[MUSIC] [APPLAUSE] >> Fr. Pacwa: THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND WELCOME TO OUR NEW SERIES, SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION WITH FATHER MITCH PACWA ON EWTN TELEVISION. IT'S LIVE ON TUESDAYS AT 2:00 PM EASTERN TIME. AND WE WILL SHOW ENCORES OF THE SHOW ON TUESDAYS AT 10:00 PM EASTERN TIME. AND ON WEDNESDAY AT 9:00 AM EASTERN TIME. NOW, OF COURSE, YOU CAN WATCH THE SHOW LIVE ONLINE. IF YOU GO TO ewtn.com AND YOU CAN GO ALSO TO FACEBOOK.COM/EWTNONLINE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO A LOT OF THAT STUFF, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO. OF COURSE, YOU CAN CALL IN, WITH YOUR QUESTIONS DURING THE LIVE BROADCAST ON TUESDAYS AT 2:00 PM ON EASTERN TIME. AND THE PHONE NUMBER, IS ewtn.com NUMBER. 1-800-221-9460. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THE NORTH AMERICA CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN. THIS IS OF COURSE, THE SEASON OF GREAT LENT. IT SEEMED APPROPRIATE TO BEGIN WITH WITH THE BOOK I WROTE CALLED, WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN. SUB TITLED, HOPE FILLED LESSONS FROM THE BIBLE, WHICH I WROTE. IT'S ITEM 2250, ewtnRC.com. YOU CAN ALSO CALL 1-800-854-6316. WE'LL SPEND A LOT OF TIME GOING OVER THIS BOOK OVERT NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS OR SO. SO, GET A COPY TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH US. BEFORE WE GET TO THAT MATERIAL. I WANT TO GO TO A QUESTION, AN EMAIL QUESTION. DEAR FATHER MITCH. DEAR FR. MITCH, CAN A "THOUGHT" EVER BE A MORTAL SIN? SOMETIMES I HAVE BAD THOUGHTS THAT I WILL ENTERTAIN FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE REPENTING. DO I NEED TO CONFESS THEM BEFORE RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION? ANONYMOUS >> Father: YES, THOUGHTS CAN BE MORTAL SIN, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SOMETIMES, THOUGH, SOUNDS LIKE TO ME WHAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING IS A TEMPTATION. PERHAPS ONE, LIKE, BAD THOUGHTS, MAY BE REFERRING TO LUSTFUL THOUGHTS. AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF IT IS HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND THINKING ABOUT IT AND WHAT IT LEADS YOU TO, AND REACTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. DOES IT LEAD YOU TO OTHER SINS BASED ON THAT THOUGHT. AND IT'S NOT ONLY SEXUAL SINS. PEOPLE WHO ARE GLUTTONOUS CAN BEGIN THE ACTION OF GLUTTONY, BY SO FOCUSING ON FOOD OR OTHER THINGS. BUT ALSO, THOUGHTS CAN BE SERIOUS SINS WHEN THEY ARE FALSE AND YOU DO ONE OF TWO THINGS. IF YOU KNOW THAT THEY ARE FALSE AND YET YOU PROMOTE THEM ANYWAY, THAT CAN BE A SERIOUS SIN DEPENDING ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE THOUGHT. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU ARE LYING ABOUT SOMEBODY IN COURT AND YOU KNOW IT'S NOT TRUE. AND THEN YOU SAY IT ANY WAY. THAT FALSE WITNESS CAN BE A MORTAL SIN. AND YOU ARE PUTTING SOMEBODY ELSE IN DANGER BECAUSE OF IT. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE FALSE IDEAS, SAY YOU HAVE CERTAIN IDEAS AND BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN PRIDE, YOU CHOOSE NOT TO EXAMINE THEM. TO FIND OUT, OH, IS THIS TRUE OR NOT. AND JUST PROMOTE THEM ANYWAY, THAT CAN ALSO BE A VERY SERIOUS SIN BECAUSE YOU ARE GIVING FALSEHOOD WITHOUT THE KIND OF HUMILITY NEEDED TO OVERCOME THOSE SINS. ALL RIGHT. LET'S NOW CONTINUE ON. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE BOOK THAT I WROTE. ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I BRING UP IN THIS BOOK IS THAT THE NOTION OF SIN IS VERY UNPOPULAR. IT MEANS THAT CERTAIN BEHAVIORS ARE WRONG. AND FURTHERMORE, YOU OR I MIGHT BE COMMITTING THEM. THAT CAN BE FRIGHTENING. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE. NOBODY. I ADMIT THAT, I'M NOBODY TO JUDGE. BUT GOD IS SOMEBODY. AND GOD DOES HAVE VERY IMPORTANT OPINIONS ABOUT A WIDE VARIETY OF BEHAVIORS. ALSO, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE THEY HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR SINS. THERE WAS A MOVEMENT IN PSYCHOLOGY, POPULARLY CALLED, BEHAVIORISM WHICH PROPONENTS DENIED THAT YOU HAVE FREE WILL. AND YOU ARE SIMPLY AS A RESULT OF WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT. AND YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. THEN, AGAIN, YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE IDEAS, FOR INSTANCE, IN MODERN LIFE, THAT YOU HAVE CERTAIN IDEOLOGIES. YOUR IDEOLOGY IS SO OVERWHELMING THAT YOU CAN JUSTIFY GREAT SINS IN THE NAME OF PROMOTING THAT IDEOLOGY. CLASSIC EXAMPLES WOULD BE: MARXIST COMMUNISM WHICH WAS THE BIGGEST FORCE FOR DEATH IN THE 20TH CENTURY BY FAR. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN ANY TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY, THE DEATH BY MARXIST GOVERNMENTS OUTWEIGHS THE WORST FEAR MORNINGS IN HISTORY. MONGERS, AND HE PROMOTED HITLER NATIONAL SOCIALISM. BUT BY FAR WORSE WAS COMMUNISM, IN SOVIET UNION AND CHINA AND THEIR AFFILIATES. AND THE NAZIS, OF COURSE, THEY DID THE SAME. THEY COULD TAKE INDIVIDUALS WHO BELONGS LONGED TO GROUPS THAT CONTRADICTED THEIR IDEOLOGY AND KILLED THEM. SO, JEWS AND GYPSIES DIDN'T FIT THE RACIST THEORIES OF NAZISM AND CAPITALISTS AND PEASANT FARMERS DIDN'T FIT THE NOTIONS OF COMMUNISM. SO, IT WAS LEGITIMATE FOR THEIR GOVERNMENTS TO EXECUTE THEM. AND OF COURSE, RELIGIOUS PEOPLE, MOST OF THE MARTYRS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, 40 MILLION MARTYRS IN THE 20TH CENTURY MOSTLY KILLED BY COMMUNISTS AND OTHERS, TOO. SO, YOU HAVE THAT PLUS ANOTHER DOCUMENT WHICH WAS VERY POPULAR IN THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT. AND THAT IDEA WAS CALLED PANTHEISM. IT TEACHES, EVERYTHING IS GOD. THEREFORE, I AM GOD. AND THEREFORE, IF I AM GOD, I MAKE MY OWN TEN COMMANDMENTS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THE NEW AGE BOOKS THAT I READ YEAR AGO, THE GUY GAVE HIS OWN TEN COMMANDMENTS. THOU SHALL NOT HAVE OTHER GOD'S BEFORE ME. MEANS, BECAUSE I AM GOD, THERE'S NOBODY ELSE TO PUT IN FRONT OF ME. THAT WAS WHAT HE WROTE IN HIS BOOK. SO, HE WAS GOD. NOBODY ELSE WAS AS MUCH A GOD AS HE IS. AND THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS EVIL. IF EVERYTHING IS GOD, THEN THERE'S NO EVIL SO EVERYTHING IS OKAY. AND THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS PUNISHMENT FOR BAD BEHAVIOR. THIS IS THE POPULARIZED PANTHEIST. THAT'S NOT WHAT HINDUISM TEACHES. HINDUISM IS VERY MORAL. AND THE NEW AGE FOLKS DIDN'T HOLD THAT AT ALL. AND TODAY, WE SEE RELATIVISM. RELATIVISM DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IS GOD OR ANYTHING IS GOD. BASICALLY, JUST IN NATURE. BUT STILL, IT TEACHES THAT MORALITY IS RELATIVE TO THE TIME, PLACE, AND THE PERSON. AND YOU CAN JUST MAKE UP YOUR OWN KIND OF MORALITY AND THAT YOU GO INTO THIS IDEA OF GOOD AND BAD. AS A RESULT, IN THE RELATIVISTIC WORLD, WHICH IS REALLY THE GROWING SENSE TODAY IS REALITY IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN BASE ON RATIONAL REFLECTION AND THOUGHT. MORALITY BECOMES WHATEVER FITS THE CURRENT MOOD. SO, FOR INSTANCE, IT IS FAR GREATER TO KILL BABY SEALS AND WHALES THAN IT WOULD BE TO KILL INFANTS IN THE WOMB. THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE QUITE COMMONLY. AND THE REALITY OF STOPPING GLOBAL WARMING AS A HIGHER VALUE THAN HUMAN LIFE DOES. AND SINCE HUMANS ARE THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING, THEREFORE, THEY MUST BE ELIMINATED. SO, PEOPLE LIKE HENRY KISSINGER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE BELIEVES THAT YOU SHOULD REDUCE THE HUMAN POPULATION TO 50 MILLION WORLD-WIDE. NOT FOR ANYONE COUNTRY, BUT WORLD-WIDE. BASICALLY, THE POPULATION OF MAYBE, CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK. SO, IF THEY REDUCE IT THAT LOW, WHO IS GOING TO GO GROW THE COFFEE TO MAKE LATTE? ANY WAY. BUT THAT WILL BE THEIR PROBLEM, RIGHT. THESE MODERN NOTIONS OF SIN, WHETHER THEY COME FROM RELATIVISTS OR NEW AGE PANTHEISTS AND OTHER IDEALOGUES AND NOTICE THAT THEY PUT THEIR IDEAS MORE AHEAD, THEIR IDEAS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEOPLE. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. IT ALSO CONTRADICTS THE STANDARD WISDOM OF THE HUMAN RACE. IN MY BOOK, I POINT OUT A NUMBER OF QUOTATIONS FROM THE ANCIENT WORLD THAT, AS CONSISTENTLY AS UNDERSTOOD THAT SIN IS UNIVERSAL. EVERY PERSON IS A SINNER. THAT WAS THE TEACHING OF MOST CULTURES. YOU SEE THAT, FOR INSTANCE, IN SUMER WAS A CIVILIZATION, STARTING ABOUT THE TIME OF EGYPT, EARLY BRONZE AGE CULTURE IN THE MID 3,000B.C. SO, IT'S 5,000 PLUS-YEARS-OLD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE WISDOM OF SUMER NEVER HAS A SINGLE CHILD BEEN BORN INTO ITS MOTHER. SINLESS. NEVER HAS A SINLESS CHILD BEEN BORN TO ITS MOTHER, A SINLESS WORKER HAS NOT EXISTED FROM OF OLD. THAT'S FROM A BOOK, MAN AND HIS GOD, AN ANCIENT SUMERIAN PROVERB. NOW, THE AKKADIANS WERE, AROUND 2500, THEY CONQUERED. AND THE STATEMENT IS, WHO IS THERE WHO HAS NOT SINNED AGAINST HIS GOD? WHO THAT HAS KEPT THE COMMANDMENT FOREVER. ALL HUMANS WHO EXIST ARE SINFUL. THAT'S IN THE PENITENTIAL PRAYER IN AKKADIAN. ALSO, IN THE MIDDLE BRONZE AGE. AND WE SEE IN ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR PROVERBS, WHERE IT SAYS, MANKINDS, AS MANY OF THEM THERE ARE, WHICH ONE COMPENDS THEIR FAULTS WHO HAVE NOT TRANSGRESSED OR WHO HAS NOT COMMITTED SIN. WHICH ONE UNDERSTANDS THE WAY OF THE GOD. THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE AKKADIAN PROVERBS. AND ANOTHER ONE, THERE WAS ONE WHO WAS SO EVER CAREFUL THAT HE DID NOT SIN, DID NOT INCUR GUILT. THESE IDEAS WERE HELD BY THE ANCIENTS. BECAUSE INSTEAD OF HAVING A THEORY THAT FILTERS OUT THE CONCEPT OF SIN, THEIR OBSERVED BEHAVIOR AND THEY COULD SEE THE SINFULNESS IN OTHERS AND IN THEMSELVES. THAT WAS THEIR REFLECTION. THE BIBLE IS NO DIFFERENT. WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT GENESIS 6:5, WE SEE THAT IT SAYS THERE, RIGHT BEFORE THE FLOOD. THE LORD SAW THAT THE WICKEDNESS OF HUMANKIND WAS GREAT IN THE EARTH AND THAT EVERY INCLINATION OF THE THOUGHTS OF THEIR HEARTS WAS ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY. PRETTY STRONG, CLEAR STATEMENT OF SIN PERMEATING THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE WHICH IS WHY THERE WAS THE FLOOD. ALSO, WE CAN SEE IN THAT BOOK OF PROVERBS, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT SAYS, WHO CAN SAY I'VE MADE MY HEART CLEAN. I'M PURIFIED FROM MY SIN. THAT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION. WHO CAN SAY, I'VE MADE MY HEART CLEAN I'M PURIFIED FROM SIN. SURVEY SAYS: NOBODY. NOBODY. THAT'S THE IMPLIED STATEMENT THERE. PROVERBS, BY THE WAY, A LOT OF THEM WERE WRITTEN BY KING SOLOMON. BUT OTHERS KEPT ADDING TO THE COLLECTION. THAT'S WHY YOU SEE LOTS OF DIFFERENT NAMES OF DIFFERENT AUTHORS INCLUDED IN THE PROVERBS. THEY HAD GOOD PROVERBS AND THEY KEPT ADDING TO IT. WHEREAS, ECCLESIASTES WROTE ANOTHER QUESTION ANOTHER STATEMENT, NO ONE HAS MADE HIS HEART CLEAN NOR IS ANYONE PURE FROM SIN. SO, ECCLESIASTES 7, SURELY THERE'S NOT A RIGHTEOUS MAN ON EARTH WHO DOES GOOD AND NEVER AVOIDS SIN. BEHOLD THIS ALONE I FOUND, THAT GOD MADE MAN UPRIGHT, BUT THEY HAVE DEVISED MANY SCHEMES. SO, THIS STATEMENT FROM ECCLESIASTES WHICH IS WRITTEN PROBABLY BASED ON VOCABULARY, PROBABLY IN THE 180S OR 190S. THIS IS WHAT WE DID. WHAT I INTEND TO DO IN THE NEXT SECTION OF TODAY'S SHOW IS TO TAKE A LOOK AT AT THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE. AND SEE NOT ONLY THAT THERE IS THIS SINFULNESS THAT BELONGS TO THE HUMAN RACE BUT ALSO TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IT IS THAT LED TO THIS UNIVERSALITY OF SIN. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND. LET'S TAKE A LOOK. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET STARTED WITH THAT. WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT GENESIS. IN CHAPTER 2, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 4. WE SEE THE STORY OF THE CREATION OF ADAM. CHAPTER 1 DID THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE. BUN BUT THEN, CHAPTER 2 TELESCOPES DOWN TO THE CREATION OF ADAM. GOD PLAYS KIND OF THE FIRST PRACTICAL JOKE. HE SAYS, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE MAN TO BE ALONE, LET'S GET A SUITABLE COMPANION. AND HE CREATES THE MAN ANIMALS ONE AT A TIME. NOW, LET'S SEE. EVERY BOY WOULD LIKE A HORSE. I WOULD LIKE A HORSE. HOW ABOUT A DOG. HOW ABOUT A LION. HOW ABOUT A PET ELEPHANT. AND YOU JUST GO THROUGH IT. PET SNAKES. OH, BE CAREFUL OF THEM. YOU MAY RUN INTO TROUBLE WITH THEM ON THE NEXT CHAPTER. AND YOU BRING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ANIMALS. AND THE MAN NAMES THEM. AND IT'S SORT OF A THING THAT BRITS BRINGS ALL OF THESE CRITTERS. AND NONE OF THEM IS A SUITABLE COMPANION BECAUSE IT'S NOT HIS EQUAL. IT'S ONLY WHEN THE LORD GOD CREATES THE WOMAN, THEN HE FINDS THE SUITABLE COMPANION. THEY ARE BOTH NAKED AND THEY ARE INNOCENT. THEY DON'T LOOK AT EACH OTHER WITH ANY KIND OF LUST. THEY ACCEPT EACH OTHER AND REALLY LIKE LITTLE KIDS. LITTLE KIDS DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO BEING NAKED. AND THAT'S HOW THEY ARE. AND THINGS ARE ALL GOOD IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. AND APPARENTLY ADAM EVEN GAVE THE ONE RULE THAT THE LORD GAVE HIM. YOU CAN EAT ALL OF THE FRUIT EXCEPT FOR THE FRUIT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL. AND THAT YOU CAN'T EAT. EVE APPARENTLY LEARNS THAT. NOW WE'LL TAKE A LITTLE BREAK AND COME BACK, TO TAKE A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENED AFTER SHE LEARNED HER CATECHISM. AGAIN, I REMIND YOU TO WATCH THE SHOW LIVE AT ewtn.com OR FACEBOOK.COM/EWTNONLINE. AND CALL IN WITH YOUR QUESTIONS. 1-800-221-9460. OR OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA, IT'S COUNTRY CODE 1-205-271-2980. I'LL BE BACK IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [APPLAUSE] >> Fr. Pacwa: THANKS. ALL RIGHT. NOW, WE'VE STARTED GIVING SOME BACKGROUND. AND LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE TEXT. IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES, I HOPE YOU DO. A LOT OF YOU ARE CATHOLICS BUT GET YOUR BIBLES OUT. NOT JUST THE FAMILY ONES. GET THE ONES YOU ARE GOING TO USE, ONE THAT'S A HANDY SIZE. WE'RE AT GENESIS 3. HERE WE STARTED OFF WITH WHERE IT SAYS, NOW, THE SERPENT WAS THE ONE, THERE'S A PUN HERE. REMEMBER, I SAID NAKED. THE WORD IS ARUM. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF PLAY ON THIS. NAKED IS ARUMMIM. AND THERE'S A LITTLE PLAY ON THE WORD. NOW, HERE, HE APPROACHES THE WOMAN. AND HE SAYS TO HER, DID GOD REALLY SAY YOU SHALL NOT EAT OF ANY TREE OF THE GARDEN. HE KNOWS THE ANSWER. AND HE KNOWS THAT SHE KNOWS THE ANSWER. THIS IS A TRICK QUESTION. AND HE'S DOING THAT ON PURPOSE. AND THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, AND AGAIN, SHE WAS NOT AROUND WHEN ADAM LEARNED THIS. BUT CLEARLY HE HAS CATECHIZED HER BECAUSE SHE SAID, WE MAY EAT OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREES OF THE GARDEN. BUT GOD SAID, YOU SHALL NOT EAT OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN. NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT LEST YOU DIE. SO, SHE'S WELL AWARE. EITHER SHE OR ADAM ADDED THE PART ABOUT TOUCHING IT. THAT WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL STATEMENT OF THE COMMAND. BUT MAYBE IT WAS A LITTLE EXTRA RULE THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO, TO MAKE SURE YOU STAY AWAY FROM COMMITTING A SIN. SO, THE FIRST THING THAT THE SERPENT THEN SAYS TO HER. YOU WILL NOT DIE. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. IN THE PROCESS OF TEMPTATION, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS TO DO IS DENY THAT THERE IS A PUNISHMENT FOR THE SIN. THINK ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I DON'T BELIEVE IN HELL. I MEAN, GOD IS SO ALL-MERCIFUL, HE WON'T SEND ANYBODY -- WELL, HE WON'T SEND ME TO HELL. EVEN THOUGH I AM COMMITTING A MORTAL SIN. AND NO, NO. THERE'S NO PUNISHMENT, NO CONSEQUENCE. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROCESS THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE. THAT YOUR BEHAVIOR HAS CONSEQUENCES AND TAKING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE BEHAVIORS BECOMES SOMETHING THAT IS EASY TO AVOID. AND SO, WE SEE A LOT OF THAT GOING ON IN OUR OWN CULTURE. MANY JURISDICTIONS WHERE THERE'S A FEAR OF HAVING TOO MANY PEOPLE GO TO JAIL. THE PEOPLE WHO DO CRIMES TAKE THE RISK. THEY CAN THINK IT'S WORTH THE RISK OF COMMITTING THE CRIME BECAUSE YOU MIGHT NOT END UP IN JAIL. YOU MAY NOT, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PLEA BARGAIN YOUR WAY OUT. THAT WAS VERY COMMON IN THE 1970'S AND THE 1980'S AS OUR CRIME RATES WENT SKYROCKETING AND CAME DOWN A BIT IN THE 1990's WHEN JUDGES STARTED TO BE A BIT MORE STRICT IN THEIR ADMINISTERING OF PUNISHMENTS. BUT DENYING THE PUNISHMENT IS A VERY KEY STEP IN THE TEMPTATION. NEXT, IN VERSE 5, WE SEE, FOR GOD KNOWS WHEN YOU EAT OF IT, YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL. NEXT STEM IN TEMPTATION. YOU ATTACK THE MOTIVE OF THE ONE WHO GAVE YOU THE RULE. GOD DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. HE WANTS TO KEEP THAT KNOWLEDGE ALL TO HIMSELF. AND YOU WILL STAY IGNORANT. HOW OFTEN, I HEAR, MAYBE YOU HAVE HEARD IT, HOPEFULLY YOU HAVEN'T SAID IT, BUT PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY, WELL, THE CHURCH JUST TELLS YOU ABOUT HELL AND THAT THIS IS A MORTAL SIN IN ORDER TO CONTROL YOUR BEHAVIOR. RATHER THAN, THE CHURCH TELLS YOU ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF SIN TO PREVENT YOU FROM GOING TO HELL. NOW, WHICH IS IT? DO THE PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH HAVE A CONCERN THAT YOU NOT GO TO HELL? WELL, IF YOU START OFF BY DENYING THE SERIOUSNESS OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT, THEN YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. AND THEREFORE, IT'S JUST A CONTROL. BECAUSE THERE'S NO HELL AND WE DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT. THAT WAS WHAT SOME PEOPLE THINK. AND THEN, YOU GO ON AND SAY, WELL, THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE CHURCH ARE JUST SAYING THESE THINGS TO KEEP YOU IN CONTROL. BUT IF THERE IS THIS CONSEQUENCE, IT MAY BE THAT THEY ARE TELLING YOU THIS TO AVOID CERTAIN CONSEQUENCES. AND THINK ABOUT, HOW MANY TIMES PARENTS MAY TELL THEIR CHILDREN, DON'T PLAY WITH MATCHES. IS IT BECAUSE THE PARENTS KNOW IF YOU BURN THE MATCHES, THEY ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO BUY MORE AND IT'S AN EXPENSE THEY DON'T WANT. SEE, THAT'S ATTACKING THE PARENTS' MOTIVE. OR IS IT THE FACT IN A THAT KIDS BURN THEMSELVES? WHEN YOU PLAY WITH MATCHES, YOU CAN GET BURNED. OR YOU CAN BURN DOWN THE HOUSE. THAT'S ALSO A REALITY. THIS IS THE QUESTION. IS GOD TELLING US THESE DIFFERENT RULES AND COMMANDMENTS? IS HE TELLING US IN ORDER TO HAVE US AVOID MORE PAINFUL CONSEQUENCES OR NOT. WELL, AT THAT POINT, IN VERSE 6, THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD SO THAT TAKES A LOOK AT THE PHYSICAL ATTRACTION OF THE SINFUL BEHAVIOR. AND A LOT OF SINFUL ACTS ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE. AND THEN, IT WAS GOOD TO THE EYES AND IT WAS PRETTY, A LOT OF THAT. THINK OF PEOPLE ADDICTED TO PORNOGRAPHY. IT'S VERY PRETTY. ANY WAY. SO, IN THAT CASE, AND THE TREE WAS DESIRED TO MAKE ONE WISE. SO, SHE WANTS TO KNOW. AND AGAIN, THINK ABOUT, THIS, TOO. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY. WHY DON'T YOU TRY USING DRUGS, SLEEPING WITH THIS PERSON, TRY ADULTERY, GET COUPLES TO SWITCH DIFFERENT PARTNERS. TAKING A FEW BUCKS FROM YOUR CORPORATION BECAUSE THEY WON'T MISS IT. AND PEOPLE SAY, TRY THAT BECAUSE YOU WILL LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE. THAT'S NOT THAT DIFFERENT. AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT IT'S SUCH A BAD THING UNLESS YOU TRY IT. VERY COMMON THING SAID, ESPECIALLY TO YOUNGER FOLKS WHO ARE KIND OF IGNORANT. AND SO, SHE TOOK OF THE FRUIT AND SHE ATE. AND SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND AND HE ATE. AND THIS MISSES PART OF A PHRASE. GAVE IT TO HER HUSBAND WHO WAS NEXT TO HER. NOW, THE IDIOT DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING. AND THE SERPENT IS RIGHT THERE, NEXT TO HER AND HE COULD HAVE SAID, HONEY, STOP TALKING TO THE SNAKES. AND HE SAYS NOTHING. UNLIKE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO BE JUDGMENTAL. I DON'T WANT TO SAY MY WAY OF DOING THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT'S BAD. AND THAT'S WHAT I DO. BUT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN -- NO. HE'S SILENT. SHE EATS. AND THEN SHE GIVES IT TO HIM. WELL, SHE ATE IT, I MIGHT AS WELL TRY IT TOO. GOES ALONG, TO GET ALONG, KIND OF APPROACH. AND THIS IDEA OF EATING THE FRUIT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. THIS COMES FROM THE MENTALITY OF THE ANCIENTS. THEY NEVER ASSOCIATED THE BRAIN WITH THINKING. THE BRAIN WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORGANS OF SENSE, SIGHT, HEARING, SMELL, AND TASTE. AND SO, THEY CALLED THE BRAIN THE MARROW OF THE HEAD. THEY BELIEVED INSTEAD THAT YOU DID YOUR THINKING WITH YOUR HEART. THAT WAS THE ORGAN OF THOUGHT. AND THE ORGAN OF THE AX OF THE WILL, THAT WAS YOUR INTESTINES AND YOUR KIDNEYS. THAT'S WHY IT SAYS IN JEREMIAH. I HAD THIS READING LAST WEEK, JEREMIAH 17. I HAVE PROBED YOUR HEART AND MIND. ACTUALLY, IT SAYS, I HAVE PROBED YOUR KIDNEYS AND YOUR HEART. SORT OF POKING AROUND IN THERE. AND THAT'S THE IDEA THAT YOU PROCESS THIS FRUIT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL INSIDE AT WHICH POINT THEY REALIZE THEY ARE NAKED. THIS KNOWLEDGE OF EVIL AS WELL AS GOOD HELPS THEM TO THEN SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF LUST, INSTEAD OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE OTHER, IT CAN TURN TO LUST FOR THE OTHER. THEY HIDE AND THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES. AND A LOT OF YOU DON'T HAVE FIG LEAVES. BUT FIG LEAVES ARE REALLY A DUMB, DUMB LEAF TO PUT ON YOU. IF YOU PICKED LEAVES ON THERE, THE SAP CAUSES A RASH. SO, THEY ARE PICKING THESE LEAVES AND THE SAP IS GETTING ON THEM. AND IT WOULD BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE CAUSING THIS RASH. SO, WHAT THEY USED TO COVER THEMSELVES BECAUSE BECOMES PART OF THE PUNISHMENT. THAT WAS IGNORANCE. THEY MAY HAVE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, WELL THEY SURE DIDN'T KNOW THEIR PLANTS YET. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE SO FAR. SO, LET'S TAKE A LITTLE BREAK BEFORE WE FINISH OFF THIS SECTION. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM A FACEBOOK VIEWER, PATRICIA. PATRICIA, ARE YOU THERE? OH, I NEED TO READ IT. OKAY. OKAY. I'M JUST GETTING USED TO THIS! I TOLD YOU I DON'T DO FACEBOOK. FR. MITCH, WHY IS IT THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO GO TO CONFESSION REPEAT THE SAME SINS, EVEN THOUGH A LESSER DEGREE HAVING OBTAINED GRACE? WELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS. YOU RECEIVE GRACE FROM THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION TO BE SURE. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT GO IN. THINK BACK TO WHAT WE JUST COVERED HERE, WITH THE TEMPTATION. THERE'S NO PUNISHMENT. IT LOOKS GOOD TO EAT. IT LOOKS PRETTY. SEEMS TASTY AND IT GIVES KNOWLEDGE. THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT MOTIVATE PEOPLE. AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE, WHEN THEY CONFESS, THEY ARE FOCUSING ON ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THAT TEMPTATION. AND THEY ARE NOT INTEGRATING ALL OF THE REST. SO, THE NEED FOR CHRIST TO COME IN, AND WHAT WERE THE MOST BASIC CAUSES OF THE SIN, WHAT LEADS ME TO THIS. THIS IS THE PART OF THE PROCESS OF UNPACKING EACH ASPECT OF THE SINFULNESS. SO THAT YOU CAN UNDO IT. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT SOMETIMES IT TAKES A WHILE. BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE GET CAUGHT OR THEY FEEL EMBARRASSED THAT THEY MIGHT SIN BUT THEY HAVEN'T GONE TO THE CORE OF WHAT LEADS THEM TO COMMIT THE SIN IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE. ALL RIGHT. GETS LET'S GO TO A QUESTION FROM THE STUDIO AUDIENCE. MA'AM, ARE YOU WHERE ARE YOU FROM? >> Voice: I'M HAVE FROM SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A STRETCH BUT COULD CALVIN'S ELIMINATION OF FREE WILL DURING THE REFORMATION AND THE POPULATE LATER AND HOW FAST THAT SPREAD, POPULARITY HOW FAST THAT SPREAD AND YOU MENTIONED THE DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES, BEHAVIORISM AND SUCH, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REMOVE GOD. YOU SET THE STAGE FOR FREE WILL. >> Fr. Pacwa: WELL, THERE'S SOMETHING OF A LINK, HISTORICALLY. AND CERTAINLY CALVIN HIMSELF NEVER CAME TO ANY CONCLUSION OF ELIMINATING GOD BY ANY MEANS. BUT A CALVINIST BORN IN GENEVA WHO BECAME ONE OF THE KEY THINKERS OF MODERN TIMES WAS JEAN GEORGE AND IT CAME LATER ON TO DENYING THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. AND IT WAS PICKED UP IN THE SECOND STAGE OF THE REVOLUTION. THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THE REIGN OF TERROR, IRONICALLY. ROUSSEAU NEVER WOULD HAVE WANTED THAT. BUT IN THE HANDS OF THE OTHER ONE, IT BECAME A WAY OF THOUGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, THE DENIAL OF FREE WILL, WHAT HE DID, IN HIS THOUGHT PROCESS IS SAY, WELL, TOTALLY THEY WERE DEPRAVED ACCORDING TO CALVIN. AND HE SAYS, NO. I AM A NOBLE SAVAGE. AND ALL OF US ARE NOBLE SAVAGES. BECAUSE I LIKED THE SINS THAT I COMMITTED. AND I'M NOT SORRY. NOBODY SHOULD BE SORRY. SO, LET'S JUST KEEP ON GOING. DON'T WORRY ABOUT GOD. WE'RE JUST NOBLE SAVAGES WHO NEED TO GET RID OF THE RULES OF THE CHURCH. AND IT'S IMPOSITIONS THERE. AND THEN WE'RE FREE TO DO WHAT WE WANT. THAT'S WHY ROBES PIERRE EXECUTED 2,000 CATHOLICS IN THE VENDEE REGION. YOU KNOW, GET RID OF THE CHURCH AND PUT THE STATE IN THEIR PLACE. SO, ANASTASIA, WHERE ARE YOU CALLING US FROM? >> Voice: OHIO. >> Fr. Pacwa: GREAT. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? >> Voice: YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT RELATIVISM AND THE DIMINISHING OF THE SENSE OF SIN. WE KNOW AS CATHOLICS, A MORTAL SIN IS COMMITTED WHEN YOU HAVE GREAT GRAVE MATTER AND YOU KNOW IT'S GRAVE MATTER AND YOU DO IT ANY WAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF FRINGE AND WILL THEY HAVE A CHANCE -- >> Fr. Pacwa: WELL, CERTAIN PEOPLE DON'T KNOW CERTAIN THINGS ARE SERIOUSLY WRONG. THINK OF THE WAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE OFTEN TIME TAUGHT BY THE THIRD REICH. THE HITLER YOUTH, FOR EXAMPLE. THEY WERE TAUGHT FROM AN EARLY AGE A LOT OF EVIL. IN THE COMMUNIST YOUNG PIONEERS, THEY WERE TAUGHT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE QUITE EVIL. THEY JUST DID NOT KNOW BETTER. THAT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. AND WHEN IT'S TRULY NOT THEIR FAULT, THEN THEY ARE NOT HELD CULPABLE. HOWEVER, AS A PERSON MATURES, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO. WE DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUALLY SEEK THE TRUTH. AND EVEN CHILDREN RAISED AS HITLER YOUTH AND SUCH CAN EVENTUALLY SAY, NOW LOOK. I WOULD NOT WANT SOMEBODY TO EXECUTE ME BECAUSE OF MY IMPERFECTIONS. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU WERE NOT THE PERFECT ARIAN TYPE, YOU COULD BE EXECUTED. SO, YOU MIGHT BE JEWISH OR GYPSY OR SOMETHING. SO YOU SHOULD BE EXECUTED. WOULD YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO DO THAT TO YOU? AND IF YOU DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO DO IT TO YOU, WHY WOULD YOU DO IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN START TO USE HUMAN REASON TO THINK THROUGH THESE MORAL QUESTIONS. FURTHER, IF YOU ARE NOT IN THAT KIND OF A SITUATION, YOU CAN ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE THING OF GREAT THEOLOGIANS IN THE CHURCH. THE CATECHISM IS A GOOD INTRODUCTION, BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO MORE DEEPLY INTO THOMAS AQUINAS AND UNDERSTAND WHY THINGS ARE WRONG AND OTHER THINGS MORALLY GOOD. WHAT'S THAT MEAN TO BE GOOD OR EVIL. AND THAT'S AN OBLIGATION THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS TO LEARN THAT AS BEST YOU CAN. YOU KNOW, IF A PERSON HAS NO FAULT OF HIS OWN, GOD WILL CERTAINLY CORRECT THEM. I HAVE NO DOUBT OF THAT. BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE DO HAVE ABILITY TO LEARN, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN AS WELL. AND IF WE DON'T, THEN WE CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR FAILURE TO DEAL WITH THESE QUESTIONS MORE DEEPLY. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BREAK AND WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. SO, PLEASE, STAY WITH US. [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [APPLAUSE] >> Fr. Pacwa: ALL RIGHT. LET'S JUST FINISH UP ON THIS EPISODE OF THE FALL. NOW, IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE LORD GOD COMES TO THE GARDEN AND THEY ARE HIDING FROM HIM, VERY IMPORTANT. AND THE LORD GOD SAYS, WHERE ARE YOU. THAT'S THE LORD'S FIRST QUESTION IN THE BIBLE. AND THAT'S KEY BECAUSE THAT QUESTION SETS THE THEME WERE FOR THE WHOLE BIBLE. AND PHILOSOPHY IS OUR QUESTION WHERE IS GOD, WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE. BUT GOD'S QUESTION IS, WHERE ARE YOU PEOPLE. AND THE BIBLE IS, GOD IS SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE ALL THROUGHOUT BOTH TESTAMENTS. SO, MOSES WAS LOOKING FOR SHEEP AND THE APOSTLES WERE LOOKING FOR FISH. GOD SOUGHT OUT MOSES AND JESUS OUR LORD SOUGHT OUT THE APOSTLES AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. BUT MAN OWNS UP TO IT AND SAYS, I WAS AFRAID BECAUSE I WAS NAKED AND I HIT MYSELF. YOU SEE HERE, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. I REALIZE THAT I'M NAKED. AND I HAVE TO HIDE. FROM GOD. THIS IS DE KEY WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SIN ARE. WHO TOLD YOU NAKED. AND THE MAN, LOOK LISTEN TO THIS PROCESS. THE WOMAN WHOM YOU GAVE TO ME, YOU PUT HER HERE, IT'S YOUR FAULT, GOD. AND SHE GAVE IT TO ME TO EAT. AND HE TURNS TO THE WOMAN, WELL, THE SERPENT GAVE IT TO ME. AND NOTICE THAT ANOTHER PROCESS OF THIS IS NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. AND IT'S IS KIND OF GOD'S FAULT FOR PUTTING THAT WOMAN IN HERE, SO THERE. I DIDN'T DO THIS STUFF WHEN SHE WAS NOT HERE. NO. THAT'S NOT IT. SO, THE SERPENT HAS NOWHERE TO GO. AND THE LORD GOD TURNS TO HIM AND HE SAYS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS, CURSED ARE YOU UPON ALL CATTLE ANIMALS, UPON YOUR BELLY SHALL YOU GO AND DIRT YOU SHALL EAT ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE AND HIS PUNISHMENT, I WILL PUT ENMITY BETWEEN YOUR SEED AND HER SEED, YOU AND THE WOMAN. YOU SHALL BRUISE HIS HEEL AND HE SHALL BRUISE YOUR HEAD. THAT'S THE KEY PUNISHMENT IN THE TEXT. IT CONTAINS A PROMISE. THE ENMITY BETWEEN THE SERPENT'S SEE SEED AND HER SEED. AND A LOT OF TIMES, WE MISS THIS. THE SEED IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF WHAT A WOMAN CONTRIBUTES TO THE CONCEPTION OF A CHILD. THAT'S WHAT THE MAN CONTRIBUTES TO THE CONCEPTION OF A CHILD. HOW IS IT, THAT'S A PERPLEXING QUESTION? HOW IS IT THAT THE WOMAN HAS SEED THAT'S AT ENMITY WITH THE SERPENT SEED. AND THAT QUESTION WILL NOT BE ANSWERED UNTIL THE HOLY SPIRIT OVERSHADOWS THE VIRGIN MARY IN NAZARETH. AND THEN, YOU HAVE THE WOMAN WHOSE SEED, THERE'S NO MAN INVOLVED, IT'S ALL FROM HER. AND THAT SEED WILL BE AT ENMITY WITH SATAN'S SEED. AND EVEN THOUGH SATAN BITES AT HIS HEEL BECAUSE SNAKES ARE ON THE GROUND. AND THAT'S THE SIGN OF THE SUFFERING AND CRUCIFIX AND TEMPTATIONS. BUT HIS SEED WILL CRUSH SATAN'S HEAD. THE VICTORY OF GOD'S SIN -- OF GOD OVER SIN. THAT GOD HAS THE ULTIMATE VICTORY WHEN CHRIST CRUSHES THE HEAD OF SATAN. AND THAT IS, RECALL THIS, THE PROTO GOSPEL. THIS IS THE FIRST STATEMENT OF HOPE. IN THE MIDST OF THE PUNISHMENT THERE'S HOPE. AND THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK TO. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL STOP THERE. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER QUESTION FROM FACEBOOK WHERE, LET'S SEE. FROM DEBBY. FR. PACWA, I'VE RECENTLY STARTED GOING TO CONFESSION AFTER NOT GOING FOR 20 PLUS YEARS AND MY QUESTION IS, WHEN I RECEIVED COMMUNION, WHILE HAVING MORTAL SINS ON ME AND NOT BEING IN THE STATE OF GRACE, WAS MY EUCHARIST CONSECRATED? I NOW KNOW THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE RECEIVED COMMUNION BUT SINCE I DID, WAS JESUS'S BODY, BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY IN THE EUCHARIST I TOOK? DEBBIE. >> Father: DEBBY, GREAT QUESTION. YES. YES. TRULY GREAT QUESTION. AND YES. BECAUSE THE CONSECRATION OF THE EUCHARIST DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE STATE OF THE SOUL OF THE ONE WHO RECEIVES IT, THE SIN. THE VALIDITY OF THE CONSECRATION DEPENDS ON THE PRIEST CALMING CALLING DOWN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPEAKING THE WORDS OF JESUS. THAT'S WHERE THE VALIDITY COMES FROM. SO, THE PRIEST'S CALLING DOWN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE EXTENDS HIS HAND OVER THE BREAD AND THE WINE. AND THEN HE SAYS, THIS IS MY BODY. THIS IS THE CUP OF MY BLOOD. THAT TRANSFORMS THE BREAD AND WINE INTO THE EUCHARIST. WHAT YOU DID WAS RECEIVE THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST UNWORTHILY. THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD SAY. AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE CONFESSED THAT. THAT WOULD BE, TRULY IT IS THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. NOT THAT YOU ARE EXACTLY LIKE THIS BUT JUDAS' ISCARIOT RECEIVED THE EUCHARIST RIGHT BEFORE HE WENT OUT TO BETRAY JESUS. THERE WAS REALLY THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. IT DIDN'T DO HIM ANY GOOD BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO SIN. NOW, YOU HAVE REPENTED AND WELCOME BACK TO THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH. AND HOPEFULLY OUR LORD WILL USE YOU TO HELP MANY, MANY OTHERS TO COME TO THE SAME REALIZATION. ALL RIGHT. NOW, LET'S GO TO A CALLER. DREW IS ON THE LINE IN NEW JERSEY. DREW? >> Voice: HI, FATHER MITCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> Fr. Pacwa: MY PLEASURE. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION. >> Voice: YES. AS A SECOND GRADER, THE NUNS ALWAYS USED TO STRESS MISSING MASS IS A MORTAL SIN. THREE OF MY FOUR KIDS, GRAMMAR SCHOOL, CATHOLIC GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL. THEY DON'T GO TO MASS ANY MORE. >> Fr. Pacwa: COMMON SCORE I'M AFRAID. >> Voice: AND MY QUESTION, IF THEY DIE, ARE THEY GOING TO HELL. >> Fr. Pacwa: FIRST OF ALL, A COUPLE OF THINGS. VERY IMPORTANT. A, OBJECTIVELY SPEAKING, THEY ARE COMMITTING A MORTAL SIN. DO THEY KNOW THAT'S A MORTAL SIN? >> Voice: I'M SURE THEY DO, FATHER. >> Fr. Pacwa: OKAY. IF THEY KNOW IT, NOT ONLY IS IT OBJECTIVELY A MORTAL SIN, BUT SUBJECTIVELY. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, SOMETIMES INSTEAD OF TELLING THEM, HEY, YOU ARE COMMITTING A MORTAL SIN. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE YOU MUTE MIGHT PUT IT AS A QUESTION. SO, WHEN YOU DIE AND YOU GO UP TO SEE OUR LORD, WHAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR EXCUSE FOR WHY YOU BROKE THE THIRD COMMANDMENT, ABOUT GOING TO MASS ON SUNDAY? WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO SAY? AND JUST LEAVE IT AS A QUESTION. THAT SOMETIMES IS BETTER. SO, DAD, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. NO. YOU PUT IT AS A QUESTION SO THAT IT STAYS THERE ROLLING AROUND SORT OF LIKE THE PEA UNDER NEATH THE PRINCESS' MATTRESS. MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE SMALL THING BUT YOU LET IT BE UNDER ALL THOSE MATTRESSES JUST TO BOTHER THEM. AND JUST LEAVE IT LIKE THAT. LEAVE IT AS A QUESTION. I'M PRAYING FOR YOU, BUT I HOPE YOU COME UP WITH A GOOD ANSWER. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO TO MARTY. MARTY, WHERE ARE YOU CALLING FROM? >> Voice: SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA. >> Fr. Pacwa: WONDER WONDERFUL. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? >> Voice: WELL, ABOUT THE FIRST EMAIL YOU READ. THAT STRUCK ME. I'M A CATHOLIC REVERT IN MY 50'S. AND I GO TO MASS A FEW TIMES A WEEK, CONFESSION OFTEN. >> Fr. Pacwa: GREAT. GREAT. >> Voice: AND I'M TRYING TO CATCH UP AND RELEARN THE FAITH. BUT ANYWAY, I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THIS IN THE PAST, AND GOING TO MASS AND CONFESSION THAT'S GREATLY DIMINISHED. BUT I DO STRUGGLE IN THE MIND. IT SEEMS TO BE DIMINISHING, BUT WHEN IT OCCURS, I GET THIS LUSTFUL THOUGHT THAT SEEMS TO JUST ARRIVE OUT OF NOWHERE. SOMETIMES I AM ABOUT, ESTIMATE 15-TO 20 SECONDS INTO THE SPOT BEFORE I REALIZE, I REALIZE OH, BOY, STOP. AND ONCE I RECOGNIZE IT, I STOP, I BACK UP AND I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER AND MAYBE AN OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY AND I SORT OF NEED TO KNOW IF YOU CAN CLARIFY, A, WHEN DOES THAT, AM I DOING RIGHT BY DISMISSING IT STOPPING IT ONCE I RECOGNIZE IT? OR AIM LOSING A STATE OF GRACE? AND WHAT'S SOME PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO HOPEFULLY STOP HAVING THIS HAPPEN. >> Fr. Pacwa: COUPLE OF THINGS. I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES. REAL QUICK, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE FACT THAT WE BUILD UP HABITS. SOME OF OUR HABITS ARE VERY BAD. AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY GOOD. AND YOU DON'T NOTICE HOW BAD SOME OF THEM ARE. I HAD A TASTE OF A POTATO CHIP NOT TOO LONG AGO. I STOPPED EATING THEM MANY YEARS AGO. AND I THOUGHT, OH THIS IS INTERESTING. I WAS NEARLY GAGGING FROM THE SALT. BUT IF YOU ARE SO ACCUSTOMED TO EATING HIGH SALT POTATO CHIPS YOU DON'T EVEN NOTICE IT ANY MORE. AND THIS IS WHERE, I GOT AWAY FROM THE HABIT AND IT BOTHERS WHEN ME WHEN I TRY A TASTE OF IT. THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE NOW DOING. YOU ARE UNDOING OLD BAD HABITS AND BEGINNING NEW GOOD ONES. ONE OF THE THINGS TO DO ALSO, USE THE TEMPTATION AS A TRIGGER TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING. YOU SAY PRAYERS. AND SOMETIMES HAVE YOU TO GO FOR A LITTLE WALK OR SOMETHING. GO AND SAY A DECADE OF THE ROSARY. THAT KIND OF THING IS A GOOD IDEA. AND YOU JUST WORK ON NEW HABITS THAT ARE GOOD TO REPLACE SOME OF THE OLDER HABITS THAT ARE NOT SO GOOD. ALL RIGHT. AGAIN, WE WANT YOU TO GET THE BOOK, WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN BECAUSE WE'LL BE USING IT FOR THE NEXT WEEKS. GET IT FROM OUR RELIGIOUS CATALOG, ewtnRC.com. AND MAY THE LORD BLESS ALL OF YOU AND KEEP YOU. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. [MUSIC]
