Latest / The Uncensored Catholic / Show 149: THE TWO COMMANDMENTS OF CHARITY

Transcript

Show 149: THE TWO COMMANDMENTS OF CHARITY · The Uncensored Catholic

1:00
We all welcome to today's show. I hope it is as beautiful where you
1:04
are today as it is here. I mean, like absolutely perfect early June
1:11
weather, absolutely gorgeous blue sky, just you know, wispy clouds, bright
1:19
sunshine, everything green and lush and not terribly hot today. Actually, you
1:26
know, I've been I've been in the central part of North Carolina off the
1:30
mountain, as we say, for a few days now, and it was
1:34
blazing. I mean Sunday was like ninety two to ninety three degrees. Crazy
1:40
hot for June anyway. I mean, yeah, it'll get hotter in North
1:42
Carolina. It gets hot in North Carolina. People always talk about hot Atlanta
1:48
and how hot George is. Let me tell you just about any given summer
1:53
day, pull out the forecast for just say Atlanta, Georgia or Athens.
1:57
That's where I used to live. Oh I miss Hathens so much, I
2:02
really do. I miss Anthens, Georgia. I will always have a place
2:05
in my heart Commerce was I lived at Elian Commerce, I lived in Athens,
2:09
fell in love with Washington, Georgia. But that's not my point.
2:15
You know, you do what you have to for families. Sometimes that means
2:19
leaving places you really love. But pull up the forecast for you know,
2:24
Atlanta, Athens, whatever, and compare it with a Fattville Fatville, North
2:30
Carolina, or Lumberton, North Carolina, or Southern Pines, North Carolina,
2:35
Pinehurst Pinehurst where they're have in the US Open this week, and you'll probably
2:39
be surprised. North Carolina, in central North Carolina, central eastern North Carolina
2:46
is usually hotter than Georgia. I'm not kidding. It's usually remarkably hotter than
2:53
Georgia. Uh. North Carolina is a darned hot state. But today's not
3:00
too bad. I mean the temperature's like eighty four off the mountain and on
3:06
the mountain about seventy. I mean, it's like nothing. I mean,
3:07
it's just it's like spring weather. It's it's beautiful and I'm loving it,
3:14
just absolutely loving it. You know, just get out, walk around in
3:16
the cool grass, go down by the creek. I've got a few things
3:22
coming in the garden. You know, we have a late frost state in
3:25
the mountains. I mean it's May before we get our last frost, so
3:30
I'm still a spring garden. Everybody else in North Carolina is probably in their
3:35
summer garden, but I'm enjoying the spring garden, and I'm gonna have a
3:39
lot to say on the subject later on. I am doing a permaculture project,
3:47
which really may be the most important thing I do in my life.
3:52
I think I have figured out a way that anyone could grow food in basically
3:58
any situation where they get this sunlight. And I mean you could be partial
4:01
shade. I'm not talking like full sun where they even don't have like,
4:06
you know, five square feet of ground to plant something. I'm coming up
4:11
with this all natural, ultra inexpensive. I mean, this would be like
4:16
grow your own vegetable food. You know, you'd have to if you want
4:23
livestock on top of it, you'd have to do that kind of in conjunction.
4:26
And it would actually be I mean, well, yeah, I mean
4:29
it's beneficial. You could. I'm coming up with a system here. You
4:31
could actually use the plants to feed the chickens and use the chicken poop to
4:36
fertilize the graves of one of those things. That's that's permaculture. It's all
4:40
systems, right, but for just the vegetable food. I think I could
4:46
if this works out, and God willing I mean, pray for me.
4:48
I'm praying about it. I've got a system where anyone anywhere, in any
4:55
place that isn't like super cold like the North Pole or the South Pole,
5:00
but even in like ridiculously hot, dry areas, this is totally drought proof.
5:05
You could be in a desert, you could be in an apartment in
5:11
a desert, you could be in a tent, and I mean literally no
5:15
land whatsoever because it's a vertical growing system, basically self watering, totally drought
5:25
tolerant. This is a system I think could give any individual or family basically
5:34
on the face of the earth, in any like temperate region, not like
5:38
like I said, not extremes like their poles or something, the ability to
5:42
grow all the vegetable food they need for themselves or their families for probably an
5:47
investment of less than ten dollars, and that would include like you know,
5:54
shipping and such. I mean, if I can do this, it's a
6:00
project, there's going to be a book, there's going to be a lot,
6:02
But I honestly think I can almost solve world hunger. And if I
6:10
could get an NGO, a charity, something some kind of either government or
6:16
charitable money, behind it, I could probably keep millions of people from starving
6:24
at the cost of about a meal what you would pay for one meal.
6:31
Like when you see these commercials and they say, if you donate this much
6:35
money, we'll send this amount of food such and such a person, it
6:39
would be like, if you donate this amount of money, we'll we'll send
6:44
this plan and everything needed and the seeds and full instructions in their language,
6:51
and they'll eat for life and can pass it on to their children and grandchildren.
6:57
So, I mean, you know, this is actually pretty big.
7:00
I mean, I've been thinking about this and praying about it for years,
7:05
and I'm beginning the growout phase of some of this stuff. Just remember me
7:12
in your prayers, because this could literally be the most important thing I ever
7:15
do, and it could literally, I mean honestly change the world. It
7:25
could change the world. And you know, just I'm not an arrogant person.
7:32
Actually, you know, I don't even own any of my books.
7:36
Honestly, I've written fourteen books. And when someone says, do you have
7:41
a copy, I'm like, no, I don't. I'm sorry, I
7:43
don't. I'll have to order this for you and Amazon will ship it to
7:46
you. I don't have my books because I don't want like a little alter
7:50
to myself on the book shelf. That's kind of how like extreme I go
7:57
in terms of being as humble as I can. And that's not like false
8:01
humility. That's you know, I would be uncomfortable having my books on the
8:07
shelf. So when I say to you, this plan could absolutely revolutionize agriculture
8:16
and food systems for ninety nine percent of the world's population, you know,
8:26
if it works, the ideas of gift from God, that's all I'm going
8:31
to say. It's really like the culmination of so many things, so many
8:37
things. There's no way all these disparate ideas came together in my head.
8:45
If it works, unless it's through divine inspiration, and if it is,
8:50
you know, I'm just I'm just the medium. I mean, God deserves
8:54
all the credit. If it doesn't work, then I'll come on here and
8:58
say, y'all, it just didn't work. But we'll keep trying, we'll
9:01
keep plugging along. But no, I've actually got about three different designs and
9:09
systems, two that would satisfy the same goal. But this one I think
9:13
is the most likely, most practical, most portable, most inexpensive, and
9:22
man, if it works, if it works, it's it's it's going to
9:26
change everything. Yeah, I mean it's going to change everything. So anyone,
9:31
let's get on with the show. We'll start with radios replies, and
9:37
today the anti Catholic questioner asks of the two priests, did they make this
9:45
assertion? You claim, of course that the pope is the supreme head of
9:48
this organized hierarchy meeting the church. Yet it was not yet, was it
9:56
not the Emperor? I guess it's focus pho cs C as focus focus.
10:05
I don't know who first gave the pope the title, and in universal jurisdiction,
10:11
history records this as being as having happened six seven a d. This
10:16
is a very common Protestant charge. It is absolutely false. Okay, you
10:22
can get the early church fathers. Go to Pope Saint Clement of Rome.
10:28
Oh what was that like eighty a d. I mean, he was the
10:31
third pope, and he's the pope. He's identified as the pope. He
10:37
calls it the Catholic Church. And you go after that to like polycarp and
10:43
iron Ais and those that came right after him, and they identify a pope.
10:48
So the only reason way you can make this assertion is to completely close
10:52
your mind and refuse to read any history that isn't Protestant and faults. Therefore,
11:00
by faults, I'm not saying a Protestant can't write something that's true,
11:03
but when it comes to religion, there are no Protestants into the fifteen hundreds,
11:09
and they deny everything that came before them, and so they omit it
11:13
from history. And therefore anything a Protestant writes about Christianity before fifteen hundred is
11:20
either entirely made up, an intentional lie, or an omission, so they
11:31
answer it does not. It records that, at the request of the Pope,
11:35
the Emperor made it illegal for any bishop to usurp the title which has
11:39
always belonged to the Bishop of Rome, to prevent others to take the title
11:43
which has been the rightful possession of one is not to confer the title upon
11:48
that one. And if the Pope did not possess universal jurisdiction until six oh
11:54
seven, how could Saint Clement, the third successor to Saint as Bishop of
12:00
Rome write to the Christians at Corinth, if anyone disobey the words spoken of
12:05
God through us, let them know that they will entangle themselves in transgression,
12:09
transgressions and no small danger, but we shall be clear of this sin.
12:16
Thus the fourth Pope demanded obedience under pain of sin from Christians living abroad.
12:22
And how could Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Leona and gaul And who died in
12:28
the year two o two, say that all churches were subject to and must
12:31
agree with the Church at Rome, because Saint Peter had founded the church there,
12:37
and the bishops of that city were his lawful successors, beginning with Linus
12:43
Ironeus died over four hundred years before the date you give. The Council of
12:46
Ephesus in four thirty one, embracing all bishops and even held in Rome,
12:52
declared no one can doubt. Indeed, it is known to all ages that
12:56
Peter, Prince and head of the Apostole, the Apostles, and foundation of
13:01
the Catholic Church, received the keys of the Kingdom from Christ a redeemer,
13:05
and that to this day and always he lives in his successors exercising judgment.
13:11
This was one hundred and seventy six years earlier than the date you give.
13:18
The person replies, was not the title of universal bishop much sought after by
13:22
bishops of Rome, winning it because he had the largest number of adherents,
13:26
and the answer, of course no, whatever abuses in later times, the
13:31
early saintly popes, nearly all of them martyrs for Christ, were not men
13:37
to seek after office and dignities which they knew to be spurious. That's true.
13:43
All the early popes were brutally murdered for their faith. They was not
13:50
a position you would willingly seek after. Persons says, who gives the pope
13:56
as jurisdiction if he is elected by men and not God? And they answer,
14:00
God ratifies the choice of those who elect him. When Matthias was elected
14:05
as apostle by the other apostles, he was elected by men and not directly
14:09
by God. But God ratify their choice and granted to him his Apostolic Church.
14:18
All right, let's go ahead, and we'll get into Father Spirago's exhaustive
14:24
explanation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church big Alp. Where we left off,
14:28
which was Christian Hope, No, I'm sorry, which was about the
14:33
Ten Commandments, and we get into part two of the Ten Commandments, his
14:37
section on it, the two Commandments of Charity, The most important commandments are
14:43
the two commandments of charity, that is to say, the love of God
14:46
and the love of one's neighbor. For all other commandments are comprised of them.
14:50
I mean, Christ was asked by one of the scribes, which was
14:54
the first of the commandments. He answered, thou shalt love the Lord thy
14:58
God, with thy whole heart, with thy will, with thy whole soul,
15:01
that means, with thy understanding, and with thy whole mind, that
15:05
means with thy affections, and with thy whole strength in all the actions.
15:13
This is all thy actions. I think I kind of stumbled over that one.
15:16
This is the first commandment, and the second is likened to it,
15:20
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, Mark twelve thirty through thirty one.
15:26
These same precepts were given to the Jews and Deuteronomy, and that's during only
15:31
six to five and Leviticus nineteen eighteen. These two commandments contain all the others
15:37
because they influence and direct all the powers of the soul of man, the
15:43
understanding, the affections, the will, and all his actions. Besides,
15:48
Thus, he who fills fulfills these two commandments of charity keeps all the commandments.
15:52
Were they everywhere observed, no other law would be necessary in the state
15:58
or in the family. Hence Christ says on these two commandments depend the whole
16:03
law and the prophets Matthew, twenty two forty. The other commandments do but
16:07
inculcate in detail what the commandments of charity enjoin and to enjoin to make necessary
16:18
to bind two you can kind of get that idea. That is not a
16:22
word we use a lot these days. We should. It's a good word.
16:26
I like using good words. The first four commandments contain our duty to
16:29
God as our supreme ruler. He requires us in the first commandment, worship
16:33
and infidelity in the second respect, in the third, service in the fourth
16:40
respect toward His representatives on earth the other sixth, and enjoin us to to
16:45
our duty to our neighbor forbidding us to injure him as regards to his life
16:49
in the fifth, his purity in the sixth, his property in the seventh,
16:53
his honor in the eighth, and his family in the ninth and tenth
16:56
the precept of our Lord in joining on us performing of works of mercy Matthew
17:02
twenty five thirty one is an amplification of the second commandment of charity, for
17:07
it requires us to help our neighbor in his need. That the last commandments
17:11
of the deck dialogue are a connected whole we gather from our Lord's answer to
17:15
the rich young man in Matthew nineteen eighteen. Saint Paul also classes him together
17:22
in Romans thirteen nine. Protestants often have an issue with the way Catholics enumerate
17:30
the Teen Commandments. Well, we have the tradition of the apostles who actually
17:34
wrote them down to tell us how to do it. So anyway, without
17:40
the love of God and our neighbor, no man can be saved. Saint
17:44
John says he that loveth not abideth in death Fir John three point fourteen.
17:49
Saint Augustine says that as we are required two feet to walk, so we
17:55
must have the love of God and our neighbor if we would reach Heaven and
17:59
in the presence of God. As the bird cannot fly without two wings,
18:03
so we must be borne aloft upon these two pinions if we were to soar
18:07
to heaven. Pinion actually means feather, but also can be used for wing.
18:12
The blessed in heaven love God and one another. We must do the
18:18
same here on earth if we are to join their blissful company. What is
18:22
man, oh God, as Saint Augustine, that thou dost command him to
18:26
love thee and threaten him with terrible chastisements if he fail to do so.
18:32
The capacity for loving God and our neighbor is bestowed upon us simultaneously with sanctifying
18:37
grace of ourselves. We are incapable of loving God above all things, ever
18:42
since the light of original sin fell upon us. It is with our heart
18:48
as with the date palm, which transplanted into a colder climate, does indeed
18:52
bear fruit, but cannot reproduce the ripe and delicious states of the land where
18:56
it is indigenous, And that's a shame. Love dates, my gosh,
19:02
if I could grow, Yeah, if I could go just like two things,
19:06
it would be dates and citrus, both of which are pretty much impossible
19:10
in the mountains of North Carolina. So are pomegrants. A love pomegrants too,
19:15
and figs also have trouble. But here or there is it. So
19:19
our hearts would feign love God, but the power is lacking to them.
19:25
They can only attain the true charity when informed by divine grace to will is
19:30
present with me. But how to accomplish that which is good I know not.
19:34
That's from Romans seven eighteen. Not until the Holy Spirit takes possession of
19:41
us by baptism or penance is the love of God shed abroad in our heart.
19:47
The love of neighbor is implanted within us. At the same time it's
19:51
the love of God. They are but one. The only difference is the
19:53
object towards which they are directed. The love of God and our neighbor must
19:59
be compared to two dreams issuing from one In the self same source, Saint
20:03
Augustine says that Christ gave the Holy Spirit to the apostles twice when he brethed
20:08
upon them and on the day of Pentecost. That's an interesting point. I
20:11
hadn't thought about that, because with the Holy Spirit, a twofold charity is
20:15
imparted to us. The love of God is inseparably united to the love of
20:21
our neighbor. As the plant is contained within the seed, so the love
20:25
of our neighbor is comprised in the love of God. The two precepts are
20:30
so constituted that one cannot be that one cannot be observed without the other.
20:36
This is why the Holy Scripture speaks of one commandment of charity. If any
20:41
man say I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar.
20:44
First John four twenty. Our love of neighbor is therefore the best test of
20:49
our love of God. He who cherishes ill will towards his fellow, man
20:53
who hates him, envies him, injures him in any way, or who
20:57
grudges alms to the needy it's destitute. Have the love of God, the
21:02
greater our love of God, the greater will be our love of neighbor.
21:07
All right, we'll go ahead and wrap this one up there. Wow,
21:14
it's a hard commandment, isn't it. And when the apostles asked Jesus,
21:19
how many times must you forgive your brother? He essentially gave the number of
21:27
being infinite seventy times seventy or something like that. Right, absolutely impossible for
21:34
man to do alone. How hard is it for us simply to love and
21:42
serve everyone as we should? How much harder is it for us to forgive
21:47
people who have actually hurt us and then love and served them as we should?
21:53
Cannot do it without the Holy Spirit. Impossible. Yeah, And that's
22:03
that's so true, especially within our families. I mean, we think,
22:07
you know, you do anything for family, right, But it's also true
22:11
that no one can hurt you as badly as a family member, somebody you
22:15
love, someone who's supposed to love you and and look out for your best
22:19
interests or be charitable toward you, or forgive you or treat you affectionately and
22:26
not cruelly. And when a family member physically or emotionally hurts you, boy,
22:37
that's that's a hard one, isn't it. And that's that's really a
22:41
hard one. Father's Day is coming up. It's yeah, my dad,
22:56
it's not a great guy. I don't think he ever actually had any true
23:02
love or affection for me whatsoever, and I'm not sure he ever has for
23:07
anyone on the face of the earth other than himself. Haven't spoken to him
23:12
in good twenty years since he disowned me when I became Catholic. Before then,
23:21
he really had nothing to do with me for the twenty years preceding that.
23:26
I mean, he you know, not only like disappeared from my life
23:30
at the age of five, but he really wasn't in it before then.
23:37
Takes a lot. Takes a lot to forgive the best I can do.
23:44
Father's Day is hard, my gosh, it's a hard day. It is.
23:51
It's a day that not to experience anger and hurt literally takes every ounce
24:00
of will and a lot of prayer. And I don't think it's ever going
24:06
to change. I really don't. Maybe someday, if I can be a
24:10
father myself, you know, and I have a relationship with children, my
24:15
children, maybe, but it's a darn hard day for a single guy that
24:23
really doesn't have a lot of family to forgive. To love our neighbor,
24:30
that's a really hard command. I mean, it's it's really easy to say,
24:36
love God with all your heart and you can well, God's out there
24:38
somewhere, and I mean he provides, He's been benevolent, and you know,
24:42
everything we look to. To actually love your neighbor the way God commands,
24:52
Man, that's hard, and the closer you are to them, the
24:57
harder it is. So y'all, yeah, you know, in the words
25:03
of Saint Padre Pia, pray, hope and don't worry, and I'll talk
25:10
to you next time. M hm.