Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00 I haven't written for <inaudible>. Today we're going to take a look at what we've been told about the moral condition of the world from the last times. It's a very important topic. I'm inclined to say an essential topic and since most of what we've, uh, what would cover today, we've spoken of elsewhere. Some of y'all may recognize the Thies as usual, the quotes we cut pasted in heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass the name of the father and son. Holy spirit. Amen from last Sunday of a liturgical year. And in fact all through Adam Church asks us to consider the end of the world. Obviously that's an exciting topic we're not supposed to come and include when we start thinking about it though. The example we've given before, but it fits perfectly is that of Saint John. Bertrand is a great Belgian Jesuit. One day during the time assigned for recreation, st John Bertrand, his fellow Jesuit scholastics were shooting pool and one of them asking, Hey John, if you found out the world was about to end right now, what would you do?
Speaker 0 01:13 And st John answered, but keep right on shooting pool. Now, what's the point? The point is st John was supposed to be taking recreation at that time, and he was, he was supposed to be in a state of grace at that time, and he was, in other words, he's doing exactly what he's supposed to be doing at that very moment, and that's exactly what the Lord expects of us. So from the state of grace and we're doing our duty, we're good to go. The important thing is not so much when in history that we live. The important thing is how we die. That's the important thing. The most important thing is to die in a state of grace. And then we're saying, okay, so much for the introduction. Let's turn to the topic at hand. Today we'll start with a fascinating passage found in the catechism of the Catholic church, and I call before Christ's second coming the church bus pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers.
Speaker 0 02:18 The persecution that accompany is your pilgrimage on earth. One veil, the mystery of iniquity in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth, the Supreme religious deceptors that have the antichrist, a suit of Messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah. Come in the flesh. Close quote the catechism of the Catholic church. The church must pass through final trial that will shake the faith of many believers in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.
Speaker 0 03:09 Now, let's fill that pitcher in. By turning to the scriptures, we're going to see that scripture gives a fairly detailed description about the reaction to the men who live in the last days to truth, as well as the moral conditions that prevail during this final trial. So it gets started in chapter three of a second, buttered at Saint Timothy. Saint Paul writes, quote, but know this, that in the last days, dangerous times will come. Men will be lovers of self covetous, Hardy, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, criminal, heartless, faithless, slanders, incontinent, merciless, unkind, treacherous, stub, puffed up with pride, loving pleasure more than God having an appearance indeed of piety, but just showing its power. These men also resist the truth for their corrupted mind. Reprobate as regards to faith closed, cool, inspired in their word of God. Now there's a lot there to consider. We only have time for a few points in the last day.
Speaker 0 04:29 Men will be puffed up with pride and lovers of self. There'll be faithless to the point of being reprobate, mainly of so abused grace that is a just punishment. We will no longer seriously or intelligently care about their internal salvation. There'll be incontinent, meaning they will be gluttons and burn with lust. And so not surprisingly, they will love pleasure more than they love God. They will have an appearance that pie, but without the virtue conius elapid explains, this means it will profess to be Christians, although they should be both very wicked in their works and perverse and their ideas. And because metal integrity is clouded by various Les advices, their minds will be corrupted and they'll be resistant to truth. There'll be resistant to truth.
Speaker 0 05:21 And the first chapter was letter enrollments. St Paul discusses in some deal detail both the sin of resisting the truth and the consequences of this cool for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth for what can be known about God is plain to them. So they're without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless were darkened, claiming to be wise, they became fools. Okay? So by sinning against the known truth, their mind to become darkened, that's an automatic consequences of sin and intellectual sins caused the greatest darkness. Their minds become darker, okay? So we continue claiming to be wise, they became fools. Therefore, God gave them up to the lust of their heart, to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.
Speaker 0 06:26 So by sinning against the light of reason, these wicked men of dark in their minds, and as a consequence, God gives them up to impurity. Well, what does that mean to say that God gives them up to impurity? That great doctor, the church, st John Chris system explains it as a punishment for their willful blindness, for their willful rejection of the known truth. God permitted them to fall into the fall <inaudible> most shameful and unnatural sins. In other words, is it just punishment for their pride as a just punishment for their willful blindness and heir God withdrew his grace. And as a consequence that plunged into perversion, we continue for this reason. God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women who were consumed with passion because committing shameless acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. It's unavoidable. It's completely unavoidable. Uh, people who reject the known truth are doomed to blindness and perversity. Uh, people who are checked the known truth are doomed to blindness and perversely, everybody needs to burn that into his mind. Uh, people that reject the known truth are doomed to blindness and perversity. If you want a one sentence explanation for the state of our society, there it is. Uh, people that reject the known truth are down to blindness and perversity
Speaker 0 08:17 and there are no political solutions to this problem. Wow. There are no political solutions to this.
Speaker 2 08:26 No, none
Speaker 0 08:28 whatsoever.
Speaker 0 08:32 And the scriptures make it very clear that an outbreak of this sentence, Cisco type behavior isn't the only result of Denine then own truth. Listen to this list of simple vicious behaviors. It's brought up in the wake of denying the known true Saint Paul. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave him up a base mind and to improper conduct. They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice, full of envy, murder, strife to sea malignity. They're gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, HOD, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's to create it. Those who do such things deserve to die. They not only do them but approve those who practice them. Close call the inspired generic word of God. So that's a scriptural list of the rotten fruits of resistance, the known truth.
Speaker 0 09:47 Saint Paul has more to say in this first letter of Saint Timothy, we turn to chapter four quo. Now the spirit expressly says that in the last times, some of the part from the faith giving, hearing to spirits of pear and doctrines of devils, speaking lies hypocritically and having their conscience seer closed call inspired in their of God. Now the Greek word Saint Paul used cheer for lies, means false words. And in today's gospel we read at the end of the world there show rise, false Christ and false prophets. And the commentary in this line directs us to look to Saint Peter chapter two where we read about false teachers. So scripture makes this remarkable contrast. On the one hand we have the true teacher, the true profit, the true word, the true Christ who was made flesh and dwelt amongst us who speaks only true words. Now, on the other hand, we have descriptors of warnings in the last times that we false Christ and false prophets and false teachers performing false signs and false wonders and preaching a false faith with false word, hypocritical false words, doctrines of devils spoken by men who apostasizes guide by evil spirits.
Speaker 0 11:10 There's this unbelievable contrast between truth and falsity. Now speaking, the great signs and wonders performed by the false Christ and false prophets, which will seduce many corniness lap. It explains that people will not be seduced quote by the strength of seducers, but by the negligence of the seduced cause code. In other words, in those days, if someone is to do is by false prophet or a false teacher, there'll be doing due to his own negligence, it'll be his own fault that those who are seduced by these lies are seduced because they want to be seduced. Now we're all familiar with that kind of behavior, whether we're talking about the girl sitting at the end of the bar, who knows darn good and well that the guy hitting on her is lying through his tea, but she keeps listening cause she wants to be, or whether we're talking about the people who had off to magic Oreo, they bought their ticket, they put their money down and they're going to have a spiritual experience that'll devil's even happier in a manner of speaking. And the guy that took the girl out of the bar, the people who are seduced by these lies are seduce because they want to be seduced.
Speaker 2 12:37 Okay,
Speaker 0 12:38 so you've been considering the meaning of first two of the four verses one and two. Another spirit expressly says that in last times, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of air, doctrines at deltas, speaking lies hypocritically and having their conscience seared corniness a lap. It explains that this phrase, having a seared conscience should be understood as meaning having a moral corruption that is so complete that the person is hard in his evil ways. And so he has a complete loss of a sense of sin. In other words, he's become a red probate and that's a terrifying st Paul has more to say. In second Timothy chapter four verses three and following for there will come a time where they will not endure sound doctrine, but having itchy ears. Well, he pumped to themselves, teachers according to their own lusts and they will turn away their hearing from the truth and turn aside rather to fables.
Speaker 0 13:42 Now the commentary points out the heres will run after novelties and teachings which favor their passions. <inaudible> comments many men devoted essential pleasures will seek teachers similar to themselves who will lead them away from a sound fade, a discipline of a Christian life to radical errors, a licentious life and crop morals. These men full of vain and Carl desires have itchy years. In other words, they love to hear novel things, curious things soft and a feminine things, central things. These menstrual seek for themselves. Teachers who will not stick them with words or scrape where their vices rather. Teachers who will deceive them into believing what they wish regarding their sins by preaching pleasantries worthy.
Speaker 0 14:32 In other words, they don't want to hear the truth because it'll hurt. They don't want to hear the truth because it means they'll have to change your sinful and disordered ways of life. Ways of thinking. They'd rather have teachers affirm them in their sins. They'd rather have preachers to them. They'd rather preachers tell them myths and pleasantry. They'd rather have teachers tell them what they wanted then correct their false beliefs and says perhaps hurt their feelings. They actually want teachers. They'll tell them things like, how do you know it's wrong if you haven't tried? It's your body. It's your choice. Yes. It's not a sin to use contraception. Don't worry. God made you that way. He's a jerk. Just dumping. He can get an anomaly really easily. Don't be so dogmatic. There are many paths to him. You don't think a loving God would really send anybody to hell today.
Speaker 2 15:39 Yeah.
Speaker 0 15:44 Okay, so we've taken a quick look at a few scriptures that speak of the moral state of man the last day. What have we seen? We've seen in those days. The men only puffed up with pride and self love. They love pleasure more than God. They'll profess to be Christians. Although those should be both very wicked in their works and perverse in their ideas. They'll be resistant to the truth. We've seen it. This rejection of the non-truth dooms of people, the blindness and the worst kinds of sins and perversity. We've considered detailed lists of the sins we've seen it. Scripture explicitly teaches that although people know these such people know that those who do these wicked things deserve to die. They not only do them but approve them in those who practice them. We've seen in the last time, so we false Christ and false prophets and false teachers performing false signs and false blunders and preaching a false faith with false words, hypocritical false words, doctrines of devils spoken by men who apostasizes in order guide about evil spirits and that those who are seduced by these lies are seduced because they want to be seduced.
Speaker 0 16:58 We've seen it. Men won't want to hear the truth because it'll hurt because it means they'll have to change your sinful and disordered ways of life in ways of thinking. We've seen they'd rather have teachers affirm them and their sins and lie to them, then correct their false beliefs and biases and hurt their feelings. And we've seen the resistance, the truth results in the moral corruption. So complete that a man becomes hard in his evil ways and as a complete loss of the sense of sin that's commonly known as being a reprobate. So if we're going to summarize what we've seen so far, the last times we characterize by social atmosphere that's absolutely based in lies and deception filled with people who are deliberately and obstinately resistant to the truth, and therefore live with deprive minds and depraved morals. So we're getting a much clearer picture of what the catechism means when it States the church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.
Speaker 0 18:11 Now let's step back from our more panoramic view of the situation. And it's sec. Second test, colonias chapter two. Saint Paul tells us that quote, let no one to see you in any way for the Dale Lord will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of sin is revealed. The son of perdition. Close quote here we see scripture explicitly teaches that the day of Lord judgment day, the end of the world can't come less. There first be an apostasy, a great falling away from the truth. Faith, a great revolt against the true faith. And then in the wake of that apostasy, the great apostasy, the man, his sin, the son of perdition, the anti-Christ be revealed. Blessed John Henry Newman, summarizing the teaching of the fathers on this point States the fierce and lawless principle, which historically has been repressed by the governing powers, will finally break completely loose in those terrible times.
Speaker 0 19:12 Spawning Harrison citizen sedition revolution in war. And he States quote the coming of Christ who may immediately proceeded by very often unparalleled outbreak of evil called by st Paul, apostasy, a falling away in the midst of wish to certain terrible man of sin and child the petition, the special and singular enemy of Christ. The antichrist will appear and this will be when revolutions prevail and the present framework of society breaks to pieces close called blessed John Henry Newman, so been absolutely terrible, unprecedented outbreak of evil during which time society be torn into pieces by posse heresy, season, sedition, revolution and war. Now before we go on, let's pause briefly to make sure we all understand what each of those terms mean. Apostasy, apostasy means a baptized person who completely reject Christianity all entire and either embraces a non Christian religion like Islam or Buddhism, Hinduism of Wicca, or has no religion whatsoever. This is a mortal sin against the faith and a past date loses the faith in God is under absolutely no obligation to give it back again, corny slap today. There's no church sign of reprobation than that. Anyone should pass the size from the faith.
Speaker 0 20:46 Harrison heresy means a baptized person proteinaceous only proteinaceous leak, denies or doubts any revealed truth for the Catholic faith. In other words, he stubbornly denies the revealed truth even when he's been shown to be wrong. Nowadays, heretics are often called to centers corniness dilapidated comments. Heresy is great for choosing a heretic, therefore is one who chooses what he will believe and therefore does not believe those things which must be believe according to the teaching the doctors in the church. This is also a mortal sin against the fate. The heretic loses the faith and God is under no obligation to give that back to him either. And by the way, when you lose the faith, that means you also lose hope and charity. You Fon from being a supernatural man to a natural condition. This gift is priceless gift that was given to you, the faith without which it is impossible. Please God at your baptism for those who are baptized, children versus adult converts that faith you've rejected and so the whole shooting match is gone.
Speaker 0 21:57 Susan, Susan muckers, when either a group or even an even an individual while keeping the true faith. Nevertheless, voluntarily, knowingly, and deliberately separates himself from the unity of the church by refusing to submit to legitimate authority of the Pope and or to remain in community with those who are subject to him. Susan has been called the crystallization of Orthodox descend. Cornelius Lapid had comments. Susan is a grave and Savage sin because of the wrong done to Christ. Saint Cyprian's syndrome teach that says medics are worse than a man who crucified Christ because it's seamless. Garment. Name of a church is torn and separated, which not even the Jews and Gentiles the crucified Christ dare to do. Now, unlike apostasy and heresy, Pierce Islam is not a sin against the faith because this is Matic individual or group has maintained a faith. What they've done is they've cut themselves off from the vine.
Speaker 0 23:00 Over time, CISM typically creeps into heresy because it becomes necessary to talk, deny the primacy of the Pope, but as such, CISM is a mortal sin against charity. Sedition. Sedition is the crime of stirring up or revolt, disturbance or violence against lawful civil authority with intent to cause it's overthrow or destruction. Sedition has to do with organized and encouraging opposition to government rather than directly participating. It's overthrow. Sedition is a mortal sin against peace. Revolution. Revolution is a usually violent attempt by many people to end the rule of one government and star, so that's the big picture and trims the moral climate of society in the end times at the time of this great apostasy, this great rebellion, there'll be a terrible, unprecedented outbreak of evil society. We racked by apostasy, heresy, CISM, sedition, revolution, war and societal breakdown.
Speaker 0 24:08 We turned back to scripture, second test alone, eons, chapter two and it's coming. That is the coming of the antichrist as according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders with all wicked deception to those or perishing for that now receive the love of truth that they might be saved. Therefore, God shall send them the operation of error. They may believe falsehood that all may be judged. We have not believed the truth or preferred wickedness, but we bred them. Beloved of God are bound to give thanks to God always for you because God has chosen you as first fruits out of salvation. The sanctification is spirit and belief for the truth. Close call, the inspired word of God. So in the midst of all this chaos, in the midst of this societal breakdown, great apostasy, the anti-Christ will appear with satanic power and satanic signs and lying wonders, and the Greek few has false miracles and with all wicked deception.
Speaker 0 25:10 But notice who's going to be to see the scriptures are absolutely clear here. As we read this passage again, please pay close attention to who exactly is going to be to see by the antichrist quo. Those who are perishing have not received the love of truth that they might be saved. Therefore, God shall send in the operation of error. They may believe falsehood that all may be judged to have not believed the truth, but if preferred wickedness close. Cool. So who exactly is going to be deceived? The man that don't want to hear the truth because it'll hurt because it means they'll have to swallow their pride and a changed their sinful and disordered ways of life. Your ways of thinking. The men who'd rather have their leaders affirm them in their sins, in light of them than correct their false beliefs and vices and perhaps hurt their feelings. The men who do not love the truth and refuse to receive it. Men who would rather believe false words from false teachers and believe the true words of the true word of God, and as we've seen, the men who are seduced by these lies are seduced because they want to be sitting next to men who are seduced by these lies are seduced because they want to be seduced since they don't love the truth God to let them want to have what they do want and what they do love, which is the lie.
Speaker 0 26:48 How do men get in this condition? Generally speaking, it starts with little compromises. Now in one sense, of course we all have to compromise in life where they're going to eat this or that one of the go. Whether it could go here or there. Those sort of compromise search as part of the give and take of of life. That's a given. But what we must never do is compromise at the level of truth or the level of principles to love the truth, to be willing to suffer for the truth. Is it grace? It's a grace. We need to pray for her. We need to protect it. Nourishing, not sin against it by compromise at the levels of principle,
Speaker 2 27:31 a level of truth.
Speaker 0 27:34 A man starts by making a small compromise in a manner of principle. That first compromise is the hardest one, but then it gets easier and easier if he doesn't repent. One compromise leads to another and then another and another, and another final man has no principles to speak up. He's blinded himself. He's lost his integrity. And what did he sacrifice it for? What did he sacrifice it for? All too often he sacrificed his integrity so could fit in with a crowd. He sacrificed his integrity because he was way more worried about others. Think about what was the right thing to do
Speaker 2 28:25 or believe or defend.
Speaker 0 28:29 It's sacrifice has integrity because unable or unwilling to deny himself is unwilling to suffer for the truth, for standing for what was right, and that also explains why perversities are so often associated.
Speaker 2 28:51 Was he sorta man <inaudible>
Speaker 0 28:53 the mine was made to know truth. If a man deliberately rejects the truth and embraces false hood, in other words, if he uses his mind for things it wasn't made for, it shouldn't be much of a surprise and he may very well have enough wine, isn't using his body for things it wasn't made for.
Speaker 0 29:16 What does it mean? Say that God will send him the operation of air. They may believe false. That all may be judged with not believe the truth, but I preferred wickedness. The hay.com enter explains this means that God shall allow them to be deceived by lying wonders and false miracles as a punishment of they're not loving the truth. In other words, when it says was sending operation air, it doesn't mean that he'll cause him to believe lies. After all, God deserves the salvation of all men and actually be heretical to hold. Otherwise, it doesn't mean that God would cause them to believe the lies rather than as a just punishment for their rejection of the known truth as a just punishment for their willful and stubborn Severn blind snare. He will withdraw his grace in us permit and WC by the anti Christ. That's where all these compromises on the matters of truth and principle led them right into the arms of the anti Christ. Well, it says that the reason this will happen is quote, that all may be judged who have not believed that truth per preferred wickedness. Close quote, the Greek word used here for judge means to be judged, condemned, and punished for refusing to believe the truth. Those who don't want to fall Christ, who don't want to believe the teaching of his church, those who want to live the way they want to live will believe the lie and follow the anti Christ.
Speaker 2 30:55 It's terrifying. It's really terrible.
Speaker 0 31:03 We're also told who is not going to be deceived, st Paul, but we brought them to be loved. To have, uh, her bond to give thanks to God always for you because God has chosen you as the first fruits and a salvation through the sanitation, the spirit and belief of the truth.
Speaker 2 31:22 <inaudible>
Speaker 0 31:24 the operation of air and the marvelous and seduction anti-Christ will not deceive those who love employee in the truth. In may of 1897, Pope Leo the 13th stated is in cyclical on the Holy spirit quote, whosoever fail if by weakness or ignorance may perhaps have some excuse before all mighty God, but he who resist the truth through malice and turns away from it. Since most grievously against the Holy ghost
Speaker 2 31:59 close,
Speaker 0 32:02 he resist the truth through malice and turns away from it. Since most grievously against the Holy ghost, we're all familiar with that terrifying statement. It's something set by our Lord. You can find it. And Mark three 29 quote, he that shall blaspheme against the Holy ghost shall never have forgiveness, but shall be guilty of an everlasting sin cause cool. Resisting the known truth. It's one of his sins against the Holy ghost. And I quote from a standard Catholic reference work in deliberate resistance to the known truth, maybe regarded especially directed against the work of the Holy ghost and the soul generally the so hearts, the salt, the inspirations of grace, that repentance is unlikely.
Speaker 2 32:56 Close call
Speaker 0 33:00 will be the 13th whosoever fails by weakness or ignorance may perhaps have some excuse before almighty God, but he resist the truth through malice and turns away from it. Since most grievously against the Holy ghost in our days, the sin has become so frequent, he's writing in 1897
Speaker 0 33:26 in our days as soon as become so frequent, but those dark times seem to have come, which were four four tall by st Paul, which men blinded by the just judgment of God should take false head for truth and should you believe in the Prince of this world who is a liar and the father of as a teacher of truth. As it says in second Thessalonians two 10 in first Timothy four one God shall send them the operation of air to believe lie in the last time, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirit of air, the doctrine of demos.
Speaker 2 34:11 Close. Cool.
Speaker 0 34:13 The vicar of Christ, you're in very good company. If you've been thinking, we may well be living in those terrible times. Her Lord said, the truth will set you free. I don't want to hear it. Her Lord said, the truth will set you free. My mind is made up. I don't want to change my way. Lord said, the truth will set you free. I want to keep my options open. The Lord said, the truth will set you free. I don't think we need to get extreme here. The Lord said, the truth will set you free. It's not that black and why the Lord said the truth will set you free. I don't want people to think I'm some kind of fundamentalist
Speaker 2 35:27 <inaudible>.
Speaker 0 35:30 The Lord's truth will set you free. Can't be that bad. Everybody does. The Lord said, the truth will set you free. I can't help it. I've been this way my whole life
Speaker 2 35:53 today, and I mean today.
Speaker 0 35:57 Before you leave mass, don't put it off before you leave today. Take the time to seriously search your mind and your art seriously and ask yourself, am I open to the truth no matter what it cost? Am I a truth seeker or am I resistant to the truth? This far and no farther?
Speaker 2 36:46 <inaudible>
Speaker 0 36:46 it's the most important question you can ever ask herself.
Speaker 2 36:55 Ask herself
Speaker 0 36:58 if the antichrist appeared this week.
Speaker 2 37:03 Oh, scam. Would I be happy
Speaker 0 37:10 if I'm alive when the antichrist appears, whose camp will I be in?
Speaker 2 37:23 Well,
Speaker 0 37:29 he resist the truth through mouse and turns away from it. Since most grievously against the Holloway ghost, the church must pass through a final trial in the form of religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.
