♪ [APPLAUSE] >> Fr. Pacwa: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND WELCOME TO SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION. THIS IS OUR PROGRAM WHICH IS A BIBLE STUDY. AND WE ARE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW TO DEAL WITH THE BIBLICAL TREATMENT OF THE TOPIC OF SIN. YOU NEED YOUR BIBLE AND I RECOMMEND THE IGNATIUS BIBLE WHEN I USE ENGLISH. IT'S MY FAVORITE ENGLISH TRANSLATION. YOU CAN GET A COPY OF THE BIBLE, OVER AT EWTN RELIGIOUS CATALOGUE. IT'S ITEM 9369. JUST GO TO EWTNRC.COM OR CALL 1-800-854-6316. ewtnRC.com YOU CAN CALL THEM, TOO, AT 1-800-854-6316. IN ADDITION, WE'RE GOING TO BE USING, FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS, MY BOOK CALLED WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN, HOPE FILLED LESSONS FROM THE BIBLE. BECAUSE YOU CAN GET OVER SIN! MY ORIGINAL TITLE, SIN, I'M AGAINST IT BUT SOMETIMES I FORGET! [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS TOO SELF REVELATORY, I SUPPOSE. IT'S GOING TO BE A HELPFUL COMPANION FOR DOING THE BIBLE STUDY WHICH HAS THE PASSAGES ALREADY IN THERE, IN THE BOOK AS WELL AS A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT I MAKE AND HAVE WRITTEN DOWN. IT'S ALSO ITEM 2250. OF COURSE, YOU CAN WATCH THE SHOW, LIVE ON EWTN, TV LIVE ON TUESDAYS @ 2PM ET. AND THEN AGAIN ON TUESDAYS @10PM ET & WEDNESDAYS AT 9AM ET YOU CAN WATCH THE SHOW LIVE ONLINE AT EWTN.COM, OR, YOU CAN GO TO FACEBOOK.COM/EWTNONLINE AND ON YOUTUBE.COM/EWTN. IT'S ALL LISTED RIGHT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN. THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. AND YOU ASK QUESTIONS DURING THE SHOW THROUGH FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE AS WELL AS THROUGH E-MAIL AT SCRIPTUREANDTRADITION@EWTN.COM OR YOU CAN CALL IN WITH YOUR LIVE QUESTIONS DURING THE SHOW, WITH YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. THAT'S 2:00 PM EASTERN TIME ON TUESDAYS IF YOU DO CALL IN. YOU CAN CALL 1-800-221-9460 FOR THOSE OF YOU CALLING FROM NORTH AMERICA. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA, CALL 205-271-2980 OR 1-800-221-9460. NOW, THIS IS COMING TO YOU LIVE RIGHT HERE FROM THE BEAUTIFUL STUDIOS RIGHT HERE IN IRONDALE, ALABAMA. AND ISN'T IT JUST BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE TODAY? JUST GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS WEATHER. AND IT'S A LITTLE COOLER THAN WE EXPECT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE THE POLITICIANS ARE ENDING GLOBAL WARMING OR MAYBE THEY ARE MESSING UP GLOBAL WARMING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. SOMETIMES I EVEN GET THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY DON'T EITHER. THIS WEEK WE'RE CONTINUING IN CHAPTER 4 OF THE BOOK, WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE BEGINNING. THE CHAPTER IS ENTITLED, "IT'S YOUR CHOICE: LIFE OR DEATH." THAT'S A CHOICE WE HAVE TO MAKE. THAT'S THE CHOICE THAT THE BIBLE CHALLENGES US TO MAKE. CHOOSE LIFE OR YOU CHOOSE DEATH. MOSES SAID RIGHT BEFORE HE DIED, TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THE SAME CHOICE. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AS A DISCUSSION. FIRST OF ALL, BASIC PRINCIPLES. THIS HAS TO DO WITH WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN, IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT IS IT THAT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF HUMAN BEINGS. A LOT OF ELEMENTS THAT ARE CHARACTERISTIC. BUT FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY SEE SEE IN GENESIS 1:27, IT SAYS, GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM, MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. THIS IS DISTINCTIVE IN ANCIENT ISRAEL. YOU DON'T FIND THE BABYLONIANS TALKING ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS BEING MADE IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD. WHAT DO YOU SEE THERE? IN THEIR STORY, THE FOREIGN WORDS, HUMAN BEINGS ARE CREATED TO BECOME THE SLAVES OF THE GOD'S. THAT'S WHAT THEY TEACH. THE SLAVES OF THE GOD'S. AND YOU ARE TO GO AROUND RAISING FOOD AND OFFERING IT UP TO THEM. AND THEN, YOU BURN IT AND THE SMOKE GOES TO HEAVEN AND SOMEHOW THEY GATHER AROUND AND EAT IT. THAT'S WHY YOU WERE MADE. THAT'S NOT THE BIBLICAL VIEW. THE BIBLE SAYS, WE'RE MADE IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD. THAT MEANS THAT AS HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS, WE'RE MEANT TO REFLECT GOD HIMSELF. AND YOU KNOW, I USE THIS IN A NUMBER OF SERMONS OVER THE YEARS AND I LOVE THIS SINCE I FIRST HEARD IT BACK IN THE 1970'S, WHERE SOME SEMINARIANS WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE PASSAGE IN PSALM 109. WELL, WAIT, PSALM 119. IT SPEAKS ABOUT THAT WE ARE LIKE SILVER SEVEN TIMES REFINED. WHEN YOU REFINE SILVER, YOU TAKE OUT THE DROSS, THE DIRT, ROCK, HEATING IT UP AND THE DROSS COMES TO THE TOP AND THE METAL GOES TO THE BOTTOM. NOW, AS ANYBODY KNOWS WHO HAS GONE TO SOUVENIR STOPS ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES, YOU CAN GET SOME SILVER THAT'S FAIRLY DULL LOOKING. IT'S CHEAP. BUT IT'S DULL. TO GET WELL REFINED SILVER, YOU HAVE TO REFINE IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AFTER IT COOLS, THEN YOU HEAT IT UP AGAIN AND MORE DROSS COMES TO THE TOP. AND THEY KEEP DOING THAT. SO, THESE SEMINARIANS WERE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WHAT IS OUR LORD SAYING HERE BY USING THAT IMAGE OF SEVEN TIMES REFINED? THEY ARE JUST PUTTERING THE STORE WITH THE GUY. AND THEY FINALLY ASK HIM, WELL, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE SILVER IS FINISHED? AND HE SAID, OH, IT'S EASY. WHEN I CAN SEE MY REFLECTION IN THE MOLTEN SILVER, AS CLEAR AS A MIRROR, THEN I KNOW THAT IT'S DONE. AH! THERE WE HAVE IT. GOD KEEPS ON PURIFYING US, LIKE SILVER IS REFINED SEVEN TIMES UNTIL HE CAN SEE HIS OWN IMAGE REFLECTED IN US. THAT THE PURIFICATION OF OUR LIVES FROM SIN ENABLES HIM TO SEE HIS REFLECTION WITHIN OUR SOULS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEEK. NOW, WHAT IS IT THAT HE'S GOING TO LOOK FOR? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SETS US APART FROM THE ANIMALS AND YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HUMAN BEINGS AND ANIMALS. ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES IS, WE HAVE INTELLECT BY WHICH WE CAN REASON. THAT'S WHY WE KNOW HOW TO WRITE. THAT'S WHY WE FORM SENTENCES WITH GOOD GRAMMAR. NOW, THE ANIMALS MAKE DIFFERENT SIGNALS. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT SOUNDS TO EXPRESS DANGER AND ROMANCE, ANGER, YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT SOUNDS. WHEN I'VE HEARD DEER, NOT BUCKS, BUT THEY ARE REALLY MAD AT ANOTHER BUCK, THEY HAVE A PARTICULAR KIND OF SNORT THAT THEY DO. IT SOUNDS PRETTY MEAN. WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY ARE INTERESTED ROMANTICALLY, THEY DO A LOW GRUNT. I GUESS THOSE THINK IT'S SEXY. IT'S NOT EXACTLY SINATRA, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY LIKE! DOGS HAVE THEIR OWN DIFFERENT SOUNDS, PIGS, AND EVERY ANIMAL HAS DIFFERENT SOUNDS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT IT'S NOT WITH GRAMMAR. NONE OF THEM CAN WRITE OUT THE WORD MOO. WE CAN. BUT THE COWS CAN'T. EVEN IF THEY DID LEARN HOW TO TYPE. THEY WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH A TYPEWRITER. AND THE SAME WITH ANY OF THE OTHER ANIMALS. THEY DON'T HAVE REASON. AND THEY DON'T -- WELL, AS ONE PERSON SAID. AFTER YOUR CAT OR YOUR DOG HAS HAD A GOOD MEAL, THEY DON'T SIT UP AND LOOK AT THE STARS AND WONDER, WHERE DID WE COME FROM. HOW FAR ARE THOSE STARS FROM US? NO. NO. THEY LAY DOWN AND THEY TAKE A NAP. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. WE ON THE OTHER HAND NOT ONLY ASK THAT QUESTION. WE LEARN THE SKILLS BY WHICH WE CAN DETECT HOW FAR THE OTHER GALAXIES ARE. THAT THERE ARE OTHER GALAXIES, SOME OF THOSE PINPOINTS OF LIFE ARE COMPLETE GALAXIES AND WE KNOW THAT, BUT THE ANIMALS HAVE NO CLUE, NONE. THIS IS PART OF OUR ABILITY TO REASON. HUMAN BEINGS FIGURED OUT THAT THE EARTH IS ROUND AND THEY GAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATION OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EARTH BACK IN THE FIRST CENTURY BECAUSE THEY COMPARED THE SHADOW OF THE EARTH AS IT WENT OVER THE MOON, DURING A LUNAR ECLIPSE. AND BY JUST THE WAY THAT THE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHADOWS AND THE TWO LEVELS OF CURVE THERE, THEY FIGURED IT OUT. ROUGHLY. THEY WERE NOT PRECISE. BUT THEY ROUGHLY FIGURED OUT THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EARTH AND THAT IT WAS ROUND. THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FLAT. THIS IS AMAZING. IT'S PART OF OUR REASONING ABILITY. WITH REASON, YOU CAN ALSO THEREFORE KNOW THINGS. NOW, THE ANIMALS ALSO KNOW THINGS. BUT THEY CAN'T KNOW AS MUCH AS WE DO. AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT US IS THAT IF YOU HAVE A PET DOG. THAT DOG WILL KNOW MORE THAN YOUR PET CAT. IT WILL DO NAME RECOGNITION AND CERTAIN RECOGNITION OF SOUNDS FROM YOU AS TO, YOU WANT TO GO OUT. AND YOU SAY THE WORD OUT. THEY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. MY CATS CAN'T RESPOND TO THAT. BUT THEN YOU GET TO A PET FISH. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING. THEY MAY HEAR A SOUND AND DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. BUT AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED, IT COULD BE THE CRUNCH OF A SHARK CHASING THEM. THEY DON'T KNOW. SO, THE ANIMALS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND THEY DON'T KNOW ALL OF THEIR CHOICES. WE, BECAUSE WE HAVE REASON AND MEMORY, WE KNOW OUR CHOICES AND OUR OPTIONS. WE CAN EVALUATE WITH THOUGHT, WITH REASON ONE OPTION OVER ANOTHER. AND THAT IS THE BASIS FOR HAVING FREE WILL. KNOWING CHOICES, BEING ABLE TO EVALUATE THEM ACCORDING TO HIGHER VALUES AND LOWER VALUES AND MAKING A DECISION THAT MIGHT GO AGAINST SOME OF YOUR INSTINCTS. AND WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO, WE HAVE REASON AND FREE WILL. BUT ALSO, HUMANS HAVE A DIGNITY INHERENT IN THEM THAT THE OTHER ANIMALS DON'T. BUT WE ARE PART OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, NO DOUBT. BUT WE HAVE A GREATER DIGNITY THAN THE OTHER ANIMALS. EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE SOME PHILOSOPHERS ON THE FAR LEFT WHO SAY THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAVE NO MORE VALUE THAN A COCKROACH. HOWEVER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I AM MORE WILLING TO KNOCK A COCKROACH OFF OF ME OR SWEEP IT OUT OF THE HOUSE OR MAYBE EVEN STEP ON IT THAN I WOULD HUMAN BEINGS. BY THE WAY, THAT'S DOCTOR PETER SINGER OVER AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY. SO, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HOLD THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS, AN INHERENT DIGNITY. AND IN OUR OWN LEGAL DOCUMENTS, LIKE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, IT SAYS THAT EVERY ONE IS ENDOWED WITH LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS FROM THEIR CREATOR. THAT DIGNITY IS NOT GIVEN BY THE STATE. IT'S NOT GIVEN OR TAKEN BY THE STATE. IT BELONGS TO US AS A GIFT DIRECTLY TO EACH INDIVIDUAL FROM GOD. THAT'S PART OF BEING MADE IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS. SO, WE HAVE RESPECT. EVEN THOUGH SOME PEOPLE TRY, AND I WAS JUST LISTENING TO A DEBATE YESTERDAY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD LEGALIZE PROSTITUTION. THE LADY WHO WAS IN FAVOR OF LEGALIZING IT WAS SAYING, WELL, PEOPLE CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. SHE'S WHAT'S CALLED A LIBERTARIAN. IT'S A POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE. NOBODY CAN TELL ANYBODY ELSE WHAT THEY CAN OR CANNOT DO. WHEREAS, THE OTHER PERSON DISCUSSING WITH HER, ANOTHER LADY WAS SAYING, NO, THEY HAVE A DIGNITY THAT IS INHERENT IN THEM. AND WOMEN ARE NOT MEANT TO BE USED BY MEN FOR THEIR PLEASURE. AND THEN THEY ARE NOT FOR SALE. AND THE DIGNITY OF THE SEXUALITY IS INHERENT WITHIN THEM. THEN, ANOTHER ASPECT OF BEING MADE IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD, BECAUSE GOD IS THE TRINITY, FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT BUT ONE GOD. THAT MEANS THERE'S A UNITY AMONG THREE PERSONS OF COEQUAL DIGNITY. FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, ARE ALL INFINITE PERSONS AND THEY ALL HAVE INHERENT DIGNITY, INFINITE DIGNITY AND THEY HAVE QUALITY AMONGST THEMSELVES AND THEY ARE IN THE ONE TRINITY. THEREFORE, WE ALSO ARE CAPABLE OF ENTERING INTO RELATIONSHIPS IN WHICH WE TREAT EACH OTHER AS COEQUALS AND WE MOVE TOWARD A SELF GIVING LOVE THAT GIVES US A KIND OF UNITY. FINALLY, ALSO, WE'RE ABLE TO BE THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD BECAUSE WE ARE CALLED TO HOLINESS. WE SEE THAT MOSES WAS TOLD TO TELL THE PEOPLE IN LEVITICUS 19:2, SAY TO ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I, THE LORD, YOUR GOD, AM HOLY. THAT'S PART OF THE REFLECTION OF IMAGE AND LIKENESS, THE HOLINESS OF LIFE. SAINT PETER ALSO QUOTED THAT IN HIS EPISTLE. AND THEN WE SEE JESUS THE LORD MAKING A SIMILAR POINT AT THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT WHEN HE SAYS AT THE END OF CHAPTER 5, MATTHEW 5:48. YOU THEREFORE MUST BE PERFECT AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT. THIS IS HOW WE REFLECT THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD. SO, THEN, IF WE HAVE THESE GIFTS AND IF WE HAVE FREE WILL AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHOICES THAT CAN HELP US REFLECT THE IMAGE OF GOD MORE COMPLETELY OR CAN DRAW US AWAY FROM HIM. OUR CHOICES CAN ALSO SEPARATE US FROM GOD. THAT'S CALLED SIN. THOSE ARE THE SOURCES THAT SEPARATE US FROM GOD. WE HAVE TO THEN REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A CHOICE. WILL WE ALLOW GOD TO FORM US INTO HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS? OR WILL WE LET OTHER FORCES SHAPE US? THE CULTURE, OUR SELF, SATAN. THIS IS THE KIND OF CHOICE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE. GOD WANTS US TO BE SHAPED BY HIM. WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO ALLOW HIM TO DO IT, OR REFUSE TO ALLOW HIM TO DO IT AND TRY TO BE FORMED IN ANOTHER WAY. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR TOPIC WHEN WE COME BACK. SO, WE'LL TAKE A LITTLE BREAK AND WE'LL BE BACK WITH YOU! [APPLAUSE] ♪ ♪ [APPLAUSE] >> Fr. Pacwa: OKAY. WELCOME BACK. AND WE WERE TALKING, IN THE FIRST SEGMENT ABOUT THE TEACHING OF SCRIPTURE THAT GOD MADE US IN HIS OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS. AND THAT WE MAKE CHOICES BECAUSE OF THAT, LOTS OF CHOICES TO MAKE. AND THAT WE CAN BE MADE INCREASINGLY LIKE GOD AND REFLECT HIS IMAGE MORE. OR THROUGH SIN, WE CAN HIDE THAT IMAGE. THAT'S WHERE WE LEFT OFF. NOW, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, TAKE A LOOK, AS I DID IN MY BOOK, BUT ONE IMAGE IN PARTICULAR THAT I VERY MUCH LIKE FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. IN THIS IMAGE, WE SEE, FIRST OF ALL, WE SEE ISAIAH USING IT BACK IN THE 700S BC. AND IT APPEARS IN ISAIAH 29:15. WOE TO THOSE WHO HIDE DEEP FROM THE LORD THEIR COUNSEL WHOSE DEEDS ARE IN THE DARK. AND WHO SAY, WHO SEES US. WHO KNOWS US. THINK ABOUT THAT? HAS THAT CHANGED IN THE HUMAN RACE? AREN'T THERE STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY WON'T GET CAUGHT DOING ALL KINDS OF NONSENSE? ESPECIALLY IN THIS AGE. YOU KNOW, LAST TIME I WENT UP TO CHICAGO TO SEE MY SUPERIORS, I WAS AMAZED AT HOW THERE ARE CAMERAS EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY. YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE THAT WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. WE HAD OUR MOTHERS AND ALL OF THE WOMEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WHO NEEDED CAMERAS? THEY TOLD ON US TO EACH OTHER, TO THE OTHER MOMS. AND TODAY, THOUGH, THERE'S LOTS AND LOTS OF CAMERAS. BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH AN INCREASE OF CRIME AND VIOLENT CRIME AT THAT. SO, WE HAVE THOSE CAMERAS AROUND. IT STRIKES ME AS VERY ODD THAT THERE WOULD STILL BE PEOPLE WHO SAY, WHO SEES US, WE CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS. YEAH, TRY IT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOME OF THE STUFF GOING ON WITH FACEBOOK AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS. PEOPLE POST THEIR OWN NONSENSE AND THEY DON'T EXPECT ANYBODY WILL NOTICE. AS I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS, GOD FORGIVES EVERYTHING. THE INTERNET FORGIVES NOTHING. VERY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE. ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. TAKING FOOLISH PICTURES OF THEMSELVES. SO, AT ANY RATE, YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM GOD. YOU CAN'T HIDE YOUR COUNSEL. AND THE PEOPLE WERE THINKING THAT THEIR SINS WERE SECRET FROM GOD, THEY DIDN'T SEE IT. BUT THAT WAS CONTRARY TO HIS NATURE. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING. YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM GOD. IT'S METAPHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HIDE FROM GOD. IF GOD IS, I GUESS I HAD ON THE LIVE SHOW A COUPLE OF TIMES, ARCHBISHOP JAMES KELLIFER, KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. AND HE SAID TO ME IN MY RELIGIOUS CLASS, WE HAD HIM AS A TEACHER, TO MY WHOLE SOPHOMORE CLASS AND IF GOD EVEN STOPPED THINKING ABOUT YOU FOR A SPLIT SECOND, YOU WOULD DISAPPEAR WITHOUT EVEN A PUFF OF SMOKE! CHRIST SAID, THE HAIRS ON YOUR HEAD ARE COUNTED. YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM GOD. I CAN'T EVEN COUNT MY OWN HAIR, LET ALONE SO MANY OTHER THINGS TOO. GOD KNOWS US AND WE CAN'T DO THAT. SO, HE GOES ON TO USE THE IMAGE OF A POTTER AND HIS CLAY. AND THE PROPHET PUT THIS IN THE FORM OF AN ACCUSATION BY GOD. HE SAYS, YOU TURN THINGS UPSIDE-DOWN. SHALL THE POTTER BE REGARDED AS THE CLAY, THAT THE THING MADE SHOULD SAY OF THE MAKER, HE DID NOT MAKE ME OR THE THING, HE WHO FORMED IT HAS NO UNDERSTANDING. ISN'T THAT OFTENTIMES THE WAY PEOPLE SPEAK? GOD DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HUMAN. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I GO THROUGH. HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BE ME. OH, ON THE CONTRARY, HE DOES KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BE YOU. HE'S PUTTING UP WITH YOU! AND WITH ALL OF US. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP VERY MUCH IN MIND. EVEN WE OFTENTIMES NEED TO GO TO PSYCHOLOGISTS FOR THERAPY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW OUR MOTIVES. AND IT TAKES TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT OURSELVES. AND UNRAVEL. AND A LOT OF TIMES, IT'S ALSO A PROCESS LEARNING TO ADMIT TO YOURSELF THE BAD MOTIVES THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE AND THE WAY THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO THINGS WRONG. SO, THAT TAKES A WHILE. BUT GOD KNOWS ALL THAT. SO, YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM HIM. YOU ARE CLAY THAT HE HAS FASHIONED AND HE KNOWS OF YOU. JUDAH THINKS OF IT, THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH, IN SOUTHERN ISRAEL THOUGHT OF THEMSELVES AS BEING IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN FATE. THAT THEY COULD DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. I DECIDE. THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE TODAY, THE CULTURE HAS CHANGED. WHAT GOD SAID IN THE BIBLE DOESN'T APPLY ANY MORE. WE NEED TO ABORT PEOPLE. WE NEED TO HAVE SUICIDE. WE NEED, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THESE PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR THE KIDS TO COME INTO THE WORLD. WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR THE OLD PEOPLE TO STAY ALIVE. AND GOD JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT. THINK ABOUT THOSE KIND OF ARGUMENTS THAT WE HEAR FROM ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE IN POLITICS AND OTHER AREAS. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE REMINDED THAT GOD DOES KNOW. HE FASHIONED WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE LIKE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE THEN GO ON TO ANOTHER PASSAGE IN THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE YEAR 609 AND 604BC. IN THAT PERIOD OF JEREMIAH'S LIFE. HE WAS TOLD BY THE LORD TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF A POTTER. AND WHEN HE GOT THERE, HE WOULD HEAR GOD'S WORD. YOU SEE IT IN JEREMIAH 18, THE WORD OF THE LORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAH, COME DOWN TO THE POTTER'S HOUSE AND THERE I WILL LET YOU HEAR MY WORDS. HE DIDN'T EXPLAIN IT BEFOREHAND. HE JUST GOES AND THEN HE WAITS FOR WHAT THE LORD IS GOING TO TEACH HIM. JUST LIKE THE SEMINARIANS I SAID, WHEN THEY WENT TO THE SILVERSMITH, TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. AND WHEN THEY GOT THERE, THEY GOT THE INSIGHT. WELL, THAT'S WHAT HE'S WAITING TO DO. SO, JEREMIAH WATCHED THE POTTER AT HIS WE'LL WHEEL. THEY HAVE A WHEEL THEY WOULD PUSH. AND HE WENT DOWN TO THE POTTER'S HOUSE, THERE HE WAS WORKING AT HIS WHEEL. THEY WOULD USE FOOT PEDALS TO MAKE THE WHEEL GO. AND YOU PUT YOUR HAND ON THERE. AND YOU SHAPE THE CLAY INTO A VESSEL, BOWL, OR WHATEVER. AND IN VERSE 4, THE VESSEL HE WAS MAKING OF CLAY WAS SPOILED IN THE POTTER'S HAND AND HE REWORKED IT INTO ANOTHER VESSEL, AS SEEMED GOOD TO HIM. SO, YOU MOVE YOUR HAND AND IT GETS MISS SHAPEN, AND CAN HAPPEN VERY EASILY WITH THE WHEEL MOVING SO QUICKLY. OKAY. SO, JUST PUT IT BACK INTO A LUMP AND RESHAPE IT. NO PROBLEM. YOU CAN KEEP ON RESHAPING IT. THIS IS WHERE THE LESSON COMES IN, AT THAT POINT. IN VERSE 6. JEREMIAH 18:6-10. THE LORD THEN SAYS, THROUGH JEREMIAH, CAN I NOT DO WITH YOU, 0 HOUSE OF ISRAEL JUST AS THIS PASSER HAS DONE, SAYS THE LORD. JUST LIKE THE CLAY IN THE POTTER'S HAND, SO ARE YOU IN MY HAND, 0 HOUSE OF ISRAEL. AT ONE MOMENT, I MAY DECLARE CONCERNING A NATION OR A KINGDOM THAT I WILL PLUCK UP AND BREAK DOWN AND DESTROY IT. BUT IF THAT NATION, CONCERNING WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN, TURNS FROM ITS EVIL, I WILL CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT THE DISASTER THAT I INTEND TO BRING ON IT. AND AT ANOTHER MOMENT, I MAY DECLARE CONCERNING A NATION OR A KINGDOM THAT I WILL BUILD AND PLANT IT. BUT IF IT DOES EVIL IN MY SIGHT, NOT LISTENING TO MY VOICE, THEN I WILL CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT THE GOOD THAT I HAD INTENDED TO DO TO IT. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD IS GOING TO SHAPE US. IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE BY SINNING, HE WILL REFASHION IT. ALL RIGHT. SO, SEE, THERE'S A GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL VASE TO PUT FLOWERS IN IT. AND THEN IT GETS MISSHAPEN, WE COMMIT SINS. SO, LET'S PUT IT BACK INTO A LUMP. SO, YOU GO BACK TO BEING A LUMP. LOOK AT THE WAY THE HISTORY OF SO MANY GOVERNMENTS HAS BEEN. HOW MANY TIMES DID DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS, THINK OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT, THEY WANTED FREEDOM, LIBERTY, FRATERNITY. RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE WANTING. EQUALITY FOR EVERYBODY. WELL, WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY BEGAN TO KILL OFF ANYBODY WHO DISAGREED WITH THEM. IT WAS IN THE REIGN OF TERROR AND KILLED A COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND FRENCH CITIZENS BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO CATHOLIC FOR HIM. BUT HE ALSO KILLED THE ATHEISTS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT BELIEVING IN HIS NOTION OF A GOD. THEN, NAPOLEON TOOK THE IDEAS OF THE REVOLUTION AND TRIED TO FORCE EUROPE TO ACCEPT IT. TRIED TO CONQUEROR THEM. AND WHAT'S HAPPENED? WELL, THEIR ARMIES COLLAPSED EVENTUALLY. SO, THIS WAS JUST WITHIN 25 YEARS, THEY WERE GONE. AND WHEREAS, I DON'T WANT TO BE JUST NATIONALISTIC BUT TRULY OUR OWN NATION'S REVOLUTION WAS VERY DIFFERENT. ONE OF THE DIFFERENCE WAS, A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES THAT WE HAD HERE. THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE HERE, THAT YOU ARE CREATED AND GOD IS THE CREATOR AND GOD GIVES YOU LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. THEY MAINTAIN THAT AND SAID, WITH OUR CONSTITUTION, GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE OTHER WRITERS OF THE CONSTITUTION SAID IF THIS NATION DOES NOT FOLLOW THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THEN IT WILL COLLAPSE. YOU WILL EITHER FOLLOW THE BIBLE OR BE FORCED BY THE BAYONET. IT'S ONE OF HIS FAMOUS LINES. WE BASICALLY HAD GOOD SENSE AND NOW WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES. AND WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES IN GRAVE DANGER OF SELF DESTRUCTION. LOOK AT THE ANGER! LOOK AT THE INABILITY OF OUR CULTURE TO HAVE A DECENT CONVERSATION ANY MORE ABOUT POLICY. THERE'S SO MUCH BITTERNESS. YOU MOVE AWAY FROM GOD. GET GOD OUT OF THE SCHOOLS. AND WE SEE ALL OF THIS ANGER AND BITTERNESS. NO PRINCIPLES OF THE COMMANDMENTS, LIKE WAS SAID. THIS CAN UNDO A NATION. AND NOT ONLY A NATION, IT CAN UNDO THE INDIVIDUAL. WILL WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE CLAY, THAT GOD FORMS INTO HIS IMAGE, BY HIS PRINCIPLES? OR WILL WE TRY TO FORM OURSELVES INTO SOMETHING HIDEOUS AND SELF-DESTRUCTIVE. AND HE WILL BREAK US DOWN. LIKE THE POTTER BROKE DOWN THE CLAY. THAT'S THE DECISION. NOW, I WOULD JUST MENTION, AT LAST, THIS SAINT A LITTLE OIL LAMP THAT I HAVE FROM THE TIME OF JESUS. IT'S ABOUT 2,000-YEAR-OLD, FIRST CENTURY AD. AND THE OTHER POINT THAT I WOULD MAKE, AS WE GO ON WITH THIS SECTION, ONCE THE CLAY IS PUT IN THE FIRE, YOU CAN'T SHAPE IT ANY MORE, CAN YOU? YOU CAN'T RESHAPE THIS. IT'S HAD THIS SHAPE NOW FOR 2,000 YEARS. AND HOPEFULLY IT HAS ANOTHER COUPLE THOUSAND YEARS. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS AT DEATH. THE CLAY GETS FIRED. WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO BE RESHAPED IN THIS LIFE. BUT IN DEATH, WE GET A PERMANENT SHAPE. NOW IS THE TIME TO LET GOD SHAPE US. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO SOME OF THE TOPICS. I WANT TO GO TO AN EMAIL I RECEIVED. IF I UNDERSTAND THIS RIGHT, WHEN RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT DIED THEY WENT TO ON YOUR LAST PROGRAM, IF I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY, YOU SAID THAT GOD DOESN'T KNOW THE FUTURE AS ALL ETERNITY IS ALWAYS PRESENT TO HIM AND HE IS REACTING TO US IN THE PRESENT. YES, I SAID THAT. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE DISCUSSING THIS LATER BUT WE GOT CONFUSED AS TO HOW TO EXPLAIN THAT JESUS FORETOLD PETER'S DENIAL, JUDAS' BETRAYAL ETC.? DOES THAT NOT SHOW THAT JESUS KNEW THE FUTURE? WHEN YOU ARE DEALING -- WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S GO BACK TO THE PRINCIPLE. THE REASON I HOLD, NOT ONLY I, BUT OTHER THEOLOGIANS THAT GOD DOES NOT KNOW THE FUTURE IS BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE A FUTURE. YOU AND I HAVE A FUTURE. WE LIVE WITHIN TIME AND THERE IS A FUTURE THAT WE DO NOT YET HAVE. AND THERE'S A PAST THAT WE HAVE LOST. SOME OF US WANT TO LOSE EVEN MORE OF OUR PAST! THAT'S PART OF BEING LIMITED HUMAN BEINGS. RIGHT? BUT GOD DOESN'T HAVE A FUTURE THAT HE ACQUIRES. WHAT IS FUTURE TO US IS ALREADY PRESENT TO HIM. WHAT IS PAST FOR US IS STILL PRESENT TO HIM. HE DOESN'T LOSE IT. AND IS ETERNALLY PRESENT TO HIM AND THE FUTURE IS ETERNALLY PRESENT TO HIM. HE'S CONSTANTLY ACTING ONLY IN THE PRESENT. AND IF YOU CAN THINK IF THIS WERE, MY BOOK, SAY, THE ONE ON SIN, AND I TELL STORIES ABOUT MYSELF AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN THERE. AND IF I HAD THAT BOOK HERE, IF I WERE A CHARACTER INSIDE THE BOOK WHICH I AM, THEN IT WOULD TAKE HOW MANY MONTHS OR YEARS FOR THOSE EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE IN MY LIFE, FROM WITHIN THE BOOK. BUT AS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, THE WHOLE THING IS PRESENT TO ME NOW AT ONE MOMENT, ISN'T IT? THAT'S SOMEWHAT LIKE THE WAY -- AND IT'S A WEAK IMAGE, IT'S NOT THE PERFECT IMAGE. NO IMAGE IS. BUT FOR AN IMAGE OF GOD, THE WHOLE OF HISTORY IS THIS BOOK THAT IS PRESENT IN FRONT OF HIM. BUT IT'S NOT JUST THIS WHERE THE IMAGE FAILS OR NOT JUST PASSIVE THING. HE IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PRESENT. NOW, TO THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION. JESUS PREDICT THAT HAD PETER WOULD DENY HIM AND THAT JUDAS WOULD BETRAY HIM. BECAUSE IN THE INCARNATION, THOSE EVENTS WERE IN THE FUTURE. FOR PETER AND FOR JUDAS, THEY HAD NOT YET OCCURRED. AS IS OFTEN THE CASE IN THE BIBLE, GOD FORE TELL US THINGS TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPTION, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. WHY DID JESUS EXTEND THE DISH FOR JUDAS TO DIP INTO? THAT WAS A SIGN OF FRIENDSHIP. HE WAS OFFERING JUDAS A SIGN OF FRIENDSHIP. AND LATER THAT NIGHT, JUDAS RETURNS THAT SIGN OF FRIENDSHIP BY KISSING JESUS, AS A SIGN OF BETRAYAL. HE USED THE SIGN OF AFFECTION AND JESUS USED THE AFFECTION TO TRY TO TURN HIM AWAY FROM THE SIN. AND PREDICTING IT GIVES HIM AN OPTION. PETER REMEMBERED THE PREDICTION AFTER HE COMMITTED THE SIN. HE DID HAVE FREE WILL TO SAY, YES, I DO KNOW JESUS. HE COULD HAVE TOLD THAT SERVANT GIRL THAT. BUT HE DIDN'T. AND HE DIDN'T STAY AT THE CROSS LIKE JOHN DID. SO, HE HAD THAT OPTION. STILL, HE DIDN'T. JESUS DIDN'T SAY, NOW, PETER, IF YOU DON'T DENY ME, YOU ARE GOING TO MESS UP MY WHOLE BIBLE. NO. HE'S LETTING HIM KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND PETER SAYS, NO, NO, I WILL NEVER DO THAT. I'LL DIE! BUT THEN HE DOES IT. BECAUSE HE FORGETS THE PREDICTION. AND THE PURPOSE OF THE PREDICTION IS FOR US TO CHANGE OUR OWN LIVES SO WE DON'T COMMIT THE SIN AND TURN AWAY FROM IT. MY DAD COULD PREDICT, BOY, YOU ARE GOING TO BE STUPID. AND HE WAS RIGHT! AND THERE WERE A VARIETY OF OPTIONS THAT HE TOLD ME, WAYS THAT I WOULD BE IGNORANT AND DUMB AS A BOX OF ROCKS. AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE TO TO ACT LIKE A TEXAS GOOD OLE BOY. YOU KNOW THE LAST WORDS OF A GOOD OLE TEXAS BOY, HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS. NO. NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. YOU CAN ACT WITH SENSE, LIKE YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER TOLD YOU. AND THEY WARN YOU, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. SO, THEY DO HAVE FREE WILL. WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. AND WE HAVE A CALLER, JOANNE CALLING IN NOW. AND WE'LL DEAL WITH SOME MORE QUESTIONS. SO, PLEASE, STAY WITH US. [APPLAUSE] ♪ ♪ [APPLAUSE] >> Fr. Pacwa: ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK. BEFORE WE GO TO YOUR QUESTIONS, I WANT TO REMIND YOU, SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR NEXT EWTN FAMILY CELEBRATION COMING UP NOVEMBER 3 IN SUNNY JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA! JOIN US FOR THIS ONE DAY EVENT, FREE EVENT, GOOD PRICE. AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE PRIME OSBORNE CONVENTION CENTER ON NOVEMBER 3, 2018. IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION GO TO ewtn.com/FAMILY CELEBRATION. NOW WE'LL GO TO OUR CALLER, JOANNE. JOANNE, WHERE ARE YOU CALLING FROM? >> Voice: ABERDEEN, NEW JERSEY. >> Fr. Pacwa: WONDERFUL. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? >> Voice: I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD ENLIGHTEN ME. AND I WANT TO SPEAK TO A FRIEND WHO OFTEN SPEAKS ABOUT SIN AND HOW PEOPLE DENY IT. WE HAVE TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO KNOW IT EXISTS. HERE'S THE QUESTION. MY FRIEND, RELATIVES OF HER DURING THE RCIA INITIATION INTO THE CHURCH. THEY WERE CHILDREN, SIX OR SEVEN IN AGE, AND THEY RECEIVED ALL THE SACRAMENTS. BUT THEY DID NOT GO TO A FIRST HOLY CONFESSION. SO THAT WAS PART ONE. THAT CONFUSED ME. AND THE SECOND PART WAS, THEY RECEIVED CONFIRMATION. SO, TO SUM IT UP, I WAS RAISED TO THINK THAT THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A FIRST HOLY CONFESSION. SECOND PART, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE CONFIRMATION AT THE AGE OF REASON. SO, ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. >> Fr. Pacwa: SURE. SURE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, A, BECAUSE THEY ARE, SEE, THE 6-YEAR-OLD. I DON'T KNOW THE KIDS IN PARTICULAR. BUT A 6-YEAR-OLD MAY BE A LITTLE EARLY FOR CONFESSION. THE 7-YEAR-OLD, THAT'S NORMAL TIME TO START CONFESSION. I WOULD HAVE THEM, AT LEAST THE 7-YEARS-OLD GO TO CONFESSION. I'LL BET THAT THE 6-YEARS-OLD MAY WELL ALSO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT THEY DID WRONG. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ASK LITTLE KIDS TO CONFESS THEIR SINS, IT'S NOT SOME OF THE BIG ONES. THEY ARE USUALLY NOT MORTAL SINS. BUT THEY WILL TELL YOU, SOMETIMES MORE THAN THEIR PARENTS EVEN KNEW. YOU DID WHAT TO YOUR BROTHER? BUT AT ANY RATE, DEFINITELY, THE 7-YEAR-OLD SHOULD HAVE GONE TO CONFESSION. AND DEPENDING ON THE 6-YEARS-OLD'S ABILITY, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN POSSIBILITY. BUT RECEIVING CONFIRMATION. THE AGE OF REASON IS SOMETHING THAT IS MORE OF A REQUIREMENT IN THE WEST. BUT IN THE EASTERN CHURCH, WE GIVE CONFIRMATION ON THE DAY OF BAPTISM. BECAUSE IT IS, THE EUCHARIST, BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION ARE THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION. SO, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE BYZANTINE RITE, MELCHITES, UKRAINIAN AND OTHERS, IN THAT RITE THEY GIVE BAPTISM, CHRISMATION AND FIRST HOLY COMMUNION, IN INFANCY. WE HAVE SOME MELCHITE CHILDREN THAT COME AND RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION WHEN THEY ARE 4 OR 5 BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED THE FIRST COMMUNION AT INFANCY. AND THEY GET JUST A TINY PARTICLE OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. SO, THEY COULD. THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. ON ANY THEOLOGICAL BASIS. BUT IN THE WEST, WE GENERALLY DO WAIT. THAT'S WHY RECEIVING FIRST COMMUNION USED TO BE AT AGE 14. BECAUSE YOU RECEIVED YOUR CONFIRMATION AT AGE 14 AND THEN YOUR FIRST COMMUNION. BUT POPE SAINT PIUS X MOVED UP BOTH, CONFIRMATION AND FIRST COMMUNION. YOU CAN RECEIVE IT EARLY. AND THAT'S UP TO THE LOCAL SITUATIONS. AND BISHOPS CAN DO IT AT AN EARLIER AGE. I'M COMING MORE AND MORE TO THE POINT, I WAS 10. AND I THINK OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING EXPOSED TO SO MUCH PUBLIC SIN ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS, THEY NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET. AND THINK THAT WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE PERHAPS. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A STUDIO QUESTION. OKAY. SIR, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? >> Voice: I'M FROM THE VILLAGES IN FLORIDA. >> Fr. Pacwa: GREAT. AND YOUR QUESTION? >> Voice: YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, REFERENCE TO PURIFYING SILVER BY PURIFYING IT OVER AND AGAIN UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE IMAGE IN THE SILVER. AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT ALSO CAN BE A WAY OF EXPRESSING THE FORM OF PURGATORY THAT WE MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED. IN OTHER WORDS, BEING ABLE TO PURIFY OURSELVES TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD? >> Fr. Pacwa: YES, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT DOES GET ADDED. THIS PROCESS OF PURIFICATION SO THAT GOD'S IMAGE CAN BE SEEN SHARPLY AND NOT IN A DULL WAY OR NOT COVERED UP WITH ALL THE DIRT OF MY LIFE. ALL MY SINS, MY GOSSIP, MY LUST, MY GREED, MY DISOBEDIENCE, ALL SORTS OF OTHER SINS, THAT YOU WANT THAT PURIFIED FROM YOU. AND THAT IS A GOOD IMAGE. LET'S USE THE IMAGE OF THE POTTERY. YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH AT DEATH, POTTERY GETS FIRED AND HAS ITS SHAPE. EVEN STILL, YOU CAN STILL FILE DOWN SOME OF THE ROUGH EDGES. THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO THINK OF IT. MY MOTHER USED TO MAKE POTTERY. SHE DID ALL KINDS OF CERAMICS. AND SHE HAD A STEEL FILE AND IT WAS A VERY FINE ONE, FILED OFF DIFFERENT FLANGES AND SUCH THAT WENT OVER THE EDGE. AND YOU CAN USE THAT AS AN IMAGE OF PURGATORY. OKAY. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, YES, MA'AM? Voice: I AM FROM PITTSBURGH. GOD HAS A FUTURE PLAN FOR US. ARE YOU SAYING IT'S NOT SO? >> Fr. Pacwa: WELL, LET'S MAKE A COUPLE OF DISTINCTIONS. GOD DOES HAVE A PLAN FOR OUR LIFE. HE HAS SOMETHING THAT HE WANTS US TO DO THAT IS UNIQUE TO EACH ONE OF US. HOWEVER, HE DOES NOT HAVE HIS PLAN FOR US, FOR US TO COMMIT SINS. HE DOESN'T SAY, OH, OKAY. I NEED YOU TO DO 10 MORTALS, ABOUT 25 VENIALS AND LET'S SEE, YOU, YOU, I WANT YOU TO GO AFTER THE FOURTH, NO, SKIP THE FIFTH AND THE SIXTH. WE'LL HAVE YOU DO THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. HE HAS A PLAN FOR US TO BE HOLY AND TO GROW AND BE MATURE. WHEN WE SIN, WE THWART THAT PLAN. OKAY. EVEN THEN, WE HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS. SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU FEEL CALLED TO BE A RELIGIOUS SISTER OR A YOUNG MAN FEELS CALLED TO BE A PRIEST BUT SAYS, OH, NO, I DON'T WANT. I DON'T WANT TO, I WOULD RATHER HAVE A FAMILY. YOU ARE FREE TO DO THAT. IN FACT, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPIER WITH YOUR LIFE FOLLOWING WHAT GOD ASKED OF YOU. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST THING FOR YOU. AND AS I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT, BEST THING FOR THE SPOUSE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE! [LAUGHTER] SO, GOD IS PRESERVING SOME POOR WOMAN FROM PUTTING UP WITH ME. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU CHOOSE AND YOU SAY, NO, I STILL WANT TO GET MARRIED, EVEN THOUGH I FEEL THE CALL, I WOULD RATHER BE MARRIED. IT'S NOT A SIN! IT'S NOT A SIN. AND GOD CAN REDO THE PLAN OF YOUR LIFE. BUT HAVING AFFAIRS WILL NOT BE PART OF THAT. NO ADULTERY, NO ABORTION, NONE OF THOSE ARE ANY PART OF ANY PLAN. SO, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN'T SAY. THAT THE SIN IS PART OF THE PLAN. NO, THE PLAN IS FOR YOU TO BE HOLY. IF WE SIN, WE GO AGAINST THE PLAN. DOES THAT HELP? SO, IT'S A PICTURE. AND THEN, OUR LADY, OUR LADY, WHAT WE MEAN BY HER IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND SINLESS LIFE. HER LIFE HAS AN EQUAL SIGN BETWEEN GOD'S PLAN AND THE WAY SHE LIVED IT OUT. FOR US, IT'S A NEGATIVE SIGN BECAUSE OF OUR SINS. CHRIST IS ABLE TO OVERCOME IT WITH HIS POSITIVE. THAT'S WHERE HIS FORGIVENESS AND REDEMPTION UNDOES OUR SIN. OKAY. HE GETS US BACK ON TRACK. AND WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, TAMMY, ASKING FROM FACEBOOK. OKAY. I GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW ALL THIS STUFF WORKS OUT. FATHER PACWA, IF I UNDERSTAND THIS RIGHT, WHEN RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT DIED, THEY WENT TO ABRAHAM'S BOSOM, A HOLDING PLACE UNTIL CHRIST'S REDEMPTION. SO, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF PRAYING FOR THE DEAD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE SEE THAT THE PRAYING FOR THE DEAD IS MENTIONED IN THE SECOND BOOK OF MACCABEES 15. WHY DID THEY DO THAT? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE, THE REALLY GOOD ONES WENT TO ABRAHAM'S BOSOM, THAT'S AS FAR AS THEY COULD GET. BUT OTHERS AS SAINT PETER MENTIONS IN 1 PETER 3:20, SOME OF THEM WENT TO THE PLACE CALLED THE PRISON. WHEN JOB DESCRIBES SHEOL, THE PLACE OF THE DEAD, HE TALKED ABOUT A PLACE WITH GATES, AS A PRISON, MUDDY AND NASTY AND THERE WAS A SENSE THAT THERE WERE DIFFERENT DEGREES. AND THAT'S EVEN WHY IN MATTHEW 5, OUR LORD JESUS SAYS, YOU WILL STAY IN THAT PRISON -- USING THE SAME WORD PRISON, THAT 1 PETER USES, 1 PETER 3. YOU WILL STAY IN THE PRISON UNTIL YOU PAY THE LAST PENNY. SO, THERE'S A SENSE THAT PRAYING FOR THE DEAD IS TO UNDO SOME OF THE SINS THAT WERE COMMITTED. AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT IS THAT YOU SEE THAT THEY DO LAY OUT THE SINS EVEN OF THE GREATEST PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE. ABRAHAM'S LIES, ET CETERA. AND THEY NEED TO HAVE THAT DEALT WITH. ALL RIGHT. YOU CAN WATCH THIS SHOW OR ANY OTHER EWTN PROGRAM ON YOUR SMART PHONE. GET THE EWTN APP FOR FREE AT ewtnapps.com. ALL RIGHT. LORD BLESS YOU, KEEP YOU SAFE, CAUSE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU, FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, FILL YOU WITH HIS WORDS SO THAT YOU MIGHT UNDERSTAND IT BETTER. AND AGAIN, WE CAN PRESENT THIS AND ON ALL OF THESE MEDIA BECAUSE THE NETWORK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU. KEEP US IN BETWEEN YOUR GAS BILL AND YOUR ELECTRIC BILL. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ♪
