE'RE STILL HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON AND MOVING INTO JANUARY 2021, IF YOU ARE WATCHING LIVE, THE DAY OF THE INAUGURATION, THERE IS A NEW PRESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES. JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS SHOW RELIES ON YOUR EMAILS, TWEETS THROUGH TWITTER, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS CHECK OUT THE magiscenter.com FOR ALL THINGS THAT RELATE TO ALL THINGS RELATED FATHER SPITZER. NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS, GOOD DOES WIN IN THE END, I DON'T WANT TO RUIN THE END OF YOUR BOOK, BUT YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT. THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE THROUGH ewtnRC.com. SPEAKING OF BOOKS AVAILABLE, THE BIBLICAL WAY OF PRAYING THE MASS, OUR OWN FATHER TIM GALLAGHER JUST HAD THE PLEASURE OF HAVING HIM ON WITH FATHER MITCH. I DID AN INTERVIEW, AIRING SOON AS WELL ON THE INTERNET AND HE'S A GREAT PRIEST. SPEAKING OF GREAT PRIESTS, WE'LL MOVE TO THE WEST COAST AND PICKING UP ON OUR SENSORS, THE IMAGES OF FATHER SPITZER! HOW ARE YOU DOING. >> Father: I'M DOING GREAT. I'M ASSUMING YOU ARE TOO. NOW IF YOU WANT TO KICK US OFF WITH A PRAYER THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> IN THE NAME OF FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AMEN. HEAVENLY FATHER, ON THIS DAY, WE ASK YOU TO BLESS AND WATCH OUT OVER OUR COUNTRY, OUR CULTURE, HELP US TO PRESERVE A CULTURE OF LIFE AND HELP TUESDAY PRESERVE A CULTURE OF REAL DIGNITY OF HUMANKIND THAT IS GROUNDED IN RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. WE ASK YOU, DEAR LORD, TO SEND YOUR SPIRIT DOWN UPON THIS COUNTRY TO INSPIRE AND PROTECT AND GUIDE US IN EVERY WAY. WE ASK YOU, TOO, SEND THE SAME SPIRIT DOWN UPON DOUG AND MYSELF SO THAT EVERYTHING WE DO, AND EVERYTHING WE SAY WILL BE BROUGHT TO FRUITION FOR WILL, FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR PEOPLE, CHURCH, AND YOUR KINGDOM, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST YOUR LORD. MARY, SEAT OF WISDOM, PRAY FOR US. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> WE HAVE A MESSAGE THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM THE HOLY FATHER, SENT TO JOE BIDEN, INDICATED, AT THE GREAT CRISIS ARE FACING THE FAMILY CALLING FOR UNITED RESPONSES, I PRAY YOUR -- RAPID READING -- AUTHENTIC JUSTICE AND FREEDOM WITH UNFAILING RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON, ESPECIALLY THE POOR, VULNERABLE, AND THOSE WHO HAVE NO VOICE. THAT'S JUST WHAT PART OF THE HOLY FATHER SAID. OF COURSE, IN THIS MONTH OF PRO LIFE ACTIVITY IN THE UNITED STATES, OF COURSE, I THINK MOST OF US AND YOU BEING A PRO LIFE WARRIOR FOR MANY YEARS WOULD THINK, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE WITH NO VOICE, NO GREATER GROUP THAN THE UNBORN CHILD. >> I TOTALLY, AGREE WITH THAT. IF WE DON'T SPEAK UP FOR THEM, THEY CERTAINLY CAN'T SPEAK UP FOR THEMSELVES. AND MANY PEOPLE IN OUR CULTURE WILL NOT SPEAK UP FOR THEM. AND INDEED HAVE A VERY MALICIOUS INTENT TOWARD THEM. SO, PLEASE, JUST KEEP THE EFFORT GOING AND LET'S JUST KEEP THE LIGHT OF LIFE GOING WHO IS JESUS CHRIST AND WORKING THROUGH OUR HANDS AND WORKING THROUGH OUR LENSE. >> AMEN. AND OF COURSE, ANOTHER THING, BECAUSE YOU YOURSELF AS A PRO LIFE LEADER OVER THE YEARS, THE PASSING OF PRO LIFE LEAGUE FOUNDER AND LEADER, JOE SCHEIDLER PASSED AWAY. AND HE WAS WELL INTO HIS 90'S. HERE'S A PICTURE OF HIM. SOMETIMES CONTROVERSIAL BUT NOW GOD STIRRED UP ENOUGH THAT THEY WENT AFTER HIM FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, USING THE RICO STATUTES AGAINST HIM. >> YEAH, BUT HE WAS ONE FORCE OF GRACE AND NATURE. OH MY GOSH, ABSOLUTELY UNSTOPPABLE. GOD BLESS HIM. WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE THAT, AS THEY SAY, KEEP THE LIGHT SHINING IN THE DARKNESS. >> AND WE ABSOLUTE JOE, AND THAT HIS WORK WILL CONTINUE. >> THINK I HEARD TERESA TOMEO TALKING ABOUT BISHOP ON HER SHOW. THE BISHOP WROTE A REFLECTION ON THE RECENT VIOLENCE AT THE CAPITOL WITH THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED WHICH WERE OBVIOUSLY RIDICULOUS, OUT OF CONTROL. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD SAY ANYTHING DIFFERENT. EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE. BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, YOUR REACTION AS TO WHAT SAID. EARLIER BEFORE WE WENT ON THE AIR, HE QUOTED CHESTERTON AND YOU WERE TOO. SO BEEN FOUNDING WANTING, DIFFICULT AND LEFT UNTRIED. AND THIS IS THE BISHOP, ARE YOU A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST OR JUST AN ADMIRER OF CHRIST. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE GOOD AT LOVING YOUR ENEMIES AND THEREFORE, TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, I POSE THE QUESTION. IF YOU VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT, CAN YOU SAY YOU LOVE DONALD TRUMP AND HIS SUPPORTERS. IF YOU VOTED TO RE-ELECT DONALD TRUMP CAN YOU SAY YOU LOVE JOE BIDEN AND HIS SUPPORTERS. HE GOES ON TO SAY THE QUESTION MAKES PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE WE TEND TO EQUATE LOVE WARM FUZZY FEELINGS. WELL, LOVE INVOLVES SOMETHING MUCH MORE PROFOUND, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SAID TO LOVE, THE GOOD AND THE WILL OF OTHERS. YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT? >> ABSOLUTELY, I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US. TBHED TO WILL THE GOOD FOR OTHERS SO MUCH SO THAT WE NOT ONLY PRAY FOR THE OTHER, BUT WE SEEK WHEN THOSE OTHERS ARE DOING GOOD, WE SEEK IN SOME WAY TO SUPPORT THEM AND OF COURSE, IN SO DOING, TO SUPPORT OUR COUNTRY. SO, I DO THINK RIGHT ON THE MARKER, LOOK FOR THE GOOD NEWS AND IF YOU CONCENTRATE ON THE BAD, YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO FIND THE GOOD. AND LOOKING FOR THE GOOD, CAUSES THE EMPATHY AND SUPPORT FOR THE OTHERS, THAN DOING THE GOOD FOR YOURSELF. IT MAKES IT THAT MUCH EASIER TO WILL THE GOOD FOR OTHERS. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING EVEN IF OUR FEELINGS ARE IN A STATE OF CATACLYSMIC REVOLT. WE CAN STILL DO THAT. WE NOT ONLY SEE THE GOOD NEWS IN THE OTHER, BUT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR. >> RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER. I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT INSIGHTS OF THE CHURCH, THE IDEA OF PRAYING FOR YOUR ENEMY, BY DOING THAT AND HOPING THAT GOD SPEAKS TO THEM AND MAYBE CHANGES THEIR MIND. MAYBE NOT. BUT AT LEAST, IT TAKES THAT AWAY FROM YOU. AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE BOOK IN THE SENSE OF INTERNALIZING YOUR OWN UPSETMENT, HATE, AND THE ANGER, AND HOW THAT THEN COMES OUT, NOT ONLY HOW YOU DEAL WITH OTHER PEOPLE BUT INTERNALLY DEAL WITH YOUR OWN LIFE. >> YEAH, THIS IS VERY TRUE. ONCE THE HATRED STARTS GOING, FIRST, YOU MAY BE VEXED BY THE OTHER PERSON. BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU TURN RIGHT IN ON YOURSELF. THERE'S NO ESCAPE. THIS IS THE PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYBODY WHO IS FILLED WITH A STATE OF RAGE AND THE HAM LET EXAMPLE IN THE BOOK, HAMLET IS JUSTIFIABLY OUTRAGED, HIS FATHER WAS KILLED WITH THE POISON. ON TOP OF IT, MARY HIS MOTHER TAKES THE FORTUNE. OF COURSE, HE'S A MAN WHO IS AN ANGRY PERSON. AND THEN, HIS RAGE GETS OUT OF CONTROL TO THE POINT WHERE HE DESTROYS FOUR INNOCENT VICTIMS AND AT THE END, CAUSING HIS OWN DESTRUCTION OF HIMSELF. SO, WHAT A WAY THAT SHAKESPEARE HAS OF PORTRAYING DIVISIVE ANGER. AND IT DOES. IT JUST TURNS IN ON ITSELF, AFFECTING ALL YOUR ACTIONS AND INHIBIT THE ACTIONS OF THE WAY WE FOLLOW CHRIST. >> AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GET MORE INTO THE SECTION ON THE BOOK. HERE'S QUESTIONS FROM PREVIOUS PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE SENT TO US. WE WANT TO GET TO THAT IN THE BEGINNING HERE. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I'M TROUBLED AS TO WHY GOD ALLOWS CHILDREN TO BE BORN PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY SICK. MY CHILDREN ALL HAVE AUTISM. I WOULD ALSO SAY FOR MYSELF, THIS IS DOUG KECK, THAT MY SON HAS AUTISM, ALTHOUGH QUITE HIGH FUNCTIONING. AND I SAY, HE'S A BLESSING. MY OLDEST HAS SEVERAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND HAS BEEN SICK SINCE SHE WAS A BABY. WHY DOES GOD ALLOW THIS SUFFERING? I WAS TAUGHT IF YOU ARE GOOD AND HELP YOURSELF GOD WILL HELP YOU. LET ME REPEAT THIS. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THIS. I WAS TAUGHT IF YOU ARE GOOD AND HELP YOURSELF GOD WILL HELP YOU. I'M STARTING TO QUESTION THIS AND I DON'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE THIS. DOROTHY SEEMS LIKE SHE SHOULD QUESTION THAT PARTICULAR PERSPECTIVE. >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, DOROTHY, GOD IS HELPING YOU, REFOCUS ON WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN LIFE, WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT OUR HUMAN EXISTENCE. AND WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS GETTING TO HEAVEN. NOT JUST YOU GETTING TO HEAVEN, AS YOU KNOW BUT WHAT YOU WISH FOR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. AND ETERNITY WILL MAKE THIS LOOK AND WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, WHAT'S GOD'S PERSPECTIVE. WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE, TO GET TO HEAVEN. NOW, ANY FORM OF SUFFERING, JESUS CAME TO THE EARTH AND ENDURED SUFFERING TO TEACH US. JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, COMES DOWN HERE TO TEACH US THAT ANY FORM OF SUFFERING IS CERTAINLY GOING, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO LEAD US TO HEAVEN. IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PURIFY OUR LOVE. HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE US UNSELFISH. HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CALL FORTH FROM US, SELF SACRIFICE, SELF SACRIFICIAL LOVE, COMPASSION. AND NOW, IN EVERY SINGLE WORD THAT YOU JUST WROTE, I CAN HEAR THE COMPASSION AND COMPASSION AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO OVERCOME SELF SACRIFICE. I CAN TELL YOU THIS RIGHT NOW, DOROTHY. EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID, ALL THIS COMPASSION THAT'S POURING OUT AND HAVE IT FOR THE CHILDREN, IT'S ALL PURIFYING YOUR LOVE AND HELPING YOU TOWARD SALVATION. AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS RECOGNIZE THAT IN A WAY, YOUR FAITH CAN TRANSFORM THAT SUFFERING AND THAT COMPASSION, AND THAT SELF SACRIFICE YOU FEEL. IT'S GOING TO PURIFY YOUR LOVE AND YOU ARE GOING TO ZOOM RIGHT INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN PROBABLY MUCH SOONER THAN I WILL. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU I HAVE NOT HAD THAT, BLINDNESS I KNOW IS NOTHING BY COMPARISON TO THIS BUT IT CAN ALL BE UTILIZED. SO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S THE FIRST THING TO REMEMBER. NOW, WITH RESPECT TO YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING YOUR SUFFERING. SO, AS YOUR CHILDREN RECEIVE THAT SUFFERING -- THAT COMPASSION FROM YOU IN THEIR SUFFERING AS THEY LEARN TO DEAL WITH THIS SUFFERING, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ALL OF THAT WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO GRACE, THE PURIFICATION OF LOVE WHICH WILL GET YOU INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD VERY, VERY QUICKLY INDEED. AND THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY WILL BE WORTH IT BECAUSE THAT IS ALL ABOUT ETERNITY. SO, BE OF GOOD CHEER. JESUS HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD, REDEEMS ALL SUFFERING AND THE POINT OF LIFE IS TO GET TO HEAVEN WHERE PERFECT LOVE BRINGS PERFECT JOY WITH OUR LORD AND THE BLESSED. >> NOW, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. I DID KIND OF MENTION THE LINE AND WANTED TO GO BACK OVER THAT. WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SUFFERING. ALSO THE IDEA, I WAS TAUGHT IF YOU ARE GOOD AND HELP YOURSELF, GOD WILL HELP YOU. AND THE LINE OF GOD WHO HELPS THEMSELVES WHICH IS BIBLICAL. >> NOT TECHNICALLY BIBLICAL, THAT'S TRUE. BUT GOD DOES PROVIDE HELP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WELL INTENTIONED AND TRYING TO FOLLOW HIS WILL. HE WILL HELP THEM. BUT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT HIS HELP MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE WHAT WE THINK IT OUGHT TO BE. HIS HELP MAY NOT BE THE KIND OF HELP THAT WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE. SO, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, AVOID THIS PRAYER. DEAR LORD, I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP. SO, I JUST DECIDED TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO HELP ME THROUGH THE PARTICULAR SUFFERING THAT I'M GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND. I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF PROVIDING A TIMETABLE FOR YOU TO FOLLOW. AND PLEASE, THIS IS WHAT I'M REALLY HOPING FOR. THIS KIND OF HELP THAT I WANT. SIGNED BOB SPITZER. WELL, THANK GOD, GOD DID NOT FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS BUT NEW BETTER AND FOLLOWED HIS OWN. TRUST ME. WHEN YOU GET TO HEAVEN AND YOU SEE HOW ALL THIS SUFFERING GOD YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN THERE, YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THE SUFFERING. THAT'S WHAT I SAY ABOUT MY BLINDNESS. THAT'S WHAT I SAY, THE VERY SAME THING. >> AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU, WITH THAT LINE, IT KIND OF RUNS INTO THAT LITTLE BIT OF HEALTH AND WEALTH GOSPEL OUT THERE. THIS IDEA, IF I DO THE RIGHT THING, SAY THE RIGHT PRAYERS, LIVE THE RIGHT LIFE, GOD IS GOING TO GIVE ME ALL THESE WONDERFUL GOOD THINGS. AND IF THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE, THEN SOMEHOW IT'S YOUR FAULT AND YOU ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO GET THE GRACES. >> RIGHT. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. >> THE HEALTH AND WEALTH PHILOSOPHY IS FIRST OF ALL, DEFINITELY WRONG. BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, GOD IS NOT ABOUT HEALTH AND WEALTH. HE MAY BE ABOUT HEALTH AND WEALTH, BUT CERTAINLY NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT HEALTH AND WEALTH. IT'S ABOUT THE PURIFICATION OF OUR LOVE, AUTHENTICITY OF OUR FAITH, BEING AND GETTING US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN GETTING US AWAY FROM OUR SPIRITUAL ENEMY, THE EVIL ONE. THAT'S WHAT GOD IS ABOUT. AND IF HEALTH AND WEALTH CORRESPONDS TO THAT, THAT'S WHAT GOD GIVES TO US. AND AS ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA WOULD SAY, THEN HE'S NOT GOING TO GIVE US THAT. SO, WE BETTER BE INDIFFERENT TO HEALTH AND WEALTH AND NOT PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT BUT INSTEAD PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR THE GRACE TO GET INTO HEAVEN. FOR OUR LOVE AND FAITH TO BE PURIFIED AND PROTECTED FROM THE EVIL SPIRIT. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR. >> AND I INVITE EVERYBODY WHO HAS A FRIEND OR KNOWS SOMEBODY WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, PRAY FOR THEM. THOUGH IT'S A BLESSING IN THEIR LIFE ULTIMATELY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S A TRIAL DAY TO DAY IN YOUR LIFE. AS YOU WELL KNOW IN YOUR OWN SITUATION. WE JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. WE WANT TO DEAL WITH THE RALT OF OUR -- REALITY OF OUR EXISTENCE HERE. SO, NEXT QUESTION UP. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, WHY WOULD JESUS NOT WANT A THEOCRACY THAT FOLLOWS HIS CHURCH TO GOVERN THE WORLD? JESUS SAID GIVE TO CAESAR WHAT IS CAESAR'S, BUT DID HE MEAN TO ACCEPT A GOVERNMENT THAT ALLOWS LEGALLY KILLING MILLIONS OF BABIES? WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE IF NOT THERE? WALTER. >> Father: WALTER, IF WE GO BACK TO THE CHURCH FATHERS, THERE'S A RECOGNITION ABOUT THAT LINE THAT YOU JUST QUOTED. GIVE TO CAESAR WHAT IS CAESAR'S AND GIVE TO GOD WHAT IS GOD'S. WELL, THERE'S AN IDEA OF SEPARATING CHURCH AND STATE. THE REASON IS, WHEN THE CHURCH GETS INVOLVED IN POLITICAL POWER AND HONORS, POLITICAL MONEY, THINGS START HAPPENING WHICH ARE CORRUPTING INDEED. AND THAT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. SECONDLY, WHEN POLITICAL PEOPLE START GETTING INVOLVED. AND REMEMBER, A THEOCRACY, BRINGING TOGETHER POLITICAL AND ECCLESIAL INTO ONE UNITY AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU REALLY DON'T WANT THE POLITICIANS TO BE APPROPRIATING UNTO THEMSELVES ECCLESIASTICAL POWER. YOU DON'T WANT THEM DECLARING CHURCH DOCTRINE OR DECLARING WHAT'S MORAL OR IMMORAL ON BEHALF OF GOD BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS DOING THAT EITHER. SO, THE FACT IS, WHEN CHURCH AND STATE GET MIXED INTO ONE POLITICAL ENTITY, THE RESULT IS GENERALLY BAD FOR BOTH. SO, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT. AND YOU KNOW, OUR CHURCH FATHERS RECOGNIZE THAT. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO UP TO JOHN COURTNEY MURRAH OR SOMETHING TO UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THE CHURCH HAS HAD THOSE MOMENTS IN RISTORY WHERE IT HAS COMBINED POLITICAL AND ECCLESIAL GENERALLY INTO ONE BODY. AND IT HASN'T WORKED OUT THAT WELL. BUT IN FACT, MOST TIME, PRETTY NEGATIVE. SO, MY THINKING, SKIP THE THEOCRACY, AND BRING OUR CONSCIOUS AND -- CONSCIENCE AND MORALS AND TAKING THAT INDEPENDENT ENT POLICY AND INFLUENCING IT AS BEST WE CAN THROUGH THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT OUR CHURCH HAS ALWAYS TRIED TO FOSTER. LET'S TRY TO BRING THAT INTO THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND MAKE THAT INFLUENCE FELT. SO, THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT. BUT THEOCRACY, THEY REALLY DON'T WORK. >> Doug: OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS USED AGAINST PEOPLE, SAY, WHO ARE PROMOTING PRO LIFE AND WANT THE LAWS TO CHANGE. AND THEY SAY, OH, THERE'S A SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. APPRECIATE YOU THINK THAT WAY. IT'S TOTALLY SEPARATE. SO, THERE HAS TO BE A MIDDLE GROUND WITH OUR INVOLVEMENT, AS YOU SAY, IN WHAT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE OF THAT BEING REFLECTED IN THE CULTURE. AND THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT BEING RUN BY THE CHURCH. >> Father: THAT'S RIGHT. AND CERTAINLY THAT IS THE CASE. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF CHRISTIANS OUT THERE. AND IF A LOT OF CHRISTIANS REALLY DID VOTE ACCORDING TO THEIR CONSCIENCE AND THEY REALLY EXERTED THAT AND THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, CARED ABOUT THE QUALITY, THEN IT SHOULD WORK OUT THAT THE QUALITY REFLECTS THE REFLECTIVE CONSCIENCE OF THAT GROUP. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. I'LL SAY, IF YOU WANT A PRO LIFE CULTURE, VOTE PRO LIFE AND DON'T BE SCARED TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT VOTING YOUR CONSCIENCE AND HAVING POLITICIANS BRING THEIR CONSCIENCE INTO THE POLITICAL FLOOR. WE HAVE TO TAKE JOHN ADAMS AT HIS WORD. THIS COUNTRY IS MADE FOR A RELIGIOUS AND MORAL PEOPLE. THE CONSTITUTION IS TOO LOOSE TO ADMINISTER A MORALITY AND AVARICE, JUST SHEER AVARICE WILL BURST THROUGH OUR CONSTITUTION LIKE A WHALE THROUGH A NET. AND IF WE WANT THEN TO PRESERVE THIS DEMOCRACY, THIS REPUBLIC, WE WILL HAVE TO BE RELIGIOUS AND MORAL PEOPLE. THAT'S JOHN ADAMS' QUOTE. THINK IT'S VERY TRUE. AND WE HAVE TO DO A GOOD JOB AS CHRISTIANS, CATHOLICS OF GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE THAT LIFE MATTERS. A CULTURE OF LIFE MATTERS. AND WHEN WE GO AGAINST THE CULTURE OF LIFE, IT EFFECTS, LIKE A PANDEMIC, EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CULTURE. A VIRUS IS RELEASED, HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE PROPORTIONS WITHIN THE CULTURE'S MORAL FABRIC. AND OF COURSE, AVARICE WILL BREAK THROUGH THE CONSTITUTION LIKE A WHALE THROUGH A NET. >> Doug: SOMETHING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT GOING FORWARD. OKAY. HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION. DEAR FR. SPITZER, WOULD IT BE A HERESY FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT AS I CONSUME THE HOST AT COMMUNION THE SUBSTANCE MIGHT POSSIBLY BECOME THE LIVING TISSUE OF JESUS WITHIN ME? MARION. >> Father: NO, MARION. THINK THAT'S JUST PERFECTLY FINE. IN FACT, THE THREE EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES THAT I MENTIONED, MAYBE TWO EPISODES OR BACK, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE HOST ACTUALLY DID TURN IN, TRANS MUTING, AS IT WERE, INTO THE SUBSTANCE OF THE FLESH, OF THE UPPER LEFT VENTRICLE. IT'S SO SEAMLESS, BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPE, YOU CAN BARELY TRANSITION THE POINT THERE, IN FACT, YOU CAN'T DETECT A DIVISION AT ALL. IT'S A SEAMLESS TRANSITION THAT HAPPENS FROM ONE SUBSTANCE TO THE NEXT. AND TRULY DEFYING PHYSIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION RIGHT NOW. AND IF YOU WANT TO CONCEIVE OF IT THAT WAY, THINK THE LORD WOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY BECAUSE THAT SUBSTANCE OF HIS HEART IS NOT JUST HIS PHYSICAL HEART BUT HIS SPIRITUAL HEART, WHOLE SOUL, BODY, DIVINITY IS GOING RIGHT INTO YOU AND COURSING THROUGH YOUR VEINS. THAT WOULD BE FINE, MARION. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. ANOTHER QUESTION. DEAR FR. SPITZER, WHEN I PRAY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, I ALWAYS SAY THE "HOLY SPIRIT, LORD AND GIVER OF LIFE." BUT I'M NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT WHAT IS MEANT BY LORD AND GIVER OF LIFE. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS PHRASE FOR ME? ANTHONY. >> Father: SURE, LORD, KOSMS FROM [-- LORD COMES FROM [FOREIGN WORDS] WHICH IS THE NAME OF YAHWEH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, I AM WHO AM. THIS IS THE GOD OF REVELATION, THE GOD WHO CAME KOWN TO BE WITH US. THE GOD OF ISRAEL WHO IS THE FATHER OF JESUS. SO, THAT'S THE LORD, YOU KNOW, OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT. THE LORD WHO IS JESUS CHRIST. AND NOW, WE OF COURSE INCLUDE JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE APPELLATION, THE LORD. BECAUSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, AFTER THE RESURRECTION, WE SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN JOHN'S GOSPEL THAT HE IS NOW REFERRED TO AS [FOREIGN WORD] AS I SAID, THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE TRANSLATION, HEBREW TRANSLATION, YAHWEH. AND WE'RE REFERRING TO THE TRIUNE GOD. AND THE LORD OF LIFE, WHEN YOU PUT THE CREATOR OF LIFE OR THE GIVER OF LIFE OR THE LORD OF LIFE, YOU ARE JUST SAYING THAT HE IS THE LIFE PRINCIPLE. AND WHEN YOU SAY THE LIFE PRINCIPLE, AGAIN, THIS WORD, LIFE, TODAY, WE HAVE SORT OF A BIOLOGICAL, REDUCTIONISM WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIFE. AND OF COURSE, THERE'S TRUTH TO THE BIOLOGICAL REDUCTION, A LIFE PRINCIPLE THAT'S IN A CELL, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT EXCEEDS THE SUM OF ITS MATERIAL PARTS. SO, ALL OF THE PROTONS AND ALL OF THE ELECTRONS AND ALL OF THE COLLECTIVE MOLECULES WHICH THESE PROTONS AND ELECTRONS HAVE, DON'T EXPLAIN THE SURVIVAL AND THE REPLICATION OF A CELL. THERE IS CERTAIN DIMENSIONS OF THE BIOLOGICAL LIFE SOURCE NOT EXPLAINED BY THE SUM OF THE PARTS OR THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SUM OF THE PARTS. SO, THERE'S SOMETHING THERE. AND YOU CAN SAY, OKAY. THERE'S SOMETHING TO THAT. THE LORD IS THAT KIND OF LIFE. BUT IT'S ALSO MEANT IN THE SENSE OF ETERNAL LIFE, SPIRITUAL LIFE. SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE OF THE SPIRIT. THE PRINCIPLE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE. THE PRINCEFUL OF THE -- PRINCIPLE OF THE SEOUL, LOVE, BEAUTY, GOODNESS AND HOME. THE PRINCIPLE THAT GIVES RISE AND BACK TO HIS LIFE. NOW, OF COURSE, WE, AS HUMAN BEINGS HAVE THAT KIND OF SELF REFLECTIVE SPIRITUAL LIFE. AND THAT IS ALL INCLUDED IN THE TERM LIFE. AND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT, THERE'S NO BIOLOGICAL REDUCTIONISM. AND LIFE DOES REFER TO OUR SOUL AS WELL AS OUR BODIES. AND THE PRINCIPLE, ANIMATING PRINCIPLE, NAMELY, GOD, MAKING US IN HIS IMAGE, THIS IMAGES -- IF I CAN CALL IT THAT -- OF GOD HIMSELF, OUR SOUL WITHIN OUR BEING. SO, THAT'S WHAT THAT REFERS TO. AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. WE'RE REFERRING TO THE TRIUNE GOD WHO GIVES US, NOT ONLY OUR BODIES BUT OUR SOUL IN UNITY WITH THAT, AND EVEN BRINGS OUR SOUL TO FULFILLMENT. THAT'S HOW YOU READ THE PROLOGUE OF JOHN'S GOSPEL. >> ANOTHER QUESTION HARKENING BACK TO A SHOW WE DID A FEW WEEKS AGO. DEAR FR. SPITZER, I HEARD THAT THE STAR THAT THE MAGI FOLLOWED WASN'T A SPECTACULAR SIGHT SINCE HEROD'S ASTRONOMERS WOULD HAVE SEEN IT AND INFORMED HIM. I HEARD THAT THE MAGI, OR OTHER EASTERN ASTRONOMERS HAD BEEN WATCHING FOR IT SINCE DANIEL SHARED IT WITH THEM HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE. ANY THOUGHTS ON IT? SUSAN. >> Father: WELL, SUSAN, I GUESS WHAT I HOLD IS THIS. FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF WHAT THE MAGI WERE THINKING OR NOT. BUT IF SOMEBODY WAS REALLY TELLING YOU THEY KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT THAT, PUT LITTLE BRACKETS AROUND IT BECAUSE IT'S UNLIKELY THAT THEY REALLY DO KNOW. MAYBE THAT'S A NICE SPECULATION. BUT THE SECOND THING IS, THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING TO THAT STAR. AND I THINK THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ASTRONOMICAL VIEW OR PERSPECTIVE AND ACTUALLY SAW AN UNUSUAL ASTRONOMICAL EVENT THAT CAUSED THEM TO SPECULATE ON WHAT IT COULD MEAN. BY THE WAY, THIS IS NOT AN AGE OF TELESCOPES IN THE FIRST CENTURY. SO, THERE'S NO NECESSITY THAT HEROD'S ASTRONOMER,/ASTROLOGERS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPOT THE SAME KIND OF CONJUNCTION THERE, PERHAPS, IF IT WAS A CONJUNCTION OF JUPITER OR SATURN OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE NECESSARILY SEEN IT AT ALL NOR SEEN IT FROM THE PARTICULAR PERSPECTIVE THEY HAD. CERTAINLY FROM THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THEY HAD. WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH, AS I SAID, AN AGE OF SATELLITES AND TELESCOPES. SO, MUCH SPECULATION GOES ON THERE. I GUESS THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS, IT'S A PRETTY SPECULATIVE QUESTION. AND I GAVE YOU A SPECULATIVE ANSWER. AND THINK THAT YOUR FRIEND HAS BEEN GOT A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND CERTITUDE OF SPECULATIVE CONCERNS. >> AND THE KEY WORD IS SPECULATIVE. VERY GOOD. I DON'T HAVE TO SPECULATE ON THE FACT THAT WE'RE OUT OF TIME FOR THIS SEGMENT! NOW, MUCH MORE WITH "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" RIGHT AFTER THIS QUICK BREAK. STAY WITH US. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> Doug: WE'RE STILL HERE IN "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS AND TURNING TO FATHER SPITZER BECAUSE I GET TO READ THE QUESTIONS AND HE HAS THE JOB OF ANSWERING THESE THINGS. THANK GOODNESS! BEFORE WE GET TO TALK TO THE TOPIC WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, BASED ON YOUR LATEST HOT-SELLING BOOK AVAILABLE THROUGH ewtnRC.com. HERE'S A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, IS IT A MORTAL SIN TO MISS MASS ESPECIALLY WHEN ALL THE MASSES ARE OUTSIDE IN CALIFORNIA? I AM 78 AND IT IS COLD. A PRIEST ON YOUTUBE SAID MASSES ON YOUTUBE THAT OFFER SPIRITUAL COMMUNION ARE NOT THE SAME AS PHYSICALLY GOING TO A MASS TO RECEIVE CHRIST. TONY CAN YOU HELP TONY OUT THERE. I'M SURE YOU CAN. >> Father: WELL, TWO DISTINCTIONS, YES, IT IS NOT THE SAME THE PRIEST WAS RIGHT. OF COURSE, YOU CAN'T RECEIVE THE REAL BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST CHRIST, BY LOOKING AT THE SCREEN, TELEVISION SCREEN WATCHING A MASS. NEVERTHELESS, NO, IT IS NOT A MORTAL SIN NOT ABLE TO GO TO THE MASS IN PERSON. IT'S COLD OUT THERE. YES, IT'S COLD FOR ME. I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA TOO AND THE WIND TENTS GOING ON, IT'S NO EASY TASK FOR A 68-YEAR-OLD LET ALONE, 78-YEAR-OLD. SO, NO, IT'S NOT A MORTAL SIN. YOU ARE PERFECTLY FREE NOT TO GO TO THE MASS WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY OF SIN. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WHEN THINGS OPEN UP, AS THE VACCINATION BECOMES MORE PROLIFIC AND THE RESTRICTIONS LESSEN, WRIGG THE MASS BACK INDOORS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE SAME TO WATCH IT ON TELEVISION. YOU WANT TO GET BACK TO THE MASS AS SOON AS IT IS FEASIBLE. AS SOON AS YOU GET YOUR VACCINATION, GET BACK TO MASS AND PROBABLY WILL BE INDOOR PROBABLY WITHIN A MONTH OR SO. HANG IN THERE, TONY, NO SIN INCURRED. >> ABSOLUTELY. SHOULDN'T BE GUILTING HIMSELF ON THAT ONE. NOW, THE NEXT QUESTION. DEAR FR. SPITZER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW JESUS COULD HAVE BEEN TEMPTED IN THE DESERT. WE CAN BE TEMPTED BECAUSE WE LIVE BY FAITH. JESUS DID NOT NEED FAITH BECAUSE AS GOD HE KNOWS ALL THINGS. HOW COULD HE BE TEMPTED WITH ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD IF HE WERE TO WORSHIP SATAN WHEN AS GOD THE KINGDOMS WOULD MEAN NOTHING TO HIM? THIS IS FROM DAN. MEANING THE KINDS, OBVIOUSLY. WHY WOULD HE BE EFFECTED BY THAT? >> Father: DAN, FIRST OF ALL, HE'S PURE MAN AND PURE GOD. AND BOTH, SO YOU CAN'T TAKE AWAY THE MANNESS AWAY FROM HIM. INASMUCH AS HE IS HUMAN, HE'S TEMPTABLE. HE HAS DESIRES. AND THOSE DESIRES ARE THERE. NOW, OF COURSE, JESUS IN HIS DIVINITY KNOWS WHO SATAN IS, ALL OF THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD ARE AS NOT TO HIM. HE KNOWS THAT. BUT NEVERTHELESS, WHY DOES THE DEVIL TRY? THE DEVIL TRIES BECAUSE JESUS HAS A HUMAN NATURE AND HE TRIES TO USE THE TEMPTABLE HUMAN NATURE TO GET JESUS TO SUCCUMB. AND JESUS IN NO WAY SUCCUMBS AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT WHEN YOU SAY, YEAH, HE LOOKS AT SATAN AND HAS INSTANT RESPONSE AND EVERYTHING THAT SATAN DOES, EVEN ALL OF THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD, SETS THEM ASIDE AND IT'S QUICK INDEED AND NOT INCISIVE. AND HE CAN APPEAL TO SOMETHING IN JESUS HUMAN NATURE BUT OF COURSE, JESUS' HUMAN NATURE, SO COMPLETELY UNIFIED WITH THE DIVINITY THAT HE SHARES WITH HIS FATHER. THERE'S NO POSSIBILITY AND SATAN IS RENDERED POWERLESS FROM THAT MOMENT ON. AND HE BEGINS HIS PROLIFIC MINISTRY THROUGHOUT ISRAEL. YEAH, HE WAS DEFINITELY TEMPTABLE AND LIKE US IN ALL THINGS BUT SIN. SO, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT HE DOES OUT OF LOVE FOR US. >> LET'S SEGUE INTO THE NEXT QUESTION. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I REALLY ENJOY YOUR PROGRAM BUT WAS CONCERNED WHEN YOU RECENTLY SAID THAT MARY WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY TEMPTED TO COMMIT SIN. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, HOW CAN ANYONE KNOW THAT? IT CAN'T BE HELPFUL TO SPECULATE ON TOPICS UPON WHICH THERE IS NO DEFINITIVE TEACHING. DENIS >> Father: WELL, DENNIS, I SIMPLY SAY IT THIS WAY. IF JESUS WAS ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT SIN, THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD EVEN MARY, BECAUSE SHE HAS A HUMAN NATURE TOO AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT SATAN WOULD NOT HAVE TRIED TO AT THE SAME TIME A TEMPTABLE PERSON. SO, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF SATAN TRIES ON JESUS, LIKELY TO TRY ON MARY. DOES THAT MEAN THAT MARY SUBMITTED TO THE TEMPTATION? OF COURSE SHE DID NOT SUBMIT TO THE TEMPTATION. BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT IN FAITH, THAT SHE DIDN'T. AND DO I THINK THAT SATAN WOULD HAVE TRIED ON HER IF SHE TRIED ON THE SON OF GOD. OH, YES, I BELIEVE THAT. AND ASSURED THAT NOTHING, SINKING TO NO DEPTH TO TRY TO GET SOMEBODY TO SIN INCLUDING SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN FAVORED BY GRACE. SO, THAT'S MY BELIEF. I'M SPECULATING AS I WAS SAYING PREVIOUSLY. BUT YES OR NOD AND NOT MUCH OF A SPECULATION, NOT ABOUT MARY BUT WHAT A DEVIL DOES TO A TEMPTABLE HUMAN NATURE. >> DOESN'T THAT REALIZE THAT SOMEBODY LIKE HER, MARY, THAT SOMEBODY WAS WILLING TO TAKE THAT ON, TAKE ON THE FIAT, AND THEN STAND UP TO THOSE TEMPTATIONS THAT CAME RATHER THAN THE IDEA THAT SOMEHOW, A PERSON IS SUDDENLY MAGICALLY TURNED INTO AN AUTOMATON WHO CAN ONLY DO GOOD BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER CHOICE THAN TO DO GOOD. WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF THAT. >> I THINK YOU TOTALLY STATED IT AS AS WELL AS COULD BE POSSIBLY STATED. I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING TO THAT. YEAH, ACTUALLY YOU WOULD TURN MARY INTO AN AUTOTOMTON AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT. JESUS IS A FREE HUMAN AGENT, TEMPTABLE. AND MARY HAS A HUMAN NATURE, FREE AGENCY AND TEMPTABLE. THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT MARY, JUST BECAUSE SHE GETS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MARY'S INTEGRITY. THAT'S ABOUT THE DEVIL DOING WHAT HE ALWAYS DOES. YOU KNOW, IF HE'S NOT PREVENTED. >> WELL, LET'S MAYBE MAKE THAT FOCUS ON THE FINE POINT. I THINK WHEN SOME PEOPLE SAY, SO AND SO IS TEMPTED, IT'S KIND OF, LIKE, HOW I FEEL INTERNALLY. I'M TEMPTED TO DO SOMETHING AS OPPOSED TO THE FACT THAT THE DEVIL MAY HAVE TEMPTED YOU. SO, YOU WERE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL. AND WHEN I WAS TEMPTED, IS THAT MY REACTION THAT I'M CONSIDERING THIS. OR IS THAT THE ACTION OF THE DEVIL? >> Father: YEAH, THINK OF THE WORD TEMPTED AS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORD ATTEMPTED. THE DEVIL ATTEMPTED TO ATTRACT MARY WITH WHATEVER TEMPTATION THAT HE HAS THERE. SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO HUMAN NATURE. BUT THE DEVIL ATTEMPTED TO DO IT. HE DID NOT SUCCEED IN DOING IT. MARY DOES NOT ENTERTAIN IT AND SAY, H-MM. SOUNDS INTERESTING. RATHER, IN HAVING A HUMAN NATURE, DESIRABLE TO HER HUMAN NATURE AND THE DEVIL TRIES TO GET INTO HER IMAGINATION AND TRIES TO PUT THE SUGGESTION AND THE IMAGE THERE AND SHE JUST SWATS IT AWAY WITHOUT A NANO SECOND OF INTEREST. THAT'S HER IN HER FREE CHOICE SWATTING IT AWAY. SHE'S NO AUTOMATON AND NOT ENTERTAINING THE ATTEMPT, THE TEMPTATION OF THE DEVIL. >> MAYBE THAT WILL HELP MAKE THAT DISTINCTION THERE. ALSO. OUR LAST QUESTION REALLY ROLLS US INTO THE TOPIC. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN THE 3 TERMS USED IN YOUR BOOK CHRIST VS. SATAN: THE COSMIC STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL: PARANORMAL, PRETERNATURAL, SUPERNATURAL. >> Father: OKAY. THE FIRST TWO TERMS DO NOT REFER TO WHAT WE CALL GRACED ACTIVITIES. THEY ARE ACTIVITIES THAT TO NOT REFLECT THE LAWS OF NATURE BUT LIKELY DO NOT COME FROM GOD AS AN AGENCY. THAT'S WHY OFTENTIMES THEY ARE CALLED PARANORMAL OR PRETERNATURAL. NOW, THEY ARE DISTINCT. THIS IS A GOOD QUESTION. NORMALLY, WE USE THESE TWO TERMS, LIKE, IF A GHOST, SAY, CAN'T BE EXPLAINED BY A NATURAL FORCE OR AN EVIL SPIRIT IS DOING SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE BLAMED BY PHYSICS ITSELF. IF WE CAN'T SEE THAT, OFTENTIMES WE CALL IT PRETERNATURAL OR PARANORMAL. WITH RESPECT TO SUPERNATURAL, GENERALLY, THAT REFERS TO NON NATURAL, NON PHYSICALLY EXPLAINED EVENT THAT OCCURS BY THE POWER OF GOD. BY THE POWER OF GOODNESS. ALSO, THAT COULD BE SUPERNATURAL, COULD BE ANGELIC AS WELL AS DIVINE. BUT THE SOURCE IS GOOD RATHER THAN THE SOURCE BEING NEUTRAL OR EVIL. SO, NORMALLY, WE USE SUPERNATURAL IN THAT CONTEXT. AND THOSE ARE MOSTLY CONNOTATIONS, NOT A STRICT DENOTATION. BUT PRETERNATURAL, HUMAN OR LIKE A GHOST, THAT IS EVIL, WOULD BE BAD OR SOMETHING LIKE A DEVIL OR EVIL SPIRIT. >> OKAY. VERY GOOD. GOING ON TO THE TOPIC OF YOUR NEW BOOK. WE TALKED LAST TIME ABOUT THE FACT THAT SATAN IS EXCEEDINGLY CRAFTY AND -- RAPID READING -- BRINGING DARKNESS TO THE WORLD WILL GO UNRECOGNIZED. EXPAND THAT OUT. IT'S NOT REALLY JUST FOR THE INDIVIDUAL BUT CULTURALLY WIDE. RIGHT? >> Father: OH, ABSOLUTELY. SO, THE BEST PARTS OF THE PLAN, QUOTE UNQUOTE, PARTS OF THE PLAN OF SATAN ARE TO KEEP EVERYTHING RATIONALIZED AND HIDDEN. THE BEST PART FOR HIM IS DECEIT AND LIES THAT MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH EVIL. MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT NATURAL INSTINCT OF OUR CONSCIENCE WITHIN US. THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY WRONG HERE. THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT. AND OF COURSE, THERE'S THE SOOTHING RATIONALIZATION THAT COMES WOO FORWARD THAT JUSTIFIES IT IN A PARTICULAR WAY. HE SAYS, HE'S A LIAR, MURDER FROM THE BEGINNING, HE'S A DECEIVER HIS WHOLE OBJECTIVE. BUT THE DEVIL IS A CUNNING DECEIVER, VERY CLEVER. HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE THINGS PALATABLE AND KNOWS HOW TO GIVE YOU JUST THE RATIONALIZATION THAT FITS YOUR PERSONALITY. AND YOUR NEEDS FOR THE MOMENT. THAT'S WHAT HIS BASIC INTENTION IS. AND SO, I WOULD SUPPOSE THAT, AS WE, AS A CULTURE, LET'S SUPPOSE THAT IF WE BEGIN TO FALL FOR THE RATIONALIZATION, IF WE BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD NAIVE BELIEF, OH, THIS IS NOT SO BAD. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST HAVE SEX WITH WHOMEVER YOU WANT, WHENEVER YOU WANT. IT'S NOT SO BAD. EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT. AND SOCIAL NORM TAKES OVER. AND THINK THAT SOCIAL NORMING IS JUST A WONDERFUL PLAN OF EVIL SPIRIT. MAKING EVERYBODY THINK THAT MORALITY DOESN'T COME FROM JESUS, THE CHURCH, OR AN AUTHORITATIVE RELIGIOUS FIGURE. MORALITY DOESN'T COME FROM CONSCIENCE. ALL OF THIS, IT'S AN ANACHRONOUS. AND DON'T LISTEN, YOU JUST HAD POOR TEACHERS AND NO PARENTS AND WE'LL JUST GIVE YOU A PROZAC HERE AND SMOOTH IT ALL OVER. EVERYTHING IS OKAY. DON'T LISTEN TO THE CONSCIENCE, OR THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES. JUST LISTEN TO WHAT THE MAIN STREAM AND THE CULTURE IS DOING. IF EVERYBODY IS DOING IT, IT CAN'T BE BAD. THINK OF THE GREAT LOGIC. LOOK AT NAZI GERMANY AND ALL I CAN SAY, IF EVERYBODY IS DOING IT, IT MAY BE TERRIBLY EVIL. JUST GO BACK TO CONSCIENCE, GO BACK TO JESUS. GO BACK TO THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH. GO BACK TO RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE LIKELY TO GET GOOD AND EVIL STRAIGHT. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET GOOD AND EVIL STRAIGHT BY LISTENING TO WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE DOING. THE MAJORITY CAN BE EQUALLY RIGHT, WRONG, GOOD, OR EVIL. BUT THAT'S THE WAY THE DEVIL WORKS. HE'S VERY CUNNING AND RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN OUR CULTURE TRULY BELIEVE THAT IF WE ADHERE TO THE MAIN STREAM, IF WE DON'T MAKE ANY WAVES. IF WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO WHATEVER ANYBODY ELSE IS DOING, WE'RE ON THE ROAD TO GOOD. AND THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. AND SO, I MEAN, MY THOUGHT IS, I'M NOT SAYING THAT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO POT, THAT'S JUST A POPULAR SAYING. BUT THE POINT IS, WE CAN REALLY BE EMBARKING ON A PATH TO EVIL WHICH MAY WELL GET US ON THE ROAD TO HELL. IF WE DON'T TURN OFF IT AND GO BACK TO JESUS, MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO BE ON THE ROAD IF WE KEEP SORT OF FOLLOWING THIS LEAD AND KEEP GOING ALMOST INSENSITIVELY ON THAT PATH. KEEP PUSHING THE TEACHING OF THE LORD OFF. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I BELIEVE IN JESUS. I BELIEVE IN GOD. I JUST DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IN ANY OF THOSE MORAL TEACHINGS THAT THEY ARE ESPOUSING. I DO WANT TO HAVE ABORTION ON DEMAND, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. I DO WANT TO DO THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER THING, PICK A TEACHING. ANY TEACHING. ONCE YOU BEGIN TO SEPARATE YOUR BELIEF IN GOD FROM YOUR BELIEF IN WHAT GOD TAUGHT ABOUT GOOD AND EVIL THROUGH THE GOODNESS OF HIS SON AND THROUGH THE GOODNESS OF THE INTERCESSION THAT GOD HAS ORDAINED, JESUS IN ORDER TO INTERPRET HIS WORDS, THEN WE'RE REALLY BELIEVING IN A LIE. IF WE THINK WE CAN DO THIS OURSELVES, GET RELIGION ON OUR BED AT NIGHT ALL BY OURSELVES, IN OUR LITTLE ROOMS THERE. AND IF WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BE AUTHENTIC TO THE TRUTH OR KNOW WHAT IT IS, WOW, WHAT SELF DECEIT! ALL I CAN SAY, THAT'S THE BEST LIE OF ALL WRITTEN BY UNCLE SCREWTAPE. THAT'S THE DEVIL IN C.S. LEWIS' BOOK, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS. YOU CAN SAY WHO SIGNED THAT ONE. >> RIGHT. JUST CALL ME WORMWOOD GOING FORWARD. [LAUGHTER] WHAT STRIKES ME TOO, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE INVERSE OF THAT. WE WENT FROM THE IDEA OF EVERYBODY GOES TO HELL UNLESS YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON. WELL, REALLY PROBABLY EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE SAVED THERE. AND ALLOWS AND WHY SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT HAVING THESE RULES AND THINGS THAT CHURCH TEACHES AND SEEMING TO HAVE TO DO WITH SALVATION. AND GETTING IN MY WAY OF HAVING A NICE LIFE HERE. >> WELL, I MEAN, AGAIN, BACK TO CHESTERTON'S POINT. EVERY HERESY WAS MERELY AN EXAGGERATION OF THE TRUTH. SO, THE DEVIL LOVES IT. HE'S THE BEST EXAGGERATOR THERE IS. AND ST. IGNATIUS SAYS IN THE SECOND WEEK -- TERMINOLOGY THAT MEANS, WHEN YOU ARE ON THE PATH TO SALVATION, THE DEVIL GENERALLY DOESN'T COME AND SAY, OH, THE EIGHT DEADLY SINS ARE GOOD. REALLY, LUST IS OKAY, GREED IS OKAY. ENVY, ANGER, VANITY AND PRIDE AND THE OTHER DEADLY SINS ARE JUST FINE. NO, HE'S NOT GOING TO SAY THAT. YOU ARE ALERT TO IT. YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT. SO, WHAT HE SAYS, HE COMES AND HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF HELL. GOD IS JUST OUT THERE, HAIR TRIGGER READY TO PULL THE TRIGGER AND SEND YOU DOWN. SO, OF COURSE, YOU GET SCRUPULOUS AND YOU START LOSING HOPE. YOU ARE IN DESPAIR. YOU KNOW HAVE THE WRONG VIEW OF GOD, TOOK A PIOUS THING, NAMELY, COULD GO TO HELL IF YOU KEEP FOLLOWING THIS PATH. AND THEN, YOU SAID, GOD HAS GOT A HAIR TRIGGER ON SENDING YOU TO HELL. THERE'S THE HERESY. HERE'S THE LITTLE LEAP THAT GETS YOU UP TO READJUSTING YOUR VIEW OF GOD FROM THE VIEW OF THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON WHICH JESUS REVEALED. AND NOW, YOU HAVE THIS AND THE MINUTE YOU HAVE THAT, YOU ARE RIGHT ON THE ROAD DOWN TO DESPAIR. ONCE YOU ARE ON THE ROAD TO DESPAIR, YOU GIVE UP AND YOU LEAVE THE CHURCH. THAT'S NOT A GOOD WAY. AND THE DEVIL HAS IT WRAPPED UP. SO, THE ONE YOU DESCRIBED, DOUG. MAYBE GOD IS NOT THE HAIR TRIGGER GOD AT ALL. MAYBE GOD IS REALLY AN UNCONDITIONAL LOVING GOD JUST LIKE THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON. WELL, HUH, HE'S GOING TO FORGIVE ME ANY OLE TIME I WANT. I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT. AND OF COURSE, THE DEVIL IS ENCOURAGING THIS EXAGGERATION. OF COURSE, JUST BECAUSE GOD IS UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU IN YOUR FREE CHOICE. THE ERROR THAT HE'S FOCUSING ON NOW, THE DEVIL IS, FOCUSING ON YOU. THE ERROR OF YOUR CHOICE, YOU COULD CHOOSE ALL KIND OF TERRIBLY EVIL AND WRONGDOINGS, JUSTIFYING THEM AND GETS YOU ON THE ROAD TO PERDITION AND GETS YOU HABITUALIZED TO SIN AND JUST GRIPPING WITH THOSE CLAUSE INTO YOUR SOUL. GETS THE CLAWS INTO YOUR SOUL. AND GETS MORE AND MORE EMBEDDED INTO YOUR SOUL AND ADDICTED TO IT SO YOU WANT MORE AND MORE OF THOSE SINS. THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU CAN'T STOP CHOOSING THEM. ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU TRY TO TURN AWAY FROM THE SINS. AND YOU ARE SO FAR DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S A TRUE CHALLENGE BEYOND BELIEF TO GET OUT OF THAT THING. BUT OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET OUT OF THAT THING. BUT IF YOU GET FAR ENOUGH DOWN THE ROAD, THEN YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF IT. SO, ANOTHER EXAGGERATION, YOU ARE JUST STUCK. YOU HAVE TO STICK WITH ME NOW. SO, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE TRUTH REVEALED BY JESUS CHRIST. IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF IT, WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, GET TO CONFESSION. RUN! RUN TO CONFESSION AND GET THAT ABSOLUTION, THAT THING THAT JUST BREAKS AND SMASHES THE DEVIL'S GRIP ON YOU. ONCE THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION IS OVER, START GOING TO THE HOLY EUCHARIST AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. IT WILL HELP YOU BECAUSE THE DEVIL KEEPS AFTER YOU. JESUS IS ALWAYS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE DEVIL. KEEP RECEIVING THE LORD WORTHILY. JUST KEEP WORKING THAT CONFESSION, WORKING AT HOLY EUCHARIST, HOLY COMMUNION AND ABOVE ALL, FOLLOW THE MORAL TEACHINGS OF JESUS. IF YOU FOLLOW THOSE MORAL TEACHINGS OF JESUS, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM THEM. YOU MAY FAIL, AS I FAIL. BUT BOY, PICK MY FAVORITE DEADLY SINS AND I CAN FAIL AT THOSE IN A HEARTBEAT STILL. BUT I DO HAVE GREATER DELAYS IN THE, I DO, I REALLY DO! GREATER DELAYS. AND THE PATIENCE HAS DECREASED, ANGER SLIGHTLY DECREASED. I CAN TELL YOU WHAT, KEEP WORKING AT IT. IT'S AMAZING HOW YOU CAN REALLY GET BETTER AND BETTER OVER THE COURSE OF TIME. PRIDE IS THE MOST INSIDIOUS BECAUSE WE FOOL OURSELVES ON PRIDE MUCH MORE THAN WE RIGHT NOW BELIEVE WE CAN DO. SO, MY POINT IS, THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS TRYING TO GO TO EXTREMES. IF YOU CAN'T GET TO AN EXTREME NOTION OF A FALSE GOD. HE GETS YOU ON A FALSE NOTION OF YOU. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT. SO JUST ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AT THE END. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND IF YOU LIVED A LIFE OF SIN FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, YOU WOULD BE STUNNED HOW HARD THIS IS. ONE OF THE SATANIC POSSESSIONS THAT I TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT PRIEST NAMED JULIA. SATANIC PRIEST AND DOCTOR RICHARD GALLAGHER WAS PART OF THE EXORCISM. SHE WENT SO FAR DOWN THE LINE. WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN HER LIFE BUT THE EXORCISM WAS NOT COMPLETED. SHE WENT SO FAR, SHE COULDN'T BRING HERSELF TO GIVE UP THE POWER SHE HAD AND SO FORTH. AND IN HER FREE CHOICE, THE DEVIL STILL HAD POWER OVER HER. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED OBVIOUSLY. SHE DIDN'T COMPLETE THE EXORCISM BUT THE POINT IS, WHAT'S CLEAR: DON'T GIVE THE DEVIL CHANCE TO GET POWER OVER YOU. HE WILL. AND DON'T THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT HE'S JUST GOING TO GIVE IT UP AND NOT TEMPT YOU ANY FURTHER. OH, YOU CAN BREAK AND SMASH HIS POWER AND GRIP BY THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION AND FREQUENT COMMUNION AND TRYING WITH YOUR HEART TO OBEY JESUS' TEACHING. HE'S GOING TO KEEP AT YOU AND HE KNOWS HE HAS A LITTLE HOLD. JUST A LITTLE, TINY TOE HOLD, HE WILL TRY. >> BETTER NOT TO GET STARTED. >> Father: RIGHT. BEST NOT TO GET STARTED. >> AND NOT RELY ON THE LAST MINUTE AS THEY SAY. WHICH WE'RE AT OUR LAST MINUTE. WE'LL ASK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSING. >> Father: ALL RIGHT. BOW YOUR HEADS AND PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSING. MAY ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU, HELP YOU, AND SEND HIS SPIRIT DOWN UPON YOU TO GIVE YOU GREAT DISCERNMENT AND ABOVE ALL, GREAT BELIEF THAT HE HAS DEFEATED EVIL IN ALL OF ITS FORMS. NAY HE GIVE YOU THAT CONFIDENCE AND HOPE IN THAT SALVATION, CONFIDENCE AND HOPE IN HIM TO CONSTANTLY PURSUE THE MORAL TEACHING REVEALED BY HIS SON. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> Doug: AMEN. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FATHER SPITZER. STAY WELL, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AND ALL OF FATHER SPITZER'S BOOKS AND VIDEOS, AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ewtnRC.com, WE'LL CONTINUE ALONG WITH OUR TOPIC NEXT WEEK. DON'T FORGET I HAVE A BOOKMARK INTERVIEW FROM STAR WARS TO SUPERMAN, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW. CHECK IT OUT. ALSO, ANNUAL WALK FOR LIFE, WEST COAST, SCALED BACK GREATLY BUT WE'RE GOING TO BRING YOU THE PRO LIFE MASS FROM LOS ANGELES AND REQUIEM FOR THE UNBORN AND DON'T GET DOWN JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE SCALED BACK. KEEP PRAYING, KEEP PRAYING, KEEP FIGHTING AND CONTINUE TO BE PRO LIFE! WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART OF FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE. [MUSIC]
