♪ [APPLAUSE] >> Father: THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME. WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM CALLED "SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION." THIS IS A BIBLE STUDY SHOW IN WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH THE TOPIC OF SIN AS TAUGHT IN SCRIPTURE. AND IS STILL TAUGHT IN SCRIPTURE. LET ME BEGIN WITH AN EMAIL TODAY, SOMEONE WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE "SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION" FACEBOOK GROUP, WHICH, BY THE WAY, ALL OF YOU CAN JOIN THAT GROUP. IT'S THE FACEBOOK GROUP AND YOU CAN WATCH CLIPS FROM THE SHOW. YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TOPICS. THERE ARE OVER 4,000 MEMBERS IN THE GROUP ALREADY. JUST GO TO FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/EWTNBIBLESTU DY. AND JOIN UP TODAY. SO THIS IS A QUESTION FROM SYLVANA IN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP. FATHER MITCH, I BELIEVE THE CHURCH IS BUILT ON SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION. I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR CATHOLIC TO STUDY SCRIPTURE TO BE SAVED. I THINK A LOT DEPENDS ON THE PERSON'S STATE IN LIFE. IF THEY CAN STUDY SCRIPTURE, ALL THE BETTER. BUT WE HAVE THE COMMANDMENTS AND THE CHURCH'S SACRAMENTS, PRECEPTS, SAINTS, ET CETERA. ISN'T THAT ENOUGH FOR A PERSON TO KNOW WHAT IS SINFUL AND BE SAVED? WELL SYLVANA NOT ONLY IS THAT ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT IS SINFUL BUT ALSO TO KNOW HOW JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD SAVES US. AND SYLVAN A, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT; YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STUDY SCRIPTURE IN ORDER TO BE SAVED. IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THEN ONLY LITERATE PEOPLE WOULD BE SAVED. THE ILLITERATE COULD NOT BE SAVED. PEOPLE WHO HAVE VARIOUS MENTAL DISORDERS AND DISABILITIES COULD NOT BE SAVED. AND THAT WOULD BE VERY EVIL. WE -- I BELIEVE IT WAS SAINT AUGUSTEN WHO SAID THAT THE MYSTERIES OF THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH ARE LIKE A RIVER, A RIVER UPON WHICH A FLEE CAN SWIM AND AN ELEPHANT CAN DROWN. IN OTHER WORDS, THE GREATEST MINDS CAN USE THEIR EDUCATION TO MAKE THEMSELVES SO IGNORANT THAT THEY FALL INTO HERESY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. WELL THE SIMPLEST SOUL CAN ACCEPT THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS SALVATION IN VERY SIMPLE WAYS AND BE SAVED. SO THIS IS HIS IMAGE. AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING TO KEEP IN MIND. HOWEVER, I WOULD ALSO -- AS YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT IS GOOD TO STUDY SCRIPTURE. IT MAKES IT MUCH BETTER. AND WE URGE PEOPLE TO LEARN SCRIPTURE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN YOU -- I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM OLDER CATHOLICS. NOW I'M ONE OF THEM. BUT CATHOLICS EVEN OLDER THAN I USED TO TELL ME WHEN THEY WERE ALIVE THAT THEY WERE TOLD IN CATHOLIC SCHOOL NOT TO READ THE BIBLE. NOW, WHEN I WAS IN CATHOLIC GRAMMAR SCHOOL, WE WERE ALL GIVEN BIBLES TO READ: AND I REMEMBER IN OUR FAMILY BIBLE AND IN THE BIBLES THAT WE GOT AT SCHOOL THAT THERE WAS PRINT IN THERE AN INDULGENCE THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED BY POPE LEO XIII STATING THAT, IF YOU READ SCRIPTURE FOR A HALF HOUR A DAY PRIVATELY, THERE'S AN INDULGENCE. AND IF YOU DO SO IN FRONT OF A GROUP OR WITH THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IT'S A PLEADING INDULGENCE. WHY WERE THEY DOING THAT IS? TO ENCOURAGE CATHOLICS TO READ THE SCRIPTURE. THAT'S POPE LEO XIII DOING THAT. AND WHEN I LOOK BACK TO EARLIER DOCUMENTS GOING BACK TO THE MIDDLE AGES, I SAW REPEATEDLY THAT THE CHURCH URGED THE PRIESTS TO STUDY GREEK AND HEBREW TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGES AND SO THEY COULD TEACH THE PEOPLE THE SCRIPTURES. AND WHEN PEOPLE -- THERE ARE PERIODS ESPECIALLY AFTER THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS OF EUROPE WHO WERE THE ANCESTORS OF MOST OF US WHO COME FROM WESTERN EUROPE AND EASTERN EUROPE OR ANYWHERE IN EUROPE. BARBARIANS WENT EVERYWHERE. AND THE BARBARIAN INVADERS DESTROYED SOCIETY'S INFRASTRUCTURES. THE CHURCH KEPT TRYING TO START SCHOOLS AND IN WAYS THE BARBARIANS KEPT DESTROYING THEM AND WE KEPT BUILDING IT OVER AGAIN SO WE COULD TEACH IT. IT WAS CHARLEMAGNE AFTER THE FIRST MAJOR WAVE OF BARBARIANS BETWEEN 375 AND THE YEAR 600. BY THE TIME THEY ACTUALLY RECOVERED FROM TALL OF THAT, CHARLEMAGNE HIMSELF, A FRANKISH BARBARIAN, SAID I WANT EVERYBODY TO LEARN TO READ AND WRITE, BEGINNING WITH ME. BUT THEN THE NORSEMEN AND THE MAGNARS AND THE SARACENS CAME IN, AND THAT ENDED THE PROJECT SO IT TOOK TIME FOR THAT TO BUILD UP. EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO READ, PEOPLE STILL LEARNED THE FAITH AND EVEN LEARNED SCRIPTURE. WHEN YOU GO TO CATHEDRALS LIKE -- ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE GOTHIC CATHEDRAL ARCHITECTURE WAS DESIGNED FOR THE SAKE OF THE WINDOWS. EARLIER CHURCHES OF THE ROMANESQUE STYLE DIDN'T HAVE VERY BIG WINDOWS. THEY HAD SMALL SLITS AND VERY SMALL WINDOWS AND NO STAINED GLASS. WHILE THE GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE ALLOWED FOR BUTTRESSES TO THE WALLS SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE LARGE SECTIONS OF GLASS. WHY? SO THAT THE SON COULD BRIGHTLY ILLUMINATE THE STORIES OF THE BIBLE DEPICTED IN THE STATE BOARD GLASS WINDOWS. THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE FOR. SO THEY EVEN DESIGNED BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE FOR THE SAKE OF TEACHING THE SCRIPTURE. WHEN PEOPLE COULDN'T READ THEY COULD STILL LOOK AT THE SERMONS. I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT KIND OF GOOD ART IN THE CHURCHES BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY IN THE MIDDLE AGES BUT EVEN IN PRESENT DAY, SOMETIMES THE PRIESTS SERMONS ARE BORING. SO GIVE US SOMETHING TO LOOK AT. DON'T TAKE OUT THE STATUTES. ELEVEN THE STATIONS AND MAKE THEM BEAUTIFUL, AT LEAST WE HAVE SOMETHING NICE TO LOOK AT WHEN THE PRIEST IS BORING US TO TEARS. JUST SAYIN'. SPEAKING OF WHICH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU SAW THE FUNERAL FOR BISHOP DAVID FOLEY YESTERDAY. WE BROADCAST THAT. I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPANT. I KNEW BISHOP FOLEY AND LIKED HIM QUITE WELL. I WANTED TO MENTION, AS WE WERE GOING ALONG, AS THE PRIESTS ALL WENT OUT TO GUARD HIS BODY OR WERE IN PROCESSION OF HIS BODY TO HIS FINAL RESTING PLACE AND WE ALL WALKED. AS SOON AS WE ALL GOT OUT THERE, IT JUST POURED RAIN. IT WAS JUST AN OUTBURST. ONCE WE GOT HIM BURIED IT SETTLED DOWN. AND I THOUGHT, HE DID THAT. THIS IS FOR ALL OF THE PRIESTS THAT WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT HIM FOR ALL OF THE YEARS HE WAS BISHOP, THIS IS HIS LAST PRACTICAL JOKE. BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY WHEN THE PRIEST WENT OUT THAT HE GOT THEM ALL WET. >> HE GOT A FEW OF THE BISHOPS, TOO. ALL RIGHT. NOW LET'S GET ON WITH TODAY'S TOPIC, WHICH IS CONTINUING WITH CHAPTER 4 OF MY BOOK "WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN." WE'RE DEALING WITH ANOTHER ISSUE OF SIN, NAMELY THE ROLE OF FREE WILL. PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THIS. AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. I GET THEM ALL THE TIME. AND I WANT TO BEGIN THIS BY A PASSAGE FROM DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 30. THIS IS PART OF MOSES FINAL FAREWELL. THESE ARE HIS LAST WORDS BUT HE WAS LED BY THE LORD TO DO. IN DEUTERONOMY 30 VERSES 2 AND 3, IT SAYS RETURN TO THE LORD YOUR GOD AND YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN OBEY HIM WITH ALL OF THE YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL OF YOUR SOUL, JUST AS I AM COMMANDING YOU TODAY. THEN THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RESTORE YOUR FORTUNES AND HAVE COMPASSION ON YOU, GATHERING YOU AGAIN FROM ALL THE PEOPLES AMONG WHOM THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS SCATTERED YOU ": NOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. FIRST, HE IS -- THE WORD RETURN -- IN HEBREW, SHEUV OR SHEUVO, RETURN -- RETURN TO THE LORD. THIS WORD RETURN IS ALSO THE HEBREW WORD THAT MEANS REPENT OR CONVERT. IT'S THE SAME WORD. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE WORD CONVERT OR REPENT MEANS TO TURN AROUND. AND IN HEBREW, THEY USE THE WORD RETURNED TO COMMUNICATE THAT, RETURN TO THE LORD YOUR GOD. YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EACH GENERATION MUST DECIDE ON THEIR OWN. NO GENERATION CAN SAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO BE SAVED BECAUSE MY PARENTS WERE GOOD CATHOLICS: NO WHEN WEEP WENT THROUGH EZEKIAL 18 WE SHOWED EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE JUDGED FOR THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR. IF YOU DO EVIL BEHAVIOR YOU WILL GO TO HELL FOR YOUR EVIL BEHAVIOR. IF YOU ACT RIGHTEOUSLY, YOU WILL GO TO HEAVEN FOR THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS. SO EACH GENERATION MUST MAKE UP IT'S OWN MIND. AND TO RETURN TO THE LORD AND OWE PAY HIS VOICE IN ALL THAT I COMMAND YOU. SO THAT GOD GIVE US THESE COMMANDMENTS AND THERE'S A CERTAIN TEMPTATION AMONG SOME THEOLOGIANS LIKE JOHN CALVIN TO THINK, WELL, GOD GAVE YOU THE COMMANDMENTS -- I THINK LUTHER TAUGHT THIS, TOO -- SO THAT YOU WOULD THEN KNOW HOW IMPACT IT IS TO OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS. WELL THAT IS KIND OF FRUSTRATING, YOU KNOW? THIS IS JUST A TEST. THIS IS JUST A TEST. NO, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE NATIONAL TESTING FOR AIR RAIDS. THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE THE LORD GOD TELLS US TO DO THIS AND IT'S OUR LAW TO -- BECAUSE HE COMMANDS IT, IT MEANS WE HAVE A FREE WILL THAT CAN RESPOND TO THAT COMMANDMENT. AND THEN THE LORD WILL RESTORE YOUR FORTUNES AND HAVE COMPASSION ON YOU. NOW, I WILL ADMIT AS BEING ONE OF THE -- JUST LIKE OTHER SINNERS I HAVE KNOWN MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I'M ONE OF THEM, THAT IT IS ONE THING TO WANT TO REPENT OF SIN; IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HAVE THE STRENGTH TO ACTUAL IT. WE DO NEED GOD'S GRACIOUS COMPASSION TO IMPROVE OUR MORAL LIVES. BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION TO SAY YES TO THAT CONVERSION. AND SO THAT'S -- SO IF WE DECIDE TO REPENT AND SEEK HIM, HE WILL GIVE US THE GRACE TO HELP US TO DO WHAT IS CORRECT. A SECOND POINT THAT HE MAKES ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT WILL ENTAIL AN INTERIOR CONVERSION -- NOT JUST SOMETHING ON THE OUTSIDE, A POINT THAT THE PROPHETS IMMEDIATELY MAKE. YOU CANNOT JUST TRY TO DO IT FOR SHOW. GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED AS SAINT WALL WROTE TO THE GALATIANS CHAPTER 6. HERE IN DEUTERONOMY VERSE 6, CONTINUING ON WITH THE SAME PASSAGE, IT SAYS, "THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEART AND THE HEART OF YOUR DESCENDANTS SO THAT YOU WILL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AND ALL OF YOUR SOUL IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY LIVE; THEN YOU SHALL AGAIN OBEY THE LORD, OBSERVING ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS THAT I AM COMMANDING YOU TODAY AND THE LORD, YOUR GOD WILL MAKE YOU ABUNDANTLY PROSPEROUS IN ALL OF YOUR UNDERTAKINGS. IN THE FRUIT OF YOUR BODY, THAT IS IN THE CHILDREN, OF THE NOT OF FRUIT OF YOUR LIFE STRONG AND THE FRUIT OF YOUR SOIL. SO THE LORD WILL AGAIN TAKE DELIGHTED IN PROSPERING YOU, JUST AS HE PROSPERING YOUR ANCESTORS WHEN YOU OBEY THE LORD YOUR GOD BY OBEYING HIS COMMANDMENTS AND DECREASE THAT ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK OF THE LAW, BECAUSE YOU TURNED TO THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AND ALL OF YOUR SOUL. NOW, THIS PASSAGE BRINGS OUT SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF TIMES CHRISTIANS HAVE A FALSE POLEMIC IN THAT REGARD TO JEWISH PEOPLE. SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS WILL SAY, WELL, THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS ONLY ABOUT EXTERNAL PART AND NOT THE HEART. THAT'S FALSE. FACT IT'S NOT ONLY IN DUTY RAN ME 30 BUT IT IS REPEAT THE THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY THAT THE LORD CAUSED ISRAEL TO A CONVERSION THERE THEIR HEART. AND LATER ON WHEN CHRIST CALLS US TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH YOUR WHOLE MIND, YOUR WHOLE SOUL, AND YOUR WHOLE HEART, HE WAS QUOTING DEUTERONOMY, CHAPTER 6 VERSE 4. SO. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS -- THAT WE LEARN FROM JUDAISM FROM THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL, TO LOVE THE LORD OUR GOD FROM OUR WHOLE HEART. AND THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A CHANGE IN OUR HEARTS. YOU TALK ABOUT CIRCUMCISING THE HEARTS -- THE IDEA OF THE CIRCUMCISION WAS THAT IT WAS A SIGN OF THE COVENANT THAT WAS EXTERNAL TO THE MEN IT B. BUT THIS CIRCUMCISION IS A DESIGN OF MAKING THE COVENANT IN YOUR HEART. AND THIS COMES UP IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT PUTTING A SEAL, AN INDELIBLE SEAL, IN OUR HEARTS, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMES WITH OUR BAPTISM, OUR SOUL HAS THIS CHARACTER -- THAT'S THE WORD THAT IS USED IN HEBREWS CHAPTER ONE. IT'S A GREEK WORD, CHARACTER. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? A CHARACTER REFERS TO THE IMPRESSION MADE BY A STAMP. YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE A NAME STAMP AND YOU PUT IT INTO BOX AND IT'S BACKWARDS ON THE STAMP BUT IT SHOWS UP FRONT WART, AND I CAME ACROSS SOMEBODY THAT GAVE HIMSELF A TATTOO BY LOOKING AT HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR. AND THE DOPE PUT IT ON BACKWARDS. HE WAS A LITTLE BIT DRUNK WHEN HE GAVE HIMSELF THE TATTOO AND A LOT IGNORANT APPARENTLY, ABOUT HOW MIRRORS WORK. BUT THIS IS AN IMPRESSION IN YOUR MIND SOMETHING SOUL AND HEART. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. THAT'S WHERE SOMETIMES THE DIFFICULTY IN THE CONVERSION IS BECAUSE WE ARE SOMETIMES SO CONCERNED WITH HOW WE APPEAR TO OTHERS WE DON'T WANT A DEEP CONVERSION IN OUR HEARTS. AND THAT IS WHAT THE LORD SEEKS FROM US. THIS IS JUST LIKE THE MESSAGE OF EZEKIEL WHO WAS LEARNING FROM DEUTERONOMY. THE LORD DOES NOT WANT US TO DIE IN SIN. GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO GO TO HELL. HE INFINITELY WANTS US TO GO TO HEAVEN X THAT'S WHETHER, AS IT SAYS HERE, "DELIGHT IN THE PROSPERITY OF HIS PEOPLE." AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT -- THE CONDITION FOR THIS IF PROSPERITY THOUGH IS CONVERSION. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PHYSICAL PROSPERITY. IT'S SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY AS WE UNDERSTAND IT. SO IT WILL TAKE THE WHOLE OF THE HUMAN PERSON, GIVING OURSELVES TO GOD, AND THAT'S THE KIND OF CONVERSION THAT WE NEED TO CHOOSE AND GOD WILL GIVE US THE GRACE TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK AND COME BACK IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES SO PLEASE STAY WITH US. [APPLAUSE] ♪ ♪ [APPLAUSE] >> ALL RIGHT. JUST TO RECAP WHAT WE HAVE STARTED OFF SO FAR, FIRST WE MENTIONED FROM DEUTERONOMY 30 -- THAT'S HOUR PASSAGE TODAY IN THIS PROGRAM. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONVERT. YOU HAVE ENOUGH FREE WILL TO DECIDE TO CONVERT. SECONDLY, THAT CONVERSION NEEDS TO BE INTERIOR. IT'S NOT SOMETHING JUST FOR SHOW BUT IT'S PART OF OUR INTERIOR LIFE. THE THIRD POINT MOSES MAKES IN DEUTERONOMY IS THAT GOD'S COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT TOO DIFFICULT TO OBEY. THAT'S WHY IT SAYS HERE IN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 30, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 11. SURELY THIS COMMANDMENT THAT I'M COMMANDING YOU TODAY IS NOT TOO HARD FOR YOU. NOR IS IT TOO FAR AWAY. IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN THAT YOU SHOULD SAY WHO WILL GO UP TO HEAVEN FOR US AND GET IT FOR US IS SO THAT WE MAY HEAR IT AND OBSERVE IT. NEITHER IS IT BEYOND THE SEA THAT YOU SHOULD SAY WHO WILL CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA FOR US AND GET THE COMMANDMENT FOR US SO THAT WE MAY HEAR IT AND OBSERVE IT. NO, THE WORD IS VERY NEAR TO YOU; IT IS IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART FOR YOU TO OBSERVE. THIS IS ONE. GLORIES OF BEING HUMAN. YOU CAN MEMORIZE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND SPEAK THEM OUT LOUD. BUT ALSO AS THE PASSAGE SAYS YOU CAN HAVE IT IN YOUR HEART. YUKON TEMPLATE THE COMMANDMENT AND REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT JUST SOME OF THE MOST OBVIOUS THINGS THAT THE COMMANDMENTS FORBID. THOU SHALL NOT STEAL DOES NOT REFER ONLY TO TAKING SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY BY BREAKING AND ENTERING. YOU CAN ALSO BEGIN TO MEDITATE ON THAT AND SAY "I OWE MY EMPLOYER AN HONEST DAY'S LABOR." I OWE MY EMPLOYEES AN HONEST WAGE. I OWE SOCIETY THE RIGHTFUL TAXES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR MAINTAINING SOCIETY. IN A DEMOCRACY WE HAVE A LOT MORE SAY. WELL AT LEAST WE TRY TO. AND WE TRY TO ENGAGE IN WHAT WE WANT TO SPEND OUR TAXES ON. BUT WE HAVE SOME SAY IN THAT. BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY THOSE TAXES. BUT THE GOVERNMENT WORKERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO ABUSE THOSE TAXES. BY SPENDING THEM ON FOOLISHNESS. REMEMBER, SOME OF THOSE PICTURES OF PARTIES THAT THE GOVERNMENT WORKERS FROM THE IRS WERE SHOWING? THEY SAID, NO, THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS ARE SO MEAN, WHEN THEY COME FOR OUR TAX MONEY. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON THE PARTIES. THEY'RE NOT ALL LIKE THAT. BUT SOME INTER. SO WE HAVE TO THINK AND MEDITATE ON THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THESE COMMANDMENTS. THOU SHALL NOT KILL, YOU KNOW. IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY KIND OF KILLING. SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT EUTHANIZING ANIMALS. NO, THAT'S A DIFFERENT VOCABULARY. AND THE WORD IN THE COMMANDMENT, AL-TER-SACH MEANS TO KILL SOMEBODY BY STEALTH, REFERRING TO HUMANS. IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY KILLING OF ANIMALS, SAY, FOR SLAUGHTER. IF YOU WANT TO BE A VEGETARIAN YOU MAY BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS. THAT IS ANOTHER WORD ENTIRELY, SEBACH. NOR IS IT ABOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. THAT'S ANOTHER WORD IN HEBREW. OR SOMETIMES THEY CAN USE HURA: YOU COULD USE HURAG, TO KILL IN WAR. RAS AC MEANS MURDER, KILLING BY STEALTH. THAT'S USED IN HEBREW THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE. SO THEN YOU HAVE TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, THESE ARE THE KILLING OF INNOCENT -- REFLECT ON THAT IN MY HEART. AND IN A LOT OF OUR STATES, THE PEOPLE ARE VOTING AND THE GOVERNMENT COMMERCIALS ARE VOTING TO TAKE THE LIVES OF THE ELDERLY. DID I NOT TELL YOU THAT? DID I NOT SAY THAT WAS GOING TO COME? AS SOON AS I HEARD, YOU KNOW, CONGRESS WOMAN, THEN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY PELOSI SAY ON ABC NEWS THAT WE HAVE TO INCLUDE ABORTION AND BIRTH CONTROL IN THE HEALTH CARE PLAN. THINK OF ALL OF THE MONEY WE WOULD SAVE. REMEMBER HER SAYING THAT? TO GEORGE STEPHANOPOLOUS STEPH: AND THEN I SAID ON THE SHOW THEN, I SAID, MARK MY WORDS, IF THEY WANT TO TO KILL YOU TO SAVE YOU MONEY IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE, WHICH IS THE SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE YEAR OF YOUR LIFE ON THE AVERAGE, FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON. IF I SAID ETHICAL WANT TO KILL YOU FOR THAT THEN THEY WILL ALSO TRY TO SAVE MONEY ON THE MOST EXPENSIVE YEAR OF YOUR LIFE WHICH IS USUALLY THE LAST YEAR, THE YEAR YOU DIE. IT'S USUALLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE HOSPITAL CARE THAT GOES ON. AND IS THAT NOT GOING ON? LOOK AT HOW MANY STATES ARE PASSING EUTHANIZE LAWS AND THEY'RE CALLING THAT KIND OF KILLING MERCIES. THAT'S NOT THE MERCY MY JESUS GIVES ME. SO THIS IS SOMETHING TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO AND MEDITATE ON ALL OF THE COMMANDMENTS, HONORING OUR PARENTS, KEEPING HOLY THE SABBATH, NOT TAKING THE LORD'S NAME IN VEIN, NOT BEARING FALSE WITNESS -- ALL OF THESE COMMANDMENTS, NOT COVETING. THESE WE MUST MEDITATE ON. AND WE CAN. THE ANIMALS CANNOT. THEY CAN'T MEDITATE ON IT. WHEN A LION SEES YOU, IT EITHER RUNS BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO DANGEROUS OR IT LUNGES BECAUSE YOU'RE DELICIOUS. IT DOESN'T CONTEMPLATE ANYTHING EXCEPT SUCCESS OR FAILURE. YOU KNOW, HUNGER OR NOT, OR DANGER. WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. FINALLY, 1/4 ISSUE THAT IS INVOLVED IN DEUTERONOMY 30 BEGINNING VERSE 15 IS THAT OF OUR FATE. WHAT IS THE RESULT OR THE FATE THAT IS DUE TO US FOR OUR MORAL DECISIONS? IN DEUTERONOMY 30 VERSE 15 IT SAYS, SEE, I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU THIS DAY LIFE AND GOOD, DEATH AND EVIL. IF YOU OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHICH I COMMAND YOU THIS DAY, BY LOVING THE LORD YOU AGREED, BY WALKING IN HIS WAYS AND BY KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS STATUTES AND ORDINANCES, THEN YOU SHALL LIVE AND MULTIPLE AND THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BLESS YOU IN THE LAND WHICH YOU ARE ENTERING TO TAKE POTION -- POSSESSION OF IT. BUT, IF YOUR HEART TURNS AWAY AND YOU WILL NOT HEAR BUT ARE DRAWN AWAY TO WORSHIP OTHER GODS AND SERVE THEM -- BREAKING THE FIRST COMMANDMENT -- I DECLARE TO YOU THIS DAY THAT YOU SHALL PERISH. YOU SHALL NOT LIVE LONG IN THE LAND THAT YOU'RE GOING OVER INTO JORDAN TO POSSESS. SO THIS IS THE CHOICE: LIFE OR DEATH? AND THE LORD CONTINUES, I CALL HEAVEN AND EARTH TO WITNESS AGAINST YOU THIS DAY THAT I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSE. THEREFORE, CHOOSE LIFE THAT YOU AND YOUR DESCEND ANTIS MAY LIVE. LOVING THE LORD YOUR GUARD, OBEYING HITS VOICE AND CLEAVING TO HIM FOR THAT MEANS LIFE TO YOU WHICH YOU MAY DWELL IN THE LAND WHICH YOUR LORD SWORE TO ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB TO GIVE THEM. THIS IS THE CHOICE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. AND CHRIST TAKES IT BEYOND THIS. HE DOESN'T GIVE A DEEPENED UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE IT'S ALSO ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN OR ETERNAL DEATH IN GAHANA, OR HELL. THIS IS A CHOICE THAT IS AT STAKE. NOW WHAT DOES THE LORD WANT? CHOOSE LIFE. THAT'S IT. HE DOESN'T SAY I'M GOING TO KEEP MY EYE ON YOU? I'M GOING TO GET YOU. I'M GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE TIME YOU'RE COMMITTING A SIN ASK I'M GOING TO SMITE YOU. NO. HE WANTS US TO CHOOSE LIFE. HE DESIRES US TO GO TO HEAVEN MORE THAN WE WANT TO BE THERE. AND FOR OUR SIDE, FOR OUR SIDE OF THE EQUATION, THE CHOICE FOR LIFE MEANS LOVING GOD FROM OUR HEARTS. TRULY BEING DEVOTED TO HIM. OBEYING HIS VOICE. CLINGING TO HIM. THE COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT ONLY ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BUT ALSO THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE. THE COMMANDMENTS -- MOST OF THE COMMANDMENTS REALLY ARE ABOUT HOW WE RELATE TO OTHER PEOPLE. THE FIRST THREE ARE ABOUT GOD. BUT THEN WE HAD HAVE TO DEAL WITH OUR PARENTS. WHY DID THE LORD SAY IF YOU WANT TO LONG LIFE ON THE LAND I'M YOUR FATHER AND -- HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER? WELL YOUR PARENTS ARE THE ONES THAT GIVE YOU LIFE. IF YOU DON'T RESPECT THE SOURCE OF YOUR LIFE, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE DO HAVE A LONG ONE? DOESN'T THAT MAKE SENSE? THERE'S A LOGIC TO ALL OF THESE. SO CHOOSE THESE COMMANDMENTS. THEY ARE CLOSE TO US. AND OBEY THEM. AND ENTER INTO THAT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP SUCH AS EZEKIEL 18 ONE OF HIS HAS FREE WILL. AND NEXT WEEK WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH THIS TOPIC BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THE SAME TRUTH BEING TAUGHT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. WE ALSO HAVE TO -- WE SEE THAT WE HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, FAITH AND REJECTION OF FAITH AND DENIAL. ALL RIGHT. LET ME NOW START OFF WITH SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS. I WANT TO GO TO AN EMAIL FROM BILL. HI FATHER MITCH. I LOVE READING YOUR BOOK "WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN." I'M AGAINST IT OR SOMETIMES I FORGET. THAT WAS MY TITLE. MY PUBLISHERS ARE MUCH NICER THAN I AM SO THEY CAME UP WITH THIS OTHER TITLE. BUT I WANTED TO CALL IT SIN, I'M AGAINST IT BUT SOMETIMES I FORGET IT. I LOVE READING WHEN I'M IN THE ADORATION CHAPEL. I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH SEXUAL SINS SINCE I WAS A TEEN. ONE OF MY STRUGGLES HAD TO DO WITH A PORNOGRAPHY ADDICTION. ALSO MORE COMMON THERE'S MORE PORNOGRAPHY AVAILABLE THAN THERE USED TO BE. WHILE I DON'T DO PORN ANYMORE I STILL REMEMBER WHAT I SAW AND READ AND THAT FUELS MY FANTASIES, SELF ABUSE, ET CETERA. WHAT GOT ME OUT OF THE PORN WAS ATTENDING MASS, THE SACRAMENTS OF THE EUCHARIST, FREQUENT CONFESSION, SPENDING TIME IN THE ADORATION CHAPEL, ET CETERA. WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST I DO TO GO TO THE NEXT LEFT OF CHASTITY? BILL. >> THAT'S VERY INTERESTING, BILL. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUES. BECAUSE THAT IS SO COMMON. AND NOW THERE ARE EVEN WEBSITES THAT ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING PEOPLE STOP THE PORNOGRAPHY ADDICTION AND OTHER SEXUAL ADDICTIONS. AND THEY'RE GANG MORE THAN SOME OF THE PRO PORNOGRAPHY WEBSITES, WHICH IS GOOD. BUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH ATTENDING MASS AND RECEIVING THE SACRAMENTS, ESPECIALLY CONFESSION, ON A REGULAR BASIS. KEEP DOING THAT. A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL FALL BACK INTO THAT SAME SIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE STOPPED SEEKING SOMETHING TO CONFESSION AND EVEN THOUGH SOMEBODY -- ISN'T CONFESSION THE SAME THING? OF COURSE. YOU JUST DID THE SAME THING SO WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT? IN YOU DID IT AGAIN, CONFESS IT AGAIN. THAT'S FINE. BUT YOU ALSO WILL RECEIVE A GRACE TO STRENGTHEN YOU AGAINST DOING IT. A COUPLE OF THINGS I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND. TAKE THE TIME -- YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND FIND THIS ANYWHERE -- AND LOOK AT THE 12 STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS. THAT'S A GOOD THING. AND, INSTEAD OF ALCOHOL, CHANGE IT TO PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUAL ADDICTION. PUT THAT IN AND SAY I'M POWERLESS OVER PORNOGRAPHY. AND USE -- AND GO THROUGH THOSE SAME STEPS. YOU KNOW, POWER OVER PORNOGRAPHY -- AND THEN THE SECOND STEP IS, BUT GOD IS NOT POWERLESS OVER PORNOGRAPHY. AND THIRD STEP, ASK GOD TO HELP. YOU'RE ALREADY DOING THE FIRST STEPS. AND YOU'RE REALLY WORKING ON A FOURTH STEP. SOMETIMES BEAM TO MAKE A MORE THOROUGH INVENTORY OF THEIR LIVES. WHAT WE USUALLY USED TO CALL A GENERAL CONFESSION. THAT CAN BE A BIG HELP. AND ALONG WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THE CONFESSION, YOU DO A THOROUGH EXAMINATION AND THEN A GENERAL CONFESSION. THEN YOU GO THROUGH THE OTHER STEPS OF TRYING TO MAKE AMENDS. WHO WERE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HARMED BY THIS? CAN YOU MAKE AMENDS TO THEM WITHOUT CAUSING THEM OR ANYBODY ELSE HARM? THAT'S THE KIND OF THING -- USE THOSE STEPS. AND BUN OTHER THING THAT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND, I SPECIAL HAVE BEEN HEARING THIS FROM THE MEN UP KNOW WHO ARE PRISON INMATES. THEY FIND THAT PRAYING THE ROSARY WHEN THEY START TO EXPERIENCE TEMPTATION IS A GREAT WAY TO OVERCOME THE TEMPTATION. THEY FIND THAT EXTREMELY -- JUST START PRAYING. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GET UP AND WALK AROUND AND YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SELVES. BUT THEY DO THAT AND ETHICAL SAY THE ROSARY AND WHEN THEY'RE NEAR TEMPTATION, THEY SAY THE ROSARY. AND THEY TALK ABOUT THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. FINALLY HERE IS THE OTHER THING. AND I RECENTLY WAS SPEAKING TO A YOUNG MAN WHO HAS BEEN READING THIS AND DOING WELL WITH ALL OF THAT STUFF. HE ALSO FINDS HIS ABILITY TO DO HIS JOB BETTER, TO STUDY HARDER, AND TO BE MORE PROTECTIVE HAS INCREASED. WHY? BECAUSE HUMAN SEXUALITY IS ORIENTED TOWARDS PRO CREATION. THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF SEX. JUST LIKE THE PURPOSE OF EATING TO HAVE NOURISH YOUR BODY AND STRENGTH BE IT. RIGHT? NOW YOU WANT THE FOOD TO SAFETY GOOD BUT THE PRIMARY ISSUE IS TO NOURISH YOUR BODY. SO ICE CREAM TASTES BETTER THAN BROCCOLI, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION. BUT I HAVE TO EAT MORE BROCCOLI THAN I DO CHRISTMAS AND THE LEFT MY -- AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP THEM LEAN AND NOT TOO FATTY, BECAUSE FAT TASTES GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT ALL THAT GOOD FOR YOU. SO YOU HAVE TO GET A GOOD DIET FOR YOURSELF. BUT WHEN YOU ARE PRO CREATIVE, THERE'S THE JOY AND PLEASURE, BUT, THERE IS ALSO THE SENSE OF THE CREATIVITY. WELL IF YOU'RE NOT MARRIED, YOU CAN REDIRECT THE ENERGY OF THAT CREATIVITY TO YOUR WORLD, YOUR ARTISTRY OR WHATEVER OTHER THINGS YOU'RE DOING REAPED THE THINGS SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S ALSO A BIGGER PURPOSE IN THIS CHASTITY THAT IS ONLY TOWARDS DOING MORE GOOD. GO LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, SAINT JEROME, WHO HAD TERRIBLE TROUBLES WITH ADDICTION TO PORNOGRAPHIC AND LUSTFUL THOUGHTS, SO HE WOULD STUDY HEBREW EVERY TIME HE EXPERIENCED THAT SENSATION. HE BECAME THE GREATEST HEBREW SCHOOLER IN THE 15! CENTURY OF THE CHURCH. THAT'S USING YOUR ENERGY PROPERLY. [LAUGHTER] YOU COULD SOLVE WORLD HUNGER, THE GLOBAL ENERGY CRISIS AND GLOBAL WARMING ALL BY YOURSELF. THINK OF THE POWER IN THOSE DORMITORIES IN COLLEGE CAMPUSES. WE WILL TAKE A BREAK AND COME BACK WITH MORE QUESTIONS. SO PLEASE STAY WITH US. [APPLAUSE] ♪ ♪ [APPLAUSE] >> Father: BEFORE WE GO TO SOME OF OUR LIVE QUESTIONS HERE, REMINDING YOU TO SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR NEXT EWTN FAMILY CELEBRATION. IT IS COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 3RD IN SUNNY JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. JOIN US FOR THIS ONE DAY ONLY EVENT. IT IS A FREE EVENT. GOOD PRICE. IT WILL BE AT THE PRIME OSBORNE CONVENTION TER, ON NOVEMBER 3 IN JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA, FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO EWTN.COM/FAMILYCELEBRATION AND, GOD WILLING, WE WILL SEE YOU THERE. LET'S START OFF WITH A QUESTION FROM OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE. MA'AM ARE YOU FROM? >> FROM VERNON CONNECTICUT. >> GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. >> WE'RE FROM A VERY CATHOLIC AREA AND WE'VE BEEN DRIVING THROUGH THE SOUTH AND THERE ARE SO MANY BAPTIST CHURCHES LARGE AND SMALL AND ALL DIFFERENT NAMES AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THEOLOGY OF SIN AND REDEMPTION BETWEEN BAPTISTS AND CATHOLICS? >> YEAH, WITH -- SEE, ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES IS IT DEPENDS ON BAPTIST YOUR SPEAKING OF. BECAUSE THERE ARE QUITE A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF SECTS. AND THE LARGEST SECT IS THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. THEY'RE -- IN FACT THEY ARE THE NEXT LARGEST DENOMINATION AFTER THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. SO THEY'RE ABOUT -- THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT 1/4 OUR SIZE BUILT IT'S STILL THE NEXT LARGEST DENOMINATION. AND IT DEPENDS ON SOME OF THE BAPTISTS. YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN MISSIONARY BAPTISTS AND FREE WILL BAPTISTS AND A WIDE VARIETY OF OTHERS. THE BAPTIST CHURCH WAS STARTED IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PLACES AND TIMES. ONE WAS A GROUP OF ENGLISHMEN, PURITANS, WHO, UNLIKE THE OTHER PURITANS WHO BAPTIZED INFANTS IN, I THINK, 1605, THEY SAID INFANTS CAN'T MAKE THE DECISION FOR CHRIST SO THEY WOULD WAIT UNTIL ADULTHOOD. NOW, THE PURITANS DID BAPTIZE INFANTS AS THE CHURCH HAD DONE. YOU KNOW, FROM THE BEGINNING. THERE WAS ONE PERIOD WHERE THEY POSTPONED BAPTISM OF BABIES BEGINNING SOMEWHERE IN THE 320S, THE EARLIEST CASE WE KNOW OF IS A CHILD BORN IN 326 A.D. PRIOR TO THAT THEY ALWAYS BAPTIZED THE DAY OF BIRTH OR THE NEXT DAY. BUT BEGINNING IN 326 UNTIL THE 500S, FOR ABOUT A 200-YEAR PERIOD, THEY WOULD BAPTIZE LATER AND THEN WENT BACK TO INFANT BAPTISM. THAT GROUP OF BAPTISTS WAITED. AND THEY GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE PURITANS OF ENGLAND AND HAD TO GO TO HOLLAND. A SECOND GROUP OF BAPTISTS STARTED IN NEW ENGLAND. MATTER NEAR WHERE YOU'RE FROM. WHO STARTED RHODE ISLAND COLONY? DO YOU REMEMBER? >> ROGER -- >> ROGER WILLIAMS. ROGER WILLIAMS. NOT THE SINGER. ROGER WILLIAMS STARTED THAT BECAUSE HE DID NOT ACCEPT THE DOCTRINE OF JOHN CALVIN. FULLY. HE DIDN'T ACCEPT IT FULLY. JOHN CALVIN HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS, THAT YOU'RE SAVED BY GRACE ALONE, BY FAITH ALONE. AND YOUR FREE WILL IS -- LUTHER TAUGHT SOMETHING SIMILAR BUT CALVIN AND THE CALVINISTS TOOK IT MORE RADICALLY AND TAUGHT THAT YOU HAVE SUCH A -- AS A MATTER OF FACT ONE OF THE DOCTRINES IS CALLED TOTAL DEPRAVITY. THAT YOU ARE SO TOTALLY DEPRAVED THAT YOUR WILL CANNOT EVEN MAKE DECISION OF FAITH. THAT WAS CALVIN'S DOCTRINE. AND ROGER WILLIAMS REJECTED THAT, AND THE PURITANS OF MASSACHUSETTS COLONY REJECTED HIM. SO HE GOT A CHARTERS TO START RHODE ISLAND COLONY. AND THEN HE ALSO BELIEVED THAT, SINCE HE STARTED SOMETHING NEW THAT, TO BE REBAPTIZED SO HE BAPTIZED ONE OF HIS FOLLOWERS AND THEN HAD -- OR HAD ONE OF HIS FOLLOWERS BAPTIZE HIM AND THEN HE BAPTIZED HIS FOLLOWER AND THEN THEY BAPTIZED EVERYBODY ELSE. BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY NEVER SURE THAT HIS BAPTISM, THE SECOND OR FIRST ONE, WAS VALID. HE ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING OF A DOUBT ABOUT THAT. BUT HE TAUGHT THAT YOU DID HAVE FREE WILL SOMEWHAT. AND THAT'S BEEN A TENSION AMONG DIFFERENT GROUPS FOLLOWING CALVIN. THERE WAS A DUTCH THEOLOGIAN NAMED ARMENIAN AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED ARMENIANS WHO DO BELIEVE IN FREE WILL THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE. SOMEONE LIKE BILLY GRAHAM WOULD BE OF THAT TYPE BECAUSE HE USED TO TEACH: MAKE A DECISION FOR CHRIST; WHEREAS, I HAVE MET SOME BAPTISTS WHO HAVE SAID TO ME OH, I BELIEVE TO THE 10 PERCENT OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH THAT IS SAVED, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T MAKE A DECISION FOR CHRIST. GOD MAKES YOU TAKE HIS GRACE. OR HE DOESN'T GIVE IT TO YOU AND YOU GO TO HELL. SO THAT'S A REALLY KIND OF CALVINISM THAT STILL EXCEPTS. SO IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE FREE WILL THEN WHAT IS YOUR NEXT PROBLEM IS? WELL HOW DO I KNOW I'M SAVED? AND THAT BECOMES A GREAT DIFFICULTY. THAT'S ANOTHER KIND OF ANXIETY. HUMAN BEINGS CAN HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ANXIETY ABOUT THESE THINGS IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A CALLER. HELLO, RON? >> Caller: YES, FATHER. >> Father: WHERE ARE YOU CALLING FROM. >> Caller: PENNSYLVANIA. >> Father: WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? >> Caller: WELL MY QUESTION IS LAST WEEK A LOT OF OUR READINGS WERE FROM JOHN 6. AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, WHEN OUR LORD SPOKE AND SAID UNLESS YOU EAT MY FLESH AND DRINK MY BLOOD YOU DO NOT HAVE LIFE WITHIN YOU. I WAS WONDERING ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER NON-CATHOLIC RELIGIONS. AND I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. WHEN YOU'RE READING SCRIPTURE WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TRY AND DISTINGUISH WHEN OUR LORD IS SPEAKING LITERALLY OR OTHERWISE? AND I WILL LISTEN TO YOUR RESPONSE. >> Father: YEAH, ONE -- VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. FIRST OF ALL WHEN WE'RE INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO INTERPRET IT IN THE LIGHT OF THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE. YOU DON'T TAKE ONE PASSAGE OUT OF CONTEXT. THAT ALWAYS LEADS TO TROUBLE. AS A MATTER OF FACT THE TROUBLE IT'S LEADS TO IS CALLED HERESY. THE GREEK VERB THAT IS BEHIND THE WORD HERESY MEANS TO CHOOSE AS IN TO PICK AND CHOOSE. AND THAT'S WHAT GETS PEOPLE TO GO ASTRAY. YOU PICK AND CHOOSE SOME PASSAGES INSTEAD OF TAKING A LOOK AT THE WHOLE: A SECOND POINT TO BE MADE. REMEMBER THE LINE IN SECOND THESSALONIAN, CHAPTER 2 VERSE 15, WHERE IT SAYS "HOLD ON TO THE TRADITIONS THAT I LEFT YOU." NOTICE THAT. IT'S "HOLD ON TO THE TRADITIONS THAT I LEFT YOU, WHETHER BY WORD OR BY LETTER." SO WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS, WE ALSO INVOLVE THE TRADITIONS AND THE CHURCH'S INTEREST ADDITION HELPS US TO HAVE A FRAMEWORK THROUGH INTERPRETING THE TEXT. SO THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE AND THE TRADITION AS WELL AT SCRIPTURE. SO IN THIS CASE WE SEE WHERE THE LORD SAYS UNLESS YOU EAT MY FLESH AND DRINK MY BLOOD YOU CANNOT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. LATER AT THE LAST SUPPER WHICH TAKES PLACE AT THE NEXT PASSAGE, REMEMBER, THAT TEACHING ON THE EUCHARIST TAKES PLACE DURING THE SECOND PASSOVER MENTIONED IN JOHN'S GOSPEL. AT THE THIRD PASSOVER OF THE GOSPELS, THE LIFE OF CHRIST, THAT'S WHEN HE INSTITUTES THE EUCHARIST AND SAID THIS IS MY BODY AND THIS IS MY BLOOD. SO HE THEN SAYS TO THIS BREAD THAT IT IS MY BODY AND THIS IS MY BLOOD TO THE WINE, TRANSFORMING IT. HE IS THE WORD THROUGH HIM EVERYTHING CAME INTO BEING. HE HAS A POWER HIS WORD TO ARE RECREATE. SO WE TAKE IT QUITE LITERALLY AS THE CHURCH HAD DONE FOR ALL OF ITS CENTURIES. NOBODY DENIED THE REAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST UNTIL THE 1050S A.T. AND EVEN THAT GUY CAME TO REALIZE THE TRUTH OF IT AND ACCEPTED IT. AND IT'S INTERESTING TOO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION YOU SEE THAT THOSE DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS THAT STARTED OUT ALL STARTED NOT BECAUSE OF JUSTIFICATION BUT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND ANOTHER MEANING OF THE EUCHARIST THAT FIT THE SCRIPTURES, AND THEY KEPT COMING UP WITH NEW THEORIES ABOUT THE EUCHARIST AND THEY KEPT SPLITTING UP TO THE FIRST 300 DENOMINATIONS IN THE FIRST 80 YEARS OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, SO WE TAKE IT LITERALLY. THAT'S FOR SURE. MA'AM I HAVE A QUESTION HERE: WHAT IS IT REALLY QUICKLY BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT. >> WHAT IT IS, MY MIND THINKS THAT IT HEARD A CONTRADICTION. THE FIRST THING THAT YOU SAID EARLY ON QUOTING DEUTERONOMY WAS THAT WE CAN BE SAVED BUT WE CANNOT SAVE OUR RELATIVES. >> OUR CHILDREN. >> OUR CHILDREN CANNOT BE SAVED. >> THEN WE TALK ABOUT SAVING YOUR CHILDREN. >> EXACTLY. >> IN THE LAST FEW SECONDS I HAVE, YOU CANNOT MAKE AN ACT OF FAITH FOR YOUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE REASON AND THEY MAKE AN ACT THE FAITH. BUT YOU CAN PASS ON TO THEM YOUR FAITH AND LET THEM KNOW THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE. AND YOU CAN TEACH THEM AND SHOW THEM THE WAY TO FAITH. AND THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION. AND THAT'S WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE. SO IT'S FAIRLY SIMPLE. BUT ALSO VERY SIMPLE IN THESE LAST FEW SECONDS, MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU AND CAUSE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU, THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. >> AGAIN WE CAN DO THIS PROGRAM AND ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ONLY BECAUSE THIS IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU. SO REMEMBER TO KEEP US IN BETWEEN YOUR GAS BILL, YOUR ELECTRIC BILL, AND YOUR CABLE BILL AND WE WILL PAY OUR BILLS, TOO. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS. [APPLAUSE] ♪
