The happiness in the face of Bishop Barron when Brandon mentioned about his 8th child is something really beautiful to see! We can truly see that he is happy about a new person coming from this blessed family! Congrats Brandon on the new child! May God bless you and your family!
Congratulations Brandon and Catleen for your 8th child. Your'll are really blessed. And thank you Bishop Barron, i just love listening to you on the Word on Fire show. You are a wonderful speaker. It was so nice to see you so jovial and laughing and smiling on this show. You made me smile too. GOD bless you abundantly. Stay safe ➕❤
You want to know what makes my life meaningful? Well I’ll tell you a few things that make my life meaningful. 1. Hanging out with friends who have positive vibrations at any Catholic Church. 2. Praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it’s mysteries. 3. Praying the Chaplet of Saint Michael the archangel. 4. Praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 pm. 5. Attending Catholic mass every week and every weekday. 6. Keeping myself away from people who have negative vibrations.
I liked your words Bishop. They were very beautiful, meaningful and showed depth. I really enjoyed where you talked about the beauty of the world like Plato's Symposium. Thank you! Thank you for your words too, Brandon. And Congratulations!
I'm a latecomer to this show, so this isn't exactly timely, but congrats on #8 to Brandon and Kathleen. My late husband and I were the parents of 8 as well; it's a fine number.
From experience, my Catholic faith was reawakened after I read the Bible. Specifically, the Gospels. I comprehended what Jesus had done for me and sobbed. Soon after I could see God’s hand in creation. Clearly I was given the grace to come to that awareness. My husband also questioned the meaning of life. I suggested he read the Bible. He did. His life changed forever. He entered RCIA and received the Sacraments of Initiation. Today, he is also a Permanent Deacon. Read the Bible ( it is alive) would be my suggestion to someone who is questioning the meaning of life and pray for that individual.
Bishop Barron: your talks ( HOLY TALKS!), Have really changed My life. Each tome I think THIS WAS HIS BEST!; I THEN THINK, NO, THIS WAS BESTEST! I Worry about Confesión & Mass and Covit, and You make me think and FEEL a better ( por worse) Catholics. But You speak of Beauty, and I relate it to my spiritual life.I bought Newman, and I on My way yo Aquinas; But: I HATE SPORTS! Nevera read about them, turn TV off on them, agree that soccer is 22 millonarios pursuing a ball of leather..It's there hope for me? DO THEY PLAY BASEBALL in heaven?
My first thought when I heard the listener question was about Tamar who is in the genealogy of Christ. Her actions were in direct violation of God's law, even though she had a worthy goal.
I am posting on the website because it seems like someone will answer. Why won't a convent answer my letters and email about discernment questions? They are quite a distance away so I can't really just stop in. Thank you for any answers.
I was also interested in the subject of discernment. I was referred to writings on the topic by Ignatius of Loyola. You can find his principles of discernment through an internet word search. He speaks about quieting the mind to get in touch with the movement of the soul. To know if that movement is coming from love, from God or from evil. Reading Ignatius helped me to practice discernment. I pray that you find the resources that will help you.
@@johnclark1371 Are you going to become a priest? I hope so. I googled it and what he is talking about has occurred. I have made mistakes throughout this process. God's Love has called me. A priest told me one time that I have to make an effort. God can't do it all lol. The priest was talking about a different scenario. I have been applying it to this though. I am making attempts to answer where He wants me to go. Thank you so much for replying to this. How long have you been discerning? It does take around two years. I was going one direction and thinking about the other types of convents. And well, the other types was the right one all along. The more I get to know myself the more I realize that hey "God was right." Go figure lol. I'll pray for you too that your practicing of discernment goes well.
@@catholicquestions1569 I’m really glad you found Ignatius helpful. I’ve been practicing his rules for discernment for about one year. I’ve incorporated praying the rosary into this practice. I find it to be a valuable period of meditation and reflection. Bishop Barron has a series of videos on praying the rosary, which are excellent. If I can still my mind, I can better recognize the movements of the soul that Ignatius writes about. Often throughout the day, I’ll say a prayer to help me to fix my mind on discerning God’s will. I’m not a priest. I’m blessed with a wife and family, which I believe was God’s direction for my life. I will keep you in my prayers. God bless you in all that you do.
How is mortal sin possible if the will limits us from doing things we believe are not good or are gravely wicked? Barron says a wicked person can do wicked things, but we use the word wicked for how twisted and confused the person and his or her perception is, so that cannot be a sinner choosing sin with full knowledge of its evil or free will. When someone is tempted into doing something they are not perfectly free. When someone's perception is wicked twisted so as to confuse their wicked choices with the apparent good, that cannot be perfect knowledge of the grave sin of their actions. I agree the will limits us, but this point of view is controversial among my fellow Catholics, I cannot think of how to reconcile it with the idea of mortal sin and the reality of people going to hell in an afterlife.
quote from book "To Save a Thousand Souls " by fr Brett Brannen Our Primary Vocation is Holiness Happiness is doing the will of God. Interestingly, that could also be the definition of holiness. The primary and universal vocation of every person in the world is to be holy-to become like Jesus Christ. Christ-likeness is the only success recognized by God. Or, as St. Bonaventure said: “If you learn everything except Christ, you learn nothing. If you learn nothing except Christ, you learn everything.” Interestingly, the people who take holiness seriously are also the people who experience the most happiness here in this life. Why? Because our holiness is preparing us for the supreme happiness of heaven, the true destiny for which we were made, not some glimmer of happiness which we might experience here.
O' Just Remember To ...Mentions... Your Contribution To Thomas Aquinas Third Dogma Is Very Much Needed Yes ! .Every Other Body Or person Take Is Never Good Enough Your Take Is More Inline With His Great Mind .Look At The Apparels To His Life And Yours .Be Blessed. 🌹
"That Jones shall worship the god within him turns out ultimately to mean that Jones shall worship Jones. Let Jones worship the sun or moon, anything rather than the Inner Light; let Jones worship cats or crocodiles, if he can find any in his street, but not the god within.,,, The only fun of being a Christian was that a man was not left alone with the Inner Light, but definitely recognized an outer light, fair as the sun, clear as the moon, terrible as an army with banners."
He was doing something that he considered good for his country, it was his highest value, that's why God should be in the first place in the hierarhy of values because if you put something else in the first place that is good but not the highest good then it can end up very badly.
Vilkan Visions one cannot qualify this beast of a man as thinking of the greater good . He was vile in his mental illness. I guess I just answered my own question. Thanks for responding.
Proverbs 22:3 “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Take heed to this truth, or if you reject it as "conspiracy" or "craziness" you will suffer the consequences. "Popery Puseyism Jesuitism" By Luigi Desanctis Page 140: At what, then, do the Jesuits aim? According to them, they only seek the greater glory of God; but if you examine the facts you will find that they aim at universal dominion alone. They have rendered themselves indispensable to the Pope, who, without them, could not exist, because Catholicism is identified with them. They have rendered themselves indispensable to governors and hold revolutions in their hands; and in this way, either under one name or another, it is they who rule the world, who have reduced it to such perversion of ideas, that he can neither be a good citizen nor a good Catholic who is not a Jesuit. Page 139: He who thinks he knows the Jesuits by having read all the books that were written in the past century to unmask them, would be grossly deceived. The Jesuitism of that day was an open war against the Gospel and society; the Jesuitism of the present day is a slow but contagious and deadly disease, which secretly insinuates itself; it is a poison taken under the name of medicine. "History of the Jesuits: their origin, progress, doctrines, and designs" 1854 By Nicolini, G. B. (Giovanni Battista) Page 39: take the Jesuit for what he ought or appears to be, and you commit the greatest of blunders. Draw the character after what the Jesuit seems to be in London, and you will not recognize your portrait in the Jesuit of Rome. The Jesuit is the man of circumstances. Despotic in Spain, constitutional in England, republican in Paraguay, bigot in Rome, idolater in India, he shall assume and act out in his own person, with admirable flexibility, all those different features by which men are usually to be distinguished from each other. He will accompany the gay woman of the world to the theatre, and will share in the excesses of the debauchee. With solemn countenance, he will take his place by the side of the religious man at church, and he will revel in the tavern with the glutton and the sot. He dresses, in all garbs, speaks all languages, knows all customs, is present everywhere though nowhere recognized-and all this, it should seem (O monstrous blasphemy!), for the greater glory of God Page 82: [Jesuit] Father Francis Pelhco... candidly confesses that " the many illustrious friends of the Society, prelates, orators, learned and distinguished men of every description, the supporters of the Society, remain occult, and obliged to be silent.'' "The Jesuits in History" by Hector MacPherson Page 148: Danger lies in the fact that since the Vatican Council the interests of both are identical. Jesuitism is the power behind the Papal throne. “The presence of the Jesuits in any country, Romanist or Protestant,” once remarked Lord Palmerston, “ is likely to breed social disturbance.” So hurtful was the Jesuit Order found to be that, up to 1860, it was expelled no fewer than seventy times from countries which has suffered from its machinations... In spite of Continental warnings, England, in the name of a spurious toleration, has become a Jesuit dumping-ground. Those whom other countries have found from sad experience to be enemies, Britain allows to land on her shores, and to carry on unmolested their work of iniquity. We are carrying toleration to excess, and unless there is a change of policy, this nation will one day pay a heavy penalty. If we wish to escape the penalty, we must come to realize that a system which enslaves the individual, fosters superstition, is at war with patriotism and destroys morality, will, if allowed to flourish unchecked, sooner or later destroy society. "The Jesuits in History" 1914 by Hector MacPherson Page 122: In order to clearness of thought in dealing with this subject, it is well to note the distinction between Roman Catholicism and the Papacy. The former has to do mainly with religion. It rests upon the theological doctrines which Protestants believe to be erroneous. There are Roman Catholics who take their religion but not their politics from the Pope. Had the Roman Catholic Church remained a purely religious organisation like any other sect, the world would have been spared centuries of evil. But in the course of its development the Romish Church, through its Popes, entered the civil sphere and aspired to universal monarchy. "The Vatican Against Europe" 1993 by Edmond Paris Page 308: In the future, as in the past, she (The Catholic Church) will inexorably move towards the end she has set herself, without the slightest thought for the ruins and the catastrophes that her unwearying pursuit might be causing. "The end justifies the means". "No political event or circumstance can be evaluated without the knowledge of the Vatican's part in it. And no significant world situation exists in which the Vatican does not play an important explicit or implicit role. "The Secret History Of The Jesuits" 1975 by Edmond Paris Page 7: The public is practically unaware of the overwhelming responsibility carried by the Vatican and its Jesuits in the start of the two world wars-a situation which may be explained in part by the gigantic finances at the disposition of the Vatican and its Jesuits, giving them power in so many spheres, especially since the last conflict. Page -163-164: But let us see, first, how an especially "authorized" personality, Franco, Knight of the Order of Christ, expressly confirmed the collusion between the Vatican and the nazis. According to "Reforme", this is what the press of the Spanish dictator (Franco) published on the 3rd of May 1945, the day of Hitler's death: ... "I learned much from the Order of the Jesuits", said Hitler... "Until now, there has never been anything more grandiose, on the earth, than the hierarchical organisation of the Catholic Church. I transferred much of this organisation into my own party... I am going to let you in on a secret... I am founding an Order... In my "Burgs" of the Order, we will raise up a youth which will make the world tremble... Hitler then stopped, saying that he couldn't say any more.."(108) "Swarms of Locusts: The Jesuit attack on the Faith" 2002 by Michael Bunker Page 12: There is a conspiracy against Christendom.... But who are Satan’s agents in this conspiracy? The “agents” are the Jesuits. Even though the Jesuits exude vast influence and control in the areas of theology, education, recorded history and current media, I am still perplexed that virtually no literature exists exposing the Jesuit’s influence on mainline Protestantism. 👇🙃 ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜱᴀᴠᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛɪᴀɴ: ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪʙʟᴇ ꜱᴀʏꜱ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴏ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀʀɴ ꜱᴀʟᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴀ ɢɪꜰᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɢᴏᴅ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ɪꜱ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴇꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪɴꜱ. ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇ ʜᴏʟʏ ɪɴ ᴏʙᴇᴅɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴊᴇꜱᴜꜱ (ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ) ꜰᴀɪᴛʜ. ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴇꜱᴜꜱ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴜʀ ꜱɪɴꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏꜱᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ 3ʀᴅ ᴅᴀʏ. ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴇ ꜱᴇᴇ ʜᴏᴡ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ꜱɪɴ ɪꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴘᴇɴᴛ (ᴛᴜʀɴ) ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀꜱᴋ ɢᴏᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇɴᴇꜱꜱ, ɢᴏᴅ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜꜱ ʜɪꜱ ʜᴏʟʏ ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴡᴇʟʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴜꜱ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴄᴏᴍᴇ ꜱɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴠᴇ ʜᴏʟʏ. ɴᴏ ʀᴇʟɪɢɪᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜ ᴄᴀɴ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ
“Without a relationship to God I can’t really be happy …” (ca. 8:40). In an earlier generation apologists for theism of Robert Barron’s calibre asserted: “Without a relationship to God I can’t really be moral …”. To his credit, and in reference to his appreciation of the life and work of Christopher Hitchens, Barron has explicitly repudiated such a claim, and recognizes that individuals who are not persuaded of supernatural claims (i.e. religious non-believers) can still be profoundly moral. Why should finding meaning or happiness require being persuaded of supernatural claims any more than being able to lead a moral life? Is Robert Barron really trying to claim (to name a few individuals he knows about) that Alex O’Connor, Douglas Adams, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett or Ayaan Hirsi Ali have failed to find or found greater difficulty in finding meaning and happiness? It’s time to recognize and respect that non-believers can be as fully capable of the best human qualities as those who are - often for the most noble reasons - persuaded of, and proponents for, supernatural claims.
The problem, Steve, is that, like it or not, you are wired for unconditioned happiness, absolute happiness, and this just cannot be had through recourse to the necessarily limited goods of this world. So sure, you can be happy in a restricted, mitigated, fleeting way, but you cannot, even in principle, be perfectly happy without some reference to an absolute good.
@@BishopBarronIt may indeed be the case that the selection pressures of our evolution have “…wired us for [a desire for] unconditioned happiness”, a view shared by many who have studied the natural history of religion. Those selection pressures have also “wired” us to be falsely confident of our orientation in space when we have lost visual reference to the horizon, or to wildly misjudge the relative likelihood of rare events (cf. Bayes’ theorem). Recognizing these and other aspects of our evolutionary inheritance, we can still aim to live the one, short life we know we have so as to contribute to the greatest happiness and meaning for the lives of those we live with, and perhaps their immediate descendants. Yes, this will be fleeting and imperfect, but neither ‘eternity’ nor ‘perfection’ are essential to meaning and happiness. The sincere and honourable belief that there is necessarily a supernatural aspect to attaining true meaning and happiness should still respect those who are not so persuaded.
The lives of the sick that were healed by Jesus can be looked at. They were healed and yet they were still restricted. Yes their restriction was improved, of course it was. They went home and lived with their loved ones and helped to the good and the happiness of lives around them and with themselves. Daily they lived like this. And yet we have examples of their going to the temple. Referencing the absolute good. Softening hearts. Sharing their story of healing. Praising God. Giving Glory to Good God Almighty. They are excellent examples of what is fleeting and what is eternal.
@@shaber9 I don't believe you, Steve. Say what you want about "evolutionary pressures," you want to be perfectly happy. Therefore, you have some inchoate sense of what that happiness is, and your life is, consciously or not, directed toward it.
@@BishopBarron I trust that the response: “I don’t believe you, Steve …” is not Robert Barron asserting that I am untruthful. Yes, being unpersuaded of supernatural claims does mean recognizing and accepting that there is one life, one life only, in which to find and give happiness and meaning. Without recourse to an “afterlife” or “everlasting life”, the happiness and meaning one succeeds in finding and giving is, in that sense, “limited” and not “perfect”, but it can be the best that we can humanly aim to achieve. It is somewhat bewildering to be told by another party what I “really” want. I profoundly respect that Robert Barron, and those who share similar beliefs, are sincere in their understanding of what makes “perfect happiness”. It is, I think, equally helpful to respect that those who are not persuaded of supernatural claims can also aim to find and give happiness and meaning. The risk in asserting that this will not be “perfect” (and that even non-believers actually “really” seek the “perfect” happiness that can only be gained by “…reference to an absolute good”) is that, in regarding it as a “second-class” form of meaning and happiness, it will become too easy thereby to see non-believers as “second-class” humans. Robert Barron knows all too well that non-believers are fully capable of being moral and ethical individuals … and is honourably on record for stating this. Non-believers are also fully capable of finding and giving happiness and meaning. It is possible to have and respect different views on how to aim for these things and what can be achieved.
Brandon, I hate to sound politically correct, but your wife is the one who is pregnant. You are surely very supportive of her, but the two of you ("we") are not pregnant. She has to do the heavy lifting. When I had my prostate operation, my wife and I didn't have it, I had it.
Word on Fire is leading me towards the Catholic Church, albeit slowly and thoughtfully. For the first time in years, I'm truly and earnestly seeking Meaning. Exhilarating, yet sometimes frightening!
Sometimes you need borrowed faith. When you’re too discouraged, too tired, been through too much, that’s okay. God will have friends with faith that are there for you. Someone to call to let you know they’re praying, someone to stop by with an encouraging word, someone to go to God on your behalf. Their prayers will touch heaven for you. I don’t know if you need a friend today or you feel like you don’t have faith for yourself. Or maybe, God has you reading this to remind you to be a friend with faith, to not just have faith for yourself, but to let someone borrow your faith. Thanks for your support and prayers. Amen
Wonderful .... reminds me of one of the definitions for insanity, apt in today's culture: doing the same thing over and over and getting the same (unsatisfying unhappy) result. Thank you for this post! Lots of wise comments as well.
@@Roman-LabradorThank you for asking. I meant that repeatedly looking for peace and happiness in this world without Jesus is not ultimately satisfying. Doing so over and over again believing, even well intentioned, is frustrating and crazy making. Prayer is a deeply personal subject that I did intend to include. Sorry about that. God bless!
And "even in the most desperate moral situation", it humbly seems, evangelically speaking our calling as Catholics is to help connect that person to the greatest good: the One who is the first cause of all of our yearnings -God.
I liked Bishop Barron’s answer to the question at the end of the show. I believe the only time when we are truly and fully parted from God is in hell but here on earth even amongst wickedness there is at least some good within us.
"May we always return to you God, the same love that you used to create us". This is something I recently changed in my night´s prayer. Because I was sort of in a mess when I asked to be put in the path that he wanted us to do, without knowing a "system" that corresponds to that goal. So now I found my "meaning". Do everything that I feel that will return that Love back to God. Let it be in prayer, in deed, in my work in everything.
facts as a former new age practitioner. I never achieved peace love or happiness by my own merits. Now with God, he naturally gives me peace love, and happiness for free without me doing anything. Especially when I am under the influence of the Holy Eucharist. It is as if I was walking in literal heaven.
Bishop Barron you are truly a successor to the apostles, I’m a older convert to the Catholic Church and listening to word on fire and the Catholicism series a big part of my conversion. Ten years in so in love with the church, thank you Bishop
Meaning is found following the lives of the Saints, who lived for the eternal which remains forever, that no one can take away from us, not time, age or the world!!!! fresh beautiful faces fade away in 4 decades, riches come and go, health deteriorates and we die, some friends would abandon us....the human heart longs for eternity!!!!none of this world would fill in that longing for GOD!!! the wealthy heritage of the Mother Church will allow anyone to choose a saint of his liking and imitate him!!!they are our older brothers!!
I work at a charity and we recently had a brainstorming session where we were tasked with thinking of the charity's "Why Statement". I couldn't help but think that this is the equivalent. "Why" am I doing what I'm doing??? This needs to be top-of-mind SO MUCH MORE in today's world!
Thanks Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt. It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that our meaning in life is to get things from this world that can make us happy, famous, or better than others. I think religious Christians, non-religious, and people of other faiths will fall into that definition one way or the other. Of course, the problem with that is, all of us, no matter what we can do, will in the end lose the things we own, will always have new problems in life no matter how much we've "climbed up", and will never get the ideal situations we imagined previously. And for many people, just to get the sufficient necessities of life can be very difficult and despairing. The idea of putting our meaning of life into the materialistic mindset is destroying our souls and dignity of life; as though if we don't get what we're "expected to" from our family or society, or if we can't have a "productive" working life, we're a waste in the society and a problem. However, we're alive and conscious not because we've signed a contract to have certain things or do certain things, we're alive purely because of God's love at the very fundamental, if the love of the family is taken away by evil. We're alive so that we can know God and be with God in the eternal goodness, no matter how we're called to do our parts in the pilgrimage to heaven. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matthew 24: 35)
Quite a thoughtful discussion. I had a debate with someone along these lines who is more of an agnostic than anything and I told him I believe we are hard wired for God, meaning we have an innate desire to be one with a higher, transcendent being or power. The conversation was civil until I said I think a lot of our trouble relates back to the fact that people have decided to rebel against God, in essence, declaring war on Him. Well that raised his temperature quite a bit and I decided the better part of valor was discretion at that point so I moved the conversation onto another subject. I did that because I know a hardened position when I see one. The thing is, this same person was quite intrigued by the idea that we are an extension of the universe and that we were created as a way for the universe to understand itself. When I substituted the universe with God he wasn't that keen on the idea. I think there are a lot of people out there who are fighting against their basic nature, which is to have a relationship with God and I agree that no matter how hard they try to find meaning from within that basic need to be a part of something larger than ourselves will never be fulfilled.
I have not seen a single kid in my life who started babbling about god without adults teaching religion to them. Neither have you. Your "hardwiring" is simple programming at an early age.
@@lepidoptera9337 So we don't have a natural instinct to find meaning through a higher power than ourselves? Because that was the point I was making with my friend. I'm honestly curious if that is what you believe, but I won't use terms like babbling or insinuating I know anything about what you have or have not experienced like you did here with me. I am interested in an honest debate if that is what you want.
@@itinerantpatriot1196 Do kids have invisible friends? Yes. Do they nail them to a cross to attain forgiveness for their sins? No, usually not. ;-) And since we are talking about sin... you are just another person who doesn't know where sin is defined in the bible. I win. :-)
Congratulations Brandon. Thank you Bishop Barron. God created intellect to seek truth and our will to desire good but why and how the same intellect accept lies and will desires that are not good? This happened to adam and eve before the fall. How do we understand this? Thanks again
I think Bishop Barron's conclusion tying meaning to love is spot on. Ultimately, I think that this why so many people derive meaning from love for their families. This form of "willing the good of the other" for spouse and/or children comes very naturally. Even many animals are capable of this sort of love. Of course, in our society, the most publicly celebrated form of love is "Romantic Love", know in some form of Greek as "Eros." This reminds me of the "Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis, in which the highest form of love is Charity, or Agape, Love. I suppose that Lewis owes a debt to St. Augustine (of Hippo) in his conclusion that all lower/natural loves are properly ordered/perfected in their orientation to Divine Love. Affectionate love for family and romantic love come naturally for man, but are still disordered by man's fallen nature. "What God is by nature, man becomes by Grace." The fact that 80%+ of Americans believe in a supernaturally ordered plan or purpose for their lives makes sense to me. I would say that this generally over laps with a belief in God (or Higher Power). As a (somewhat reluctant) Protestant, my observation is that most people that I know believe in God, but many are skeptical of organized religion. Often, this is the result of some sort of bad/unpleasant experience with the people and/or institutions of the Church. And in another sense, this comes from America's overall (Neo) Protestant spirit... In some novel strains of theology, Faith is sometimes reduced to a one-on-one relationship rather than a belonging to an Faith Community (i.e. the Church). I am sometimes asked "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?" My answer, is "Yes, I do have a personal relationship with Jesus through His Mystical Body, the Church." In classic Christian theology, getting closer to God means also involves getting closer to other members of the Mystical Body, both here on Earth and in Heaven. The cultural indoctrination of "Finding my meaning from within" that Bishop Barron mentions here is certainly relevant here. In a sense, most Americans are comfortable with a relationship with God, on their own terms. In my experience, this would apply to most other Protestants that I know, and many lapsed Catholics as well. On a positive note, it would seem that, unlike the situation in Europe, most Americans believe in God. But on a less optimistic note, it seems to me that most American Christians that I know (Catholic and Protestant alike) tend to "pick and choose" (Thanks to Bishop Barron for teaching me the Greek word for this!) what tenets of the Faith that they choose to practice/believe...
I live in France now, and last year I follow bible in a year by Fr Mike Schmitz using my french bible. What surprise me, in the french bible, they don't translate the word love into 'armour' but they translate it 'charité'. It makes more sense now of the meaning of love is just like what bishop said, knowing that he studied in France before.
"Perform today the simplest act of love, will the good of another " Why not take these concise statements in answer to existential questions on tik tok. I think you will reach an audience that is not being reached.
I enjoy much of htis but I have to fight against what I feel is a self-imposed narrative. As we get odler we look for the enemies we know. It would be easy to see a movie like "Mulan" (the animated version) as looking within yourself or finding yourself but she very clearly was tied to her family. I fel many of these movies provide a narrative of looking inside yourself to find your meaning in the overarching construct of the system you exist within and that the fear of these narratives is you being so used to the system all you (we as adults) see is the challenge to the system not the formative growth of a child which MUST ask questions to truly find themselves in a meaningful way. Growth is hard, not only in reaching new heights but not shading the ground below us in foliage that should have been shed long ago.
As far as it stands, everything you know about meaning in life is subjective. There is nothing that can be verified objectively, or that life itself has any meaning to begin with. If you're an atheist, your meaning comes from philosophy and science. If your Muslim, it comes from Allah. If you're Christian, it comes from Jesus. If you're Buddhist, being a Buddha, is your meaning. If you're a political revolutionist, your political ideology, is your meaning. While the above, people contradict themselves, it reveals that people select the meaning of their life, versus anything given from the heavens.
13:03 I think is some what of a half truth. Socrates once said, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” What he meant by this was if you understand the ways in which you are ordered what drives you, what gives you joy, what brings you pain, etc… you can use that to get you in deeper contact with reality and yourself. Then as you self realize you can self actualitize the truth that brings you to God, and that then becomes a reciprocal process
"The purpose of life as far as I can tell... is to find a mode of being that's as meaningful that the fact that life is suffering is no longer relevant." *- Jordan B. Peterson*
Good broadcast Bishop & good topic. I personally believe that If we knew the meaning of life; Life would cease to have meaning & purpose?? It is not knowing that gets us out of bed in the morning? Taking this a stage further. The Christian Church preaches a message of Eternal Life? However, do we truly want to know what happens when we die???
I enjoy how father makes his point without feeling the need to denigrate others or others' faith traditions. What I value about our Catholic faith Is that we do not define ourselves by criticizing any other religion or tradition. We have an entirely affirmative belief: we affirm "One body and one Spirit; one hope One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Amen.
Good morning friends, Listening to my own heart, it seemed that Bishop Bob and Brandon missed an opportunity to explain one way that God is present in our lives. You see, the problem is not, following our own heart is not the problem. Of course I am a mere sinner and it would be foolish for me or you to listen to me. However, when we listen carefully, when we are still, then it is not me I hear in my heart it is Jesus who lives in me. Didn't Paul teach us that? Didn't God teach him? I think that is what Jesus is telling us. What do you Think? Your brother in Christ, Mark
Meaning, I found it on an early morning flight and looked down observing the world, perfect don't know for sure but it's as close as I can perceive at this time but here on the ground is another question.
When you keep asking the question of why, you will eventually stops at God or The Ultimate Value that gives value its value. That’s why St Augustine said “our heart is restless until it rests in you,” Ultimate Value aka Lord.
The happiness in the face of Bishop Barron when Brandon mentioned about his 8th child is something really beautiful to see! We can truly see that he is happy about a new person coming from this blessed family!
Congrats Brandon on the new child! May God bless you and your family!
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Congratulations Brandon and Catleen for your 8th child. Your'll are really blessed. And thank you Bishop Barron, i just love listening to you on the Word on Fire show. You are a wonderful speaker. It was so nice to see you so jovial and laughing and smiling on this show. You made me smile too. GOD bless you abundantly. Stay safe ➕❤
BB is a mature and thoughtful man with a clean and pure heart. 💜
You want to know what makes my life meaningful? Well I’ll tell you a few things that make my life meaningful.
1. Hanging out with friends who have positive vibrations at any Catholic Church.
2. Praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it’s mysteries.
3. Praying the Chaplet of Saint Michael the archangel.
4. Praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 pm.
5. Attending Catholic mass every week and every weekday.
6. Keeping myself away from people who have negative vibrations.
I liked your words Bishop. They were very beautiful, meaningful and showed depth. I really enjoyed where you talked about the beauty of the world like Plato's Symposium. Thank you!
Thank you for your words too, Brandon. And Congratulations!
Thank you God for this Bishop and Brandon
Come, Holy Spirit, and fill our hearts and minds with your love and wisdom....
Amen!
Thank You Bishop for what you are doing :)
Listening from the Philippines 2023. Thank you Bishop
This is an excellent show today. Perfect topic, expounded upon gracefully 🙏🏻❤️✝️
Indeed☆
Bishop Barron!
Bishop Barron encouraged me to reflect on Martin Luther’s writings on the priesthood of all believers.
Great episode!
The time of the four horsemen of meaning has come😎
Thank you so much for sharing this conversation!
I'm a latecomer to this show, so this isn't exactly timely, but congrats on #8 to Brandon and Kathleen. My late husband and I were the parents of 8 as well; it's a fine number.
From experience, my Catholic faith was reawakened after I read the Bible. Specifically, the Gospels. I comprehended what Jesus had done for me and sobbed. Soon after I could see God’s hand in creation. Clearly I was given the grace to come to that awareness. My husband also questioned the meaning of life. I suggested he read the Bible. He did. His life changed forever. He entered RCIA and received the Sacraments of Initiation. Today, he is also a Permanent Deacon. Read the Bible ( it is alive) would be my suggestion to someone who is questioning the meaning of life and pray for that individual.
Had to listen to this twice
Good Thursday evening Bishop Robert Baron
The Traditional Latin Mass is the main thing that makes life meaningful for me. Thanks God for it!
Bishop Barron: your talks ( HOLY TALKS!), Have really changed My life. Each tome I think THIS WAS HIS BEST!; I THEN THINK, NO, THIS WAS BESTEST! I Worry about Confesión & Mass and Covit, and You make me think and FEEL a better ( por worse) Catholics.
But You speak of Beauty, and I relate it to my spiritual life.I bought Newman, and I on My way yo Aquinas; But: I HATE SPORTS! Nevera read about them, turn TV off on them, agree that soccer is 22 millonarios pursuing a ball of leather..It's there hope for me? DO THEY PLAY BASEBALL in heaven?
My first thought when I heard the listener question was about Tamar who is in the genealogy of Christ. Her actions were in direct violation of God's law, even though she had a worthy goal.
great comment at the end Lose your self and find beauty in waht we see or feel/ THANK YOU
There is variation to " to " polls."
A conception of what's " good" for someone differs from what John Paul II experienced in hisnative Poland.
When the landscape conquer me i'm off hitted
I am posting on the website because it seems like someone will answer. Why won't a convent answer my letters and email about discernment questions? They are quite a distance away so I can't really just stop in. Thank you for any answers.
I was also interested in the subject of discernment. I was referred to writings on the topic by Ignatius of Loyola. You can find his principles of discernment through an internet word search. He speaks about quieting the mind to get in touch with the movement of the soul. To know if that movement is coming from love, from God or from evil. Reading Ignatius helped me to practice discernment. I pray that you find the resources that will help you.
@@johnclark1371 Are you going to become a priest? I hope so. I googled it and what he is talking about has occurred. I have made mistakes throughout this process. God's Love has called me. A priest told me one time that I have to make an effort. God can't do it all lol. The priest was talking about a different scenario. I have been applying it to this though. I am making attempts to answer where He wants me to go. Thank you so much for replying to this. How long have you been discerning? It does take around two years. I was going one direction and thinking about the other types of convents. And well, the other types was the right one all along. The more I get to know myself the more I realize that hey "God was right." Go figure lol. I'll pray for you too that your practicing of discernment goes well.
@@catholicquestions1569 I’m really glad you found Ignatius helpful. I’ve been practicing his rules for discernment for about one year. I’ve incorporated praying the rosary into this practice. I find it to be a valuable period of meditation and reflection. Bishop Barron has a series of videos on praying the rosary, which are excellent. If I can still my mind, I can better recognize the movements of the soul that Ignatius writes about. Often throughout the day, I’ll say a prayer to help me to fix my mind on discerning God’s will. I’m not a priest. I’m blessed with a wife and family, which I believe was God’s direction for my life. I will keep you in my prayers. God bless you in all that you do.
How is mortal sin possible if the will limits us from doing things we believe are not good or are gravely wicked? Barron says a wicked person can do wicked things, but we use the word wicked for how twisted and confused the person and his or her perception is, so that cannot be a sinner choosing sin with full knowledge of its evil or free will. When someone is tempted into doing something they are not perfectly free. When someone's perception is wicked twisted so as to confuse their wicked choices with the apparent good, that cannot be perfect knowledge of the grave sin of their actions. I agree the will limits us, but this point of view is controversial among my fellow Catholics, I cannot think of how to reconcile it with the idea of mortal sin and the reality of people going to hell in an afterlife.
Hi, Is there anyway that I can speak to Bishop Barron personally
Why has UA-cam ? Stopped Sharing the Date of Videos ?
quote from book "To Save a Thousand Souls " by fr Brett Brannen
Our Primary Vocation is Holiness Happiness is doing the will of God. Interestingly, that could also be the definition of holiness. The primary and universal vocation of every person in the world is to be holy-to become like Jesus Christ. Christ-likeness is the only success recognized by God. Or, as St. Bonaventure said: “If you learn everything except Christ, you learn nothing. If you learn nothing except Christ, you learn everything.” Interestingly, the people who take holiness seriously are also the people who experience the most happiness here in this life. Why? Because our holiness is preparing us for the supreme happiness of heaven, the true destiny for which we were made, not some glimmer of happiness which we might experience here.
Bish Barron needs to go outside and experience a Kestrel in flight. A wonderful support for the argument of transcendent grace and beauty.
O' Just Remember To ...Mentions... Your Contribution To Thomas Aquinas Third Dogma Is Very Much Needed Yes ! .Every Other Body Or person Take Is Never Good Enough Your Take Is More Inline With His Great Mind .Look At The Apparels To His Life And Yours .Be Blessed. 🌹
It's not either or it's both and... We have to look both inward and outward
"That Jones shall worship the god within him turns out ultimately to mean that Jones shall worship Jones. Let Jones worship the sun or moon, anything rather than the Inner Light; let Jones worship cats or crocodiles, if he can find any in his street, but not the god within.,,, The only fun of being a Christian was that a man was not left alone with the Inner Light, but definitely recognized an outer light, fair as the sun, clear as the moon, terrible as an army with banners."
You’ve got to help me out with the Hitler explanation? I’m not understanding it.
He was doing something that he considered good for his country, it was his highest value, that's why God should be in the first place in the hierarhy of values because if you put something else in the first place that is good but not the highest good then it can end up very badly.
Vilkan Visions one cannot qualify this beast of a man as thinking of the greater good . He was vile in his mental illness. I guess I just answered my own question. Thanks for responding.
Lady Bug Bishop Barron remember that story YEAR'S AGO
Parents LOVE me breathe without help on medicine
Oh my God, 8 kids?!
How do you afford that?!
There was God in Hitler’s actions? So not understanding this …..
Should everyone wear a black suit and a chain like that
Proverbs 22:3
“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”
Take heed to this truth, or if you reject it as "conspiracy" or "craziness" you will suffer the consequences.
"Popery Puseyism Jesuitism"
By Luigi Desanctis
Page 140:
At what, then, do the Jesuits aim? According to them, they only seek the greater glory of God; but if you examine the facts you will find that they aim at universal dominion alone. They have rendered themselves indispensable to the Pope, who, without them, could not exist, because Catholicism is identified with them. They have rendered themselves indispensable to governors and hold revolutions in their hands; and in this way, either under one name or another, it is they who rule the world, who have reduced it to such perversion of ideas, that he can neither be a good citizen nor a good Catholic who is not a Jesuit.
Page 139:
He who thinks he knows the Jesuits by having read all the books that were written in the past century to unmask them, would be grossly deceived. The Jesuitism of that day was an open war against the Gospel and society; the Jesuitism of the present day is a slow but contagious and deadly disease, which secretly insinuates itself; it is a poison taken under the name of medicine.
"History of the Jesuits: their origin, progress, doctrines, and designs" 1854
By Nicolini, G. B. (Giovanni Battista)
Page 39:
take the Jesuit for what he ought or appears to be, and you commit the greatest of blunders. Draw the character after what the Jesuit seems to be in London, and you will not recognize your portrait in the Jesuit of Rome. The Jesuit is the man of circumstances. Despotic in Spain, constitutional in England, republican in Paraguay, bigot in Rome, idolater in India, he shall assume and act out in his own person, with admirable flexibility, all those different features by which men are usually to be distinguished from each other. He will accompany the gay woman of the world to the theatre, and will share in the excesses of the debauchee. With solemn countenance, he will take his place by the side of the religious man at church, and he will revel in the tavern with the glutton and the sot. He dresses, in all garbs, speaks all languages, knows all customs, is present everywhere though nowhere recognized-and all this, it should seem (O monstrous blasphemy!), for the greater glory of God
Page 82:
[Jesuit] Father Francis Pelhco... candidly confesses that " the many illustrious friends of the Society, prelates, orators, learned and distinguished men of every description, the supporters of the Society, remain occult, and obliged to be silent.''
"The Jesuits in History"
by Hector MacPherson
Page 148:
Danger lies in the fact that since the Vatican Council the interests of both are identical. Jesuitism is the power behind the Papal throne. “The presence of the Jesuits in any country, Romanist or Protestant,” once remarked Lord Palmerston, “ is likely to breed social disturbance.” So hurtful was the Jesuit Order found
to be that, up to 1860, it was expelled no fewer than seventy times from countries which has
suffered from its machinations...
In spite of Continental warnings, England, in the name of a spurious toleration, has become a Jesuit dumping-ground. Those whom
other countries have found from sad experience to be enemies, Britain allows to land on her shores, and to carry on unmolested their work of iniquity. We are carrying toleration to excess, and unless there is a change of policy, this nation will one day pay a heavy penalty. If we wish to escape the penalty, we must come to realize that a system which enslaves the individual, fosters superstition, is at war with patriotism and destroys morality, will, if allowed to flourish unchecked, sooner or later destroy society.
"The Jesuits in History" 1914
by Hector MacPherson
Page 122:
In order to clearness of thought in dealing with this subject, it is well to note the distinction between Roman Catholicism and the Papacy. The former has to do mainly with religion. It rests upon the theological doctrines which Protestants believe to be erroneous. There are Roman Catholics who take their religion but not their politics from the Pope. Had the Roman Catholic Church remained a purely religious organisation like any other sect, the world would have been spared centuries of evil. But in the course of its development the Romish Church, through its Popes, entered the civil sphere and aspired to universal monarchy.
"The Vatican Against Europe" 1993
by Edmond Paris
Page 308:
In the future, as in the past, she (The Catholic Church) will inexorably move towards the end she has set herself, without the slightest thought for the ruins and the catastrophes that her unwearying pursuit might be causing. "The end justifies the means". "No political event or circumstance can be evaluated without the knowledge of the Vatican's part in it. And no significant world situation exists in which the Vatican does not play an important explicit or implicit role.
"The Secret History Of The Jesuits" 1975
by Edmond Paris
Page 7:
The public is practically unaware of the overwhelming responsibility carried by the Vatican and its Jesuits in the start of the two world wars-a situation which may be explained in part by the gigantic finances at the disposition of the Vatican and its Jesuits, giving them power in so many spheres, especially since the last conflict.
Page -163-164:
But let us see, first, how an especially "authorized" personality, Franco, Knight of the Order of Christ, expressly confirmed the collusion between the Vatican and the nazis. According to "Reforme", this is what the press of the Spanish dictator (Franco) published on the 3rd of May 1945, the day of Hitler's death: ...
"I learned much from the Order of the Jesuits", said Hitler... "Until now, there has never been anything more grandiose, on the earth, than the hierarchical organisation of the Catholic Church. I transferred much of this organisation into my own party... I am going to let you in on a secret... I am founding an Order... In my "Burgs" of the Order, we will raise up a youth which will make the world tremble... Hitler then stopped, saying that he couldn't say any more.."(108)
"Swarms of Locusts: The Jesuit attack on the Faith" 2002
by Michael Bunker
Page 12:
There is a conspiracy against Christendom.... But who are Satan’s agents in this conspiracy? The “agents” are the Jesuits.
Even though the Jesuits exude vast influence and control in the areas of theology, education, recorded history and current media, I am still perplexed that virtually no literature exists exposing the Jesuit’s influence on mainline Protestantism.
👇🙃
ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜱᴀᴠᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛɪᴀɴ:
ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪʙʟᴇ ꜱᴀʏꜱ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴏ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀʀɴ ꜱᴀʟᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴀ ɢɪꜰᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɢᴏᴅ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ɪꜱ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴇꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪɴꜱ. ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇ ʜᴏʟʏ ɪɴ ᴏʙᴇᴅɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴊᴇꜱᴜꜱ (ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ) ꜰᴀɪᴛʜ. ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴇꜱᴜꜱ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴜʀ ꜱɪɴꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏꜱᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ 3ʀᴅ ᴅᴀʏ.
ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴇ ꜱᴇᴇ ʜᴏᴡ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ꜱɪɴ ɪꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴘᴇɴᴛ (ᴛᴜʀɴ) ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀꜱᴋ ɢᴏᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇɴᴇꜱꜱ, ɢᴏᴅ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜꜱ ʜɪꜱ ʜᴏʟʏ ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴡᴇʟʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴜꜱ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴄᴏᴍᴇ ꜱɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴠᴇ ʜᴏʟʏ. ɴᴏ ʀᴇʟɪɢɪᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜ ᴄᴀɴ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ
“Without a relationship to God I can’t really be happy …” (ca. 8:40). In an earlier generation apologists for theism of Robert Barron’s calibre asserted: “Without a relationship to God I can’t really be moral …”. To his credit, and in reference to his appreciation of the life and work of Christopher Hitchens, Barron has explicitly repudiated such a claim, and recognizes that individuals who are not persuaded of supernatural claims (i.e. religious non-believers) can still be profoundly moral.
Why should finding meaning or happiness require being persuaded of supernatural claims any more than being able to lead a moral life? Is Robert Barron really trying to claim (to name a few individuals he knows about) that Alex O’Connor, Douglas Adams, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett or Ayaan Hirsi Ali have failed to find or found greater difficulty in finding meaning and happiness? It’s time to recognize and respect that non-believers can be as fully capable of the best human qualities as those who are - often for the most noble reasons - persuaded of, and proponents for, supernatural claims.
The problem, Steve, is that, like it or not, you are wired for unconditioned happiness, absolute happiness, and this just cannot be had through recourse to the necessarily limited goods of this world. So sure, you can be happy in a restricted, mitigated, fleeting way, but you cannot, even in principle, be perfectly happy without some reference to an absolute good.
@@BishopBarronIt may indeed be the case that the selection pressures of our evolution have “…wired us for [a desire for] unconditioned happiness”, a view shared by many who have studied the natural history of religion. Those selection pressures have also “wired” us to be falsely confident of our orientation in space when we have lost visual reference to the horizon, or to wildly misjudge the relative likelihood of rare events (cf. Bayes’ theorem).
Recognizing these and other aspects of our evolutionary inheritance, we can still aim to live the one, short life we know we have so as to contribute to the greatest happiness and meaning for the lives of those we live with, and perhaps their immediate descendants. Yes, this will be fleeting and imperfect, but neither ‘eternity’ nor ‘perfection’ are essential to meaning and happiness.
The sincere and honourable belief that there is necessarily a supernatural aspect to attaining true meaning and happiness should still respect those who are not so persuaded.
The lives of the sick that were healed by Jesus can be looked at. They were healed and yet they were still restricted. Yes their restriction was improved, of course it was. They went home and lived with their loved ones and helped to the good and the happiness of lives around them and with themselves. Daily they lived like this. And yet we have examples of their going to the temple. Referencing the absolute good. Softening hearts. Sharing their story of healing. Praising God. Giving Glory to Good God Almighty. They are excellent examples of what is fleeting and what is eternal.
@@shaber9 I don't believe you, Steve. Say what you want about "evolutionary pressures," you want to be perfectly happy. Therefore, you have some inchoate sense of what that happiness is, and your life is, consciously or not, directed toward it.
@@BishopBarron I trust that the response: “I don’t believe you, Steve …” is not Robert Barron asserting that I am untruthful. Yes, being unpersuaded of supernatural claims does mean recognizing and accepting that there is one life, one life only, in which to find and give happiness and meaning. Without recourse to an “afterlife” or “everlasting life”, the happiness and meaning one succeeds in finding and giving is, in that sense, “limited” and not “perfect”, but it can be the best that we can humanly aim to achieve.
It is somewhat bewildering to be told by another party what I “really” want. I profoundly respect that Robert Barron, and those who share similar beliefs, are sincere in their understanding of what makes “perfect happiness”. It is, I think, equally helpful to respect that those who are not persuaded of supernatural claims can also aim to find and give happiness and meaning. The risk in asserting that this will not be “perfect” (and that even non-believers actually “really” seek the “perfect” happiness that can only be gained by “…reference to an absolute good”) is that, in regarding it as a “second-class” form of meaning and happiness, it will become too easy thereby to see non-believers as “second-class” humans.
Robert Barron knows all too well that non-believers are fully capable of being moral and ethical individuals … and is honourably on record for stating this. Non-believers are also fully capable of finding and giving happiness and meaning. It is possible to have and respect different views on how to aim for these things and what can be achieved.
Brandon, I hate to sound politically correct, but your wife is the one who is pregnant. You are surely very supportive of her, but the two of you ("we") are not pregnant. She has to do the heavy lifting. When I had my prostate operation, my wife and I didn't have it, I had it.
Word on Fire is leading me towards the Catholic Church, albeit slowly and thoughtfully. For the first time in years, I'm truly and earnestly seeking Meaning. Exhilarating, yet sometimes frightening!
Welcome home, in advance!
I also had a long road to conversion. Everything in God's time...
P0p00pp0p0p00ppp0000p
It took me 30 years from my first desire to be Catholic until my confirmation 👍
With a name like "Thomas Flannery" I think Catholicism is inevitable. 😀
Sometimes you need borrowed faith. When you’re too discouraged, too tired, been through too much, that’s okay. God will have friends with faith that are there for you. Someone to call to let you know they’re praying, someone to stop by with an encouraging word, someone to go to God on your behalf. Their prayers will touch heaven for you. I don’t know if you need a friend today or you feel like you don’t have faith for yourself. Or maybe, God has you reading this to remind you to be a friend with faith, to not just have faith for yourself, but to let someone borrow your faith. Thanks for your support and prayers. Amen
Beautiful
Yes! Just reading this, St. Paul to the Corinthian church. Working together w/ various charisms within the Body so it functions properly
so beautifully said...
Thank you so much for your beautiful and inspiring thoughts😊
Please do pray for me. I am going through a hard time because my beloved mother just passed away. Pray for her too.
I pray 🙏🏽 Bishop Barron becomes the first American 🇺🇸 Pope!!! If it’s Gods will.
Bishop Baron i wish to thank you for all these priceless truths i am hearing from you . You re a person of value indeed in many ways.
Come Holy Spirit we need you 🙏🕊🙏
Amen 🙏🏾
Wonderful .... reminds me of one of the definitions for insanity, apt in today's culture: doing the same thing over and over and getting the same (unsatisfying unhappy) result. Thank you for this post! Lots of wise comments as well.
@@Roman-LabradorThank you for asking. I meant that repeatedly looking for peace and happiness in this world without Jesus is not ultimately satisfying. Doing so over and over again believing, even well intentioned, is frustrating and crazy making. Prayer is a deeply personal subject that I did intend to include. Sorry about that. God bless!
Congratulations Brandon on your eighth child!
And "even in the most desperate moral situation", it humbly seems, evangelically speaking our calling as Catholics is to help connect that person to the greatest good: the One who is the first cause of all of our yearnings -God.
I liked Bishop Barron’s answer to the question at the end of the show. I believe the only time when we are truly and fully parted from God is in hell but here on earth even amongst wickedness there is at least some good within us.
"May we always return to you God, the same love that you used to create us". This is something I recently changed in my night´s prayer. Because I was sort of in a mess when I asked to be put in the path that he wanted us to do, without knowing a "system" that corresponds to that goal. So now I found my "meaning". Do everything that I feel that will return that Love back to God. Let it be in prayer, in deed, in my work in everything.
"Perform today the simplest act of love. Will the good of another". So well articulated
God bless and protect you, Bishop Barron! 🙏
facts as a former new age practitioner. I never achieved peace love or happiness by my own merits. Now with God, he naturally gives me peace love, and happiness for free without me doing anything. Especially when I am under the influence of the Holy Eucharist. It is as if I was walking in literal heaven.
Bishop Barron you are truly a successor to the apostles, I’m a older convert to the Catholic Church and listening to word on fire and the Catholicism series a big part of my conversion. Ten years in so in love with the church, thank you Bishop
Bishop Barron love listening to you Thanks So Much, GOD bless The Catholic Religion The True Religion 🙏
Congratulations Brandon!!! Thanks Bishop Barron for all the wisdom! Blessings to both of you!
The good knocks us down... order ourselves to the supreme good...for we are baptized children of God...transcendent beings and real value. 😊
AMEN
Amen
Meaning is found following the lives of the Saints, who lived for the eternal which remains forever, that no one can take away from us, not time, age or the world!!!! fresh beautiful faces fade away in 4 decades, riches come and go, health deteriorates and we die, some friends would abandon us....the human heart longs for eternity!!!!none of this world would fill in that longing for GOD!!! the wealthy heritage of the Mother Church will allow anyone to choose a saint of his liking and imitate him!!!they are our older brothers!!
I work at a charity and we recently had a brainstorming session where we were tasked with thinking of the charity's "Why Statement". I couldn't help but think that this is the equivalent. "Why" am I doing what I'm doing??? This needs to be top-of-mind SO MUCH MORE in today's world!
Thanks Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt.
It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that our meaning in life is to get things from this world that can make us happy, famous, or better than others. I think religious Christians, non-religious, and people of other faiths will fall into that definition one way or the other. Of course, the problem with that is, all of us, no matter what we can do, will in the end lose the things we own, will always have new problems in life no matter how much we've "climbed up", and will never get the ideal situations we imagined previously. And for many people, just to get the sufficient necessities of life can be very difficult and despairing.
The idea of putting our meaning of life into the materialistic mindset is destroying our souls and dignity of life; as though if we don't get what we're "expected to" from our family or society, or if we can't have a "productive" working life, we're a waste in the society and a problem. However, we're alive and conscious not because we've signed a contract to have certain things or do certain things, we're alive purely because of God's love at the very fundamental, if the love of the family is taken away by evil. We're alive so that we can know God and be with God in the eternal goodness, no matter how we're called to do our parts in the pilgrimage to heaven.
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matthew 24: 35)
Blessed be God forever.
I believe that in the WORD ON FIRE bible bishop Barron penetrates deeply into what Jesus is trying to communicate to us in the gospels.
Thank you bishop barron. Congratulations brandon for the 8th child. Wow! God bless all. Great 2020 WOF and the silent majority WoF.
Very good question
Quite a thoughtful discussion. I had a debate with someone along these lines who is more of an agnostic than anything and I told him I believe we are hard wired for God, meaning we have an innate desire to be one with a higher, transcendent being or power. The conversation was civil until I said I think a lot of our trouble relates back to the fact that people have decided to rebel against God, in essence, declaring war on Him. Well that raised his temperature quite a bit and I decided the better part of valor was discretion at that point so I moved the conversation onto another subject. I did that because I know a hardened position when I see one. The thing is, this same person was quite intrigued by the idea that we are an extension of the universe and that we were created as a way for the universe to understand itself. When I substituted the universe with God he wasn't that keen on the idea. I think there are a lot of people out there who are fighting against their basic nature, which is to have a relationship with God and I agree that no matter how hard they try to find meaning from within that basic need to be a part of something larger than ourselves will never be fulfilled.
I have not seen a single kid in my life who started babbling about god without adults teaching religion to them. Neither have you. Your "hardwiring" is simple programming at an early age.
@@lepidoptera9337 So we don't have a natural instinct to find meaning through a higher power than ourselves? Because that was the point I was making with my friend. I'm honestly curious if that is what you believe, but I won't use terms like babbling or insinuating I know anything about what you have or have not experienced like you did here with me. I am interested in an honest debate if that is what you want.
@@itinerantpatriot1196 Do kids have invisible friends? Yes. Do they nail them to a cross to attain forgiveness for their sins? No, usually not. ;-)
And since we are talking about sin... you are just another person who doesn't know where sin is defined in the bible. I win. :-)
@@lepidoptera9337 Okay.
@@itinerantpatriot1196 Why is lying to children okay now? It's despicable. :-)
"We find meaning objectively". That is why it becomes problematic when society gets chaotic.
Congratulations Brandon. Thank you Bishop Barron. God created intellect to seek truth and our will to desire good but why and how the same intellect accept lies and will desires that are not good? This happened to adam and eve before the fall. How do we understand this? Thanks again
I think Bishop Barron's conclusion tying meaning to love is spot on. Ultimately, I think that this why so many people derive meaning from love for their families. This form of "willing the good of the other" for spouse and/or children comes very naturally. Even many animals are capable of this sort of love. Of course, in our society, the most publicly celebrated form of love is "Romantic Love", know in some form of Greek as "Eros." This reminds me of the "Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis, in which the highest form of love is Charity, or Agape, Love. I suppose that Lewis owes a debt to St. Augustine (of Hippo) in his conclusion that all lower/natural loves are properly ordered/perfected in their orientation to Divine Love. Affectionate love for family and romantic love come naturally for man, but are still disordered by man's fallen nature. "What God is by nature, man becomes by Grace."
The fact that 80%+ of Americans believe in a supernaturally ordered plan or purpose for their lives makes sense to me. I would say that this generally over laps with a belief in God (or Higher Power). As a (somewhat reluctant) Protestant, my observation is that most people that I know believe in God, but many are skeptical of organized religion. Often, this is the result of some sort of bad/unpleasant experience with the people and/or institutions of the Church. And in another sense, this comes from America's overall (Neo) Protestant spirit... In some novel strains of theology, Faith is sometimes reduced to a one-on-one relationship rather than a belonging to an Faith Community (i.e. the Church). I am sometimes asked "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?" My answer, is "Yes, I do have a personal relationship with Jesus through His Mystical Body, the Church." In classic Christian theology, getting closer to God means also involves getting closer to other members of the Mystical Body, both here on Earth and in Heaven.
The cultural indoctrination of "Finding my meaning from within" that Bishop Barron mentions here is certainly relevant here. In a sense, most Americans are comfortable with a relationship with God, on their own terms. In my experience, this would apply to most other Protestants that I know, and many lapsed Catholics as well. On a positive note, it would seem that, unlike the situation in Europe, most Americans believe in God. But on a less optimistic note, it seems to me that most American Christians that I know (Catholic and Protestant alike) tend to "pick and choose" (Thanks to Bishop Barron for teaching me the Greek word for this!) what tenets of the Faith that they choose to practice/believe...
I live in France now, and last year I follow bible in a year by Fr Mike Schmitz using my french bible. What surprise me, in the french bible, they don't translate the word love into 'armour' but they translate it 'charité'. It makes more sense now of the meaning of love is just like what bishop said, knowing that he studied in France before.
Bishop Barron. God bless you.
Just love it
"Perform today the simplest act of love, will the good of another " Why not take these concise statements in answer to existential questions on tik tok. I think you will reach an audience that is not being reached.
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.G❤😍od bless&protect😍🙏
🤗 Amen 🙏🏾
Go😍❤d bless&protect 8th children Brandon😍💑🎁🌞🙏🙏🙏
Pope Francis dedicated this year to Blessed MOTHER what a great dedication from Holy Pope Francis GOD Bless Him I love Him so much
Best Pope, 2nd to St John Paul II. Love Pope Francis!!
God bless you all
Wonderful uplifting
Every kid on every college campus should hear this.
In a different note..congrats on the eighth child coming! Awesome. God bless your family Brandon.
I enjoy much of htis but I have to fight against what I feel is a self-imposed narrative. As we get odler we look for the enemies we know. It would be easy to see a movie like "Mulan" (the animated version) as looking within yourself or finding yourself but she very clearly was tied to her family. I fel many of these movies provide a narrative of looking inside yourself to find your meaning in the overarching construct of the system you exist within and that the fear of these narratives is you being so used to the system all you (we as adults) see is the challenge to the system not the formative growth of a child which MUST ask questions to truly find themselves in a meaningful way.
Growth is hard, not only in reaching new heights but not shading the ground below us in foliage that should have been shed long ago.
Bishop Barron I totally agree with you with the will seeking the good I understand it completely it may sound like it's weird it's most
As far as it stands, everything you know about meaning in life is subjective. There is nothing that can be verified objectively, or that life itself has any meaning to begin with.
If you're an atheist, your meaning comes from philosophy and science. If your Muslim, it comes from Allah. If you're Christian, it comes from Jesus. If you're Buddhist, being a Buddha, is your meaning. If you're a political revolutionist, your political ideology, is your meaning.
While the above, people contradict themselves, it reveals that people select the meaning of their life, versus anything given from the heavens.
13:03 I think is some what of a half truth. Socrates once said, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” What he meant by this was if you understand the ways in which you are ordered what drives you, what gives you joy, what brings you pain, etc… you can use that to get you in deeper contact with reality and yourself. Then as you self realize you can self actualitize the truth that brings you to God, and that then becomes a reciprocal process
"The purpose of life as far as I can tell... is to find a mode of being that's as meaningful that the fact that life is suffering is no longer relevant." *- Jordan B. Peterson*
That’s really good.
@@patriciawarner9680
Thanks Patricia for being here ☆
Stay blessed as always☆☆☆☆☆☆
🕊🕊thank you for sending my roots rain🕊🕊
Thank you♥️
Good broadcast Bishop & good topic. I personally believe that If we knew the meaning of life; Life would cease to have meaning & purpose?? It is not knowing that gets us out of bed in the morning? Taking this a stage further. The Christian Church preaches a message of Eternal Life? However, do we truly want to know what happens when we die???
Thank you so much. ❤
💫Hope 💫
I enjoy how father makes his point without feeling the need to denigrate others or others' faith traditions. What I value about our Catholic faith Is that we do not define ourselves by criticizing any other religion or tradition. We have an entirely affirmative belief: we affirm "One body and one Spirit; one hope One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Amen.
That's an awesome comment☆
Good morning friends,
Listening to my own heart, it seemed that Bishop Bob and Brandon missed an opportunity to explain one way that God is present in our lives. You see, the problem is not, following our own heart is not the problem. Of course I am a mere sinner and it would be foolish for me or you to listen to me. However, when we listen carefully, when we are still, then it is not me I hear in my heart it is Jesus who lives in me. Didn't Paul teach us that? Didn't God teach him?
I think that is what Jesus is telling us. What do you Think?
Your brother in Christ,
Mark
The priesthood is the order of Melchizedek.
Greetings from Brazil!
11:45 I love your reaction, so much joy
Word.
Meaning, I found it on an early morning flight and looked down observing the world, perfect don't know for sure but it's as close as I can perceive at this time but here on the ground is another question.
🙏🕊💜🌍
Congrats Brandon 🙏
When you keep asking the question of why, you will eventually stops at God or The Ultimate Value that gives value its value. That’s why St Augustine said “our heart is restless until it rests in you,” Ultimate Value aka Lord.