Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:01 Uh, when it was sharing time, my dad did all the sharing. We'd corral the sheep. One of the boys would bring him a sheep. It's pretty easy to move sheep around. He just grabbed them right at the base of their throat, grab a handful of wool and ran a top of their hind quarters and just sort of steer them their legs. They're trying to get away from me and they just run wherever you want them to go like that. You kind of direct them along. So one of the boys had run a sheep into the barn. Dad had start by setting her up on her hind quarters. They take big long swipes with the Clippers and his right hand the same time kind of stretched out her skin with the left hand so she doesn't get clipped and you can get a close cut. And then he kind of rolled around as he went until the whole fleece was offer.
Speaker 0 00:46 Uh, then went out that sheep went out and came another, the belly wall gets thrown off to one side and then the fleece is laid out flat and the tags were pulled off the tags or that's what with some manure stuck on it, see, pull off all the tags and any stained wall. And then the fleece is rolled up and tied with a Brown paper tie. The paper tides made out of the same kind of paper that they make a Brown paper bags out of like at a grocery store, except it's just sort of twisted into a long cord and you tied a fleece like a package C, tie it one way and then with loose ends you turn it at a 90 degree angle and tied the other way and then you throw it into the Wolf stack. Now if you haven't seen one of those before, Wolf sack is like the world's biggest gunnysack.
Speaker 0 01:33 It's a great big burlap bag. They're about eight foot long or so, I don't remember exactly, and it was hung up on, on a big frame with the mouth open. So when he had the fleece tied up, you just toss it up and fall into the sack. And when sex started getting Folden, when my brothers would climb up and jump up and down in it to pack down those fleeces tighter, and once it got full, you'd saw the sack shut and haul it aside and then hang up another sack. The tags and the belly will they get put in a separate stack later in the year, we'd haul our wounds, sacks and sell them at the Whirlpool for us. Whirlpool was another County about 30 miles away. That's a story for another day. Anyway, one of my brothers remember told me that he remembers feeling sorry for the sheep that were sheared because the way we had it set it up, they be kicked out back in the same corrals, unshorn seat. And as soon as they put them back in with unshorn sheep, they get attacked by the flock because they didn't look the same as the others. So he tried to grab the most aggressive ones and make them next to each year.
Speaker 0 02:44 Anyway, the sheep that were sheered look at attack with unshorn bunch because they didn't look the same as the others. Everybody here can probably relate to that in some fashion. Guess what? He's the good shepherd and we're his sheep, and if we're living godly lives in Christ Jesus, we should expect the same kind of treatment I'd like. Everybody listened very carefully to inspired word of God. It's found in second Timothy chapter three and verse 12 and all that will live godly in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Speaker 1 03:35 Did everyone hear that? Okay,
Speaker 0 03:38 All that will love godly in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution. God didn't tell us that some of us that are living godly in Christ Jesus might suffer persecution or that many of us that are living godly in Christ Jesus might suffer persecution, but all they're living godly in Christ. Jesus will suffer persecution. We have God's word on it. If we're serious about our faith, if we're serious about following the teaching of the church, if we're serious about keeping the commandments, if we're serious about living in a state of grace, we're going to be different and in some aspects a lot different than the majority of the people around us. If we're living godly in Christ Jesus, we're going to stick out.
Speaker 1 04:43 Why?
Speaker 0 04:45 Because as is true in every culture, the majority of our neighbors live according to the norms of the popular culture and in this present darkness, the norms of the popular culture are not even close to the norms of the gospel. But I don't think you need me to tell you that. So let's spend a few minutes this morning speaking about one very important aspect of a godly life in Christ Jesus, which will frequently provoke those who live in accord with the norms of the popular culture. And that is practicing the virtue of modesty. This virtue is so important that inspired in our word of God, says in Philippians four five quote, let your modesty be known to all men. Close quote the Holy spirit. Let your modesty be known to all men. Okay, fine. So our modesty should be known to all men. But what is it?
Speaker 0 05:48 Modesty is the virtue that gives a man the ability to be moderate in all things, to govern and dominate his, especially his desires for pleasure. It's a moral virtue that guards purity by giving man the power to practice, do measure and his actions and in his dress. So modesty is of moral. Virtue is God's purity. And the Holy spirit commands us to let her modesty be known to all men. The relationship between modesty and period is easy to understand how pious the 12th explain it by stating that modesty is a natural bulwark of parody and a bulwark is a defensive wall. So modesty is a natural wall of defense for period modesty shields parody. Since modesty shields periods when modesty is violated, that means there's a breach in the walls, which means there's an open pathway for impurity. So it's easy to see how absolutely essential this virtue is.
Speaker 0 06:53 In other words, if we want to be pier, which is another way of saying if we want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus, we want to be saved. We must be modest. We must practice, do measure in our actions and our dress. Okay, father, but why does a violation of modesty open the way to impurity? That's a good question. Stephanie. Of course, blessed Virgin Mary. We all have this passionate desire to enjoy pleasurable things outside the rule of right reason. We all have this condition which inclines us towards sin. In other words, we all suffer from concupiscence for that, we can thank Adam. On top of that, our passions are strongly in Kline towards the desire to procreate and purity. The virtue of chastity protects that great creative power, but it's Saint Alphonsus. He's the doctor of moral theology. Teaches Saint of fonts is teaches this. As you listen to this, by the way, keep in mind that he's writing over 200 years ago, well before the mass media, the internet and smartphones. Saint Alphonsus teaches quote since it sins against parody are the most frequent and most abundant confessional matters. And on account of which the greater number of souls fall into hell. Indeed, I do not hesitate to assert that all those who are damned are Dan on account of this one fives of impurity, or at least not without it. Close quote st Alphonsus Bishop and dr the church.
Speaker 0 08:47 Those are serious words. Indeed. Thanks be to the good Lord. We have another verge to protect us. That great virtue modesty, which moderates our acts precisely so they don't tempt anyone to sins of lust, modesty, moderates or exterior acts and dress so they won't tempt anyone to sins of lust. In other words, modesty moderates our external acts interest so that we don't scandalize anyone. That's important to realize that when we use the word scandalize and Catholic moral teaching, it doesn't mean being shocked. Being scandalized means being tempted into sin by the actions of another being. Scandalized means being tempted into sins by the action of another actions which endangers the spiritual life of another are acts of scandal. That's what scandal is. Are there two kinds of scandal? There's deliberate scandal. That's, for example, when someone deliberately or knowingly acts or dresses in an immodest fashion.
Speaker 0 10:00 That's deliberate scandal. There's also unintentional scandal. That's when someone out of ignorance acts or dresses in an immodest fashion. Let's take a quick look at both cases. Deliberate scandal. The Redemptorist moral theologian father Sattler has a great discussion of this quote. If a person actually desires to stir lost in another, his intention is evil and he commits a mortal sin even if he does not succeed and his purpose. Close quote. Okay, so we can see all, see that clearly that you deliberately tried to commit other deliberately try to tempt others to commit serious sins. Whether or not it actually works is in itself more at least sinful. So that's deliberate scandal. Now let's consider unintentional scandal. That's the condition. When someone acts or dresses in a modest fashion out of ignorance. Father Sattler, quote, granting, there is no evil purpose in our actions. We still have obligations to our neighbor.
Speaker 0 11:11 We may not do what we please if what we do is a danger to the salvation of our neighbors. Soul acts, which endangered the spiritual life of another are acts of scandal and are forbidden because love for our neighbor demands that we do not induce or help him to sin. This principle especially concerns modesty and dress and those actions which are done and company with others. Close quote, we have obligations to our neighbor. How this needs to be burnt into our minds. We have obligations to our neighbor. We may not do what we, if what we do is a danger to our neighbors souls. We have obligations to our neighbor acts which endanger the spiritual life of another acts of scandal and forbidden because love for our neighbor demands that we do not induce or help him to sin and this principle, it concerns especially modesty and dress those actions which are done in company with others.
Speaker 0 12:21 Quick review. Deliberate scandal occurs when somebody deliberately or knowingly acts or dresses in an immodest faction in order to stir up lust. Another, it's morally sinful. Whether or not he's successful. Unintentional scandal occurs when someone out of ignorance acts or dresses in an immodest fashion. Now that we've taken a quick look at the two ways in which people offer scandal deliberately and unintentionally. Let's take a quick look at the people being scandalized. Now, there are three possible categories of people to consider when speaking of people being scandalized by immodesty. Father sat there, the first group compromises those who are looking for opportunities to sin. No one has any obligation to avoid giving opportunities such people, they must solve their own problems.
Speaker 0 13:20 The second group is composed of ordinary people who try to live a chase life. Divine charity obliges us to avoid giving them occasions for sin. Therefore, any action which would bring some well-intentioned person to sin or to grave danger of sin would itself be sinful. The last group includes those who however well intentioned are weak regarding their observance of the sixth commandment. This group is composed of children, adolescents, and any others who are known to be especially liable to sin. Extraordinary precautions must be taken with this group. Close quote. So three categories Amanda, be considered when worrying about being scandalized by modesty. Are those looking to sin, ordinary folks trying to live chase lives? And those who are weak. Again, those looking for sin, looking for the occasion. The ordinary folks try and live chastely and are weak neighbors, especially children, adolescents, we don't have to worry about those looking to sin.
Speaker 0 14:31 They're on their own. We are obliged to for God to avoid any immodesty which give an ordinary man an occasion of sin. We're obliged to use extraordinary precautions in this regard around children, adolescents, and the weak. The good shepherd has some very sobering words. This regard, quote, he had actual scandalize, one of these little ones that believe in me who were better for him that a millstone be should hang around his neck. He should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Well to that man by whom? The scandal. Comments, what? What did that man, I miss scandal. Commas. He that shall scandalize one of these little ones who were better for him, that a millstone should be hanged around his neck, that she'd be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Speaker 0 15:26 Now keep in mind here that there's a symmetry between the person committing scandal and the person being scandalized. If someone is dressing in an immodest fashion, they're guilty for offering and forbidden fruit, but the people who are scandalized, they're guilty for taking the forbidden fruit. Okay? The person offering is guilty for offering whether or not it gets any takers. The people taking it are guilty for taking it. Let's review. We've seen because we're all members of a fallen race, except for our lady, we all suffer from concupiscence and we've seen it because of concupiscence. Men are strongly inclined towards sins of impurity, which feels held with souls. We've seen it. Modesty is the virtue that protects us from sins of impurity and we realized that because we have obligations to our neighbor, we may not do what we please if what we do is a danger to the salvation of our neighbors soul.
Speaker 0 16:29 We've seen it acts which endangered the spiritual life of another act of scandal and that God forbids them because love for our neighbor demands that we do not induce or help him to sin. We've seen we have to be cautious around ordinary people trying to live chastely and extraordinarily cautious around the weak, especially children and adolescents. And we've seen the supplies to modesty and dress those actions which are done in company with others. Now let's get practical because of time, Lloyd considered two applications. First application actions which are done in company with others. We'll quickly reveal a point that we're all hopefully familiar with in regards to actions which are done in the company of others. Hope Alexander the seventh contempt as a moral error. The idea that is only visually sinful for the unmarried to kiss for the central pleasure rising from the kiss, even if there's no danger of further consent or of going even farther, it is condemned to say that it is only a venial sin for the unmarried to deliberately kiss for the pleasure of kissing.
Speaker 0 17:45 So what does that mean? Saint explains quote, this means that every time someone was sufficient reflection and full consent of the will delights in carnal or central pleasure associated with someone to whom he's not married. He commits some oral sin. This is not only true with kisses, but also with respect to other touches performed for carnal pleasure. The reason is that any delight taken in carnal pleasure, that is to say any delight taken and string up the appetite surrounding the creative power is a movement towards the marital act. Close quote, the doctor of moral theology of the universal church. So here's the point for the unmarried, passionate kissing is morally sinful. Why? Because it's passionate. The unmarried do not have the right to those passions. They do not have the right to deliberately strip those passions in themselves or in anyone else, whether by thought word or deed, those passions, those delights, those pleasures are reserved strictly for the married and not for anyone else.
Speaker 0 19:03 Once we understand that, we don't need to go through this big long laundry list to explain which particular behaviors are wrong for the unmarried passionate kissy is morally sinful because the unmarried do not have the right to deliberately stir up those passions in themselves or any others, whether by kissing or any other deed thought or word bottom line. That little Peck on the cheek cause a little Peck on the lips, that real chased kiss, that's the kind of kissy that the unmarried can do. And that's all. Okay. Second application, modesty and dress. Before we touch on that, I want to make two points. First, what I'm going to say is nothing personal. We're on this together. We have obligations to our neighbor and my obligation to you is to explain to you these things acts which endanger the spiritual life of another or acts of scandal and God forbids them because the love of our neighbor demands we do not induce or help him to sin stuff.
Speaker 0 20:06 Anyone's been offering scandal. He doesn't repent. Reform. There's something far worse than a millstone in the future. Second, some people seem to think the church has a double standard, one for a man and another for women, but that's not true at all. His father sat with points out because the differences between the sexes, some difficulties are stronger in one sex than in the other and so they must be dealt with accordingly. Men typically have more difficulty with period itself with modesty, the eyes and touch so that where men must be more careful. For example, viewing bad websites is by and large a male problem. Women must give more attention to the whole field of modesty. It would be more considerate of the weakness of others. The difficulties come out about even in terms of sin. We all ought to be pretty familiar with the story anyway. The names have changed, but one six is typically guilty of offering forbidden fruit. One sex is typically guilty of taking it.
Speaker 0 21:19 Bottom line is the good shepherd calls all Catholic men and all Catholic women to a sense of loving responsibility for one another and to show that by our practices of virtue and purity and modesty, we have obligations to our neighbor. Pope Pius the 12th please listen carefully. We have to prefer the spiritual welfare of our neighbor to our bodily comforts. If a certain kind of dress constitutes a grave and proximate occasion of sin and endangers the salvation of your soul and others, it is your duty to give it up. Oh Christian mothers. If you knew what a future of anxieties and parents of ill guarded shame that you prepare for your sons and daughters imprudently getting them accustomed to live, scantily dressed, and they can lose the sense of modesty, you would be ashamed of yourselves and you would dread the harm you're causing to yourselves and the harm which you're causing these children whom heaven is entrusted to you to be brought up as Christians, no matter how broad and changeable styles may be, there is always an absolute norm. To be kept. Style must never be a proximate occasion of sin. Immodesty and fashion depends on the cut of the garment. The garment must not be evaluated according to the estimation of a decadent or already corrupt society. Close quote, Pope Pius the 12th vicar of Christ.
Speaker 0 23:11 Now during the reign of Pius the 11th the Holy sea had issued norms for modesty and dress. These are timeless standards for women's clothing. They're independent of particular fashion trends. In other words, these are the absolute norms referred to by Pope Pius the 12th number one, it must not be cut deeper than two fingers breath under the tip pit of the throat. Number two, quarter length sleeves are tolerated. In other words, no sleeveless blouses her bare shoulders. Number three, it must reach beyond the knees when seated. Number four, transparent materials are improper. Now notice what these rules are intended to do. They are intended to prevent a woman from being an occasion send to others. The absolute norm are designed to ensure that the body is concealed according to the measure of right reason. I point out something before you go any farther. We practice what we preach, and this is black, so there's no pity when it comes to, well, it's real hot. Father. Yes, I know.
Speaker 3 24:29 <inaudible>
Speaker 0 24:31 Anyway, back to this Motley, what's the Holy spirit say? Let your modesty be known to all men. Now, modesty automatically forbids tight clothing, tight sweaters, tight blouses, tight skirts, tight pants, tight shorts. They're all immodest. They're all immodest. But your modesty be known to all men. Modesty does not mean that girls aren't supposed to be colorful and pretty. Of course they are. Our lady is beautiful. She wore bright blue and bright red. Y'all are the flowers that God has put in society and you're supposed to be colorful and pretty, but it has to be a fair fight. Okay? Modesty doesn't mean that the clothes a woman wears can't fit her form the course they can. They just can't be tight. It has to be a fair fight. Ladies, the whole notion of the church's rules is just to ensure that it's a fair fight. That great doctor, the church, Saint Ambrose summarizes the basic idea, how delightful it is to do good to others by your appearance, how delightful it is to good others by your parents.
Speaker 0 25:42 For we go on, let me make a parent that occur remark about tight clothing in my files. I have summary of a research study which showed that endometriosis is extremely rare in populations of women who wear traditional clothing or in other words, loose clothing. The findings suggest the tight clothing may cause retrograde Menzies which results in endometriosis. Okay. Back to the sermon. Well bless Jacinta. One of the visionaries of Fatima was dying in the hospital. She grew up very sad because the worldliness of the visiting women who would come in all decked out these fashionable clothes, often with very low cut dresses. What is it all for? Plus you said it asked if they only knew what Aternity is. What is it all for? They only knew what Aternity is. Low cut blouses, short skirts, short shorts, worldly fashions. What is it all for now, just in case someone here is getting bent out of shape by all this, relax and ask yourself one question. Do I actually think that people should run around naked?
Speaker 1 27:06 No.
Speaker 0 27:08 If you can answer no to that, then we agree on the principle. We're just haggling over the application And if we're haggling over the application, stop and think of what that means. That means on the one hand we have God's standard and on the other hand we have someone else's.
Speaker 0 27:33 I remember our lady warned us through blessing. You said, and I quote our lady, certain fashions will be introduced, which will offend our divine Lord very much. Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions. The church has no fashions. Our Lord is always the same. Close quote, our lady Pius the 12th we have to prefer the spiritual welfare of our neighbor to our own bodily comforts. If a certain kind of dress constitutes a grave and proximate occasion of sin and endanger the salvation of your soul and others, it is your duty to give it up. Close quote the vicar of Christ. If you have clothing that is dangerous to your soul and others, it is your duty to give it up. Get rid of it. Get out the scissors, making the dust, rags, whatever, but get rid of it.
Speaker 1 28:35 Let's review.
Speaker 0 28:37 We've seen the shape that were shared, good attack because they didn't look the same as the unshorn bunch for going to be faithful. The good shepherd. Given what currently passed for acceptable behavior for the unmarried, we sure are going to act different and given what passes for acceptable behavior for fashions and dress, we sure are gonna look a lot different than a lot of the folks around us. The rules for acceptable behavior for the unmarried. A really easy to remember. Passionate kisses, morally sinful because the unmarried do not have the right to deliberately stir up those passions in themselves or in any others, whether by kissing or by any other deed thought or word. The absolute norms for women's clothing are really easy to member. Must not be cut deeper than two fingers. Breadth under the Tippit of the throat, quarter length sleeves are tolerated.
Speaker 0 29:36 In other words, no sleeveless blouses or bare shoulders must reach beyond the knees. And when transparent materials and tight clothing are improper, it doesn't matter what everyone else is doing. They want to be saved. Catholic guys have to watch what they're looking at. Catholic girls have to watch how they look. That is radically different from the surrounding culture, so we shouldn't be particularly surprised if we catch some flack over all this, but all that will live godly in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution. So we've seen that the sheep that were shared, we could attack because they didn't look the same as unshorn punch. We've seen if we're going to be faithful, good shepherd, we will look different. So we wouldn't be too surprised if we get the same kind of treatment. That being said, let each of us be very careful to make sure when folks join us here who may look different, probably because they're not yet aware of the church's guidelines. Let's make very sure that we make them feel welcome and that we don't bunch up like a band of unshorn sheep and attack them. On that note, let's close with inspired words. Take from the fifth chapter of st Paul's better than Feagins. Really ask the Holy spirit to take them to heart the word of God. Once you were darkness, but now you're like in the Lord. Walk as children of light and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
