Latest / The Uncensored Catholic / Show 56: Unless a seed dies... understanding Christian suffering
Transcript
- Hey, y'all, welcome to today's show. You know, about once a week I write the Gospel Reflection for the Mizzio Day Subject newsletter, and that day happens to be today, So I'm wanting to kind of go over my well, my reflection on the Gospel of the day. And it's a particularly interesting passage of the Bible. And I always love the way the mass readings are organized because they give you know, the Church says that the Old Testament for shadows the New, and the New explains the old or brings it to fulfillment. Well, the Old Testament New Testament passages always enlighten each other, explain each other. It's a wonder really is wonderful the way things are laid out. And before then, of course, we're going to get to the question and answers from radio replies the classic book from the thirties, and we're talking about the nature of the soul and morality. Well, the question actually what would say posits or states this time right is right and wrong is wrong, whether we are immortal or immortal, saying essentially that whether there's a soul or not, whether it's heaven or hell, right is right objectively and wrong is wrong objectively to AD's sort of the opposite of the argument we get from modernist in our time, Let's say there is no right or wrong. So let's see, well they answer this, They say, the priest's answered that is true. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. But the difficulty is to make people do right because it is right and to avoid wrong because it is wrong. We have to be trained to right conduct from childhood, and that very training demands commendation or punishment. Spare the rod and spoil the child is a truism. We must take a sound psychological view of man's nature and realize that right because it is right does not always appeal as the best thing to be done. In practice. The advantage to be gained from evil conduct often seems better to many men. I think that's well, that's actually pretty self explanatory, isn't it. If you don't teach a child right and wrong, the child will not have a sound concept of right and wrong, And that is probably the root of what's wrong with our culture these days, when more children are born to illegitimate homes where their parents were never married, single mothers, or are from broken homes, divorced the mother's working a lot. The children are raised by the state the father's absent or vice versa. Maybe the children are raised by the father and the mother's absent. That does happen, but of course welfare incentivizes illegitimacy, and more children are born without two parents now that are born with two parents, and so they're raised by the state. They're raised by the public education system and Headstart and the government, and they're not being taught morality, and by the time they're hitting their teenage years, they don't know what gender they are. They're aredicative drugs, are on psychological medication. We have school shootings, we have violence, we have bom and Antifa, we have ignorance and hatred, and we're devolving into a pre Christian essentially pagan society, except that Pagans at least had a religious system, a religious belief system, and a moral code. Our society teach there is no morality. It's less, you know, just do what you're told, do what the state tells you to do. If the state tells you wear a mask, wear a mask. If the state tells you get vaccinated, get vaccinated. If the state tells you that it's wrong to say a man's a man and a woman a woman abide by it, and anyone who follows Christianity is obviously in the wrong. Well, if we don't start getting some intact families and some strong families, and some parents who will teach their kids right and wrong and stay together barring abuse and horrible situations, and work things out, provide a good example to their children, and take them to church, get them catechized and confirmed baptized, are confirmed to the Catholic Church. There really is no hope for America. Things. You're just going to get worse and worse and worse every single year because we are literally unraveling the fabric of Western society of christiandom as established over the last two thousand years by the Catholic Church. You wonder why our churches are empty. You wonder whether the shootings every night every day. I mean, Charlotte, North Carolina, Rocky Mount Greenful pretty much just as bad as Chicago, Illinois, just on a smaller scale. You take it per capita, I mean, life is cheap. If people aren't overdosing on fentnyl, they're getting shot, or they're having their bits cut off or they're being pimped out. You know, it's not good. We're in a degrading, immoral inhuman society, and unless we turn things around pretty soon, there's not gonna be anything left. It's going to be gone. Any person goes on to say, our code of morality must be founded upon only the only life of which we have any knowledge, this one, well, of course they disagree to that this life is not the only one with which we have knowledge. We can have knowledge in two ways, experimental knowledge experimental knowledge, or knowledge based upon reason and authority. I have experimental knowledge of America where I have been in America, but I have no experimental knowledge of Africa. Yet you cannot say that I have no knowledge whatever of Africa. I certainly know that he exists. Now we have experimental knowledge of this earthly life. But we know, by principle of reason and by the authority of God, that we shall continue to exist when this earthly life shall I have come to an end. We cannot expect to have experimental knowledge now of a state which is essentially future. The code of morality, moreover, should regulate your personal character throughout your whole of existence, building up a moral perfection as a permanent attribute of your characters as long as it shall exist. If your code is as extensive as your complete life, it cannot be limited to this brief section of it. You know he used word experimental. I would have say experiential. Same thing he's saying. You don't have to actually experience it to know it's true. Well, obviously I've never been to Africa either. I know Africa exists. I've met people from Africa, had a very good friend from Africa, actually a couple of really good priests from Africa. But the person goes on your argument for justice weakens morality. If there were to be no rectification of things in the next life, all the more reason for men to remedy justice in this world. They answer, This might seem to you a reason why it would be better if there were no future life and reparation of justice. But we know that there is such a future life, and a priori possibilities cannot avail against fact. Also, it is a fact that men who give up their belief in future life are not consumed with passion for the rectifying of injustice in this world, Boy Hotty, is that true? On the contrary, those who live live evil lives. Those who leave evil lives have every reason to persuade themselves there's no future life. There are honorable exceptions of naturally good men who have not had all the data necessary for the formulation of a right judgment, or who have not adverted to the forces of reason for a morality, but they are for you. Men do not have to persuade themselves that there is a future life, but try to persuade themselves that there is no future life, just as the Christian scientist has to persuade him or herself that pain and suffering do not exist. Yes, those who do not believe that there is heaven and hell are indeed far more likely to commit very evil acts. And of course it depends on what's nature. I knew friend of mine I mentured for Jewish girl who came to Christianity or her parents were atheistic communists. They actually did quite a bit for charity. They were very good people. They did not believe in an afterlife. They believed in trying to make heaven here on earth through politics. Well, that will ultimately lead in failure, as we've seen through two hundred million people killed by communists and associate governments over the past one hundred years. But you know, they had a Jewish moral foundation, even though they no longer followed the religion. They believe very strongly in charity. They believe very strongly in the morality as taught by Moses to the Jewish people, even though they had become secular. For her, that wasn't enough. She believed in heaven and Hell, and she would become a Christian. But it is interesting that he mentions the Christian scientists who denies pain and suffering. I've known Christian scientists also very good people. They believe that a positive attitude is all that's necessary in life. And if you get sick, you just deny you're sick, and you you go on. And you know what I mean. Has been a friend of mine, a very nice lady, and you know, her husband died of a pretty bad disease, and eventually they went to doctors and sought help, and he still died. He couldn't deny the reality of his degenerative disease and make it go away, and eventually they had to face that reality. But she still has a cheerful disposition. I'll give I'll give the Christian scientist credit for that. They believe in smiling all the time and being pleasant to everyone. And you know, okay, maybe that works for some, maybe it doesn't work for others. I've known several people who have well, they may have been in abusive situations, they may have been dealing with death or a sickness, they may have been grieving, they may have been going through all manner of situations. And this is not just a Christian scientist thing. This is very true, especially among certain Protestant groups, who say a Christians should be joyful and happy all the time. This was I saw this a lot when I went to a certain Southern Baptist university. One of the one of the faculty members a doctorate like ahead of a program. Wife and daughter, I think daughters, if I remember correctly. I don't. I can't remember all the details. Were killed, I think in a car accident, and well, he fell apart. I mean, he was grieving, and you know, they said to him, you have so many weeks off for bereavement and then you have to come back to work. And he did and he was not allowed to grieve anymore. They told him. You know, Christians are full of joy and you have to be happy essentially all the time. And I mean, I don't know what eventually became with that man. I know he's having a very very difficult time, and that was, of course very unfair. You continue down that road, you're gonna have a breakdown. You're gonna break Remember, even Jesus wept. Jesus wept when Lazarus died. Jesus human nature felt grief and sadness and loss, even though he knew Lazarus would live for eternity and he could resurrect him at any minute. Our role in this world is to embrace suffering. That's what Jesus said, not to deny it and act like everything's fine, because we're all, you know, good happy little Christians and nothing ever upsets us. Yeah, we're gonna get angry, and if it's righteous anger, like when Jesus drove the money changers of the temples, that's very important that we embrace and do our duty at that time. Other times it's inappropriate to be angry. But when you when you experience grief and loss and pain, it's very important for your mind and your soul to allow yourself to grieve, to experience those emotions. If you don't, you can cause mental and health problems. And you're also not being honest, and you're not giving God a chance to help you. You know, you have to fall down and ask for God to pick you up. If you refuse to acknowledge those emotions, well you're basically saying I don't need God. I'm good enough, I can continue walking. And that's not true. That's not true at all. That's a trick. You're tricking yourself. That's not going anywhere. Good. Remember, be human, be fully human. Jesus was, Jesus is, Jesus is fully God and fully man. All right, So today's gospel, Jesus said to his disciples, Amen, Amen, I say, I say to you. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will serve it for the eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me. And where I am there also will my servant be the father. The Father will honor whoever serves me. You know, being a gardener and having grown up on a farm. I always love these passages. You know why. When Jesus puts things in terms of tangible natural elements, I think I can grasp him far better than just about anything else. The Gospel today speaks of wheat and the nature of seas, and it's very much paralleled. I guess you would say. In the first reading, which comes from the Old Testament, brothers and sisters, whoever so sparingly will also reap sparingly. Whoever so is bountifully, you will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written, he scatters abroad. He gives to the poor his righteousness and jurors forever. The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. While both passages discuss farming, their meaning is spiritual. The seed in these readings is charity and the work of Christians. We are called to care for the poor and share the gospel. To do so, we most die to self somewhat human nature is to hoard our goods for ourselves and our families. To share with others is to sacrifice, especially if our resources are limited. To share a faith is often also very difficult. It can be very uncomfortable to speak of such things and share honestly with others. Some will receive the message, others will reject us. Some will either hate, and will even hate and persecute us. But you know, there's an old saying that the farmer ministers to a man's stomach, just as the priests ministers to his soul. Each is necessary without the farmer, fear Without the farmer, few would have food to eat. You know, you could have a little garden in the backyard. But you know, without the farmer, people on a mass scale would have no food. Nor could the bread and wine be provided in the Eucharist. Without the priests, we have no acriments, and, as Jesus said, no life in us. God, knowing our needs, provides for both the physical and the spiritual. He promises that if we will follow his command, he will provide abundantly. You know, most of us are neither farmers nor priests. I'm certainly not either right now. I wouldn't mind having another farm one day, But right now, you know, I produce enough for my needs. But regardless, we each have our own vocations reach call to use our lives and work in the service of the Lord. In our family lives, our work, our friendships, and our parish, we have abundant opportunity to serve. Sometimes our service may be simply a kind word, holding the door open, a smile, or listening to someone with genuine interest when they need to talk to you. That's listening is a great active service. When God blesses us financially, he is to give monetarily. When he doesn't, though he doesn't ask that we place ourselves in financial hardship. This is something a lot of people get really wrong. In fact, a lot of Protestant ministers urged their congregations to give out of your need as they say. They say, if you do that, you'll receive more blessings. You know, sometimes that's true. Sometimes God does bless a person for their willing sacrifice and hardship. I remember when I worked at a Methodist church in Georgia. The minister who was probably close to four hundred pounds, well, he was probably about three fifty. His wife was about four hundred pounds. They had five sons, all of whom were at least over two fifty, and he didn't want to do much more than eat and play golf and smoke expensive cigars. He was probably one of the most lazy men I've ever met. And the only reason they adopted those five kids, in my opinion, this is I was told, was because they got government money for each one they adopted, and it made them made it real easy for them to kind of pour mouth to the congregation asking for more money. And the minister actually would run messages in the church bulletin telling people it was their duty to support the minister and his family and give out of your need. Well, and of course he drove a Cadillac, and he spent a lot of time playing golf and going on expensive hunting trips and and fishing trips, and passing off his duties to the other members like the associate pastor and the youth minister, all of whom were almost at starvation level poverty. I mean, it was really difficult for us to work in the church, even scraped by and the minister and his five children and his remarkably o beast wife. We're doing quite well, quite well now. And of course not all ministers are like that. I don't mean to cast dispersions, but I certainly learned that one can definitely profit through the word of God if one is not. There's a reason. Let's say, there's a reason why priests and the Catholic Church take avoid poverty. Think about it, and there are many in our church hierarchy who do seem to be living kind of high off the hog, and maybe they ought to be taken down a peg. Let's say that. Yeah, I don't have any problems saying that. I remember talking with a priest one time, and he said, Catholic Church has plenty of money. The Catholic Church has more money than it needs. You don't have to feel bad because you can't give to every cause, and and and that. On that note, a different priest to actually explain to me that it's not always good advice to tell someone to give out of their need. Obviously, he explained, a married man has a responsibility to provide for his wife and children first, and so what a single mother. Of course, an unmarried man or woman may have a financial responsibility for an elderly parent. In terms of modern finances, he explained, one's first duty is to pay his bills because the money he owes is not his. To tithe. You cannot tithe with someone else's money. We're not called to rob Peter to pay Paul, you know, to as the Bible says. After the bills are paid and one's basic needs are met, food, heat, clothing, shelter, medical expenses, fuel, gas for your vehicle, and even as a bit saved for the future. Is Ecclesias as Ecclesie asked, he's teaches us, you know, the Book of Ecclesiasts. He says that we should work hard and save for the future because we don't know what's going to come, and it's presumption to assume that we won't have to do that. It's laziness. As well. After that, we may tie that of our abundance. God promises to provide our daily bread, and he wants to give us abundance beyond our needs. The more we use our abundance for his service, the more he will give us. But again, only if that's best. Those who fully dedicate themselves to God, obviously, priests, religious monks, and nouns a whole bit, cannot expect life of abundance, disease and ease. Specifically, they take vows of poverty. And Jesus promised a life of suffering and hardship, but the lady must also expect to suffer. Jesus did not promise an easy life for the Christian, quite the opposite. Even when he enables us to earn a comfortable living, those he loves, he will also allow suffer in this life so as to attain abundant joy in the next life. Oftentimes, living within modest means may be a blessing for a man who may be tipped to misuse his money. If he had a surplus. Hunter Biden, for instance, probably could have been a lot less cocaine purchase in this country had he not been flushed with millions of dollars. Let's put it that way. Physical or social limitations may be a blessing for one who might misuse his body. I mean, a lot of people have very strong sexual desires and sometimes are not given to placed in social situations where they can misuse, or maybe maybe very physically beautiful, very physically attractive, and it's actually a blessing that they're not, you know, supermodels, because there'd be many, many, many opportunities of temptation, you know, and of course I mean human desire says, I mean concupiscence would of course lead a person in that direction. And you know, God does spare many people from committing sin by not allowing them to be in that situation. And oftentimes it means loneliness, that means frustration, and you know, even beyond that, alienation, ridicule, unfair treatment. Those are some of the hardest things we have to suffer in life. But they also do a long way toward tempering our pride. A person who tends to pride having to face such situations, that's actually a blessing, you know, not not one one enjoys, but you know, but these are just a couple of examples. Most of and of course most of our painful circumstances or not God's doing at all. They're brought on either by our own actions or those of others, either by our own mistakes or being mistreated by others, in which case you know, they'll pay for it eventually. Either way, we just have to suffer patiently and prayerfully. I mean, God has countless ways of humbling us, and none of them are pleasant. They all really are quite unpleasant. I mean Jesus says that he will refine us like you know, metals, like precious gold, you know, burning off the dross. I mean, he does promise us that if we love God and God loves us, we're not going to have an easy go of it. That's a big problem with the Protestant prosperity doctrine. And God wants you to be happy, and God wants you to be rich, not actually what Jesus said. You know, if God gives you riches, you're to use those riches in the right way. If God gives you happiness, you know, you should be incredibly grateful. But He's going to give you a lot of pain too, you know. Take up your cross and follow me. That's what Jesus says. Those whose who well what I just read it? What did he say? He said, whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world or preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me. And where I am there also, will my servant be the father, will honor whoever serves me. Yeah, Jesus wants some places that be pretty hard to go cross preaching to the souls in hell and purgatory. He suffered a lot of dishonor and insults and pain in this world. Ah. You know, anyway you look at it, there's gonna be a lot of bad that comes into our life, whether it's God helping us through humbling us, or it's just because of our own stupidity, or it's because someone else. There are their cruelty, you know, an abusive parent, an abusive spouse, a boss that mistreats you, someone who robs you, you know, beats you, rapes you. I mean, come on, it's going to happen bad. There are bad people in this world. And you've got two options. You can either rail at God with resentment and hurt and anger, or except that He works all things for our good and we'll provide for the needs of those who rely on him. The first option is natural. I mean, it's it's their first response, and it's the first response of every single human being on this earth. Say, probably blessed Virgin Mary Saint on the Baptists and Jesus himself. But for us, for us normal people, Yeah, we're going to get mad. And when we're when we're praying to God to help us, and he allows bad things to happen to us, it's really easy to get mad at God, very easy, especially as he's not going to fight back. But that's not could do any good. I mean, it's it. There's well, a lot of bad can come from it, nothing good can come from it. And if we accept that He works all things together for our good and provides for the needs of those who rely on him, that promises eternal reward. The you know, just like the grain or seed of wheat, we must be buried and it's out. Well, we're just like the grain or the seed of wheat. It must be buried and its outer show breaks down. It's water inners it to germinate. If the seat never dies in this way, I mean, you know, that's it's an allegory. If the seed never breaks down in this way, suffers this decomposition of its outer shell, it can produce no life. It will never become a plant, It will never grow and produce fruit. Our Lord suffered and was buried so that he could rise again and give us new life. If we're to have that life abundantly, we must be willing to die to this world, to self, to ego and say not my will but thine. And it's not easy. I don't think it's ever been easy for anybody. It wasn't even easy for Jesus. I mean, remember the agony in the garden, sweating blood. But what do he say? Not my will but thine. And in the end we don't really have much of a choice. I mean we can, we can get all upset, and we can, you know, worry and fret and get angry with God and ask why, Well, it's not going to accomplish a single thing. It's only going to do as harm. At some point we have to have the maturity and just say, you know, I don't understand this. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. I'm not going to start liking it. I'm not going to act like it's okay. But you know, God, I rely on you, your will's best. You said you'd work all things together for my good, and I'm going to have faith that, no matter what's happening in my life, right now, it's going to work out. Faith is belief in things unseen, things we can't understand, things we cannot comprehend, and grasp and touch with our hands. And that faith in suffering is something we're all going to struggle with for the rest of our lives, and God willing we endure it to the end, because not going to get any easier. That one thing, I can promise you. It's not going to get any easier in this life. But I always in the show. In the words of Saint Padre Pio, I know some say Pio. You know, I don't know. I never heard him speak his own name. I'm going with Pio. That's the way I first heard it from an Italian, and that's the way I'm gonna keep saying it. But if I'm wrong anyway, it doesn't really matter. In the words of Saint Padre Pio, pray, hope, and don't worry. Remember we know how the story ends. And y'all have a great weekend. I'll God willing, as Hank Williams you say, if the Good Lord willing and and the creek don't rise, I'll talk with you next week on Monday. And I'm looking forward to it, see you then