Latest / The Uncensored Catholic / Show 177: Works of Mercy, part 1

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Show 177: Works of Mercy, part 1 · The Uncensored Catholic

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Speaker 1: A Hey, y'all, welcome to today's show. Today we will
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begin to discuss the works of mercy. This is wrapping
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up our section on the Ten Commandments, and it's going
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to take two or three days actually to get through
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this sub chapter, which is incredibly important and it's something
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that's very much part of Catholic teaching, although not taught
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quite as much as it should be anymore, and really
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foreign to Protestants. And when you get into debates with Protestants,
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they're going to say, but the Bible says you're saved
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by faith and not by works. Well, first of all,
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you actually need to show them where Martin Luther changed
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it to faith alone, because Jesus actually said and by works,
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And they'll where Martin Luther bragged about it and said
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he did it on his own authority, because he was
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the highest authority in the universe essentially. But then you
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can instruct them if you understand traditional Catholic teaching on
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works of mercy, and they'll have a much better understanding
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not only of Catholic belief, but hopefully of their own
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faith and belief and doctrine and be brought just a
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little bit closer to the Catholic Church. But first of all,
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we'll begin with a question and answer from radio replies.
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And the two priests are being questioned by a communist,
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just picking up where we left off yesterday. The communist says,
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Jesus had nowhere to lay his head. Yet the Pope
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lives in a great palace, owns immense wealth, and enjoys
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luxury and ease. They answer, the Pope lives in the Vatican,
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without for a moment pretending to own it, For it
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is simply the headquarters of the largest single institution on earth,
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containing its central offices and administration of that church which
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Christ said would grow from a mustard seed into a
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great tree. Such buildings as the Vatican are built to
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last for generations, and and then the Pope must live
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a simple and christ like life. It is absurd to
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say that pope owns fabulous wealth. You might as well
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credit all the assets of the Bank of England to
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the manager of that bank. Nor does the Pope live
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on the fat of the land and join luxury and ease.
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He keeps a frugal table, has few amusements, gives from
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twelve to sixteen hours a day to work hard worrying
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with a great deal of resp responsibility, and is scarcely
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known the meaning of the word ease. The pope must
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be able to meet kings on their own level, and
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the faithful insist on providing him with quarters befitting his
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position and dignity. But these externals give no indication concerning
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the spiritual life of the pope personally, and the communist continues,
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palaces are not necessary to enable popes to meet with
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kings on their own level. All men are equal, and
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they answer. All men are equal insofar as each is
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a human soul before God and must meet the same judge.
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And God will not be more lenient with the pope
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than he will be with simple laymen. But all men
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are not equal in other ways. Christ certainly gave the
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apostles a higher office than simple Christians possess, and their
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successors were to rule the faithful. Preference on this earth
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follows one's office, But the office does not necessarily make
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a man any better as a Christian. He may or
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may not be better, and he will answer for his
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life just as anyone else. And the person says, the
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bishops of the Catholic Church have never produced an atom
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yet code globe trotting whilst other people starve. And they answer,
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not all production is measured in bodily comforts. This is
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an intellectual world and a spiritual world. If you know
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nothing of these, at least suspend your judgment and do
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not interpret all things in terms of food and clothing.
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Not by bread alone does man live. Meanwhile, meanwhile, you
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will let Catholics estimate the usefulness of their bishops to them,
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and not judged by your own personal lack of benefits,
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which you will not let them confer upon you. The
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bishops of the Catholic Church have to visit Rome at
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state at intervals, for the administration of the Church must
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be carried on the poor. We shall always have with us,
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whether the bishops visit Rome or not. Church expends so
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much upon the poor as the Catholic Church, with her charities,
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institutions in every diocese, and benevolent societies in every parish.
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And we'll wrap it up here. The person says ought
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not priests to follow as closely as possible to the
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teachings of Jesus Christ, and the answer we must note
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carefully the force of the teachings given Christ taught some
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things as being absolutely necessary, others he recommended without obliging
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his followers to adopt them. Every priest is obliged to
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avoid all deliberate sins and to fulfill all that Christ
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declared to be necessary. The Church also obliges every priest
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or renounce marriage in order that he may give undivided
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attention to the service of Christ and the salvation of souls.
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But whilst it is good if he does so, there
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is no obligation that every priest adopt absolute poverty as
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to those who are into religious orders. If a priest
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avoids the sin of avarice and does good with such
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possessions as he lawfully obtains, he is fulfilling the necessary
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teachings of Christ. All right, now, we will get on
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to the works of mercy, and hopefully I'll get to
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do a podcast tomorrow and we'll pick back up with
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the Angry Little Communists tomorrow. So under the Works of mercy.
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In Fallow Spirago's exhaustive Catechism of the Catholic Church, he
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begins with the value of earthly goods and the use
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to be made of them. Earthly riches do not of
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themselves make us better in God's sight, it is not
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the possession, but the good use of earthly goods which
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makes us truly rich in his moral qualities, in virtue,
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and not his wealth, that a man's real dignity and
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greatness consists. Let not the rich man arrogate anything to
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himself because of the abundance of the goods he possesses.
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The Grave teaches us the worthlessness of earth's treasures, for
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we can carry nothing with us out of this world.
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For Timothy sixty seven, when Crozius, the rich king, showed
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all his treasures to the sage, so on asked if
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he did not consider him a happy man of the
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sage replied, no, man is to be pronounced happy before
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his death. Croesus, I guess Crisus. Oh, that's the old
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smelling of Creesus. Okay, yeah, you've heard the saying riches Crisus, Well,
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he was a rich king. Criesus was displeased by the answer,
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but when defeated and a prisoner, he stood before the
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funeral pyre and acknowledged the truth of these words. Let
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us not therefore strive eagerly after acquiring riches on earth,
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but obayy injunctions of the Lord lay not up to
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yourself treasures on earth, where rust and moth consume, and
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where thieves break through and steel Matthew six point nineteen.
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How admirable was Solomon's prayer? Give me neither beggary nor riches,
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Give me owing the necessities of life. It's improverb. Saint
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Paul says, having food and wherewith to be covered with these,
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we are content for the timnessee six ' eight. Remember,
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Christ teaches us to ask day by day for our
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daily bread. Earthly goods have their value, however, because with
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them we can earn eternal felicity. On the one hand,
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earthly riches contribute to our temporal welfare. They will leave
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us of many cares and anxieties, may render our life
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pleasant and give us a certain ascendancy. Of our fellow men.
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The man of wealth is a small potentate. There are
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also they are also a means of salvation. This may
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be inferred from the words of our Lord. This may
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be inferred from the words our Lord will address on
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those on his right hand at the day of judgment.
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Matthew twenty five thirty four. Your property was not given use,
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as Saint John christostom, that you might live in luxury
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and revelry, but that you may help the poor. Money
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should therefore be regarded as a means of doing good,
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for it is only good when turned to good account.
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God is the lord of all earthly riches. We are
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only his stewards. The earth is the Lord's and the
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fullness thereof from psalms. The silver is mind, and the
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gold is mine. Saith the Lord of hosts sureich book
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bet is. Thus, when we give alms, we distribute what
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belongs to another, not to ourselves. Earthly riches consequently should
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consequently only be employed in accordance with the command of God.
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We are not even at liberty to make what use
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we choose of the abs of the senses and members
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of our body. We must employ them as God ordained.
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It is the exact same with our property. And how
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are we to employ our property according to the will
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of God. We must employ it in His glory and
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for the welfare of our fellow men. As the steward
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has to give an account to his master, so we
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shall have to give an account to God. He will
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reckon with us concerning the use of the talents entrusted
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to us. Matthew twenty five fourteen. At our death, he
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will say to us, give account of thy stewardship looked
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sixteen to two. The precept to perform works of mercy
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Christ has is strictly enjoyed upon us to assist our
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neighbor who is in need with our earthly goods. For
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He will only grant everlast seeing happiness to those who
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have helped their fellow men who were in need. That's
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something Martin Luther absolutely denied and wrote quite a bit about.
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He said good. He's actually said it was worse to
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do good through charity than to be a bad man.
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I mean, I could not follow his logic at all.
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He said that nothing was to be gained by helping
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the poor, and in fact he advocated for the poor
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to be killed. So there you have it. At the
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last judgment, our Lord will, as he tells us, set
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some men on his right hand, and others on his left.
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Those on his right, He will say, come, you, blessed
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of my father, Possess you the kingdom prepared for you
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from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry
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and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty and
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you gave me to drink. I was a stranger, and
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you took me in naked, and you covered me sick,
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and you visited me. I was in prison and you
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came to me. Then they show answer him, saying, Lord,
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when do we see the hungry thirsty? You're a stranger
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administered to thee. And our Lord shall say to them, Amen,
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I say to you, as long as you did one
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of these my least brethren, one of these, to my
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least brethren, you did it to me, And to those
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on his left hand, he will say, to part from me,
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you curse it into everlasting fire. For I was hungry
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and you gave me not to eat. I was thirsty,
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and you gave me not to drink. Then they shall
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answer him in like manner as the just, and he
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shall answer them as long as you did it not
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to one of these leaves, neither did you do it
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to me Matthew twenty five thirty one through forty six.
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The poor must win, having by patience the rich by
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works of mercy. One gladly parts with the lesser for
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the sake of keeping the grater. One submits to have
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a foot or an arm amputated in order to save
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one's life. So you must give up the lesser, in
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order not to lose the grater, which is eternal felicity happiness.
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In other words, the rich are chiefly bound to assist
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the needy, to whom much have given of him, much
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shall be required Luke twelve forty eight. The rich ought
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of their abundance to supply the wants of the poor.
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Second Corinthians eight fourteen. They ought to sustain the poor
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as the elm supports the vine. The elm is a
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stately tree, but it produces no fruit. The vine is
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a creeping plant, and unless it clings to something, its
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branches trail the ground, and its fruit is apt to
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be spoiled. But if it casts its tendrils around the
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elm and clings to its trunk, it will grow up
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and flourish. The rich man is like the elm. His
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wealth alone gives him no claim to eternal reward. But
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by help he renders to the poor, he will purchase
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for himself everlasting treasure. But if the rich sho not
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give willingly, they imperil their eternal salvation. Our Lord says
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it is easier for a camel to pass through the
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eye of a needle than for the rich man to
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enter the Kingdom of Heaven Matthew, nineteen twenty four. The
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rich run risk of shipwreck like a vessel that is
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too heavily freighted. They are reluctant to part with their
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money because they think the enjoyment of the present is
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real happiness. They mistake the shadow for the reality, and
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value the faults more than the true. In the hour
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of death, they will discover their sad mistake. As a
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bird resting upon the limed bough only finds that he
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is captive when he attempts to fly away. The rich man,
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when the moment comes for him to pass from time
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into a trinity, will feel how bitter has been his deception,
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like one who awakens from a delightful dream to find
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his happiness and delusion. That's from Psalms. Therefore, God has
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made the way to the attainment of rich is a
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difficult and thorny path. As a farmer plants a quick
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hedge around the field that he does not want trodden down,
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even the poor man can help his neighbor who's in
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need to bias his If thou hast hast much, give abundantly,
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if thou hast little, take care to bestow it willingly
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a little to bias Tobait four nine, Book of Tobait.
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You know that's in a real Bible. If you don't
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have that Bible, you have a false Bible. Get a
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real Bible. If anyone gives a cup of cold water
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out of charity to his neighbor, and why was that
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cut out because Martin Luther cut that book out of
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the Bible because he didn't like anything to do with charity. Okay,
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he was really not a nice guy at all. Let's see,
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if anyone give a cup of cold water out of
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charity to his neighbor, provided that is all he can give,
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it will account for as much as when Zachaeas the
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publican gave half of his goods to the poor. The
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poor widow and the Temple gave more with her two
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mites than all the rich who cast their gifts in
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the treasury Luke twenty one. The widow of Serepta gave Elias,
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the lastravader, for oil three kings, I said seventeen twelve.
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He who has not helped his neighbor who is in need,
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will find no mercy with God. Saint James says, judgment
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without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. That's
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James two thirteen. The rich man was buried in hell
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because he gave no alms. He that stoppeth his ear
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against the cry of the poor shall also cry and
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not be heard. From Proverbs Proverbs twenty one to thirteen.
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He who refuses to relieve the necessitous the necessitus defrauds
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them of their own. John Crassossom says, the rich man
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who is hard hearted is no better than a thief,
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for he stores in his chests and treasures that belongs
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to others. He who keeps exclusively to himself the gifts
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of Providence has bestowed on him, creates himself the murder
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of those who perish from want. It is not enough
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to say we have never wronged the poor, but not
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giving them the alms we incur. But by in not
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giving them alms, we incur the penalty due to those
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who take from their neighbor that is which is his.
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The assistance we give to the needy, of whatever nature
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it may be, is an alms or a work of mercy.
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These works are called works of mercy because in performing
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them we are actuated by feelings of compassion or mercy.
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The works of mercy, or either spiritual or corporal, according
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as necessary, according as the necessities we relieve are spiritual
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or corporal. The corporal wants of our neighbor bodily wants
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our food, drink, clothing, shelter, liberty, health through life. What
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can we do to supply him with these? His spiritual wants,
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the needs of the soul are knowledge of the truth,
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for which instructure council is required. A good will, through
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lack of which he offends God or as fellow man,
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which calls for correction, patience, enduring and forgiveness. A joyful spirit,
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in lack of which he needs consolation. If we can
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do little or nothing to succor or solace our neighbor,
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we must pray for him that God may come to
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his aid. The several works of mercy, the corporal works
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of mercy are to feed the hungry, to give drink
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to the thirsty, clothe the naked, to harbor the stranger,
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to visit the sick, to ransom the captive, to bury
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the dead under, to feed the hungry. One to feed
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the hungry. I'll do it that way, Abraham entertained. The
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three men Christ fed five thousand people Saint Elizabeth of
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Hungry gave all the contents of her granaries to the poor,
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and time of famine, Saint Louis of France provided a
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dinner daily for one hundred and twenty poor men, and
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some times waited on them himself. Two to give drink
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to the thirsty, the Samaritan woman gave our Lord water
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to drink at Jacob's well. Rebecca drew water for eliezar
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Wine and medicine come under this category. Three to clothe
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the naked to Tabitha at Joppa made garments for destoot widows.
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Saint Martin gave half his cloak to a beggar. Christmas
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gifts to poor schools are works of mercy. Four to
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harbor the stranger. Hospitality is a duty and joined upon
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us by Saint Paul when he says, hospitality, you do
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not forget. For by this some, not being aware of it,
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have entertained angels Hebrews thirteen to two. Both Abraham and
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Lott were privileged to receive angels in human form beneath
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their at roof. The good Samaritan took the man who
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had been wounded by robbers to an inn. Martha and
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Mary received Our Lord into their house as a guest.
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The monks of Saint Bernard perform works of mercy when
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they rescue travelers who have met with accidents and carried
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them to their hospitals, where they nurse them until they recover.
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When traveling was more dangerous than at present, they were
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the means of saving many lives. Five to ransom inn
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is a captives. Abraham delivered lot out of the hands
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of robbers. The Christians in Damascus rescued Saint Paul out
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of prison in Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, the
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Order of Ransom was founded for the release of Christians
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taken prisoner and held in slavery by the Turks. More
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than a million Christian slaves regained their liberty on the
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payment of a sum of money or by taking or
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by others taking their place. Cardinal Lapagary I Guess also
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established the Guild for the Liberation of Slaves in Africa. Six.
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To visit the sick is only to be reckoned as
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the work of mercy when the object of the visit
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is to afford spiritual or temporary relief to the suffer.
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The visit Job's friends paid him. Was no work of
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mercy that of the Samaritan to the wounded Jew was,
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on the other hand, most meritorious. Several religious orders have
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been founded for the express object of nursing the sick
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in hospitals or elsewhere, witnessed the Christian Brothers founded by
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Saint John of God in sixteen seventeen, and that of
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the Sisters of Charity found up at the same time
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by Saint Vincent de Paul. The self sacrifice of Catholic
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priests in taking the last sacrament to the dying, especially
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at time of epidemic, is most emphatically a work of mercy.
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We read of the Emperor Joseph the Second that he
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was asked one day by a poor boy in the
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street for florin that he might get a doctor for
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his mother. The Emperor gave him the money and asked
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where he lived. He then went to see the sick woman,
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who took him for a doctor, and he wrote a
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prescription for her. Shortly after his departure, the doctor came,
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whom the boy called in, and made his appearance. On
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opening the paper to look at the supposed prescription, he
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read these words, woman, your visitor was the Emperor. Take
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this paper to the palate and fifty ducats would be
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paid to you seven to bury the dead in a
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particularly meritorious work of mercy, to provide the dead with
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decent burial, to follow the body to the grave, and
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to erect a stone to his memory. Tobias used to
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bury the dead at the time of the persecution of
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ju under Sinatra rib The inhabitants of the city of
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name accompanied the beer on which the young man was
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carried to the grave. Buyer, I guess it's the buyer. Er, Yes,
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it is buyer. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus laid the
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body of our Lord to the sepulture. In burying the dead,
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we do him of service which he can never requite.
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We ought to say to Custine, to show respect to
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the bodies of Christian people, because they have been instruments
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employed by the soul. In some localities, the pernicious custom
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prevails of making funerals an occasion for feasting and reverie.
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This is most unseemly in a waste of money which
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might be spent for the benefit of the soul of
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the deceased, Besides, as a mean of stifling the grace
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of God, which exercises a salutary influence on the soul
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through the solemn ceremonies of internment. Yeah, it's really traditional
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Catholic teaching that you're not supposed to have a big
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fancy funeral, or for that matter, a big fancy wedding.
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They say, if you have extra mind to span, you
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should actually just give it to the poor. And in
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case of you know, a wedding giving to the poor,
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inviting you know well says, invite people to the wedding
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feasts that are hungry and poor and needy. But you
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could also say that that money should be saved to
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provide for the needs of your children. So all you
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Catholic women out there that you know, go crazy over
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these weddings and you think you've got to have all
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the doves and the flowers, and really not a good
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thing to do. Actually, In addition to seven corporal works
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of mercy already enumerated, there are others e g. The
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distribution of money, the rescue of one in danger of death,
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giving assistance in case of accidents, et CETERA. King Pharaoh's
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daughter performed a work of mercy when she saved the
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life of the infant Moses so did Veronica when she
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gave her veil to wipe our Lord's countenance. In fact,
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every kind word or act, if spoken or done to
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our neighbor, because we see our Lord in him, is
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a meritorious work. Our Lord himself says that a cup
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of cold water given his name shall not go unrewarded.
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Mark nine. The spirit sho works of mercy are one
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to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the two to counsel
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the deubfl three to admonish centers, four to bear wrongs patiently,
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five to give offenses willingly, six to comfort the afflicted,
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and seven to pray for the living and the dead.
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One may instruct the ignorant, either in religion or other
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useful knowledge, either by word of mouth or by writing
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good books. The Holy apostles and the evangelizers of different
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nations performed a work of mercy, as in the present day.
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Do all missionaries to heathen lands, besides all preachers, catechists, confessors,
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Christian writers and teachers, to cooperate with God, for the
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salvation of souls is the highest of all works. Those
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who impart religious instruction to others will have a more
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exalted place and enjoy a greater degree of glory in heaven.
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Daniel says, they that instruct many to justice shall shine
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as stars for all eternity. That's Daniel, I think, I
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said Daniel. David to say Daniel twelve to three. Those
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who collect money for foreign missions also perform a work
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of mercy. The council, the doubtful is another of the
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spiritual works of mercy. But the council. But the council
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must be given. But the council given must previously be
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maturely considered, and not forced onto another's neighbor. Joseph gave
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good advice to Pharaoh Christ to the rich youth Gamma Gamialiel,
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to the council Maliel. I don't know how to pronounce
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his name. We ought to admonish the center, provided we
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can do so without prejudice to ourselves, and provided a
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good result may be anticipated. He would indeed be cruel who,
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seeing a blind man on the brink of a precipice,
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did not warn him of his danger. And yet more
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blameworthy would be hu And, having his power to save
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his brother from everlasting death, will not take the trouble
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to rescue him. So you know we always have to
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say abortions, murder, homosexuality, homosexual sex as a sin. There's
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no such thing as gay marriage. You know, that's her duty,
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and that may save someone from hell, especially when it's
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uncomfortable for us to do. God will require us to
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give an account for the soul of our neighbor if
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we omit anything we might have done to further the
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work of his salvation. We call a man's attention, says
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Saint John Christousum to the stain upon his clothes. But
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we did not tell them the stay upon his soul, which,
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if not washed away, would be to his eternal ruin.
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Noah preached penance to the Ninovites. The good thief. It
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monishes fellow culprit admonition is like salt. It makes a
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lound smart more, but it heals it. Thus, reproof is
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not agreeable, but useful. If by administering a rebuke we
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shall bring trouble on ourselves, we are not obliged to
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give it. No one is required to love his neighbor
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more than himself. It is, however, the bound and duty
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of those who are in authority to admonish them, to
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admonish those under them of their faults. Justice, not charity
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requires it, Nor are we called upon to correct others
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if no good will come of it. Who will be
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so unwise as to rebuke command who is intoxicated? Rebuke
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him by all means, but wait until he's sober. In admonisoring,
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Senator Sinners, we must observe the rule Christ gave us. First,
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we are told to buke our brother when we are
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alone with him. If he will not hear us, we
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must rebuke him in the presence of two or three witnesses.
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If that is useless, we are to tell his superiors
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Matthew eighteen fifteen through seventeen. We must admonister our admonish
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our neighbor with gentleness and charity. The greater the gentleness intact,
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wherewith the reprimand is administered, the more effect it produces.
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If our admonition is to be of use, it must
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fall on the hard heart like a gentle rain upon
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the earth. For it is the still, quiet rain that
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sinks into infertilizes the soil, whereas a violent sudden downpour
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only breaks up the surface of the ground and rushes away.
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The bitterness of proof should be tempered with kindness and charity.
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As sour fruit is sweetened with sugar and cooked to
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render it digestible. Before rebuking anyone, it is well to
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mention something particularly praiseworthy in his conduct, and afterwards to
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speak a word of encouragement. If the rebuke is harsh
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and severe, it will do no good, only harm. Rough
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reproaches will not bring a man to better mind any
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more than kicks will put a wander on the right road.
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They will only drive him in the opposite direction. The
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center will not resolve to amend his ways unless he
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feels that the admonisher has his welfare sincerely at heart.
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The Christian must treat his erring brother as a coachman
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treats a timid horse, which is not to be managed
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by the violent use of the whip, but gentle hands
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on the rain. He who causeth a sinner to be
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converted from error of his ways shall save his soul
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from death and cover a multitude of sins. James five
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point twenty. We are told that the evangelist Saint John
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took the greatest trouble to save an unhappy youth whom
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he had converted, and who afterwards became a highwayman, he
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went as a robber by the way. He went after
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him to the mountains, to the mountain fastness, and called
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to him, why, my son, do you fly from your
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father from a defensive soul man? Fear not, I will
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myself implore pardon for you of God and make satisfaction
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for you. These kind words touch the heart of the prodigal.
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We cannot offend Christ more deeply than by robbing him
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of the souls he has redeemed. Nor can we honor
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him more than by bringing back to him those which
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have gone astray. There is nothing upon the earth to
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compare with the value of a soul. If thou wert
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to give vast sums to the poor, say says Saint
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John Christostom thy merit would be nothing in comparison with
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that of having converted one sinner. He who converts the
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sinner deserves infinitely greater reward than he who rescues a
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king's son from death, For he saves the son of
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the King of Heaven, and saves him not from temporal
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but eternal death. When we bear wrongs patiently, we've benefit
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not ourselves only, but also our fellow man. We prevent
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him from going to links and make it easier to
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bring him to sense of his wrongdoing. Very difficult to
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do for anybody, but something we're supposed to do. David
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bore Semie's abuse patiently, and after time he acknowledges sin
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and employed the King to pardon him. We lose nothing
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if we suffer wrong patiently, for when our innocence has proved,
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our forbearance will be richly rewarded. It is often most meritorious,
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as Saint Teresa says, not to justify one's self when
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one is blamed. Unhappily, too many people are like the hedgehog,
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which rolls itself into a prickly ball the moment is touched,
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for at the first fault finding word, they break into
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excuses and exculpatients. However, it is incumbent upon us to
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protect ourselves from false accusations, when to bear the injustice
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in silence would be productive rather of evil than of
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good Slight affronts should not be heated, but one ought
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not to allow a heinous crime to be falsely laid
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on one's charge. By forgiving offenses willingly, it is meant
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that we do not seek to avenge ourselves on those
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who offend us, but treat them kindly and are ready
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to confer upon them any benefit within our power. Joseph's
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conduct toward his brethren affords a beautiful example this virtue.
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Instead of revenging himself on them, he embraced them. He
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embraced them, and kissed them, and loaded them with gifts.
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If we willingly forgive those who trespass against us, God
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will forgive us our trespasses. As we are told in
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the fifth clause of the Our Father. We can comfort
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the afflicted by showing them heartfelt sympathy, by suggesting grounds
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of consolation, or by succoring them in need. Evincing sympathy
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towards those in trouble is called condoling with them. We
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may suggest comfort to the poor and afflicted by reminding
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them of the watchful care of God's providence, of the
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happiness that awaits them in heaven. To the center, we
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may speak of divine mercy and compassion. We shall do
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still better if we relieve them in their distress. Our
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Lord comforted the widow of Name and the sister of Lazareth.
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Grief is a mental malady. The sadness of a man
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consumeth his heartb. Twenty five twenty. To console the sorrowing
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is as much a good works nurse is sick. Words
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of comfort in a time of affliction are as welcome
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as rain and time of drought. To pray for the
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living and the dead is work well pleasing to God's sight.
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It benefits at the same time both them and us.
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God enjoins upon us especially to pray for our parents
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and benefactors, for the Pope, the rule of our country,
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for bishops and clergy, and finally for our enemies. Saint
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Paul declares that is good and acceptable in the sight
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of God, that prayers we made for all men, for kings,
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particularly and those that are in high stations for Timothy two,
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two and three. Furthermore, we read in Holy Scripture it
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is a holly and wholesome thought to pray for the dead,
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that they may be loose from their sense. Yet another book.
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If you don't have in your Bible, get it a
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real Bible. It's second Maccabees. Martin Luther hated Jews. He
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was incredibly antisemitic, and he also didn't like the idea
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of playing for the dead, because that was one of
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the works He didn't like so, that's one of the
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books he cut out of the Bible. You learn about
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the Maccabees will see some incredible heroes to both Jews
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and Christians. Far from being losers, we are greatly the
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gainers if we offer prayer to God for others, for
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we thereby increase our merit and draw down upon ourselves
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the blessing of God. Before Judas Maccabeus gained the decisive
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victory of our Niconore, he caused sacrifices to be offered
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for the warriors who should fall in battle. Prayers offered
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for others sometimes seem to be fruitless. On one occasion,
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when Saint Gertrude complained that no improvement was discernible and
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the persons for whom she prayed, Our Lord said to her, no,
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sincere prayers are in vain, although the effect they produced
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may be imperceptible to the eye of man. Abraham interceded
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for Sodom, Moses, for the people the Christians, for Saint
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Peter when he was in prison. At the Last Supper,
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our Lord prayed for his disciples and for the whole Church,
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and on the Cross he prayed for our enemies. Let
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us follow the example he gave us when we recite
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the Our Father, we pray for all men, we say
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give us our daily bread, etc. All right, I'm gonna
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wrap this one up here. That is basically halfway through
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this chapter, so good place to stop for the evening,
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and God willing I can finish this one tomorrow. You'll
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have a wonderful evening, wonderful day tomorrow, and remember the
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words of Saint Padre Pio, pray, hope and don't worry,
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and I'll talk to you next time.