Father Barron comments on Lent

[brassspitoon]

One of the (several) reasons I'm not RC is that the Papacy, over the centuries has failed to adopt the very Lenten values you espouse. Gilded thrones, imperial pomp, bowing and scraping, and worst of all, supporting right up to the mid-20thC. secular absolute monarchs as the ideal form of government. You are blessed that average Joe Catholic knows nothing about the Vatican's long antipathy to democracy, and freedoms we Americans take for granted. You claim to have changed, but really?

[oviatb]

Temptation to power comes by instinct; we should understand the instincts and wild nature inherited from primates. The real temptation is to become human and self-improve. God's church is just another way to have dominate the masses, so an instinctive temptation for the clergy :)

[Marysol1970]

Saint Paul said

"For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel."

1 Corinthians 4:15

Catholic priests are our fathers through the gospel of Jesus Christ! Amen!!!!!

[bigguitar22]

Indeed, if the devil exists and is able to cause the chaos which is attributed to him then why does an all powerful god allow this to happen - or is the devil as powerful in which case god is not all powerful after all? I know - you'll say the temptations are merely simulacra of the temptations of the flesh and the devil is allegorical? But, if Christ were really god then temptation wouldn't mean an awful lot to him would it? Only god can settle this dispute and he's not talking apparently!

[bigguitar22]

So why didn't Christ kick the ass of the devil once and for all when he had chance - he's the son of god right? How come the devil existed at all if god is all powerful and created the universe and everything in it - did he therefore create the devil - if so why? You need to view this nonsense as a child would to see how full of inconsistencies and holes it really is?

[mojo476]

@bigguitar22

But he has defeated the devil. Those who die in Christ are raised in His Freedom.

[badpanda84]

@bigguitar22 "So why didn't Christ kick the ass of the devil once and for all when he had chance "

One of the hardest thing to belive about chirstainity is that an all powerful might God who can do anything.. and the best he could come up with is getting his son nailed on the cross.

Seriously and all powerful God and that is all he could come up with

[wordonfirevideo]

@badpanda84 You're not far from the kingdom of God! You really think that some Jerry Bruckheimer firestorm from heaven would "solve" the problem of violence! One of the central truths of Christianity is that the omnipotence of God is revealed precisely in that helpless man nailed to a cross. The best way to fight fire is with water; and the best way to defeat violence is non-violence.

[badpanda84]

@wordonfirevideo fair enough but still God could have done something alot more convincing.

Rather than getting is son nailed to a cross ( which also happend to alot of other people ,, after all the Rome cruficed alot of other people too)

[wordonfirevideo]

@badpanda84 What would you suggest?

[badpanda84]

@wordonfirevideo Anything is better than that.. Personally I would share some scientiifc knowledge and tell people about bacteria.. Tell people about vacianations etc.

Or maybe if E=MC2 was in the bible ( even if they didnt understand it back then) when we discovered it later on it would comfirm God is real

Or maybe something like instead of riding a donkey -- how about turn up in a motorcylce or tank.,

[chuiiadam]

@badpanda84 You should read Dinner With a Perfect Stranger, consider that statement, then come back and apologize. If you are REALLY looking for an answer, and not cooking up cheesy arguments that is

[badpanda84]

@chuiiadam Since I dont have the book why dont you summerise the main point for me.

My point still stands.. Jesus could have done alot of things to prove he was God.. but all he could come up with was a few magic tricks.

[badpanda84]

@chuiiadam Of course if there really was a God -- he would have stopped the spanish inqustion and the crusades..

[wordonfirevideo]

@badpanda84 And how would you recommend he do that? By taking away human freedom? No thanks.

[wordonfirevideo]

@obner0011 And just before the verse you cited, Jesus says, "call no one on earth your teacher." "Doctor" is just a fancy way of saying "teacher." So what about Dr. Billy Graham and Dr. Jerry Falwell and Dr. Charles Stanley and Dr. Robert Schuller, etc., etc?

[wordonfirevideo]

@obner0011 Just curious:  what do you call your Dad?

[bayreuth79]

I have a problem with this kind of language. If you believe in the doctrine of the Trinity- as Fr Barron of course does- then what does it mean to talk about Jesus having to resist temptation and thereby making himself ready to be the Messiah by putting God at the centre of his life. With respect, how is it authentic temptation if there is NEVER the possibility of surrendering to it? How does God (Jesus) choose to put Himself at the centre of His own life? The riddles of Nicean Christianity.

[paraisoat]

Very cool way to show the 3 'levels' of temptations. I think viewers can benefit from a stronger call to action and challenge to penitents during Lent from you. Maybe this year? :)

[mannyfit75]

In baptism, the matter is, remotely, water; proximately, the matter is water applied in the act of baptizing. And the form, in baptism, is the set of words to be used in applying the matter, namely, the words, "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28:19).

[CatholicApologia]

@mannyfit75 Amen brother! Keep up the good work! Grace be with God!

[mannyfit75]

In every sacrament, we distinguish matter and form. The matter, as we explained above, is the material of which the sign is constituted. The form is the authentic and determinate formula of words used in confecting the sacrament, that is, making the sign into a true sacrament.

[mannyfit75]

Baptism received the power of conferring grace when Christ was baptized. This was the institution of baptism as a sacrament. But the obligation of receiving this sacrament was officially imposed on mankind by our Lord, after his Passion and Resurrection

[mannyfit75]

In the sacrament of baptism, we consider three things: (a) that which is sacrament only, that is, the sacrament as sign; the water used in baptizing; the washing; (b) that which is reality only, that is, inward grace; justification; (c) that which is reality and sacrament, that is, the sacramental character impressed by baptism on the soul of the person baptized.

[mannyfit75]

In 1 Peter 3, Noahs ark is referred to as a type of baptism, and Peter writes, "In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:20-21).

This passage shows baptism does save you

[mannyfit75]

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, 'What are we to do, my brothers?' Peter said to them, 'Repent and be Baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to YOUR CHILDREN and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:37-39)

[mannyfit75]

And so, while there is no specific mention of infants being Baptized, we do see numerous allusions to it in Scripture.

[mannyfit75]

"In Him, you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with Him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the power of God, Who raised Him from the dead." (Colossians 2:11-12)

[mannyfit75]

Is Baptism merely a "washing away of sin" ? Or is it something more? Is it the entering into a Covenant of Love with the Father? We Catholics believe that it is. We believe that Baptism is the entering into a Covenant bond -- an adoption into the very Sonship which Christ Himself enjoys with the Father. And, in this, it mirrors the Old Jewish Covenant, which was brought about by circumcision. Indeed, St. Paul himself calls Baptism our circumcision in Colossians 2:11-12:

[newworldorder08]

i hope you can make videos on the seven last words of Jesus. Thanks.

[wordonfirevideo]

I just preached the Tre Ore at the Seattle Cathedral on the Seven Last Words. Look for some version of it on my website soon.

[marywel]

Thank you Father :)

You present in a very matter of fact and inviting manner that I'm sure will be to your credit in helping souls choose rightly. Looking forward to all your videos and talks. :)

God Bless you.

[elvismilk]

Hello

1) God created everything

2) Satan tempted Jesus

3) Jesus knows Satan

4) Jesus being perfect can't be tempted

5) If God is perfect and created everything

6)Then God created Satan

7)God is not perfect or Satan is

8)Who then really tempted Jesus?

[wordonfirevideo]

No. Step seven is wrong. God indeed created Satan, but Satan fell through his own wicked choice. God permitted it (because he reverences freedom), but you can't say that God made Satan evil.

[elvismilk]

9)God created choice 10) Some choice is bad 1) God created everything 12)God created bad choices 6) God created Satan 13)Satan made bad choices 14)Satan picked evil choices 15)Satan evil innately or by choice? 16)God either made Satan evil or made him evil by the evil choices he created that Satan could choose 17)God ultimately responsible for evil 18)God being unchanging had a choice 19)Matterless, timeless, no evil 20)Created universe with evil 21)God like Satan and Eve chose evil

[wordonfirevideo]

No. Step 12 is wrong. God didn't create bad choices. That's like saying your parents, since they produced you, including your will, are responsible for everything that you choose to do.

[elvismilk]

Fr. Barron, yes God did, because since he created everything. If he didn't create choices that we could pick that would be considered bad, we would have no choices that would be considered bad. Another way of saying it, is what would religion, faith and belief do, if there was no evil? In regards to my parents, they sure don't act like Eve's dad, did, does or doesn't anymore. Love your videos

[wordonfirevideo]

No. God allowed for bad choices to be made, because he gave certain of his creatures freedom, but he didn't "create" bad choices. Your parents are like God in the measure that they provided the ground for certain bad choices that you have made, but they can't be held responsible for them. That's like saying the man who planted a tree is guilty because, a hundred years later, someone decided to hang himself from that tree.

[elvismilk]

Fr. Barron, remember Jesus knows a mustard seed grows large, orange trees don't grow figs, and God's nature is exactly that tree. He is our creator, so our nature to pick bad choices, is of him. So if God commanding Abraham is good, nothing of God is bad, no matter the choice. So morals, that humans believe must exist absolutely, are imaginary. P.S. who do you have playing in the final four?

[wordonfirevideo]

No. Our nature is to be free, but not to be bad. Being bad undermines our nature and God's purpose for us.

[elvismilk]

Do you think Spinoza would agree with your last comment or mine?

[wordonfirevideo]

Who cares? I don't consider Spinoza in any sense an authority!

[elvismilk]

Fr. Barron, I agree with Spinoza not being an authority, he reminds me of Thoreau(although I love Walden), Nature being God, to me is just not putting your foot down and declaring your atheism. We have a word for Nature, it's Nature. Spinoza sits with Paley now on the alchemist's shelf.

[littleredbirdy]

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth."Tim.1:4

Why would the devil say anything against the RCC? He loves infant baptism.

[wordonfirevideo]

Oh brother!

[elvismilk]

Oh brother? Heck, if the Bible has been written by Satan, what would have made the verses any different?

[clarkbailey1973]

A priest clearly volunteers to enter into celibacy, it isn't a condition if salvation but that of service or vocation in the church. All are called to evangalize but not all are called to pastor, or teach, or etc...etc...All have different gifts. I don't think a pastor should have to remain celibate either but it is not what you are making it out to be, good sir...I am a Methodist?Episcoplalian by the way.

[Entropy3ko]

Funny Jesus says his TRUE followers will be persecuted... just like the RCC is being persecuted now. :-)

[littleredbirdy]

The Romans Catholic Church is being persecuted?

You have apparently missed the last several centuries.  Catholics have burned more real Christians than any other entity....

[Entropy3ko]

I doubt that., Many catholics were butchered by protestants as well.

get your facts straight.

[littleredbirdy]

Seriously, what propaganda have you been reading? Need we go over the Inquisition just to name a single Catholic problem?

[Entropy3ko]

First of all you should get informed about the inquisition.

Besides what Christian denomination are you, who like to accuse so much? The devil is the accuser..!

[littleredbirdy]

Still baptizing babies? Still sending people to hell by the millions?

[Entropy3ko]

The Catholic Church sends no one to hell.

And baptizing babies certainly does not do that.

[littleredbirdy]

AS WELL?!

So, since some protestants were insane, that justifies Catholic insanity?

Baby baptizm has given the unregenerate confidence of their salvation, when in fact it is just a superstitious Hell sentence.

[Entropy3ko]

I think you do not know anything about the catholic faith. GET INFORMED then we'll talk.

Getting baptized as a baby or an adolt does not mean you should stop being good and follow the words of Christ.

[littleredbirdy]

Get informed? *sigh*

Catholics always use this argument.....Tis a shame I have spent hundreds of hours reading the history of said church and actually reading parts of the abominable Cathecism.

Listen, baby baptism is pointless and absurd. The Catholic Church and its bishops are merely the Pharisees....They wear fancy clothing, they do public rituals, they have luxurious buildings on they can enter....

I need to prove nothing, as the final day shall make everything clear.

[Entropy3ko]

I should sigh. You are CLEARLY misinformed. Whatever you spent reading for many hours is mostly BS

[littleredbirdy]

You are right, the catechismis BS.

[Entropy3ko]

The statements you make point out to me that if you read it you clearly did not understand what you were reading or pehaps you are so biased against the RCC that you immediately distort what you read.

[littleredbirdy]

Yes...because all criticism of the second most disgusting organized church on the planet must make me either biased or ignorant....

Right....

Infant baptism = pointless

Pope = pointless

Hierarchical system = pointless

Catechism = wasn't written by prophets

You speak as if the Catechism is somehow deeper and more complicated than the Bible....something I understand fairly well.

[dantankun]

A human being life and spirit exist and begins at the time of conception, having a baby baptised is to quickly protect the bay from the devil. Every parent have a responsibility to protect their children and babies both from physical and spiritual harm.

[littleredbirdy]

Were any of the prophets, apostles or Jesus baptized at birth? Nope.

Throwing water on a babies head will prove nothing.

That's just superstition. If you think water protects someone from Satan you are very superstitious.

You protect them by preaching the gospel to them and teaching them scripture, not sprinkling meaningless water on their heads. (It is meaningless for a barely sentient being, not for adults)

[dantankun]

If sprinkling water on babies is supertitious isn't so with adults? what's the difference then? Those before Jesus were still at atime of searching as time goes by holy people will understand better that salvation start as soon as a baby is born.

[littleredbirdy]

Salvation starts after repentance and REbirth not birth...What scriptures are you reading?

Babies are not aware or responsible for their sin, unlike adults.

Besides, when Jesus speaks of baptism he speaks of himself. We are baptized in spirit, not water. Water is an outward symbol, but means nothing itself.

You are born in sin...so you remain utterly separate from God and darkened by sin until your rebirth.

[dantankun]

"You are born in sin" you said it clearly. So salvation start at birth in order to save the baby from sin and when the baby becomes adult he or she is reconfirm with their full awareness and free will, where repentance begins.

A baby or child's spirit is most vulnerable to the devil that is why they have to be protected immidiately.

[littleredbirdy]

Yes, we are born in sin and do NOTHING but sin until we are born in the spirit of God....which cannot happen in infancy. Are you saying babies get the gospel even though they cannot understand it?

When was the last time you were in prayer and you felt the spirit of God move on to you and you felt as if you were already in heaven and that if God did not move his hand you would surly die?  Never?

Water doesn't protect anyone from anything, that's superstitious.

[dantankun]

The Gospel will come later once the infant reach adulthood in the meantime parents have the responsibility to make sure their children are protected. Just like they have to send them to early schooling. The devil dose not discriminate age. Infants and children are the most vulnerable.

Many times I have felt God's hand. I was involved in several serious accidents and incidents. Without God's hand I would have been a goner. God is all about faith with faith water can save lives.

[littleredbirdy]

The Gospel is where it starts, and in the meantime they are utterly depraved and can do nothing but sin.

I did not ask if God saved you from accidents, I asked if you ever felt his presence to such an extent IN PRAYER. Have you ever felt so wonderful in prayer you almost had to ask God to take his hand off you else you'd die?

There are MANY atheists and pagans who have been saved from situations.

H20 saves no one and does nothing.

[dantankun]

The Gospel is where it starts, and in the meantime they are utterly depraved and can do nothing but sin. = that is why baptism start from infancy.

Yes I have felt God in all my prayers and life and I never want God to take his hands off me because I need God to defend against evil. They were saved and unaware that God's hand played a role God does not discriminate. H2O is essential to all life.

[dantankun]

Duty of every Christian start from conception that is why baptism start from birth. Yes, I have felt God in my prayers and in my daily life I would never want to ask Him to let go because I need Him to defend against evil. Pagans and none believers are unaware that God was instrumental in many SITUATION of prosperity. H2O is essential to all life.

[littleredbirdy]

H20 is essential to the life of this temporal body, not the spiritual body.

You CANNOT be a Christian at birth! How can you be REBORN at BIRTH?! That is undermining everything he ever said.

How can you repent as an infant? Our relationship begins with repentance, not birth! Our relationship with Satan begins at birth.

You've not felt him so strongly then....

[dantankun]

If H2O is not for spiritual then so is fasting and so is getting baptised at adult? Life begins at conception baptism is apply as soon as the baby is out of the mothers womb that makes us CHRISTIAN AT BIRTH. God immidiately lay claim on the child to deny the devil any opportunity. Reborn and repentance start at adulthood.

"Our relationship with Satan begins at birth".

That is why baptism is apply at birth.

God is with me and He is with you too if only you will let Him in.

[littleredbirdy]

You just said you can be Christian at birth...there is nothing else that needs to be said.....

You have a religion, but you do not have God. You have no conversion experience. You are a goat trying to be discipled into something else.

I've said nothing contrary to the Gospel, whereas you've denied it in its entirety.

I know he is with me because I perfectly math what is described as a true Christian according to 1 John

You have no conversion story if you believe you were always Christian

[dantankun]

Religion and God are one one can not exist without the other. I will not be here posting if I have no conversion and experience. I have strengthen the Gospel and its meaning while you attempted to downplay it by implying a certain age discrimination. God does not discriminate. I am sure He is with you but you are misinterpreting God. I am Catholic-Christian because I understand God.

[littleredbirdy]

I'm sure you won't use scripture, because Catholics rarely seem to do that.

[dantankun]

Do unto others as you would to unto me it is as simple as that.

As a Catholic I walk the walk and talk the talk. I donot unbiasely interprete the Bible for myself alone.

[littleredbirdy]

You sacrifice everything and follow Christ?

You just admitted you are biased, but you did not need to admit that.

Doing unto others is not all we are called to do....that's just a small fraction.

[dantankun]

Admitting one is a sinner is the first step to salvation.

"let those who have not sin cast the first stone".

[mannyfit75]

Some Catholics can quote the Bible. Also Non-Catholic Christians couldn't even quote it.

Baptism is what we Catholics do because Jesus commanded his Apostles to, "Baptized them, in the Name of the Father, And of the Son, and Of the Holy Spirit."

[mannyfit75]

Your parents can speak on the infants behalf much like Jewish parents circumcision for their infants because it was part of the Mosaic Law.

Baptism replaces circumcism as a means of entering the Church. Baptism does take away the sins just as St. Peter said.

[littleredbirdy]

So you don't baptise infants?

So you don't have a man made hiearchy system?

So you don't believe in purgatory? (which was extrapolated from a distorted few verses and later thought)

When was the last time a Catholic sparked a revival? When was the last time Catholics TALKED about revival?

[SouthernPaladin]

Fr. Barron, I love your videos!

[tlh215]

Huzzah! Found your Lent video

[pauljosephherman]

Excellent comments for Lent - the challenge to sacrifice sensual pleasure, the quest for glory and honor and the use of power for personal gratification in exchange for a life-giving relationship with God and loving service to others. Fr. Barron is one of my favorite teachers/preachers.  Praise the Lord! We need more like him.

[TELEMACUS800]

Can't wait for the follow up. I hope this guy offers classes that teach other priests how to preach.

[ellynvh]

I am sure the devil will want to flag this as inappropriate!

[NwZ2]

Not really.