"Find the Narrow Road" with Fr. Mark Goring

[Music] on this edition of food for life father Marc Goering looks at find the narrow road people find that narrow road that leads to life and brothers and sisters I want to proclaim to you this morning that you and I we need to make a decision that I'm gonna be one of those few people I'm going to look at some scriptures with you today I hope all of you are reading your Bibles every day you know this is something that I kind of insist on like it come on like you you should be able to take at least a few minutes every day with the Word of God and and my my qualification is if you're - if your life is so busy that you don't even have time for text messaging your friends and spending time on Facebook and YouTube or watching TV if your life is so busy that you can't do those things then maybe it's okay if you don't take some time in Scripture everyday but if you're doing those are the things and you're not reading scripture every day shame on you scripture says man does not live on bread alone but on any every word that comes from the mouth of the Father okay so let's go through some scriptures this morning I want to start with the one we heard in the second reading and this is a scripture I think it's one of the scriptures you should probably have underlined or highlight it in your Bible it's a key key scripture I mean I don't want to be the one to tell you what scriptures to underline because that's a very personal thing that one's you underlined are the ones that the Lord kind of you know really impresses on your heart so that's between you and God but this one here it's so important it's important in our time of Mannar culture or society of doubt and skepticism you know one of the things the devil likes to do is he likes to take something that's really sin bull and make it complicated to sow confusion and one of the realities is right now we're seeing so many of our Catholic young people walk away from their Catholic faith and a lot of them it's per day they say intellectual reasons like I went to college and I learned some stuff and I don't know if I believe in the Catholic religion anymore why because the devil is taking something simple and he's making a complicated you know and one of the most simple things that we proclaim is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead jesus said I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up and again and that's what he did and there's no other founder of a religion or great philosopher or thinker who did something like that Jesus is unparalleled there's no one like him and not only that but Jesus died and rose from the dead ascended into heaven to show us the path he wants to lead us on he wants to take us he wanted we to our mortal life will end and then the Lord will take us to himself in heaven and part of the confusion that Sonne sometimes even in our in our colleges and our universities is the whole thing well you know do we really know that Jesus rose from the dead I mean those are all legends that's probably all made up and solve it nonsense nonsense okay now listen turn with me to first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 6 and this is one of those ones this is Kiki we taught this we were we were taught this in the seminary and he there's all kinds of books on this but first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 6 Paul says he's talking about all the people who saw Jesus after he rose from the dead kaif us and then the twelve and so on and he says after that he appeared to more than five 500 brothers at once most of whom are still alive though some have fallen asleep that's another way of saying some some have passed on they've died now the reason this should be underlined or highlighted in your Bible is this is one of the many scriptures that highlight the historical reliability for the resurrection of Jesus that he is indeed risen and it's important okay I know I'm getting technical on you this morning I'm so sorry but deal with it hope you had your coffee now what's what's important about this first of all I want to highlight to you that first Corinthians was written in the spring of the year 57 the date of the books of the new testament is a science it's very accurate now it's true some of them it might have been this year an extra not exactly sure but it's an exact science and the simple way we know when a book was written among other things is if people are quoting a book later and if people are quoting Matthew you know in the Year 100 it shows that Matthew was written before the Year 100 and so on now the reason this is important is that means that first Corinthians was written 24 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus are you still with me okay 24 years after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus this book was written now about 24 years ago the Catholic Charismatic Center had its first mass it opened its doors and those of you who were here you remember that wonderful day when Father policin to to do something special he wrote in down the aisle on a harley-davidson and then he drove around made circles do you remember that you remember that no you don't you remember that did father Paulus and drive around on a harley-davidson at the first mass how do you know he didn't do that with someone there who was here for the first mass oh look at the hands go up I can't get away with it I can't get away with lying cuz he'll you'll know I'm a liar or a lunatic now st. Paul he persecuted the Christians he wasn't one of the twelve he didn't have the authority of the twelve and not only that some of the the Jewish Commerce didn't like him because of his stance on on not needing to be circumcised so when someone like Saint Paul in writing proclaims that Jesus appeared to 500 many of whom are still alive today you better believe that what he's saying is true because if it wasn't the whole world he would have gone down in history as being either a liar or a lunatic or both and Paul died people knew this man was a man of truth and when Paul wrote this letter we also need to understand he hid the letter was written locally publicly and there was a third one I forgot wrote it down here somewhere what what Paul wrote wasn't sent off to another continent what he wrote was proclaimed locally so just like me standing here I can't get away with saying father Paulson rode around in a harley-davidson because you know it's not true and same thing first corinthians the people who heard this proclaimed locally out loud they could verify whether or not it was true and so the point is is that as Christians we've always maintained that the historical foundation for the death and resurrection of Jesus it's rock-solid Jesus Christ is alive and risen and that makes all the difference not only that I know I'm getting super technical it's like I'm giving you a university lecture of my own I want you to turn to the first verses of the Gospel of Luke and this is something else that perhaps you might want to have underlined and highlighted in your Bible and again this this morning I really am speaking to our skeptical world because the fact is is a lot of our own people especially our younger people they have doubts and they leave and and and oftentimes it's because they haven't taken a few moments to consider the truth of the faith they've listened to the lies and the confusion of the devil and they've lost their eternal salvation so Luke the first first couple verses they remember Luke is the physician he's the doctor he's the man of science this is how he begins his gospel he says since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us in other words Luke is saying there's already written sources about the life of Jesus probably Mark's Gospel maybe even some of Matthew's Gospel we know that historical reality just as those who were eyewitnesses now again Luke's Gospel was written in 64 31 years after the eyewitnesses they were still there just as those who were eyewitness from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us I too have decided after investigating everything accurately anew to write it down in an orderly sequence for you so in other words Luke is saying hey I'm a man of science I'm gonna do the research I'm gonna read what people have written but not only that I'm gonna talk the eyewitnesses including we believe the Blessed Virgin Mary because Luke is the one who says Mary pondered these things in her heart how do you know if someone's pondering something in their heart it's a secret he went to see the Blessed Virgin Mary tell me the story that's why we have these infancy narratives in Luke Luke said I want to get the story right I want to go to the witnesses for you excellent Theophilus so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received and in Luke lays out that this story of the teaching and the life and the death in the resurrection of Jesus Jesus Christ brothers and sisters is lower he's risen from the dead we've come to know him and to love him he means everything to us he's the center of our life and again it's such an awful tragedy when we see a thinking young person walk away from their faith in the Lord Jesus and go the way of the world it's an awful tragedy and that's why I say have these little vs. underlined in your Bible and the next time someone says to well you know the writings of the New Testament aren't those like legends that were written in the Middle Ages it's like no they weren't you know think dude think we will continue with the teaching by father Mark in just a moment the Food for Life ministry is only made possible by the financial donations from you our viewers we ask that after the program you prayerfully consider a tax-deductible financial donation to help us continue this Catholic television ministry to save postage you may now make your donation online just go to our web site and follow the link thank you for your prayers and support and now back to father Mark goring now I want to go through some more scriptures Matthew chapter 7 verse 13 Jesus says enter through the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction and those who enter through it are many how narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life and those who find that are few this is one of the unfortunate realities only a few people find that narrow road that leads to life and brothers and sisters I want to proclaim to you this morning that you and I we need to make a decision that I'm gonna be one of those few people I'm gonna be you better believe I'm gonna make sure to be one of those few people who gives his life completely to the Lord who believes in his word who stands on his word and follows him the few make that a decision in their life to be one of the few another scripture is and again it's the mystery why do so many people why does the world not simply accept the truth of God's love and his care for us and and the gift of the Lord Jesus and in John chapter 1 beginning in verse 9 the Evangelist says the true light which enlightens everyone was coming into the world and this is a basic principle in the spiritual life they say no one will ever be able to say well I didn't know they say deep in the heart and the soul of every person the person knows if they're doing something wrong I mean they can deceive themselves they can tell themselves as many stories is that is they want their conscience it can become darkened but deep down you know when you're doing something wrong and you can fool yourself but you can't fool God and that's why on the Judgment Day they say there's no one who argues with God on the Judgment Day when the light is revealed it's like yeah I'm guilty I was wrong and I should have known better and so the true light which enlightens everyone was coming into the world he was in the world and the world and the world came to be through him but the world did not know him he came to what was his own but his own people did not accept him but to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God and this is this is what we proclaimed that the Lord wants us not only to know him but he wants us to have power the power we see in Scripture is the holy spirit it's a divine fire and a divine light that comes down from heaven and is meant to rest in our souls each one of us we don't we don't perhaps understand it so each one of us we're kind of like a lantern a lantern that is not lit with fire is useless it might look look nice as an as an ornament but it's practically it's useless but a lantern that has a fire ignited in it dispels darkness and shines brightly and brings light and that's what each one of us is meant to be we're meant to be carriers of a light a divine heavenly light and this is the power that God offers us through the Holy Spirit and then one last scripture for you and in 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 22 Paul says the Lord has put his seal upon us and given us the spirit in our hearts as the first installment you see not only do we believe in the Lord Jesus but we know him we've come to love him and we've come we've entered into a communion a relationship with him how do we know that because the Spirit is inside of me I I can I can recognize I can feel I know his presence in me and it's wonderful it's delightful we sometimes call it the glory it comes with with with the with the gifts it comes with a love a joy and a peace and this is this is the scripture tells us it's a first installment it's like heaven has already begun here and now why because his Spirit has come to live and to shine brightly in me and this is this is what each one of us were meant to experience as an abiding reality in our lives the joy of the Lord the love of the Lord the his fire his Spirit within us and this is meant to radiate to war to towards others and so let's pray today before the grace to have the gift of clarity in our lives to know by the grace of God that Jesus Christ is Lord he's risen from the dead because it's written in the scripture because the historical reliability of the scripture is rock-solid I mean some people right off the Bible oh who cares about the Bible it's just a religious book the the New Testament is historical writings these are these are writings that again we can verify and not only that but they're corroborated by other a pagan writings and secular writings and Jewish writings but we believe in Scripture it's not just from a religious book it's a it's an account it's a repeated account Matthew wrote about it mark wrote about it Luke wrote about it John wrote about it and others wrote about it everyone was writing about it it happened Jesus Christ came he preached he raised the dead he worked miracles he said I'm gonna lay my life down to take it up again he rose from the dead he ascended into heaven he poured out his spirit upon us and we've come to know him and come to love him and his Spirit has come to dwell in us and we're never gonna let that go we're never going to apologize for that as a matter of fact we will preach it we will proclaim to the world we will proclaim to the world that yes Jesus is my lord he's my Savior I've come to know him and to love him and I will live and die for him and him alone for an audio CD or video DVD of the teaching by father Mark going on find the narrow road we invite you to write to us our address is food for life box 1107 station F Toronto Ontario m4y to t8 when you write ask for an audio CD or video DVD of program 773 on the next edition of food for life father Marc Goering looks at whatever works do it the summer the spiritual life is to acquire the Holy Spirit to be on fire with the Holy Spirit and one of his basic teachings was in the spiritual life do whatever works whatever works do it in the spiritual egg whatever keeps the fire burning in your hearts do that [Music] I have a couple of letters from viewers that really remind us of God's perfect timing and his answers to prayer the first viewer writes I had the pleasure of watching Food for Life this morning I've always enjoyed your program I've been praying that I would find some teachings that would really help me well food for life is a wonderful program that delivers inspirational messages that I can relate to and I can enjoy it from the comfort of my own home the topics are important and meaningful thank you for providing such a powerful and loving program a second viewer writes thank you for the blessings and spiritual messages that you present on food for life and in your monthly newsletter the Holy Spirit's presence is truly felt through the life-changing message is communicated the message speak to me about issues faced at the most perfect time allowing me to give God greater glory and and I am so thankful that he works through your ministry may you all continue to grow in Christ's love and wishing you every success in your work we're so grateful for these two letters and one of the things that really stood out to me is how God always meets our needs at the perfect time one viewer really wanted some messages that would speak to her heart and the Lord gave that to her another viewer just needed some teaching some help that helped in that particular situation and God was faithful so often we received mail and people say they turned on the program and just at the right time they got a word that they need it for them and it reminds me that we are called to be people of Prayer people who pray faithfully we pray without ceasing we never give up we keep praying some days I'm tired and I just would want to turn on some music and go about my day and I stop and I push through and I pray and it makes all the difference prayer is so vital and so important I know that you're probably having something on your heart right now that you're praying for and I remind you that God hears your prayer and he answers your prayer a great Saint from Italy Padre pío a favorite of mine he had some great sayings and one of the things he said was pray always and don't worry he also reminded us that there are things in heaven that are fixed we can pray and we can pray and we can pray and if they're fixed in heaven they're not going to change and that's a time when we accept God's will in a situation we're praying about but he said there's many things that we can pray about and God does bring them to pass but we have to remember his timing perfect timing is everything we all want God's will but we also want the timing of God that is very key and that is very important whatever you're praying about in your life situation today I encourage you pray and don't give up I was just recently praying about a situation that would troubled me for years and it didn't look like an answer to prayer was going to come yet again and I was so troubled one night as I was praying and just as I was about to give up I picked up a book and on the front cover it said pray and don't give up and I was so encouraged and I felt it was a word from God whatever you're praying for pray and don't give up wait on the Lord wait for his perfect timing and he will come to your aid and he will bless you if we can pray with you at food for life we counted a privilege to stand with you in prayer and we faithfully pray for your prayer requests we would invite you to write into us at food for life god bless you you know when I'm thinking of investing you know either for my retirement or from businesses I've been involved with I'm always trying to be strategic thinking I'm looking at an investment where I feel like there's a return on the investment and I take the similar approach with my giving when I look at my giving I'm reflecting on okay do I feel like this is going to provide a return on investment in terms of growing the kingdom if you've been watching us here on the food for life television ministry and you feel that you've benefited from this and you feel that so many others could benefit from but then we would prayerfully have you consider supporting us here at the food fly television ministry we don't have corporate sponsors you are our corporate sponsor and so we just invite you today to to pray and ask the Lord if part of your strategic giving from building up the kingdom includes food for life for an audio CD or video DVD of today's ministry we invite you to write to us when you write mention the program number 1773 and today's topic father Mark going on find the narrow road food for life is a non-profit Catholic charity funded only by donations from viewers to help us continue this Catholic television ministry please send your tax-deductible donation to food for life box 1107 station F Toronto Ontario m4y 2 T 8 to save postage you may now make your donation online just go to our website and follow the link we ask you to consider a regular monthly donation either by post-dated cheques or through our website to help us continue the food for life ministry if you have never donated before we ask that you make your cheque payable to food for life and our address is food for Life box 1107 station F Toronto Ontario and for y2 t 8 on the next edition of food for life father Marc Goering looks at whatever works do it the summer the spiritual life is to acquire the Holy Spirit to be on fire with the Holy Spirit and one of his basic teachings was in the spiritual life dude whatever works whatever works do it in the spiritual life whatever keeps the fire burning in your hearts do that we would like to thank you for your financial support of the food for life television ministry Food for Life is funded only by viewers like yourself we have no commercial sponsors your tax-deductible donations help pay for production of the program pay the television station for the time that the program is on the air and pay for the mailing of our monthly newsletter thank you again for your support of this Catholic television ministry [Music]

Channel: Food for Life TV Ministry

Views: 3,703

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: Narrow Road, God, Fr. Mark, Catholic, Food for Life, Happyness

Id: LGeenWnQX0s

Length: 29min 51sec (1791 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 06 2019