[MUSIC] >> Doug: WELCOME TO "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. COVID OR NOT, WE CONTINUE THE JOURNEY THROUGH "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" AND YOU NEED TO HELP US BY EMAILING US YOUR QUESTIONS, CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK, TWEET US ON TWITTER. GO TO THE magiscenter.com FOR ALL THINGS SPITZER AND crediblecatholic.com FOR ALL OF THE BIG AND LITTLE BOOKS OUT THERE TOO. AND OUR TOPIC, CHRIST VERSUS SATAN IN OUR DAILY LIVES, THE COSMIC STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL FATHERS BOOK AVAILABLE THROUGH ewtnRC.com. ALL OF HIS MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH ewtnRC.com. WE HAVE EWTN BOOK OF THE MONTH BRING THEM BACK FROM LAST YEAR, MAKING A HOLY LENT FR. WILLIAM CASEY AND THEN MARRIED WITH THE NEXT BOOK, THE FOUR LAST THINGS FR. WADE MENEZES WITH THAT, WE WELCOME FATHER SPITZER. WE TURN TO HIM. HOW ARE YOU, FATHER? >> DOING GREAT, IN THE NEW BLESSED LENTEN SEASON. >> Doug: BEFORE WE PRAY, I WANTED TO MENTION THE FACT, IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN, THE FACT THAT FATHER SERAPHIM MICHALENKO PASSED AWAY, AUGUST 30, 1950 TO AUGUST 2021, EARLIEST DAYS OF DIVINE MERCY RIGHT HERE AT EWTN. AND THERE'S A MASS OF CHRISTIAN CELEBRATION SATURDAY, NET ON EWTN BUT GO TO THE thedivinemercy.org AND YOU CAN CATCH IT LIVE STREAMED RIGHT THERE. HE WAS A WONDERFUL FRIEND OF THE NETWORK AND SUCH A CAUSE FOR THE SISTER FAUSTINA INFORMATION. AND ALSO, DURING THE TIME THAT WE'VE DONE THIS SHOW, I JUST HEARD THAT RUSH LIMBAUGH HAS PASSED AWAY. >> IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AMEN. FATHER WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE BLESSING OF THIS MINISTRY AND WE ASK YOU TO BLESS DOUG MYSELF, OUR WHOLE AUDIENCE THIS DAY, FILL US WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT, TO GUIDE, PROTECT, AND INSPIRE US SO THAT EVERYTHING WE DO IS BROUGHT TO FRUITION IN YOUR WILL, FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR PEOPLE, YOUR CHURCH AND YOUR KINGDOM. WE ASK FOR A HOLY LENT. PLEASE, THROUGH THE SACRIFICES AND PENANCES DRAW US EVER MORE CLOSELY TO YOURSELF AND YOUR HEART THAT WE MAY BE TRANSFORMED IN THE HEART OF YOUR SON. PLEASE, BLESS FATHER SERAPHIM AND BLESS RUSH LIMBAUGH IN THE REPOSE OF THEIR SOULS. FATHER SERAPHIM SO CLOSE TO YOU AND TO THE DIVINE MERCY. WE ASK THAT DIVINE MERCY BE EXTENDED RIGHT INTO THE FULLNESS OF LIFE AND JOY WITH YOU. WE ASK ALL OF THESE THINGS THROUGH JESUS OUR LORD. AMEN. MARY, SEAT OF WISDOM, PRAY FOR US. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. THIS CAME OUT OF THE STATEMENT AT THE VATICAN, AS PART OF THE COVID PRODUCTION PLAN AND ALSO, BASICALLY A TRADITION THAT IT'S BEEN USED IN EUROPE AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD FOR YEARS, RIGHT? >> RIGHT. EXACTLY. >> Doug: SO, IT'S NOTHING PARTICULARLY AVANT GARDE. AND THIS IS A GREAT SIGN IN THE SECULAR WORLD, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, CATHOLIC COUNTRY DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH BUT IN A SECULAR COUNTRY LIKE THE UNITED STATES, TOTALLY, A GREAT SIGN OF WITNESS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE. AND RECENTLY, ARCHBISHOP NAUMAN, FROM RCA, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN CONTRADICTS HIS STRONG POLITICAL STANCE BACKING ABORTION. AND THE QUOTE IS, THE PRESIDENT SHOULD STOP ACKNOWLEDGING HIMSELF AS A DEVOUT CATHOLIC WHEN HIS VIEWS ARE CONTRARY TO CATHOLIC MORAL TEACHING. IN THE EARLY DAYS, BIDEN REPEALED THE MEXICO CITY POLICY THAT PROMOTES ABORTION THROUGH NGO'S INTERNATIONALLY AND WITH KAMALA HARRIS, PROMOTING FEDERAL RIGHTS, CODIFYING PRO ABORTION INTO FEDERAL LAW. THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE MOVING OUT OF THIS VAGUE AREA THAT I AM PERSONALLY OPPOSED BUT I CAN ENFORCE MY IDEAS ON OTHER PEOPLE BASICALLY BEING A PERSON PRO ABORTION AND PROMOTING IT. >> OBVIOUSLY, IF HE IS A CATHOLIC AND USING IT ACCORDING TO HIS CONSCIENCE, THEN HE COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE DOING ANY OF THOSE THINGS SO, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S A CONTRIBUTION BETWEEN DEVOUT CATHOLIC AS ARCHBISHOP NAUMAN SAYS AND HIM PROMOTING ABORTION ON A GRAND SCALE. AND THE POLITICAL ACTIONS THAT HE HAS, DOES NOT HAVE TO DO THAT, NO CONSTRAINT ON HIM FROM A REPUBLICAN POINT OF VIEW OR DEMOCRATIC POINT OF VIEW WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT TRADITIONAL REPUBLICANISM IS, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO PROMOTE IT. BUT HE IS ACTIVELY PROMOTING IT AND SO CONTRARY TO THE FAITH. WE KNOW IT'S A GENOCIDE, THE MURDER OF INNOCENT PEOPLE. SO, ALL I CAN SAY, HE NEEDS TO REMOVE THE DEVOUT FROM THE CATHOLIC AND SAY, I WAS BAPTIZED A CATHOLIC OR I USED TO PRACTICE CATHOLICISM. OR I AM A CATHOLIC IN NAME OR SOMETHING. BUT THE IDEA OF DEVOUT? I JUST DON'T, HE'S NOT UNDER CONSTRAINT TO DO ANY OF THIS. BUT HE'S DOING IT IN A WHOLESALE FASHION SO I DO AGREE WITH ARCHBISHOP NAUMAN AND JUST CAUSING CONFUSION TO THE FAITHFUL AND IT'S HYPOCRITICAL AND DOWN RIGHT WRONG. IT'S JUST A MOCKERY OF WHAT DEVOUT CATHOLIC MEANS. SO, YEAH, I APPRECIATE IT IF HE WOULD STOP USING THE WORD DEVOUT. >> Doug: IT HAS THAT TOUCH THAT WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT. IT GIVES SCANDAL AND THE IDEA THAT IT IS USED AS A POINT OF DEFLECTION POINT ANY TIME SOMEONE QUESTIONS THOSE KIND OF CONTRIBUTIONS, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT RUNS COUNTER TO THE CHURCH. WHETHER IT'S A LBGT, TRANSGENDER, OR ABORTION STATEMENTS. WELL, HE'S A DEVOUT CATHOLIC SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. >> Father: WELL, HE'S NOT AND THAT'S THE CLEAR ESSENCE OF THE MATTER, SO I MEAN THAT IN THE SENSE OF THE NATURE. HE'S NOT A DEVOUT CATHOLIC BY HIS ACTIONS AND THEREFORE SINCE ACTIONS REDOUND UNTO BEING, HE IS NOT A DEVOUT CATHOLIC IN HIS BEING. THAT'S JUST A FACT. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. HERE'S ANOTHER STORY COMING OUT OF THE U.K. AND WE'RE AT THE HEIGHT OF DEALING WITH COVID. STATEMENT OF TUESDAY FROM BISHOPS OF ENGLAND AND WALES STRESSED, THAT COVID PATIENTS ARE NOT TO RESUSCITATE SOLELY ON THE GROUNDS OF INTELLECTUAL BUILT. AND THE PERSON IN THE DNR ORDER, HE CRITICIZED THE DNR, THE TREATING PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES AS ALL BEING THE SAME INSTEAD OF THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH PERSON AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THAT WHOLE SENSE OF LOSING THE SENSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL. >> NOT ONLY LOSING THE SENSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL BUT LOSING A SENSE OF PROPRIETOR. WE'RE STILL LIVING IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES THAT ARE MEANT TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF HEALTHCARES AND ONE IS TO WHOSE TO LIVE IF THEY WANT TO LIVE. AND THERE'S A HUGE SCALE IN THE RANGE OF ABILITIES FOR PEOPLE TO RESPOND IN COVID-19 CASES OR ANY KIND OF CASE. SO, IF YOU MAKE A PRECEDENT RIGHT NOW THAT YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND KILL A PERSON THAT HAS INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, LET'S SAY, A DOWN SYNDROME PERSON, CAN'T RESPOND BUT MANY, MANY ARE HIGH FUNCTIONING. AND IN FACT, MOST OF THEM HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO MAKE A VERY ASTUTE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO LIVE OR NOT AND TO SAY OTHERWISE, YOU WOULD NEVER TALK TO A DOWN SYNDROME PERSON OR A RANGE OF DOWN SYNDROME PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE. BUT BY DOING THIS, YOU NOT ONLY DEPRIVE THEM OF THEIR NATURAL LIBERTIES AND RIGHT TO LIFE, WHICH IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. AND THEY ARE DOING IT IN AN INVOLUNTARY WAY. AND THIS IS INVOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA AND IT'S A PASSIVE EUTHANASIA, ALL BE IT, BUT NEVERTHELESS THEY ARE MAKING THE DECISION FOR THEM. YOU SET THE PRECEDENT, OH, NOT JUST COVID CASES AND THIS PERSON HAS THE FLU, IT'S PRETTY DIRE. DON'T DO ANYTHING TO RESUSCITATE HIM. AND AGAIN, ALL KINDS OF RANGES OF THINGS THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PUT SOMEBODY ON A RESPIRATOR FOR A WEEK AND THEN THEY ARE BACK ALIVE AGAIN. SO, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING! THAT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY MEANS, RIGHT? A RESUSCITATION ORDER. AND NOW, YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A DO NOT RESUSCITATE ORDER FOR ALL OF THESE PEOPLE. WHAT'S THE PRECEDENT YOU ARE SETTING FOR GREAT BRITAIN. BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU START DOING THAT, IT'S CATCH 22. YOU REMEMBER THAT NOVEL WAY BACK IN THE 1960'S, BY JOSEPH HELLER, IF YOU WERE ASTUTE ENOUGH, SANE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT YOU WERE NOT SANE, THEN OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO GO ON ADDITIONAL MISSIONS. AND OF COURSE, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU WERE INSANE THEN YOU WOULDN'T CALL YOURSELF OFF ADDITIONAL MISSIONS. SO, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO GET ADDITIONAL MISSIONS. SO, LISTEN TO THIS WONDERFUL BRITISH, DO NOT RESUSCITATE ORDER. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY TO SAY, I WANT TO BE RESUSCITATED OR PEOPLE HAVE SAID, I DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO MAKE INTELLECTUALLY GOOD DECISION, DO NOT RESUSCITATE ORDER, THEN I SHOULD GIVE IT TO YOU ANY WAY. SO, OF COURSE, THE MINUTE YOU SAY THAT, THERE'S NO CHOICE. THE PERSON IS NOT GOING TO BE RESUSCITATED NO MATTER WHAT. IT'S A CATCH 22. SO, ALL I CAN SAY IS, THIS IS THE CRAZIEST THING. IT'S A TERRIBLE VIOLATION OF PEOPLES' LIBERTIES AND THEIR INALIENABLE RIGHT TO LIFE AND NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT ABSOLUTELY PREJUDICIAL AGAINST THE ENTIRE RANGE OF THE DISABILITIES COMMUNITY. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. I MEAN, IT'S JUST HOW PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH IT OR WHY CITIZENS ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE THE OLD SAYING IN NAZI GERMANY, WHAT WAS THE LUTHERAN PASTOR. I FORGET THE NAME. BUT THEY CAME FIRST FOR THE LABOR UNIONISTS BUT I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THEM BECAUSE I WAS NOT A LABOR UNIONIST. AND THEN THEY CAME FOR THE SOCIALISTS. WELL, I DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I WAS NOT A SOCIALIST. AND THEN THEY CAME FOR THE JEWS. BUT I WAS NOT JEWISH SO I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME. AND IN FACT, THEY DID COME FOR THIS LUTHERAN PASTOR, THREW HIM INTO A CONCENTRATION CAMP. AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, HE SURVIVED TO WRITE THIS EPITAPH. AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE END OF IT. >> UNDER THE TITLE OF THE HANGMAN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME ONE BUT A SIMILAR KIND OF IDEA. THE HANGMAN CAME FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AND THERE WAS NO ONE THERE TO STAND UP FOR ME. >> NOW, IN ONE LEVEL, PROGRESSIVE POSITIVE WAY, BETTER RULES, LAWS, AND ACCEPTANCE, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND TRYING TO MAKE IT SO SOCIETY COULD MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO ACCESSES EDUCATION, FACILITIES. WE HAVE, EVERYTHING HAS TO BE MADE APPROPRIATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SO THEY CAN LIVE AS GOOD A LIFE AS POSSIBLY CAN. AND WITH WHATEVER DISABILITIES THEY HAVE. AT THE SAME TIME, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT SAME GROUP SEEMS QUICK TO WANT TO VIEW THESE PEOPLE AS NOT BEING WORTH ANYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO EXPENDITURE OF MONEY OR THINGS ON THE END OF LIFE END OF THINGS. >> YEAH, IT'S A COMPLETE CONTRADICTION. I DO APPLAUD. I THINK THAT THE MOVES MADE FOR THE COMMUNITY DOWN TO SO MUCH OF THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA, A LOT OF PROGRESSION HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AREA, LEARN BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES TO HELP THAT WHOLE DISABILITIES COMMUNITY. SO, WHAT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT, OF COURSE, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE BECAUSE IT'S ILLOGICAL, CONTRADICTION AND ON THE END OF IT, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS THIS ELITISM THAT JUST CREEPS IN. AND THEY JUST CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY REALLY DO FEEL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN I.Q. ABOVE 120, WELL, I'M SO SORRY. SOMETHING HAS TO BE SACRIFICED AND THAT'S YOU. YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE ONE SACRIFICED BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO COST US A LITTLE EXTRA, PLUS WHATEVER QUALITY OF LIFE YOU CAN DELIVER, WE AS ELITISTS DON'T BELIEVE IT'S SUFFICIENT ENOUGH. SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, THE WHOLE WAY OF EVALUATING QUALITY OF LIFE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HEART. HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SPIRIT, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION. HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH LOVE. ALL IT HAS TO DO WITH IS WHAT WE MIGHT CALL THE WEALTH FACTOR OR THE TECHNOLOGY FACTOR. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S A BASIC UTILITARIAN SCHEME OF VALUATION. WHAT CAN YOU PRODUCE. WHAT CAN YOU CREATE THAT MAKES YOURSELF PROVABLY WORTHWHILE. AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT IF YOU ARE NOT GOOD AT PRODUCING WIDGETS? MAYBE YOU ARE NOT GOOD AT WRITING BOOKS. MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE SOME KIND OF PRODUCTIVE CAPABILITY IN THE STRICT UTILITARIAN SENSE OF THE WORD. UTILITY, YOUR USEFUL TO THE ECONOMY. THEN, OF COURSE, WHAT ABOUT JUST INTANGIBLES, PEOPLE WHO BRING A SENSE OF JOY RIGHT INTO THE ROOM. I CAN TELL YOU THIS RIGHT NOW, THE DOWNS COMMUNITY, THEY WALK INTO THE ROOM AND PEOPLE LOVE THEM! IT BRINGS OUT A WHOLE DIMENSION OF PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T SHOW OFTENTIMES IN THE WORK PLACE, DON'T SHOW OFTENTIMES IN THE FAMILY. AND COUNTLESS FAMILIES THAT I TAUGHT IN GEORGETOWN, WHO HAD DOWNS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THEY WERE THE CENTER OF LOVE. EVERYBODY DELIGHTED IN MAKING THEM HAPPY! IT MADE EVERYBODY IN THAT FAMILY MORE HUMAN BECAUSE THEY JUST LOVED THEM. AND THEN, THE SPONTANEOUS RELIGIOUS, AND FAITH-FILLED DEMEANOR OF THESE KIDS -- WELL, NOT JUST KIDS, ADULTS TOO. THEY ARE JUST ALMOST IN CONTACT WITH GOD. AND SO PROFOUND AND SO INTUITIVE AND DIRECT THAT IT CALLS THE REST OF US, SO-CALLED RATIONAL BEINGS, TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT EVERYTHING. WHAT DO YOU MEAN THESE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE A USEFULNESS? YEAH. THE USEFULNESS IS OF THE HEART, OF LOVE, OF RELIGION AND OF FAITH. THAT'S THE USEFULNESS THEY HAVE. AND I PUT THE ONLY THERE IN SCARE QUOTES BECAUSE IT'S ALL OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE. THE KECK BENEFITS WHICH ARE QUITE SECONDARY THAT WE'VE LEARNED IN OUR MATERIALISTIC CULTURE, EGO DRIVEN MATERIALISTIC CULTURE THAT WE'VE LEARNED TO VALUE SO HIGHLY WHEN WE PUT THINGS ABOVE THE HUMAN SPIRIT. WHEN WE PUT MERE ECONOMY ABOVE LOVE, FAITH, AND SPIRIT. I MEAN, IT'S MISERABLE OF THE CONDITION THAT WE HAVE BESET OURSELVES IN. I SAY, BRING ON MORE DOWNS AND AUTISTIC PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO DO A LOT OF SPECIAL THINGS IN THEIR LIFE. AND WHAT I HAVE READ STUDY AFTER STUDY, IN MY THIRD VOLUME OF THE TRILOGY COMING OUT. THOSE STATISTICS SHOW THAT MOST PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY, THE PARENTS, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF TROUBLE, THEY WOULD NEVER LET THAT CHILD GO! BECAUSE THAT CHILD IS FILLED WITH A DELIGHTFULNESS, A LOVABILITY, AN INTRINSIC GOODNESS AND LOVABILITY THAT MAKES THE FAMILY MORE HUMANE. GETTING OUT OF THEMSELVES. AND COUNTLESS NUMBER OF GEORGETOWN STUDENTS SAID, THE REASON I'M NOT SOME EGOCENTRIC IDIOT TODAY IS BECAUSE I HAD A DOWN BROTHER OR SISTER AND THEY BROUGHT DOWN THE REAL PURPOSE AND MEANING OF LIFE FOR ME. THEY BROUGHT OUT THE REAL SENSE OF WHY LIFE IS WORTH LIVING. IT'S NOT ABOUT MY TALENT, OPPORTUNITY OR ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. IT'S ABOUT REALLY LOVING PEOPLE AND CONTRIBUTING TO PEOPLE, PRAISING GOD FOR THE VARIETY AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE GIFTS OF THE HEART THAT HAVE BEEN MANIFEST. YES, BY THE AUTISTIC AND DOWNS COMMUNITY. BY THE INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED PEOPLE AND SO FORTH. ALL OF THESE THINGS, YOU PUT IT TOGETHER AND YOU SEE THAT A WHOLE CULTURE WITHOUT THESE PEOPLE, WITH INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGES OR PHYSICAL CHALLENGES OR BLINDNESS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THAT A HUMAN COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE KINDS OF PEOPLE IN IT THAT CALLS US TO WHAT'S IMPORTANT, CALLS US TO CARE, DELIGHT, AND CALLING US TO HELP, REJOICE, AND WHAT'S HUMAN, LOVING AND RELIGIOUS IN PEOPLE. IF THOSE PEOPLE ARE ABSENT, ALL WE BECOME IS A BUNCH OF EGO COMPARATIVE UTILITARIAN RATS AND IN COMPLETE COMPETITION WITH ONE ANOTHER TO GET SOME MARGINAL ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITY OR ADVANTAGE IN THE FUTURE. WHAT'S THE GOOD OF THAT? IT COMES DOWN TO NOTHING BUT PLUNDER, INSULT, AND OF COURSE, ALMOST IN A COMMUNITY OF TERRORISM. LET THE WEAK PREVAIL. THEY WILL BRING HUMANITY AND HEART, RELIGION, AND GOD RIGHT BACK INTO THE MIDST OF THE SO-CALLED ELITIST VIEW. THAT'S WHAT I THINK CHRISTIANS SHOULD KNOW THIS INSTINCTIVELY. AND THAT'S WHAT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THE U.K. HAVE FORGOTTEN. >> IT'S THE GENERAL SENSE OF THE WAY THINGS ARE MOVING GLOBALLY IN MANY CASE, CERTAINLY IN WESTERN SOCIETY UNFORTUNATELY. THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. FATHER, TAKE A BREATH AND I'M GOING TO READ YOU A QUESTION HERE! THIS IS HAVING TO DO WITH ASH WEDNESDAY. >> DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I UNDERSTAND THAT RECEIVING ASHES ON ASH WEDNESDAY IS A SACRAMENTAL AND NOT A SACRAMENT, BUT STILL FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT RECEIVING THEM FROM A LAY PERSON INSTEAD OF A PRIEST OR DEACON. HOWEVER I READ AN ARTICLE THAT BECAUSE OF COVID A PARISH WAS GIVING ASHES FOR FAMILIES TO TAKE HOME. ON ASH WEDNESDAY THE HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD COULD BLESS THE ASHES AND GIVE TO MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILY. THIS SEEMS WRONG. WHY NOT JUST DISTRIBUTE ASHES BLESSED BY A PRIEST FOR THE FAMILY TO TAKE HOME? CARA >> WELL, I DO THINK THAT YOU SHOULD DISTRIBUTE ASHES BLESSED BY A PRIEST TO COME HOME. I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS COMING FROM. HOW HARD IS IT FOR THE PRIEST TO BLESS THE ASHES BEFORE DISTRIBUTION THAT SEEMS JUST DOWN RIGHT SILLY. SO, KARA, I'M AS BAFFLED AS YOU ARE. I DON'T KNOW WHY ONE WOULD DO THAT AT ALL >> Doug: MAYBE IT'S BEING BLESSED BY THE PRIEST AND A SLIGHT MISUNDERSTANDING >> Father: COULD BE. >> Doug: MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OKAY. HERE'S THE NEXT QUESTION. >> DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HOW SO MANY PEOPLE RECEIVE COMMUNION IN THE HAND IN SUCH A CARELESS FASHION. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY SMALL PARTICLES OF THE HOST FALL TO THE GROUND AND I AM CONCERNED I AM WALKING ALL OVER JESUS AS I RETURN TO MY SEAT. ANNA >> Father: WELL, ANNA, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT OTHER THAN TO SAY TO YOU, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY CAREFUL AS THEY RECEIVE THE HOST. YOU DON'T WANT TO GET SCRUPULOUS ABOUT WALKING BACK TO YOUR SEAT. YOU JUST HAVE TO HOPE THAT JESUS CAN BASICALLY, IN SOME SENSE FIND YOU FAULTLESS FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED PRIOR TO YOUR COMING TO COMMUNION. I AGREE WITH YOU, IT IS UPSETTING THAT PEOPLE DO NOT TAKE CARE. AND I WISH THAT PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE A POINT OF THAT, JUST TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL WHEN THEY RECEIVE AND NORMALLY, THE MOSTS ARE KIND OF SELF CONTAINED AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE A WHOLE LOT OF PARTICLES THAT ARE COMING OFF FROM THE STANDARD ROUND HOSTS THAT ARE GENERALLY USED AT MASS. I WOULD JUST SAY JESUS IS NOT GOING TO HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING THAT IS UNSEEN THAT YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AND I KNOW YOUR DEVOTION SAYS THAT YOU JUST DON'T EVEN WANT TO TAKE THE CHANCE OF IT. BUT I MEAN, OTHER THAN JUST IGNORING COMMUNION OR SOMETHING WHICH YOU DON'T WANT TO DO, I DON'T SEE HOW YOU COULD POSSIBLY ACCEDE TO YOUR DEMAND OF CONSCIOUSNESS. I WOULDN'T WANT TO STEP ON JESUS AT ALL, NO. BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN GET AROUND THAT. AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PARTICLES COMING OFF THE STANDARD ROUND HOST THAT IS GIVEN OUT AT COMMUNION. SO, I WOULD SAY, BE OF GOOD CONSCIENCE. GO TO COMMUNION, BE AS CAREFUL AS YOU CAN. AND HOPEFULLY THE PRIEST WILL ASK PEOPLE TO BE AS CAREFUL AS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE HOST. THEY SHOULD BE PUTTING OUT THEIR HAND AND THE HOST SHOULD BE DEPOSITED DIRECTLY TO THE HAND. SO, I'M HOPING THAT'S THE WAY THAT PEOPLE RECEIVE IT AND THEY RECEIVE IT WITH GREAT CARE BECAUSE IT IS AFTER ALL, OUR LORD. >> AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU, TALKING ABOUT, SOMETIMES WHO IS TELLING ME TO DO WHAT. IF SOMEBODY IS MAKING YOU, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, MAYBE A LITTLE OVERLY SCRUPULOUS THAT MAKES YOU KEEPS YOU FROM GOING TO EUCHARIST, THEN YOU MAY HAVE TO DISCERN WHOSE VOICE THAT IS. >> RIGHT. EXACTLY. THAT'S NOT THE VOICE OF THE LORD TELLING YOU THAT. ST. PAUL CALLS THE DEVIL APPEARING AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. HE'S APPEALING TO YOUR PIETY, TO YOUR DEVOTION AND HE'S TRYING TO GET YOU NOT TO GO TO COMMUNION. SO, YOU WANT TO GO TO COMMUNION. AND YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW THAT THE LORD WANTS YOU TO GO TO COMMUNION AND OTHER SPIRITS DO NOT WANT YOU TO GO TO COMMUNION WHO ARE HOSTILE TO THE LORD. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. OKAY. HERE'S THE NEXT QUESTION. [READING QUESTION FROM BOARD] >> WELL, IT COULD MEAN THAT. I CONSECRATE MYSELF TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. I DON'T SEE WHY EVERYBODY WOULDN'T WANT TO CONSECRATE THEMSELVES TO ST. JOSEPH. IT IS TO MAKE HOLY, TO SACRALIZE, AND A CONSECRATION, WOULD BE A DEDICATION TO HAVE DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. I KIND OF DID MY OWN PRIVATE CONSECRATION TO HER ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD BOOKS AND FORMULAS THAT ARE DONE ON CONSECRATING YOURSELF TO MARY. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING HER WITH ME WHEREVER I GO. AND MY KIND OF CONSECRATION FORMULA WAS TO SAY, MARY, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT YOU TO BE WITH ME. IF I AM IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S SOME KIND OF CHALLENGE OR DIFFICULTY, IS THAT I'M JUST ALWAYS THERE. IF THERE'S TEMPTATIONS, PRIDE OR WHATEVER THERE MIGHT BE. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE THERE. I'M CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT HER HELPING ME BECAUSE I HAVE CONSECRATED MYSELF TO HER AND CARRY HER WITH ME IN MY HEART, ESPECIALLY INTO THE SITUATIONS WHERE I FEEL THAT I MIGHT BE MOST TEMPTED OR MOST CHALLENGED. SO, THAT SHOULD BE FOR EVERY ONE. AND THERE'S REALLY GOOD FORMULAS OUT THERE, SOME PRIESTS WHO HAVE WRITTEN AND SOME VERY FINE BOOKS ON THE CONSECRATION TO MARY AND ALSO, THE ST. JOSEPH CONSECRATION THAT EWTN IS SPONSORING. THAT'S A VERY FINE THING TOO. AND YES, THINK IT'S FOR EVERY ONE. WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT THE HELP OF ST. JOSEPH AND TO SAY IN A SPECIAL WAY, ST. JOSEPH, I WANT TO CARRY YOU WITH ME, CARRY YOUR PRESENCE WITH ME IN THESE VARIOUS SITUATIONS THAT YOU MAY HELP ME PARTICULARLY IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION AND CHALLENGE. THAT'S A PERFECTLY GOOD THING TO DO AND I SAY, GO FOR IT. AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT WILL OBLIGATE YOU TO DO THINGS THAT YOU WOULD FIND ONEROUS AT ALL, BUT DEEPEN THE PRESENCE OF ST. JOSEPH AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN YOUR DAILY LIVES ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU MIGHT BE TEMPTED OR CHALLENGES. >> AND THINK THAT FATHER DON CALLAWAY'S BOOK HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR IN THAT AREA. AND HERE'S ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION TO SLIDE IT IN. [READING QUESTION] >> DEAR FATHER SPITZER, FROM THE CROSS JESUS SAID TO JOHN "BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER." WHY DOES THIS MEAN WE SHOULD CONSIDER MARY OUR MOTHER AND NOT JUST JESUS ENSURING HIS MOTHER WAS TAKEN CARE OF AFTER HE WAS GONE? JEFF WE HEAR THAT FROM PROTESTANTS MAYBE THAT TAKE IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE >> Father: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE IDEA, BEHOLD, YOUR MOTHER, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A POINT THAT JESUS WANTS HIS MOTHER TAKEN CARE OF BY JOHN. NO QUESTION THAT YOU ARE CORRECT ON THAT. BUT THE IDEA THAT THAT STATEMENT, BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER, WOULD STOP THERE, AT THE APOSTLE OF JOHN FOR MERELY UTILITARIAN REASON. LET'S JUST LOOK OVER FOR A MOMENT THE ENTIRE LIFE OF CHRIST. DID JESUS EVER DO ANYTHING FOR A PURELY UTILITARIAN MOTIVE? REALLY? REALLY? I DON'T THINK SO. IF YOU CAN FIND THE INSTANCE WHERE JESUS WAS PURE UTILITARIAN, NOT LOOKING OUT AFTER PEOPLES' SALVATION, NOT TRYING TO HELP SINNERS, WAS NOT TRYING TO OPEN HIS ENTIRE SELF AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY TO EVERYBODY IN THE HUMAN COMMUNITY, RIGHT. WHO ARE MY MOTHER, WHO IS MY MOTHER, BROTHERS, SISTERS, AND ANYBODY THAT DOES THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE IN HIS FAMILY AND YOU ARE IN HER FAMILY. EVERYTHING THAT JESUS DID HAD NOT JUST THE UTILITARIAN VALUE. IT ABSOLUTELY, A WORLDLY VALUE, RIGHT? IT HAD ALSO A SALVIFIC VALUE, A HEAVENLY VALUE AND THAT WAS ALWAYS JESUS' PRIORITY BY THE WAY. THE UTILITARIAN VALUE OF ANYTHING WAS QUITE SECONDARY TO HIM AND HE HAD HIS PRIORITIES RIGHT, I ASSURE YOU. YOU CAN BE SURE OF THIS. THAT STATEMENT, BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER DEFINITELY IS ALL ABOUT SALVATION, ALL ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO HELP YOU IN THE FUTURE. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BLESSEDNESS OF MARY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WHERE SHE BECAME THE MOTHER OF THE REDEEMED HUMAN FAMILY BY BRINGING IN HER FREE ACTION, THE INCARNATION OF JESUS INTO HER WOMB. I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THIS. FROM THAT VERY MOMENT ON, SHE WAS YOUR MOTHER! JESUS IS ONLY SOLIDIFYING THIS STATEMENT AND MAKING IT THROUGH IN LIGHT OF HIS CROSS. AND OF COURSE, HIS FUTURE RESURRECTION AND OF COURSE, IF YOU DON'T READ THAT -- OKAY. SORRY. I KNOW I WENT OVER. >> THAT'S EXCELLENT. YOU EXPLAINED IT QUITE WELL. WE'LL TAKE A BREAK RIGHT HERE, FATHER SPITZER. STAY WITH US, MUCH MORE AHEAD IN "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE"! WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOUR QUESTIONS AND THE TOPIC WHEN WE COME BACK. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> Doug: AND WE CONTINUE IN "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE," AND BASED ON FATHER'S BOOK, THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. AND OUR QUESTIONS ARE CONTINUING. LET'S CONTINUE WITH THAT. >> DEAR FATHER SPITZER, ON A RECENT SHOW SOMEONE SAID THAT THEY CONSIDERED LEAVING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR A PROTESTANT CHURCH BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LIKE GOING TO CONFESSION. I REMEMBER THAT. DOES THIS MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE A CATHOLIC AND GO TO CONFESSION TO HAVE YOUR SINS FORGIVEN AND ENTER INTO HEAVEN? JACQUELINE >> Father: NOW, NO, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL TEACHES THAT PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS WHO ARE TRYING TO FOLLOW THE LORD AS BEST THEY KNOW AND ACCORDING TO THE DICTATES OF THEIR CONSCIENCE CAN GET INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THEREFORE THEIR SINS HAVE TO BE IN SOME WAY FORGIVEN BY THE MEANS THEY KNOW. THAT'S THE FIRST THING. AND THE SECOND THING, IN THE SAME BREATH. WE HAVE TO LOOK ALSO, WHY WOULD JESUS INSTITUTE THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION IN THE FIRST PLACE, I BELIEVE, IN JOHN 20, 21-23, RIGHT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THERE. AND WHY DOES HE SAY TO THE APOSTLES, WHOSOEVER SINS YOU FORGIVEN AND WHATEVER SINS YOU RETAIN ARE RETAINED. WAS HE JUST DOING IT FOR SUPER FLUIDITY? WAS HE DOING IT JUST FOR EXTRA THOUGHTS? NO. HE WAS DOING IT FOR A DEFINITIVE MEANS. ABSOLUTE MEANS. ABSOLUTION. RIGHT? HE GIVES A DEFINITIVE MEANS FOR ABSOLVING AND FOR FORGIVING SINS COMPLETELY WHERE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THAT ABSOLUTION. BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE ABSOLUTION THAT YOU ARE GETTING. YOU ARE CERTAINLY GETTING ABSOLUTION, AND CERTAINLY GOD IS TAKING AWAY, AS IT WERE, THE PENALTY, YOU KNOW, THE FORCE THAT'S PREVENTING YOU FROM CONNECTING WITH GOD. CERTAINLY IS FORGIVING YOUR SINS IN THAT WAY BUT YOU ARE GETTING TWO OTHER GRACES AT THE SAME TIME. FIRST THING, THE GRACE THAT YOU ARE GETTING THROUGH THE GRACE OF THAT SACRAMENT AS IT BREAKS THE GRIP OF THE EVIL SPIRIT. I MEAN, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY YOU ARE GOING TO GET THAT EMBRACE, GOING TO GET DEFINITIVE ABSOLUTION OTHER THAN SACRAMENTAL ABSOLUTION IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. SO, THE ONLY WAY YOU HAVE THAT SECURITY AND SURETY, THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE GRACE OF BREAKING THE SPELL OF THE EVIL SPIRIT. AND BY THE WAY, THERE'S THOUSANDS OF TESTIMONIES TO THE FACT THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU GO TO CONFESSION, RIGHT, IT NOT ONLY BREAKS THE SPELL OF THE EVIL SPIRIT THERE'S ACTUAL EFFECTS IN PEOPLES' LIVES TOWARD PROPENSITY OF SINFULNESS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE FELT EVIL IN THEIR LIVES, FELT THAT COSMIC, ALIENATION AND EMPTINESS IN THEIR LIVES AND GO TO CONFESSION, THERE'S ALMOST A LIGHT HEARTEDNESS COMING OUT OF THE SACRAMENT. WHAT'S THE LIGHT HEARTEDNESS FROM? IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS HAS BEEN ALLEVIATED BUT BECAUSE OF THE RAT SPIRIT, THE SATAN HIMSELF WHO HAS THE GRIP ON YOUR THROAT LITERALLY HAS JUST BEEN DISPELLED. SO, WHEN YOU GET RID OF THAT PRESENCE, THE RIDDING OF LONELINESS, ALIENATION AND EMPTINESS THAT YOU FEEL, YOU GET RIDE OF THAT RESIDUAL SENSE OF THAT SENSE IMPEDING YOU, YOU GET RID OF THE PRESENCE IMPEDING YOU, THAT'S ABSOLUTION. AND SATAN HATES THAT SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION WORSE THAN ANYTHING ELSE PERHAPS ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE LORD'S BODY AND BLOOD. THIRDLY, YOU GET ANOTHER GRACE, YOU START THE PROCESS OF HEALING. IT'S NOT JUST THE FACT THAT THE DEVIL HAS GOT YOU, AS IT WERE, IN A WAY, AND YOU CAN BREAK THE SPELL IMMEDIATELY. BUT ALSO, THERE'S A HEALING THAT TAKES PLACE. WHEN WE START GETTING INTO A HABIT OF SIN, WHAT WINDS UP HAPPENING IS THAT SOMETHING DARKENS IN US. WE CHANGE. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT SOMEBODY BECOMES LESS JOYFUL. THERE'S SOME KIND OF A DARKNESS THAT THEY CARRY AROUND WITH THEM. PAUL EVEN THINKS THAT IT BRINGS UNPHYSICAL ILLNESS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT THE MAIN THING TO REMEMBER, THOUGH, WHEN YOU GET THAT GRACE OF ABSOLUTION AND THEN YOU COMPLIMENT IT WITH THE LORD'S BODY AND BLOOD AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN AND YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO DAILY MASS. WHY WOULDN'T YOU TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY. THE MOMENT YOU COMBINE THAT, THERE'S REAL SPIRITUAL HEALING THAT COMES. YOU CAN SEE THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET INTO THAT SACRAMENTAL HABIT, THERE IS A JOY THAT OVERCOMES, AND ALIENATION OF A SENSE OF A RESTORED INNOCENCE THAT BEGINS TO HAPPEN. SAINT JOHN HENRY NEWMAN CALLED IT A LICENSE OF HEART, A BUOYANCY, ALMOST LIKE A LITTLE CHILD BEFORE A LOVING FATHER THAT BEGINS TO REEMERGE ONCE AGAIN. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, HONESTLY, IT'S NOT JUST THAT IT MAKES YOU HAPPIER, IT CATAPULTS YOU ON THE PATH WAY TO SALVATION. A REAL LIFT AND HIS SEDUCTIONS AND TEMPTATIONS, JUST TO MOVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RESONANCE, A CO-NATURALITY OF HEART, THEN YOU START MOVING TOWARD GOD. YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO HIM AND YOUR SOUL IS MORE AWARE OF HIM AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WHAT WINDS UP HAPPENING, HE'S THE REAL LOVEABLE, THE REAL JOY, HE'S THE ONE THAT YOU WANT TO BE LIKE. AND HE'S THE ONE THAT HAS ALL OF THE INNOCENCE THAT YOU WOULD EVER WANT TO HAVE IN THE GENUINENESS OF HIS LOVE AND GOODNESS. SO, YOU JUST GET ATTRACTED TO HIM. THAT'S A GRACE. A GRACE OF THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. AND THAT GRACE IS COMPLIMENTED BY THE HOLY EUCHARIST BY THE LORD'S BODY AND BLOOD. WHY WOULD YOU PASS IT UP? ONLY A CATHOLIC CAN GET THESE GRACES. WHY WOULD YOU PASS THAT UP? BUT YES, PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS, THEY CAN GET INTO HEAVEN. >> ONE THING I WANT TO ASK, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEBODY NEVER HAVING BEEN CATHOLIC OR SOMEBODY THAT IS CATHOLIC AND DECIDES TO LEAVE THE CHURCH BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE TO GO TO CONFESSION. THAT'S KIND OF A DIFFERENT SITUATION, TOO, RIGHT? >> OH, YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE THE LATTER IS REALLY, THE SECOND OPTION IS BIT OF AN APOSTACY. SO, WHEN YOU START DOING THAT, YOU REALLY PUT YOURSELF, TALK ABOUT PUTTING YOURSELF IN THE HANDS OF SATAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE OBVIOUS POINT THAT WHEN YOU ARE WALKING AWAY FROM THE SACRAMENT, WALKING AWAY FROM WHAT JESUS GAVE TO THE APOSTLES. WALKING AWAY FROM THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE THAT WAS GIVEN THROUGH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. AND IF YOU ARE DOING THAT KNOWINGLY, THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THAT'S LIKE COLOSSALLY, I DON'T WANT TO SAY STUPID, BUT COLOSSALLY RELIGIOUSLY INSENSITIVE AND ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BEING SPIRITUALLY DUMB! I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONLY WORD FOR IT. IT'S THE SPIRITUAL BLOCK TO HEAVEN. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. HONESTLY, YOU OPEN YOURSELF WIDE TO ANY KIND OF EVIL, TO ANY KIND OF FUTURE RATIONALIZATION. WHAT DO YOU HAVE NOW TO PROTECT YOU? YOU DON'T HAVE THE SACRAMENTAL GRACE ANY MORE TO PROTECT YOU. YOUR MIND IS WIDELY OPENED TO ANY KIND OF RATIONALIZATION. AND OF COURSE, THE OVERHANGING APOSTACY OF THAT IS HANGING THERE, DON'T DO THAT. THAT'S REALLY, REALLY QUITE PROFOUNDLY BAD. QUESTION. AND WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, IMPERFECT CONTRITION AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HAVING TO DO WITH EITHER THE FEAR OF HELL OR WHY I TRY TO BE A GOOD PERSON TO, OH,GEE, I JUST LOVE GOD SO MUCH, I ALWAYS TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING. IN TERMS OF CONFESSION, IT'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF. I MEAN, IN A SENSE, WHEN ONE IS THINKING ABOUT SOME SITUATION AND THINKS, OH, I HAVE TO CONFESS THIS. THIS MAY NOT BE A GOOD IDEA. SO, IT STOPS ME IN MY TRACKS OF THINKING ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE IT'S NOT, LIKE, WELL, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE ACTIONS AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANYBODY OUTSIDE OF GOD TALKING TO GOD. BUT TO A PERSON OR TO A SITUATION, IT'S EASIER TO BE EASY AND RATIONALIZE IT FOR YOURSELF. >> THAT'S RIGHT. AND THAT'S THE WHOLE THING. ONE OF THE GREAT BLESSINGS. WOULDN'T BE A GRACE BLESSING OF THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION BUT IT'S A DEFINITE ADVANTAGE OF THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A REAL AGENT TO WHOM YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE AND NOT JUST THE IMAGINARY AGENT IN MY MIND TO WHOM I'M ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT'S MUCH, MUCH EASIER TO MANIPULATE THAT THAN THE REAL AGENT. SO, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AND THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE. NOT A GRACE OF CONFESSION BUT DEFINITELY A GRACE OF CONFESSION. >> A REALITY THERE. >> YEAH. >> LET'S SEE. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES HERE. WHY IS IT NECESSARY FOR OUR SOUL TO REUNITE WITH OUR BODY AT THE RESURRECTION SINCE THERE'S NO MARRYING IN HEAVEN, WHY WOULD WE TAKE ON A ROLE WITH MALE, FEMALE BODIES AND JUST REMAIN SPIRITS INSTEAD LIKE THE ANGELS? MIKE BECAUSE YOU ARE IN PART, INCARNATE WITH YOUR NATURE. YOU ARE INCOMPLETE WITHOUT YOUR BODY. YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PLATONIC VIEW OF THE BODY THERE, WHERE PLATO HELD THAT THE BODY WAS THE IMPRISONING CELL OF THE SOUL AND YOU GOT A SOUL INSIDE THE PRISON OF THE BODY. AND OF COURSE, THE GREAT MOMENT OF DEATH, THE SOUL IS FREED FROM ALL OF THE WEAKNESSES OF THE BODY AND THE FLESH. NOW, OF COURSE, IN A WAY, YOU MIGHT THINK, WELL, YEAH, THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE BODY. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT BEING MEDIATED THAT IS PART OF WHO YOU ARE. YOU ARE INCARNATE HAD AND YOUR BODY MEDIATES YOU TO OTHER BODIES IN AN INCARNATE WAY. AND YOU HAVE LEARNED HOW TO LOVE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS THROUGH, NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL FORM OF THEIR BODIES BUT IN THE EYES WHICH ARE THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL. BUT EYES ARE PART OF YOUR BODY. THE VOICE IS PART OF THE BODY WHICH INDICATES, RIGHT, REAL LOVE, REAL COMMUNICATION, AND REAL CARE. AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE WHO YOU ARE. SO, WHEN YOU GET INTO HEAVEN, AWFUL THOSE THINGS ARE BROUGHT TO PERFECTION. BUT YOU DON'T CHANGE YOUR NATURE AS A HIGHLY AMORPHIC ENTITY AND CHANGE YOUR NATURE TO BECOME A PURE SOUL. YOU BECOME A GLORIFIED, EMBODIED SOUL AT THE RESURRECTION. AND OF COURSE, YOUR JOY WILL BE COMPLETE BECAUSE YOU WERE MADE FOR THAT KIND OF JOY WHEN GOD CREATED YOUR SPECIFIC HYLOMORPHIC UNIFIED BODY, SOUL, NATURE WHEN YOU WERE CONCEIVED IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB. SO, FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, GOD WHERE IS THAT TO PERFECT JOY AND YOU WOULDN'T BE HAPPY OTHERWISE, HAPPY AS A PURE SPIRIT BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT MADE A PURE SPIRIT. GOD WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY BY GLORIFYING THE BODY THAT YOU HAVE, WHICH IS COMMENSURATE WITH YOUR SOUL. AND BOY, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU WILL FIND JOY AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM THERE. YOU WILL RECOGNIZE TOO THE EMBODIMENT OF JESUS, WHO IS STILL INCARNATE IN THAT SENSE. BUT ALSO, YOU RECOGNIZE THE PERFECTION OF HIS DIVINE PERSONHOOD WITH THE FATHER AND WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WELL. ALL OF IT LEADING TO PURE JOY IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. >> VERY GOOD. AND WE'LL TAKE THE QUESTION AS A TRANSITION TO OUR TOPIC. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, I HAVE BEEN READING YOUR BOOK, THE LIGHT SHINES ON IN THE DARKNESS. YOU HAVE WRITTEN A MASTERFUL BOOK ON DEALING WITH SUFFERING AS A CHRISTIAN BUT I HAVE A QUESTION CONCERNING ONE OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL DESIRES MENTIONED IN YOUR BOOK, THAT OF HOME. COULD YOU PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT MEANS? DAVID >> Father: YEAH, DAVID, THE REASON I TOOK BEING AND MADE IT HOME, HAVING TAUGHT AT THREE DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES FOR MANY YEARS, PEOPLE WOULD TELL ME, STUDENTS WOULD TELL ME, WAIT A MINUTE. I DON'T HAVE A DESIRE FOR PERFECT BEING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT A DESIRE FOR PERFECT BEING WOULD BE. SO, I HAD TO FIND ANOTHER WAY OF PHRASING THIS SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND, WELL, WHAT IS IT THAT PERFECT BEING IS REFERRING TO WHEN I SAY, I DESIRE IT. I WANT TO BE PERFECTLY AT HOME WITH THE TOTALITY OF EVERYTHING THAT IS. THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY DESIRING. SO, HAVE YOU EVER HAD THOSE MOMENTS IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU WERE SAYING TO YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALL OF THESE FRIENDS. I'M A REASONABLY GOOD SUCCESS, WHATEVER, MY STUDIES ARE IN THIS CASE, MY JOB, MY CAREER AND MY FAMILY. THINGS ARE OKAY. BUT FOR SOME REASON, I WALK OUTSIDE AND I JUST FEEL ALIENATED FROM THE TOTALITY. MIGHT BE AT HOME IN MY HOME BUT SOMEHOW I'M JUST NOT AT HOME WITH EVERYTHING. I'M NOT AT HOME HERE AS THE NOVELIST WOULD SAY, RIGHT? IN THIS WORLD, I'M NOT AT HOME. THERE ARE THINGS THERE THAT I JUST KNOW, AND I NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO PERFECTION, A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. AND I TRY TO SAY, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. YOU ARE TRYING TO BE AT HOME IN THE TOTALITY, IN THE WHOLE OF BEING. BEING, RIGHT? YOU WANT TO BE AT HOME SO THAT'S THE DESIRE THAT IT IS TRYING TO FULFILL. BASICALLY, WITH AN ACCOMMODATION TO THE STUDENTS THAT SCRATCHED MY HEAD AND SAID, I GET THE DESIRE FOR PERFECT TRUTH. I GET THE DESIRE FOR PERFECT LOVE. GET THE DESIRES FOR JUSTICE. FOR PERFECT BEAUTY. BUT I DON'T THINK I HAVE A PERFECT DESIRE TO BE IN PERFECT BEING. YES, YOU DO, IN THE TOTALITY OF EVERYTHING THAT IS, NOT JUST YOUR PERSONAL HOME, YOU WANT TO BE AT HOME WITH GOD AND THE WHOLE COSMOS AND EVERYTHING. SO, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I SAY, JUST RETRANSLATED IT FOR YOU. >> OKAY. IN THE CLOSING MINUTES. CHRIST IN OUR DAILY LIVES, THIS SECTION IN THE BOOK ON PAGE 30, VOLUME 2. ENGAGEMENT IN SPIRITUAL MORAL CONVERSION, YOU TALK ABOUT THE SUPREME GIFT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. AND YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT, HOW IN THIS SECTION, YOU EXPLORE MORAL CONVERSION ITSELF THROUGH AFFIRMATION OF THE VIRTUES OF FAITH, LOVE, AND PARTICULARLY MAN VEST IN THE BEATITUDES. SO, WHY ARE THE BEATITUDES SO IMPORTANT? >> BECAUSE THE BEATITUDES ARE HONESTLY, JESUS' DEFINITION OF LOVE. LET'S JUST GO THROUGH IT AND YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IT REALLY FAST. SOMETIMES THE HEBREW WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS OF JESUS THROW US OFF A LITTLE BIT F. YOU LOOK AT THE TRANSLATION, IT'S CLEAR. BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT. WHAT ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT? IT'S THE HUMBLE-HEARTED. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO. A HUMBLE-HEARTED PERSON IS A LOVING PERSON. AND TO BE A REALLY LOVING PERSON, YOU WANT TO BE HUMBLE-HEARTED AND TAKE THE FOCUS OFF YOURSELF, PUTTING THE FOCUS NOT ONLY ON OTHERS BUT THE FOCUS ON THE HUMAN COMMUNITY AND THE DIVINE KINGDOM OF GOD AS WELL. SO, YOU ARE PUTTING THIS, I JUST WANT TO BE WITH THE REST OF THE GANG OUT THERE. I DON'T WANT TO BE MR. SPECIAL, RIGHT? IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME, IT'S ALL ABOUT US, ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, ALL ABOUT GOD. SO, THAT'S A HUMBLE-HEARTED PEOPLE AND THAT'S NEEDED FOR LOVE. THAT'S WHAT JESUS MEANS. AND THEN JESUS USES THE TERM, BLESSED ARE THE MEEK. SO YOU SAY, OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO BE MEEK. BECAUSE IN OUR CULTURE, WE INTERPRETER MEEK AS MILK TOAST. AND IF I USE THE COLLOQUIAL, WIMP. WELL, I DON'T WANT TO BE A WIMP. AND JESUS WAS NOT A WIMP NOR A MILK TOAST. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE MEANS BY MEEK. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROOT OF THE WORD FOR MEEK, IT MEANS GENTLE. SO, GENTLE-HEARTED. AND LATER, IN MATTHEW 11, HE SAYS, FOR I AM HUMBLE, GENTLE AND HUMBLE OF HEART. THAT WORD GENTLE, THAT'S THE SAME WORD USED FOR MEEK. WHAT'S THAT WORD MEEK MEAN? IT MEANS GENTLE-HEARTED PEOPLE. GENTLE-HEARTED PEOPLE ARE LOVING PEOPLE. SO PEOPLE BEAR WELL WITH OTHER PEOPLE. SO, THAT'S GENTLE-HEARTED PEOPLE AND HE GETS TUESDAY THE POINT IN OUR PURIFICATION THAT WE BECOME MORE AND MORE GENTLE-HEARTED PEOPLE AND WE BEAR MORE PATIENTLY WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR WEAKNESS. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF LOVE. HE SAYS, BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER OR THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUS NEWEST OR HOLINESS AND THE WORD [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] IS READINESS FOR SALVATION. YOU HAVE A HEART THAT'S READY FOR SALVATION. YOU ARE KIND OF PURIFIED. SO, WE CALL THAT HOLINESS OF HEART OR RIGHTEOUSNESS OF HEART. BUT THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE HOLY. WE'RE LOOKING FOR GOD'S WILL. WE'RE LOOKING FOR GOD'S LOVE TO PERMEATE OUR HEART. SO, WHEN JESUS USES THAT WORD, THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS, HE SAYS, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE YOUR FILL. SO, MEANS, IF YOU ARE SEEKING HOLINESS, SEEKING GOD'S WILL, IF YOU ARE SEEKING HIS HEART WITHIN YOUR HEART, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE SEEKING, THEN HE'S GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU. THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS FOR YOU. SO, AGAIN, YOU GET THE POINT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THAT'S ANOTHER DIMENSION OF LOVE IS TO SEEK GOD'S WILL IN YOUR LIFE. HE IS LOVE AND THAT IS WHO HE IS. GO TO THE NEXT ONE. AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS FOR A SECOND. BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL. YES, MERCIFUL DOES MEAN WHAT WE MEAN IN THIS CULTURE, RIGHT. IT MEANS FORGIVING PEOPLE AND LETTING THEM RESTART AGAIN. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S A BIG DIMENSION OF MERCY AND IN THE HEBREW USAGE OF THE TERM OF THE ONE SIDE IS THE FORGIVENESS SIDE. YEAH, I LET PEOPLE OFF THE HOOK, I LET THEM START OVER AGAIN. I DON'T HOLD THEM SLAVE TO THE PAST DEFENSES THAT THEY HAVE DONE. I LET THEM GO AS GOD HAS LET ME GO FROM MY OFFENSES. BUT THEN THERE'S A SIDE OF COMPASSION AND COMPASSION MEANS, AN EYE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED. AND I FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED. SO, THE IDEA THEN WOULD BE THAT THESE PEOPLE, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT IN THE MARGINS AND PEOPLE WHO JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SAY IN ANYBODY'S LIFE. NOBODY CONSIDERS THEM IMPORTANT, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE THE GOOD SAMARITAN AND THE GUY IS BY THE STREET, PRETTY BEAT UP, LOOKS BAD. AND JESUS SAYS, THE PRIEST GOES OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET AND THE LEVITE, OF THE PRIESTLY CLASS GOES TO THE OTHER SIDE AND THEN THE FOREIGNER COMES AND HE'S THE ENEMY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND HE TAKES CARE OF THEM. SO, JESUS SAYS, HE HAS THE EYE OF COMPASSION. HE'S GOT THE EYE OF PITY. HE SEES THIS GUY IN HIS WRETCHEDNESS AND HE CAN'T STAND IT. SO, HE JUST BASICALLY HAS THAT WONDERFUL GIFT OF WANTING TO SERVE THAT PERSON WHO COULDN'T DEMAND IT IF HE WANTED I. AND HE'S COMPLETELY HELPLESS. THAT'S WHAT COMPASSION MEANS, TO HELP THE PERSON WHO DOESN'T HAVE ANY LEVERAGE, TO HELP THE PERSON WHO IS IN A REAL WRETCHED STATE NOR MAKE ANY DEMANDS ON ANYBODY, CAN'T EVEN GET THE NOTICE OF ANYBODY. THAT'S PART OF LOVE, PART OF AGAPE, AND THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS. FINALLY, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE PURE OF HEART. AND AGAIN, THAT'S CLOSE TO THE IDEA OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THERE'S THIS IDEA OF PURE OF HEART. AND IT ALSO HAS BUILT INTO IT, THE IDEA OF AUTHENTICITY THAT I DON'T LIE TO MYSELF. WELL, I'M A PROFESSIONAL RATIONALIZER, SO, I'M LYING TO MYSELF ALL THE TIME. I GOT TO SAY, I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT THIS VIRTUE. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO ASPIRE TO, TO BE HONEST AND NOT DO THE RATIONALIZATION AND LET MYSELF OFF THE HOOK ALL THE TIME. SO, IT'S A COMBINATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD'S WILL AND IN OUR HEART AND ALSO, NOT LYING TO MYSELF WHEN I'M NOT LIKE GOD IN THINKING THAT I AM. AND THEN, THE FINAL ONE IS BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS. RIGHT? THE IDEA OF BRINGING RECONCILIATION AND PEACE TO PEOPLE, TRYING TO BRING PEACE INTO SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS CONFLICT AND ABOVE ALL, NOT EXACERBATING A FIGHT OR A PROBLEM BECAUSE VIOLENCE BEGETS VIOLENCE AND VENGEANCE BEGETS VENGEANCE AND THE ONLY WAY OUT ARE PEACE. THAT'S THE SIX TERMS NEEDED. >> SO WE'RE TOTALLY OUT OF TIME! JUST GIVE US A QUICK BLESSING OUT THE DOOR. >> OKAY. BOW YOUR HEAD AND PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSING. MAY THE LORD OF ALL LOVING CONSOLATION GIVE YOU THAT SENSE OF REAL GENTLE-HEARTEDNESS AND HUMBLE-HEARTEDNESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AUTHENTICITY AND PEACE MAKE SO THAT YOU MIGHT BRING HIS HEART INTO THE WORLD, RECONCILIATION INTO THE WORLD. AND OF COURSE, LEADING OTHERS TO THE FULLNESS OF LIGHT AND LOVE IN THIS LENTEN SEASON. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN >> Doug: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FATHER SPITZER. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME. STAY WELL! DON'T FORGET ALL OF FATHER SPITZER MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH ewtnRC.com. NEXT WEEK, WE'RE CONTINUING ON THE TOPIC. AND WE HAVE A BOOKMARK WITH THE BOOK, SUSAN TASSONE AND SHE WAS ON LIVE AS GUEST WITH FATHER MITCH. CHECK THAT OUT. AND WE HAVE A SEASON OF GRACE COMING UP, ON SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20, LENTEN REFLECTIONS COMING UP THIS SUNDAY. STAY WITH US! EWTN WILL BE YOU THROUGHOUT LENT AND ONCE MORE AS WE REVISIT "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" NEXT WEEK, WE'LL SEE YOU THEN. [MUSIC]
