Fr. Wade Menezes C.F.M. – The Four Last Things on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

[Music] discerning hearts calm presents inside the pages insights from today's most compelling authors I'm your host Chris McGregor and I am delighted to be joined by father Wade manesis who is a member of the fathers of mercy he's a contributing writer to the National Catholic Register our Sunday visitor Catholic Twin Cities circle lay witness pastoral life and Christian ranchmen father Wade has been a guest on numerous EWTN programs and has hosted several series including crux of the matter the wonders of his mercy the 10 commandments of Catholic family life before last things God calls us to himself and the gospel of life versus the culture of death with father wave aneesa's we go inside the pages of the four last things a catechetical guide to death judgment heaven and hell by ewtn publishing father Wade thank you so much for joining me you're very welcome Chris great to be with you today the far less things a catechetical guide to death judgment heaven and hell is fantastic thank you so much for writing this and giving this to the universal Church well you're most welcome you know I think it's a topic that's been greatly forgotten indeed a doctrine that's been greatly forgotten since the Second Vatican Council and of course that's not to blame the council at all vatican ii is truly sincerely and authentically a valid ecumenical council to church but I think what happened after the council is certain liberal progressive forces too cold and so certain doctrines were downplayed the eschatology eschatology of the church being one of them eschatology being the study of the four last things death judgment heaven and hell three of which will apply to each individual person personally that is death judgment heaven or hell I always like to say to that vatican ii is not the cause of these forgotten doctrines again it's truly an authentic council but it is the occasion by which some of these more traditional doctrines of the church have been forgotten I think the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is another one and that's the topic that's a topic for another book about the four last things I really think is one of those areas as well it is quite I mean in all reality the most important things well it's to do with eternal life you know we will die we will be judged and in the end it will be heaven or hell and again this is a doctrine that the church has taught since the 1st centuries it's greatly appel by sacred scripture sacred tradition and the Magisterium of the church that is the teaching office of the church from the latin word Maji stare which means teacher which itself the Magisterium is rooted in the Apostolic College of the original 12 apostles with Peter at its head and and Peter's successors leading throughout the centuries and all all of this is supported by and safeguarded by the sacred deposit of faith and the sacred deposit of faith itself is that heritage of the Catholic faith contained in that three-legged stool of sacred scripture and tradition and handed on in the church from the time of the Apostles from which the Magisterium draws all that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed by God and the church's eschatology is one of these areas these things will take place and so we need to we need to know the doctrine just like we would want to know about the the church's sacramental economy with the seven sacraments just like we would want to know about the doctrine of the real presence just like we would want to know about the doctrine of the communion of saints all these beautiful doctrines of our one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith we should know about and be good students of I always like to remind my listeners regardless of your state in life whether single married or a consecrated priest brother or sister and this whether one be an active religious or contemplative religious once baptized and confirmed always a good student of the faith always a good student of the thing seems to me that for a particular generation or two as you said this particular doctrine of the church is something that has been lost I am not exactly sure I don't I don't even know if you can some might as you have rightly said and want to blame and it may be on Vatican 2 but I don't think that's it I think it's the just even the idea of maybe judgment that we are very afraid for whatever reason to speak about that yeah you know I think after the Second Vatican Council I think that shift was to be more positive overall the positive points of the doctrines of the church and that's fine but we can't forget those things that are seemingly negative to the human spirit - like life judgment who likes to be judged but so for example I think that the shift after the Second Vatican Council was to focus more on salvation in heaven rather than on the reality of judgment and the possibility of hell it's almost like the modern day man and woman of the 1960's and the council ran from 62 to 65 it's almost as though the progressive forces in the church at that time thought that the modern day man and woman of the 1960's was to above talking about judgment and the possibility of hell that instead they would only be attuned or would only listen to the positivity of salvation in general and and heaven in general well that that's fine that that may be true but remember when it comes to the four last things each one of the four last things fully complements the teaching and doctrine of the other three individual last things so you can't really talk about Hell and the the evil and atrocity that it is for those who choose to go there by non repentant mortal sin grave matter fullness of knowledge and deliberate consent which I'll talk more about in a moment but you can't talk about the atrocity and reality of what hell is without talking about the beauty of heaven but you can't talk about the beauty of heaven for all eternity what we're called to for eternal communion and eternal happiness with God without also talking about what prosody hell is so precisely we can work to avoid hell so each of the four last things fully complements each one of the other three they are a cohesive whole each one complements the other this is why the church has always taught the four last things together collectively you know one of the major impetuses grist for writing the book was I came across a survey in a modern US newspaper this is about a year or so ago just before Halloween and it was a survey of the top ten things that people are afraid of up ten things that people are afraid of and I'd like to go through the list quickly here from number ten down to number one number one being the thing that people answered in the survey they are most afraid of so starting at number ten going to the dentist people are afraid of going to the dentist this is an American survey by the way sir dog dogs were number nine flying in airplanes number eight severe weather such as thunder and lightning number seven the dark was number six Heights number five other people made number four on the list were afraid of other people and the example given was for example public speaking huh speaking in front of groups number three places with no easy escape elevators bridges and hot air balloons were the top three on that individual list of number three places with no easy escape spiders made number two on the list and number one on the list was snakes now when I saw this list of top ten things I thought to myself immediately I thought to myself where is hell why did hell not make this list our people not afraid of Hell anymore the reality of Hell and then just as quickly Chris it came to mind uh ah but snakes is number one that's how cunning the serpent is from the book of Genesis that's how cunning the devil is that's how cunning the father of all lies satan lucifer is is that he won't put how long the list his kingdom but he will make him sell number one on the list the image that's used for him in Scripture in the book of Genesis the serpent the snake that's how cunning he is and this was a wake-up call for me to not only do the book on this topic but to also do an EWTN series for it as a five-night parish mission that I took live on the road with me as a father of mercy and the father's emergency preach parish missions retreats and devotions and our specialty is the four or five night parish mission so I actually made this a series as well for advant because Advent focuses on the two comings of Christ as Saint Agustin says let us not forget Christ's first coming precisely so that we do not regret his second coming let us not forget Christ's first coming precisely so that we do not regret his second coming this was the summation of the season of Advent as taught by Saint Agustin because Advent indeed leading up to Christmas leading up to Christ's first coming as the Incarnate God man as a baby focuses on Christ two comings and so I took this series on the road during Advent as an adman mission series and this is one of my main points to the people the other impetus was as I said I just believe sincerely so that it's just a forgotten doctrine since the Second Vatican Council and if people do know about the doctrine of eschatology the four last things death judgment heaven in hell they can't articulate it they even in a short synthesis they can't they can't articulate it for example I'm amazed at how many Catholics believe and I've talked to such Catholics on the road at the missions during the parish missions how many Catholics believe that purgatory going to purgatory is an automatic doctrine there is no avoiding purgatory it's it's so facto that you're going to go to purgatory before entering heaven Chris that's a heresy that the church the Church does not teach that God's plan a for each individual soul is to go straight to heaven when they die his plan B if you want to call it that his plan B would be for the soul to go to purgatory and then enter heaven in a delayed fashion because indeed the holy souls in purgatory and they are that holy souls the holy souls in purgatory are shirred heaven after their temporal punishment is atoned for all right but if the truth be known if the doctrine be known God's plan a for us is to go to heaven directly when we die look purgatory is about one thing and one thing only period I'm going to say it again purgatory is about one thing and one thing only period and it's this the need to atone for temporal punishment for already forgiven mortal and venial sin committed on earth if at the time of the earthly death their earthly death the person has not yet atone for that temporal punishment in other words therefore if at the time of their earthly death they have already atoned for that temporal punishment due to already forgiven mortal and venial sin if they've already atoned for it at the time of the earthly death they indeed go straight to heaven when they die what is temporal punishment it's the effects that's with an e not an a it's the effects the residue of sin after we've committed it okay for example Kris let's say you and I are both in the bank parking lot at the same time and I go to leave before you you're still inside the bank I back up my truck into your car and it's a pretty good dent on your fender and I immediately go back into the bank and say Kris I'm so so sorry I just backed into your car I I dented your fender pretty bad and you and the great graciousness of your Catholic Christian heart you say Oh Father wait please don't worry about it and then you grab my arm and you look at me right in the eye and you say father wait I mean it don't worry about it father wait it's as though you never ever committed it I truly sincerely authentically forgive you well that's wonderful you have indeed Kris indeed authentically forgiven me as you said yourself it's as though I never ever dented your car but the truth of the reality is what remains in the parking lot Kris danta car IDenticard your tinted car so that even though you have sincerely authentically forgiven me like the Sacrament of Penance does through the son to the Father and the father's hey because of my son acting years as your public defender and the tribunal of mercy the Sacrament of Penance I is the just judge say hey it's as though you never committed the sin you're forgiven because my son the Incarnate God man Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity as your public defender has forgiven you in the tribunal of mercy okay and a tribunal is a court it's a court of mercy the Sacrament of Penance beautiful great I've been forgiven the priest gives me absolution in the person of Christ in Persona Christi but the residue of my sin remains so I need to carry out such things as the three eminent good works prayer fasting and almsgiving I need to carry out any combination of the 14 works of mercy seven for the body seven for the soul the Corporal and spiritual works of mercy all with a particular willed intention that I'm doing these things for atonement as a temporal atonement for my already forgiving mortal and venial sin I could strive for a plenary or partial indulgences these are how these are ways that we atone for our temporal punishment so that when we do die God willing we die in a state of grace that is with no mortal sin on our soul we die with all the benefits of a happy and graceful death you know holy the Attic womb ones final holy communion prayers of commendation for the dying the anointing of the sick even the Apostolic pardon which is the plenary indulgence in and of itself we die with all these things there's no temporal punishment so now Catholics that I've been on the road who believe that purgatory was an absolute they surely don't believe this in malice they're simply sincerely in ignorance they for whatever reason they believe that purgatory is an absolute and I'm like no way that that's if anything if you want to call it God's plan B for you that would be his plan B for you because again at least the holy souls in purgatory are saved after their temporal punishment is atoned for but listen my brother listened my sister God's plan a for you is to go straight to heaven and to live such a holy life on this earth right now that you live in such a way that not only are you in a state of grace with no known mortal sin on your soul but you also have no temporal punishment to atone for because you haven't sinned because or if you do sin you get right back up because you have done the three imminent good works prayer fasting almsgiving because you have carried out any combination of the fourteen works of mercy because you have strived for a plenary indulgence or a partial indulgence I strive for a plenary indulgence yesterday here at the shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville Alabama Bishop Robert Baker of Birmingham has declared at a marion year in the Diocese of Birmingham in honor of the 100th anniversary of the fatum apparitions and here at the beautiful Lourdes grotto in honor of our daily of Lords at the shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville Alabama if you visit the the grotto which is a replica of Our Lady of Lourdes and in France back grotto and pray for the needs intention the Holy Father go to confession receive Holy Communion say the Apostles Creed and carry out a Mary and devotion which I did I prayed the Rosary I have the moral certitude of faith that I received a plenary indulgence what a beautiful gift that is and it's through the Magisterium Holy Mother church's Magisterium again rooted in the Apostolic College through the power of the keys with Peter at its head and Christ gave Peter the keys to to bestow on her children the members of the church these Treasuries of merits one by Christ from the cross on that first good friday to dispense to her sons and daughters the members of the church through the merits of the saints who have made it to heaven through their own holy lives these Grace's these merits the these plenary and partial indulgences so this is how we atone for that temporal punishment this is the beauty of being Catholic this is the greatness of the fullness of the Christian faith of the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith look our Lord was the bridegroom the church is his bride right that's constant imagery in Scripture especially in the book of the Apocalypse the book of Revelation when our Lord died it's like the groom the husband leaving in his will everything to his wife he left everything in his wife to his wife in his will and not only did he leave her everything he hold her in the will you can freely dispense of these gifts as you see fit so Holy Mother Church the Bride of Christ since his death resurrection in ascension to heaven she dispenses from the Treasury of merits from from those merits that he won from the cross on that first Good Friday when he died for all of us she continues to dispense from the Treasury of merits and one of those great gifts from that Treasury merits is the gift of a plenary indulgence all right or the ability to atone for temporal punishment already due or due to already forgiven mortal and venial sin mm-hmm you know a father wait it kind of strikes me that in that list that you gave of the things that people that they fear that not only did they not state that they feared hell but there wasn't a fear of death how we end this life and the way that ends you you would think that would be something but didn't again you you see in modern culture right now the things that are lifted up specially for the young that's very attractive to your younger generation our cultural phenom like the Walking Dead the zombie culture and then you have a whole series of vampire cultures where the the heroine gives up her gift of life to be able to run around undead with her vampire boyfriend and we try to push off death why do you suppose that wasn't on the list you know is a good question I I don't know maybe maybe these various series that you just mentioned is the cultures way of saying hey we the members of the culture are afraid of death we don't want to die that's why we're turning to the Walking Dead because they may be dead that they're still walking around seemingly live the vampire culture technically dead but still walking around seemingly alive and and for vampires in perpetual you know forever and ever glamorizing yeah maybe this is the cultures way of saying look we we the members of the culture are afraid of death and so we turn to these things but in reality catholic christian doctrine says that for those who died in a state of grace they are not to fear death it's a really easy number to remember in the Catechism catechism the Catholic Church a number 1010 you know each paragraph is numbered in the Catechism number 1010 listen to this because of Jesus Christ Christian death has a positive meaning and now quoting Philippians 1:21 for to me to live is Christ and to die is a gain and then second Timothy chapter 2 verse 11 the same is sure if we have died with Christ we shall also live with Christ so number 1010 continues what is essentially new about Christian death then is this through baptism the Christian has already died with Christ sacramentally in order to live a new life and the three times submersion in the water or the three time pouring over the forehead of the infant is symbolic of that dying to Christ dying with Christ sacramentally in order to rise up from the waters and to live a new life okay but if we die in Christ's grace having lived that baptized life okay it's a baptized life now because we were baptized if we die in a state of sanctifying grace which simply means no known mortal sin when at the time of our death if we die in Christ's grace then physical death literal physical death completes the dying with Christ begun at baptism why because Christ physically died as well and so our physical death literally completes our full incorporation into him in his redeeming act for us from the cross now that's pretty powerful physical death is the seal of the seal the stamp but the final stamping the final sealing of the of the envelope if you will physical death literally completes our dying with Christ begun sacramentally and symbolically in the submersion of baptism at the time of our baptism why does the our physical death fully complete it because Christ experienced a physical death as well now this is a physical debt that comes naturally obviously this is not a physical debt that comes through euthanasia or through suicide or anything like that with a person purposefully takes his or her own life okay granted in the mystery of Christ he can still save the person but but this is primarily in a natural debt that we're talking about okay that that beautiful line from the old black-and-white classic film from the early 1940s Boystown about father Flanagan he there's a wonderful line at the beginning of the film where he says at the time of the end of life should come from the creator of life in other words God alone has that same when the life comes to an end because he's the creator of life you know but but that number 1010 is so powerful again because of Christ Christian death has a positive meaning what is essentially new about Christian death is this through baptism the Christian has already died with Christ sacramentally and symbolically in the three times submerging in the waters in order to live a new baptized life on earth thus at the end of that life if we die in Christ sanctifying grace physical death literally physical death then completes the dying with Christ begun at baptism and so completes our full incorporation into him in his redeeming act from the cross on that Good Friday so death does have a positive meaning so in one sense if a person is not afraid of death that's a good thing provided they're believing they're not afraid of death because of the right reason they're not afraid to death because they know that it fully incorporates them into the into the Christ the head the head of the church you know this is a beautiful reality father way you know that there will be people that are hearing what you have to say and inside their hearts a great fear begins to arise not maybe not for themselves but for loved ones those parents who are fearful for their children that this reality of the four last things really hasn't taken hold in their hearts well you know this is why we're called to be good students of the faith and branching off from being a student of the face comes the reality of being a good evangelizer of the faith for example I like to share with my listeners it's a staple tradition lowercase T it's a staple tradition in our beautiful Catholic faith for one to pray daily for the grace of a holy and happy death do you do that do you do that that's what I asked the person do you pray daily in your morning rosary or your afternoon rosary or your daily Divine Mercy chaplet or do you offer a communion for yourself at Sunday Mass or weekday Mass if you go to weekday Mass do you offer that communion for the grace of a holy and happy death what a beautiful thing to pray for daily we pray for our health we pray for our life to stay safe why don't we pray for the grace of a happy death and by the grace of a happy death the church has always meant traditionally five things number one to die in a state of sanctifying grace that is simply to say with no known mortal sin on one soul that has not been sacramentally forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance number two to receive the sacrament of the antenna basick if our death is preceded by an illness number three to receive holy the Attic oh that is ones final Holy Communion if the last stages of their life are such in circumstance that they are able to receive holy the Attic room they may not be able to for example if they're in a car accident and they're now in ICU they might be covered on the face with all kinds of apparatus breathing apparatus they're not able to receive Holy Communion but if they are to receive holy the attic room that is one one's final holy convenient number four to have the prayers of commendation for the dying prayed over the person and number five to have the Apostolic pardon imparted to them by a priest which doubly acts as a plenary indulgence which wipes away all temporal punishment due to sin because of the Magisterial gift of this great great grace through the teaching office of the church the Magisterium which comes to us through the power of the keys the Apostolic college that's why it's called the Apostolic pardon okay then the college of the original twelve with Peter at their head so again to die in a state of sanctifying grace with no known mortal sin on their soul that has not been sacramentally forgiven number two to receive the sacrament of the anointing of the sick if one's death is preceded by an illness to receive holy the Attic ooo ones final Holy Communion if they're able to if the circumstances are such at their end-of-life stages that they are able to receive they may not be able to receive number four to have the prayers of commendation for the design prayed over us and number five to have received the Apostolic pardon which also confers a plenary indulgence upon the person so of those five things only one may not be able to be received and if it's not able to be received it's still the grace of a happy death because God's not gonna hold us to anything that we're not able to to control beyond ourselves so so the only one of the five that may not be able to be received as one's final Holy Communion again if they're in such a state that they have all kinds of medical apparatus on them but so the remaining four things would still be the fullness of a holy and happy death for them you know it's interesting st. Joseph is the patron saint Chris I'm a holy and happy death and why is that because of two things number one he was the guardian of the Redeemer who saved the the Redeemer that the baby Jesus from death when Herod ordered his army to go kill all the males aged two and younger because he felt his throne was threatened after the visit of the three kings when the three kings told him about the baby okay he sent his army to go kit the massacre of the innocents that we celebrate at the end of December every year after Christmas well Jesus fled to Egypt with the Holy Family he protected the Christ child the Redeemer the god man Jesus Christ as a baby he protected him from death so that's the first reason why he's called the patron saint of a happy death number two there's a very strong tradition that that says that when Joseph died he was flanked on either side of his death bed by his bride the Blessed Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary and on the other side of his death that by his foster son Jesus Christ the devil's didn't have a chance to get to him too tempt him at the final end of his life okay so the so this tradition holds that he was flanked on either side of his deathbed by Jesus and and Mary so that's the second reason why Joseph is called the patron saint of a happy and holy death I have a strong devotion to st. Joseph you know Foster is strong devotion to st. Joseph Oh everything in the book father Wade is so phenomenal the four last things akattak a local guide to death judgment heaven and hell and I just had to say there's a great gem in there an unexpected wonderful gem in this book and as Chapter five and it's on the necessity of the spiritual life that in itself I think you could I would love for you to even write another book and expand on that that is I think one of the most essential things in here yeah well thank you I appreciate that you know I I wanted to write a closing chapter that was very uplifting and and positive after talking about you know the first four chapters of the four last things properly speaking and even though I must say I'm very humbled by the people who have read the book who said who say father wait the whole book is an upbeat book mm-hmm it's written very it's written in a very joyful tone you're very positive throughout so I'm very humbled by that because I did I did attempt to do that Johnette bank of ik of women of grace is one of the four primary endorsers of the book and the quote that she wrote in in endorsing the book really humbled me as well she says this book has filled me with great great hope of what is to come and I just thought that that really encapsulates what I hoped to do in the book was to lift lift people up and give them great joy and studying the four last things but nevertheless as you state in chapter five because the first four chapters are respectively in their traditional or chapters 1 through 4 death judgment heaven and hell the fifth chapter chapter 5 the final chapter is titled simply the necessity of the spiritual life and I give 10 or so suggestions of what we can do to help get ourselves on the right track and I'll comb through them fairly briefly now for interest of the interview here but monthly confession what a beautiful thing Chris monthly confession 12 times a year can fashion which is not too much to ask when you realize that the year has 365 days in it huh 12 is nothing would compare to 365 and go on the first Friday or first Saturday of each month in honor of the Sacred Heart or Immaculate Heart of Mary devotions it's a wonderful way to remember oh I'm gonna go to confession I need to get to confession and even if you're not aware of any known mortal sin praise God for that go to confession anyway once a month make it a devotional confession meaning that you just confess venial sins that's a beautiful thing you know because mortal sin absolutely needs the Sacrament of Penance the tribunal of mercy venial sin doesn't there's other ways to have venial sins forgiven making a good act of contrition carrying out the again the three and good works the 14 works of mercy all with the intention of of having your venial sin forgiven because venial sin doesn't sever supernatural charity and mortal sin does so if you're not aware of any mortal sin month to month praise God for that go to confession anyway once a month for a devotional confession meaning simply that you're confessing just venial sins in fact if the truth be known Chris if a person goes to confession faithfully once a month faithfully 12 times a year chances are chances are they won't have any mortal sin to confess each month it's precisely the the practice of a monthly confession that is per say keeping them away from mortal sin that's the beauty of monthly confession number two weekly Eucharist at Sunday Mass number three the morning offering make a morning offering each morning when you get up consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary close that morning offering with an active contrition huh how do you know that's not the day you're gonna die how do you know that's not the day you're going to be hit by an 18-wheeler rig on the interstate and die you don't know that okay I hate to be so graphic and so much of a realist but this is the reality of life mmm-hmm you know get ready for get ready to meet your maker and joyfully with no known mortal sin with a close relationship to him how about the daily rosary that's number four on the list the daily divine mercy a fasting according to the mind of the church you know two small meals that together do not equal the one sustaining meal that you have and then nothing in between those three meals with the exception of water or any medicines you might need to take for health purposes well heck you know not not trying to Pat myself on the shoulder but that's pretty much what I do each day and not really for the intention of fasting but just for health purposes you know two smaller meals that together do not quite equal the one sustaining meal that I have and then nothing in between except except water or any any medical necessities or medicines that one needs to take that's what I mean by fasting quote-unquote according to the mind of the church okay two daily examinations of conscience the midday examine is called the particular examine done around noon each day when we look at a particular vice we're trying to root out or a particular virtue we're trying to advance and then at the end of the day the general examination of conscience just before we retire and go to bed we look at the whole Jade generally and how we did each that day in regards to all virtues were trying to advance and all vices were trying to approve clothes each one of those two examines whether the particular examine at midday or the general examine at the end of the day clothes each of those examinations of conscience with an act of contrition you know so this is just a minute and a half to two minute exercise huh the general examine and then the and the midday examine how about the practice of the a spur Tory prayers set throughout the day Jesus Mary and Joseph I love you save souls Oh Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee my guardian angel protect me huh each time we pass a cemetery eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them may they rest in peace amen each time we pass a Catholic Church with the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist Osteen permit most holy O sacrament divine all praise and all Thanksgiving be every moment I'm these these short aspera Tory prayers that we say throughout the day that help us practice the presence of God throughout the day they're quick they don't take a strong or fervent act of the will they be more habitual more than anything else but they're done with great love how about the daily liturgical reading like for magnificat magazine or one bread one body or the word among us so even if you don't get to mass that day on a weekday you still know what the daily liturgical readings were or you know who the saint of the day was huh and then number 10 the use of sacramentals you know wearing the the medal of your confirmation patron saint confirmation made us what of Christ soldiers of Christ huh wear the medal of your confirmation patron saint wear the medal of your baptismal name patron saint have your rosary blessed be enrolled in the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel huh go to confession on your baptismal anniversary go to confession on your confirmation date anniversary from the 8th graders or sophomore in high school whenever you were confirmed go to confession on your wedding anniversary day go to confession on your priestly ordination anniversary make a pilgrimage do the Stations of the Cross not only in doors in the church but bow to a shrine that has a beautiful set of outdoor stations these are all use of sacramentals bless your children on that morning that they depart for college the beautiful imparting of a blessing with one's right thumb from their right hand upon the forehead of their child calling down the Blessed Trinity 'he's protection upon their child as they go to college huh have your house blessed have to have the Sacred Heart enthroned in your home have the Immaculate Heart of Mary enthroned in your home the two hearts of Jesus and Mary these are all examples of sacramentals these are all things that we do to help lead us straight on on this on the way to salvation you know and then lastly I mentioned four staple texts that should be in every Catholic home by no means an exhaustive list four four staple text of the Bible a chapter a day followed by meditation that's just a five to ten minute exercise read one chapter of Scripture and then meditate on it for five to seven minutes before you start your workday get up early sit in your favorite chair with your good strong cup of coffee that you love each morning that recliner chair read that chapter Scripture and just meditate there what a beautiful way to begin your day and then along with Sacred Scripture the Catechism of the Catholic Church read three paragraphs a day systematically go through the Catechism in a whole year know the faith be a student of faith be an evangelizer the fave number three sinks Faustina's diary Divine Mercy in my soul just a beautiful beautiful work Pope emeritus Benedict the sixteenth called the diary quote one of the greatest works of mystical literature in the 2,000 year history of the church what's that mean well it means that he's putting Faustina's diary from the 1930s on the shelf right next to other great spiritual classics as st. Teresa of Avila's the way of perfection st. Francis st. Francis I'm J Francis DeSales st. Francis DeSales introduction to the devout life st. Teresa's story of the soul Thomas a Kempis is the imitation of Christ all along these other great spiritual classics Augustine's Confessions or a Gustin City of God again Faustina's diary one of the greatest works of mystical literature in the 2,000 year history of the church and then lastly I recommend as a staple text a good condensed version of the lives of the saints so I mean by condensed each saints life is maybe a page to a page and a half long read one a week if not one a day you can buy for example a 365 day reader of the lives of the saints condensed where it's meant you're meant to take one saint a day again just a page to page and a half and pay particular attention to those saints that had the same state and life as you so husbands and fathers pay particular attention to those canonized saints of the church or those blesses of the church who were husbands and fathers wives and mothers the same thing religious order priests like myself I pay particular attention to those religious order priests now we can benefit from reading any saints life so for example I can benefit from reading the life of the saint of a husband and father or wife and a mother don't get me wrong all I'm saying is all I'm saying here is is to pay particular attention to those saints who had the same state in life as you why because the Saints lived in the modern world of their time just as we live in the modern world of our time if they did it Chris we can do it huh single persons pay particular attention to those Saints who were single Catherine of Siena Saint Maria Goretti a blessed pier Giorgio for sáááty Dominic Savio etc so we can all benefit from reading the lives of any saint just pay particular attention to those Saints who had the same state in life as you Father wait really all of that is just an incredible steeping like a teabag into a life geared for holiness isn't it it is it is and it's you know baby steps huh there's a wonderful quote from Saint Philip Neri who was a very sanguine and temperament happy-go-lucky practical jokester type of a person he's the founder of the oratory and fathers he says look one should not wish to become a saint in four days but little by little step by step grace by grace so these ten or eleven things that I mentioned in this list in my chapter five and it's titled the necessity the spiritual life they're not to all be meant to be taken on at one time but baby steps you know start with monthly confessions stay faithful to Sunday Eucharist slowly but surely take on the daily rosary especially during this 100th anniversary or Fatima take on the the daily chaplet of divine mercy begin to read a scripture once a week and gradually move to - once a day a chapter a day you know baby steps little by little you know of all these things that I have on this list which one's the longest the rosary a five decade rosary seventeen to twenty minutes in length that's the longest thing on the list all the other things are shorter than that so we can't incorporate these things into our daily life how about taking a rosary walk for your daily rosary do it in a walk or the daily chaplain during your lunch hour at work or how about going for a walk with your spouse and praying the rosary especially these beautiful fall evenings huh so so be vitas you know be innovators our Lord loves an innovative soul and we're all called to become great great Saints this is the message of the four last things and I stated in the book what's the ultimate message regarding the church's eschatology we are all called to become great great Saints other way it wouldn't be the the great lie and in the great danger to believe that you can't do these things in reality the temptation of the enemy is to direct us away from that gift of heaven towards a life you know quite literally for eternal life in hell and so you know we have so many distractions for somebody to say they can't do it you've just outlined but yet we spend so much time on a computer so much time on the television so much time on the internet boy you make an excellent point there's two main categories that pull us away from striving to become great Saints but this chapter 5 is all about its distractions category number one as you just said and remaining in our woundedness whatever that woundedness is we continue to wallow in the mire as scripture says or we act like the dog that returns to its vomit as scripture says in other words we don't get healed whatever that is maybe it was a major falling out with a friend or relative maybe it was a fierce fierce divorce battle when we can't move forward no God wants you healed maybe it's something from your childhood maybe you were the victim of abuse some type of abuse psychological verbal sexual whatever or maybe you were the perpetrator of the abuse and you can't forgive yourself from all those years ago when you were the perpetrator of the abuse whatever it is don't wallow in the mire don't be the dog that returns to its vomit what are the words Chris that we here right after the our Father at every single Mass we attend Lord Jesus Christ who said to your apostles I leave you peace my peace I give you in other words he one to give us his piece he does not want us to fall to pieces and it's distractions and remaining in our woundedness of our past both of those are at least one of those categories that keep us from pursuing the road of holiness and becoming great great Saints that's why it's important to know the four last things to be aware Lily it's a message of salvation the church's eschatology is a message of salvation salvation it's a it's a message of hope it's a message of yeah I want to get back on the right track yeah I want to I want to start helping people yeah I want to atone for temporal punishment for my forgiving sin you know I've been going to confession regularly but beyond confession I really don't do much outside of confessions to atone for that fender that still remains crashed in the bank parking lot you know I need to start doing some atonement I'm gonna start fasting on Fridays I'm gonna start saying a rosary my rosary every other day will while I pray the rosary daily my rosary every other day will be for the holy souls in purgatory the members of the church suffering you know I want to start a toning for temporal punishment this is what that the study the force lost things does it gets us back on the right track well father I so wish we had more time I mean I really do but that's the beauty of having your book the four or less things a catechetical guide to death judgment heaven and hell and the blessing of the father's our mercy and your missions that you conduct throughout the United States all the time well thank you thank you so much for having me it's been a delightful conversation I really want to thank you for having me on well any final thoughts yes yes if anybody would like to get the book they can go to ewtn RC dot-com again ewtn RC com that stands for the Eternal Word television network religious catalogue' ewtn.com I come sorry ewtn RC com and also I invite all of your listeners Kris to visit father's of mercy calm it could be that there's a priest listening to this conversation who would like to have a parish mission preached at his parish we preach parish missions retreats devotions conferences etc so for example father son retreats mother-daughter retreats day-long confirmation retreats for example we cater to the need the four-night parish mission the five night parish mission maybe the priest wants to have a husband and wife weekend retreat at his parish whatever it is Catholic family conferences in hotels maybe there's a men's conference being planned for your diocese it's going to be held at the local Civic Center we go in and preach that so we cater to the needs so fathers of Mercy dot-com we are itinerant missionary preachers well I can't think of a better spiritual program to introduce your parish to especially at this time when people are questing so much you know what can we do what can we offer the people we you seems to me father that your mission is to give us what the church has always offered us amen amen we are we are faithful preachers to the holy mother church the Bride of Christ we we like to preach the faithful truths of our one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith and as I like to say the fathers of Mercy preached right in line with the chair of Peter we swerve neither left nor right to the chair Peter but but preached right in line with the chair of Saint Peter but faithfulness to the Magisterium that's our goal can we receive your blessing father would really appreciate it absolutely Chris to you and your program and to all your listeners may Almighty God bless you this day and always the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit amen amen father wave manesis thank you so much you're welcome Chris god bless you now Bob I think buh bye with father wave manesis we've gone inside the pages of the four last things a catechetical guide to death judgment heaven and hell to learn more about this book or to obtain a copy go to EWTN publishing com the website Ford's publisher EWTN or you can find it at any fine Catholic bookstore to hear and/or to download hundreds of other spiritual programs visit discerning hearts calm this has been a production of discerning hearts I'm your host Chris McGregor we hope that if you have found this helpful for you that you will first pray for our mission and if you feel us where they consider a charitable donation which is fully tax-deductible to support our efforts but most of all we pray that you will tell a friend about discerning hearts calm and join us next time for inside the pages insights from today's most compelling authors you

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Keywords: catholic, radio, podcasts, jesus, discernment, christian, devotionals, rosary, mary, blessed, mother, religion, prayer, Fr. Wade Menezes, Fathers of Mercy, Four Last Things, Death, Predestination, Hell, Heaven, Inside the Pages, Discerning Hearts, afterlife, Catholicism, spirituality, hell, purgatory, heaven, judgement, catholic spirituality, catholic prayer, confession, temporal judgment, kris mcgregor, wade menezes

Id: mHtrd4qvIFw

Length: 49min 55sec (2995 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 05 2018