Duration 14:9

The Parasite of Evil - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

by Bishop Robert Barron

218 190 watched

7.5 K

Published 2023/07/22

Friends, we are reading during these weeks of summer from the thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, which contains many of the great parables of Jesus. But I want to focus just on one today because it’s so rich both theologically and spiritually: the parable of the wheat and the weeds. Jesus’ story shows us how evil, by its very nature, is a corruption of the good. It is a parasite—and we need requisite care and patience in dealing with it. ———VIDEO LINKS——— Knowing Jesus Personally: /watch/02fy-YDLleFLy Embracing Mystery in Medicine: /watch/4q5oeIXSTTUSo The Wonder and Limits of Science: /watch/UTuZ6QgYRa1YZ ———WATCH——— Subscribe to this Channel: https://bit.ly/31LV1sn Word on Fire Institute Channel: /@ word-on-fire Word on Fire en Español Channel: /@ WOF-es ———WORD ON FIRE——— Word on Fire: https://www.wordonfire.org/ Word on Fire Español: https://www.wordonfire.org/es/ FREE Daily Gospel Reflections (English or Español): https://dailycatholicgospel.com/ ———WORD ON FIRE INSTITUTE——— Join Bishop Barron and over 20,000 evangelists inside the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute ———SOCIAL MEDIA——— Bishop Barron Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Sn2XgD Bishop Barron Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Sltef5 Bishop Barron Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Hkz6yQ Word on Fire Instagram: https://bit.ly/39sGNyZ Word on Fire Facebook: https://bit.ly/2HmpPpW Word on Fire Twitter: https://bit.ly/2UKO49h Word on Fire en Español Instagram: https://bit.ly/38mqofD Word on Fire en Español Facebook: https://bit.ly/2SlthaL Word on Fire en Español Twitter: https://bit.ly/38n3VPt ———SUPPORT WORD ON FIRE——— Help Bishop Barron continue to produce videos like this: https://bit.ly/3QSvGpo Word on Fire Store: https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/ Pray: https://bit.ly/2vqU7Ft

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Comments - 863

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@joevillella6962قبل 9 أشهر Our generations Bishop Fulton Sheen. He’s the best. Thank God for the gift of this great teacher Bishop Barron 22
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@gloriabandyقبل 9 أشهر Even in my own heart, evil is entwined around my good intentions. Only you can purify me, Lord. Come, change my heart. 103
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@Leo-mr1qzقبل 9 أشهر I've always struggled with this concept, that God permits evil to bring out the good.
I was a nasty child. My mother is an alcoholic and my id="hidden1" class="buttons"> father, a workaholic. I was brought up in a chaotic household. I displayed that outwardly when I was out of the house during that time. Then one night, in college, I went to a party with my roommate, and I was drugged, kidnapped and raped. Needless to say that certainly changed me. I struggled for years trying to understand WHY God would "let" this happen. Even though being brought up in the type of household I did, I was a being conditioned for predators to spot me as a target, I later understood.
I continuously questioned my faith after the torture. Then, at the lowest of my low, a guardian angel found me, my husband. We now have 3 beautiful children together. He has his virtues and his faults like any other human, but he believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself, and to me that is love. Without him, I honestly don't think I'd be here today.
God works in mysterious ways. ❤ ....وسعت 58
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@orestecalleja4661قبل 9 أشهر I thank God, for your clarity, Bishop Barron, every day. On the days that I wake up confused, stressed and with too many thoughts buzzing around in my id="hidden2" class="buttons"> head, you focus my mind and heart on the real truth and love that God shows us but that we sometimes cannot see for ourselves. Thank you again, kind and thoughtful priest, “according to the Order of Melchizedek." God bless you and keep you. ....وسعت 156
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@rovildcrasta4436قبل 9 أشهر Always, the deep insights. Bishop Barron is a real intellectual of our time.❤️❤️❤️ 174
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@christophermartinez7175قبل 9 أشهر So grateful that church leaders came out to teach us so many things we didn't get in the short sacrament classes.
I'm coming back home to the church after being gone for so long. 43
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@makeitcount179قبل 9 أشهر " everyday holiness".we have a heart to do good.but the devil roams about 2
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@alisonheckler2518قبل 9 أشهر I do believe this was one of the most insightful sermons I have ever heard on evil and good. Thank you Bishop Barron! Your messages have such depth and id="hidden4" class="buttons"> profound levels of wisdom. Only the Holy Spirit could give you this level of understanding into the holy mysteries of God (even though "we only see dimly" on this side of heaven.) Your teaching reminds me of my favorite scripture in the bible from Romans 8:28 that says "God works everything to good for those who love Him." I am also reminded of the message that 'what the enemy meant for evil God means for good (Genesis 50:20). May God continue to bless your ministry and guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. ....وسعت 2
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@Impossible033قبل 9 أشهر There is an archaic Latin phrase, “Felix Culpa” that comes from the words felix, meaning "happy," "lucky," or "blessed" and culpa, meaning "fault" or "fall". In the Catholic tradition, the phrase is most often translated as "happy fault". Other translations include "blessed fall" or "fortunate fall". Much like the Bishop Barron is speaking of here, felix culpa is a way of understanding the Fall as having positive outcomes. In other words, the fortunate consequences of an unfortunate event, which would never have been possible without the unfortunate event in the first place. I find this phrase extremely helpful in my ongoing spiritual development and personal redemption. ....وسعت 28
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@thecrafteaneighbor5177قبل 9 أشهر It makes God greater when the good outshines in the midst of the evil. 21
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@lornavaughan-bb7gpقبل 9 أشهر Thank you Bishop Barron. I just love to listen to your sermons. May GOD bless and protect you always. ➕️ ♥️ 46
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@user-ze7zq2ht3kقبل 9 أشهر God bless Bishop Barron. It's a real pleasure to have the opportunity to listen to your sermons on the Bible. My spirituality, which continues to increase id="hidden6" class="buttons"> and deeepen.I share your sermons with my wife and friends, and they too benefit great.
Bishop Barron, may the blessings of the Holy Spirit be with you. May God bless you. ....وسعت 2
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@johnkrajewski5395قبل 9 أشهر Whew, when I'm pulling weeds in the garden I'm ever so careful. What a great analogy. In 1963 I was in 8th grade. Sister Mary Damien taught us id="hidden7" class="buttons"> church history and pulled no punches. Helped me later in life. Thank you Bishop and Sister Mary Damien. ....وسعت 5
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@squidward66قبل 9 أشهر I never quite grasped this as clearly until now. This is going to help me be more patient with myself, family, friends and co-workers. Thank you! 33
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@ChildofGod98765قبل 9 أشهر Please pray for me. Prayers all we need truly need in this world. My husband passed away years ago. I’m a single mother. I feel so alone. I have two beautiful sons, both of my sons are autistic. I’m just overwhelmed. Heavenly Father I know you don’t give us no more than we can handle. But Lord have mercy on me. I need a breakthrough. Since covid I can’t seem to get back on my feet. I was fired from my job for declining the vaccine. I declined due to my lupus and I also have a heart condition. I’m waitressing but not making nearly enough. Every month is a struggle not to end up on the streets with my children. I’m struggling putting groceries in my refrigerator. Struggling to pay rent. But, thankfully God has provided this far. I know and have faith he will continue. Faith over fear. We should praise God even in hard times. I love you Jesus! Thank you Heavenly Father. ....وسعت 3
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@oooloo99قبل 9 أشهر How many people listening to the Bishop are willing to support him in times of trouble??
I am. But then I am only one.
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@cherylbell8569قبل 9 أشهر I have been clearly upset by the corruption and sin in our society and government these days. Thank you for helping me get a handle on understanding why. Your sermon has given me hope. 22
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@richardvorwald5478قبل 9 أشهر Solzhenitsyn in the Gulag - 'The line between good & evil runs .right thru every human heart'. 2
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@mariab2379قبل 9 أشهر The parables between the wheat and the weeds are extraordinarily very interesting and giving us deeper meanings and analogy in our lives, when more broadly id="hidden10" class="buttons"> explained by Bishop Barron in relation to our lives, how sins intertwined in our lives, suffocating us with its poison, that only the power of the Holy Spirit could break us free, when, we fight with all our might against the evil one !!!
Thanks so much Bishop, May your tireless crusade continue to save as many souls as we continue to pray with you ....وسعت 1
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@Tohopeقبل 9 أشهر I struggled with this one. I understand the wickedness by totalitarian regimes bringing about martyrs of their victims. However to say the sex scandals id="hidden11" class="buttons"> of the Church cleansed the church says nothing for the child victims. How would I feel hearing this if I had been abused by a priest as a child? The victims keep being forgotten and dismissed. Much more care needs to be taken as to when and in what context we speak about it. I am a practicing Catholic. Said with love. ....وسعت 4
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@nicholasalbert9573قبل 9 أشهر Your Excellency, thank you for giving such wonderful insight! I am often worried about what is happening in this world, how the evil is trying to strangulate id="hidden12" class="buttons"> good in the society, in countries and even in the Church. Your sermon clearly tells me to relax and have faith in God and continue to do good. Thank you. ....وسعت 1
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@elizabethjackson2928قبل 9 أشهر Great serman, Bishop Barron!!! I love how you explained this parable!! Also, I never thought about the delicacy of removing the weed from the wheat. Lord, remove the weeds from me! 1
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@josephtravers777قبل 9 أشهر Thank you, Bishop! Yes, dealing with the weeds is very frustrating. All I can believe is that God has a better plan in it all, otherwise I might fall into temptation of my own design. God bless you 24
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@Robbie-ht8ppقبل 9 أشهر Good Morning All! Thank you Bishop Barron! I enjoyed this video. Please keep up these GOOD WORKS OF GOD. We're in dire need of them. 29
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@benjamintovarhernandez3646قبل 9 أشهر Wow, God bless you ! Thank you M. Bishop R. Barron. ( from Mexico ) 2
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@HolyMoly432قبل 9 أشهر Best I’ve ever heard on this topic. Thank you so much! ❤️❤️ 2
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@jjjjacoby1987قبل 9 أشهر May god be with you greetings from luxembourg 8
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@Bevinamsterdamقبل 9 أشهر I had been experiencing a lot of hardship and pain recently, amidst a very deep and spiritual prayer life. I now understand it was the evil preying on id="hidden15" class="buttons"> good. The more intent my devotions and prayers, the more I was confronted with evil in the most unexpected manner and places. It was most difficult until, on my knees after HOLY COMMUNION, I heard JESUS say go deeper into the waters( Bishop Barron's homily on telling the disciples to go deeper when they fished all night and caught nothing). I did the very next day and have seen such good change. Secondly todays homily has helped me understand the church today, especially with whats happening in the vatican, I relly dont feel comfortable with the election of a certain cardinal into a position that will affect the faith of my children and future grandchildren . Bishop Barron your teachings is food for the journey, in a world of confusion and conflict by both the far left and far right in the church at the moment. Bless you and WOF. ....وسعت 4
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@shrinkdoc49قبل 8 أشهر Wow! Thank you so much Bishop Barron for your commitment to God and your personal integrity.. Incredibly enlightening. I very much enjoy your presentations and their practical applications to life. Much needed in my case. 1
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@marypinakat8594قبل 9 أشهر "The pearl is a wounded oyster." - Stephan Hoeller 8
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@theclapaolini4322قبل 9 أشهر He always makes] what he says very clear for us all. 1
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@cherylhartley3025قبل 9 أشهر Brilliant! Nothing short of brilliance! Thank you Bishop Barron! 1
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@solatienza830قبل 9 أشهر so beautiful Homily, message for all of us, thank you Bishop Barron.hope and pray many will watch, listen and take to heart and share the Gospel message id="hidden17" class="buttons"> for today. What a blessing..praise be Jesus Christ now and forever. Amen. ....وسعت 5
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@amytovar344قبل 9 أشهر God Bless you Bishop Barron!! Thank you !!♥️ 1
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@jenniesalse7406قبل 9 أشهر i am in need of prayers for Rodney my son and me 6
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@stevecole3192قبل 9 أشهر How many times have I thought 'this is Bishop Barrons' best sermon ever,' only to see the next weeks and think the same thing. I am just a id="hidden18" class="buttons"> simple man, but Bishop Barron has the understanding and the ability to communicate that understanding, of a prophet. Thank you Lord for giving me this spiritual leader.
Blessings from Kansas~ ....وسعت 1
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@matthewlepak2878قبل 9 أشهر Beautifully said! Wisdom that we need to listen to 1
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@44esta44قبل 9 أشهر ❤ There’s no point in crying over spilt milk as the saying goes. However, I wish growing up I knew about this element of evil in the church. Perhaps the sexual scandal in the church wouldn’t have hit me so hard.
Excellent teaching, lots to chew on. Thank you Bishop Barron.❤ ....وسعت 31
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@petesuntrup2095قبل 9 أشهر Oh you’re good Bishop….your analogies are perfect. My wife’s garden was full of weeds so I had to take everything out and start over….. my wife then sowed Zinnias seeds that emerged quickly, the weeds also but couldn’t do anything about them until the flowers started coming out… thank you for putting things into perspective for me. God Bless ....وسعت 7
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@hungrymusicwolfقبل 9 أشهر This is such a beautifully accurate description for evil even today. 1
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@MrKAC99قبل 9 أشهر Bishop Barron please talk about the Christian persecution in India. Especially in the state of Manipur. 200 churches have been burnt. We need support Catholics abroad. 1
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@teacherleomangioneقبل 9 أشهر Omg, i was just talking with my Mother about how I haven't been able to make a connection with the sermons when I used to go to church and I consider id="hidden22" class="buttons"> myself a recent converted . I was with her yesterday. And less than 24 hours later, here I am feeling so connected with you talking about evil. Thank you so much for this. I wish I see you in person someday so I can give you a big hug and a huge thank you. I love your videos ....وسعت 19
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@nilzamariacampos5466قبل 9 أشهر Thank you.God bless you bishop Barron✨ 1
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@JL-jc2wbقبل 9 أشهر Well said, your Excellency. We must pray fervently for our Holy Mother, the Church. The weeds within our holy church have never been more apparent…and they appear to be choking out the wheat even in Rome…
May God have mercy on us and save us from these dark and dangerous times. ....وسعت
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@DyzeDyzeقبل 9 أشهر Thank you, Bishop Barron. Very much needed sermon in the midst of disputable Cardinals and woke evils to wreck young people’s faith. We need the patience, wisdom, and faith in God to do his work. 6
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@scrapbookingmuchmore9884قبل 9 أشهر Thank you Bishop Barron your Homilies are always inspiring and make me think about my life decisions and how I need to look at things differently and correct id="hidden25" class="buttons"> my ways when I fall down the wrong path! God Bless you for all you do to promote the true word of God ....وسعت 1
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@Ellen-hy4zjقبل 9 أشهر Thank you for this, Bishop Barron. I have been struggling with evil for a long time. It's frustrating, yes. But now, I understand more of God's ways, because He handles it always. Thanks again. 2
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@peggybruening4415قبل 9 أشهر Always enlightening Bishop Barron. Please keep on spreading God’s word and wisdom and keep standing up for our church and what is right and true and good and beautiful. 1
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@AndrewKendall71قبل 9 أشهر Finding the practical shepherding from this teaching reminds me of a citation of a Thornton Wilder play, The Angel that Troubled the Waters. In it, when id="hidden28" class="buttons"> the angel stirs the font, prompting the sick to enter the waters and receive healing, the angel tells the protagonist the healing is not for him. And says, “Without your wounds where would your power be? It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and women. The very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children on earth as can one human being broken on the wheels of living. In Love’s service, only wounded soldiers can serve.” ....وسعت
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@JohnTwoFiveقبل 9 أشهر Thanks to God and His Church for Their constant reminders not only that God exists but so does that which has tried and failed to corrupt His Kingdom. 2
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@Klaatu-ij9uzقبل 9 أشهر Every "doubter" must hear this sermon! A wonderful explanation of God's plans and purposes. 24
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@peterhickey1020قبل 9 أشهر Thank you Bishop Barron. God bless you too. 24
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@stefanmilicevic5322قبل 9 أشهر Excellent Sermon. I would like to complement it with one very fitting quote by Martin Buber:
"Since the primary motive of the evil is disguise, id="hidden30" class="buttons"> one of the places evil people are most likely to be found is within the church. What better way to conceal one's evil from oneself, as well as from others, than to be a deacon or some other highly visible form of Christian within our culture? . I do not mean to imply that the evil are anything other than a small minority among the religious or that the religious motives of most people are in any way spurious. I mean only that evil people tend to gravitate toward piety for the disguise and concealment it can offer them."—Martin Buber ....وسعت 1
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@lolheavenlyقبل 9 أشهر I've experienced evil insinuating while I sleep, with my ex doing drugs behind my back while I was up in the middle of night, I literally had this id="hidden31" class="buttons"> happen in my literally sleep lol. Found my corruption and evil in my safe place. So it's true that evil can manifest in the worst ways and even in the kingdom of God. And as for the wheat growing up and the parable about the wheat is true too. The better you do in life the harder Satan tries to hit you, most of my experiences in life has been this way. Life is always filled with downs when there's up and you have be faithful and keep your head up when those things happen.
Evil is definitely parasitic like you mentioned, if we pull with force it will uproot the evil with it. We must be delicate and take care it. And have trust in God to be do his work. God works in mysterious ways and we have to allow things to go as planned. With the sunshine comes the rain, and there will be some days that aren't as bright as others but we should view them as lessons or simply learn to enjoy the rain alongside the sun. Staying faithful and letting God guide us and protect us while looking out for each other and keeping an eye out for evil is the best way to go. ....وسعت 1
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@gloriousvisitation8666قبل 9 أشهر A very timely sermon for many Filipinos who lose hope because of rampant corruption in the government..Tho I must admit, the voters themselves contributed id="hidden32" class="buttons"> to putting all these corrupt officials in their positions. But you are right, man, for many reasons, stumbles. God knows this and He has this patience to allow this to happen but He has already worked it out and found a way to bring something good out of man;s failure.. So funny, Bishop Barron, because most of the unpleasant things that happen to a man's life are brought about by his ignorance and foolishness, and yet man has the audacity to ask God why and even lose his patience while waiting for the result of God's help. Thanks Bishop, I will share this sermon with our fellowmen. ....وسعت 2
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@vanessaalexis6505قبل 9 أشهر Ty so very much for that carefully word crafted explanation to explain the parable that is like an onion with many layers to peel in order to embrace to the entirety of the core message in a simple broken down manner ❤ 7
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@HarleyGirl75قبل 9 أشهر Great explanation about this parable!! 6
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@LeftistsSuckقبل 9 أشهر Wheat and weeds together in this sermon, as well. Corruption in the Church must be directly confronted, not handled "delicately." That's id="hidden34" class="buttons"> just code for doing not enough so as to be complicit while evil remains. Demonic strongholds must be torn down and that is a swift and active endeavor. ....وسعت 3
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@streamsjoyقبل 9 أشهر Excellent thought bishop.. Fr joy sabu 3
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@gaild9086قبل 8 أشهر Thank you Bishop Barron, God Bless you for this wonderful sermon.
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@deeneroaabrildeagostoadici2689قبل 5 أشهر I will rest in His arms, every unfair tear drops is being counting, I will close my eyes when His justice comes, I will ask Him forgiveness because my heart needs more of His sacrify.
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@GlennBlasiusقبل 9 أشهر I heard in an interview with an Indonesian puppet master ("Wayang") that shadows do not appear without light; eg, shadows are a product of light. id="hidden36" class="buttons"> Without light, there would be only darkness, not shadows. I think a similar wisdom being demonstrated here, with the addition of divine agency, or love. Rather than accept darkness or weeds 'as is,' the parable teaches us to weed patiently; to let the good do its work.
Thank you Bishop Barron for this and all your wonderful work. ....وسعت 1
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@joanneminue8853قبل 9 أشهر Bishop thankyou for truth in a smurky world 1
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@lupemacias9722قبل 9 أشهر I Thank God for you, Bishop Barron! You always shed light to so many of my questions/doubts! I look forward each day to your messages, inspirations and clarifications. Thank you! 7
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@marylynnmazzocco5367قبل 9 أشهر Thank you for your teaching and defense of the truths of the Church with loving language. May I Lord respond with love. 1
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@marktaylor2502قبل 9 أشهر In the Summer of 2001 I stumbled upon the UNBELIEVABLE? YouTube channel. While I wasn’t a church-goer (and believed I did not need to attend church) I maintained a fundamental belief in Jesus Christ. I found UNBELIEVABLE? because I was tired of seeing believers heckled by materialists online and wanted to learn how to step in and defend the Faith.
One of the UNBELIEVABLE? debates was between Bishop Barron and activist atheist Alex “The Cosmic Skeptic” O’Connor. Bishop Barron blew my mind with his rational, logical arguments to defend the Christian Faith. Alex O’Connor was sounding pretty shrill as the debate clock ran down.
I was so impressed that I listened to every Bishop Barron lecture and homily that I could on youtube as I stripped and stained our fence (a three week effort). I started following Word On Fire. At Christmas of 2021 I asked a Catholic couple I know if I could attend Christmas Eve Mass with them and they were thrilled to take me along.
I’m fond of saying that something followed me out the door and home that evening. I not only loved attending, I NEEDED to be at Mass and never missed a Sunday save two times when wife had surgery and again when I contracted COVID.
I joined the 2022 RCIA cohort and was baptized (conditional) and confirmed in the 2023 Easter Vigil at St Louis de Montfort Catholic Church. I LOVE being Catholic. I practically live on the Formed Catholic learning platform because I still want to be a strong defender (apologist) of our Faith. Of course I still follow our favorite Bishop!
Thank you Bishop Barron!
Mark Taylor
Fishers IN
PS: Father Haan at St Louis de Montfort encouraged me to write Bishop Barron with my story but I’ve not found a mailing address ....وسعت 2
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@gariochsionnach2608قبل 9 أشهر That is, "In this world, you cannot get rid of evils without also getting rid of the goods." Herein is an answer to worry about "the problem of evil". 1
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@vidaagyeman-mensah8756قبل 9 أشهر Oh my dear Bishop. Thank you. May you continue to give us this sweet talk. Please pray for me and my family. 1
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@ROpNyameقبل 9 أشهر Thank you my Lord Bishop.
Yes I know I am suffering from my mistake and the impatience of some people yet I have learnt a lot. In all I know God id="hidden40" class="buttons"> indeed has a Reason for permitting.
Lord may I be graced again. ....وسعت 4
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@edithgregorios4159قبل 9 أشهر Thank you Father for all your hard work 4
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@bobruelandقبل 9 أشهر I have watched many of Bishop Barron's videos, and support Word On Fire, but this video gives the best explanation of the Parable of the Weeds and id="hidden41" class="buttons"> Wheat I have ever heard. Thank you Bishop Barron for helping us to see and understand how God is at work, in spite of the evil we see so much of in this world today. ....وسعت 1
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@adama5363قبل 9 أشهر But may God have mercy on us all. Trying to learn to faith. Thanks be to God 4
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@lindahurley-bruce7575قبل 9 أشهر One thing to point out about St Maximilian Kolbe is that he seems to have lived a life of deep spirituality well before he went to the camp. That was just a climactic episode. 4
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@oooloo99قبل 9 أشهر Thank you. I am under slander and sometimes physical attacks by resident people of Satanic doctrine,. God has been dealing with me about the fact that id="hidden43" class="buttons"> they are a deceived culture and people.
This helped me to understand.
Please pray for my guidance and God's will in these circumstances.
Thank you, and to all who might intercede on my behalf.
Near NASA
, Houston area USA. PKP ....وسعت 1
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@mariannahasegawa4215قبل 9 أشهر I am going to a Catholic church here in Japan and we do the mass in Japanese. Listening to Bishop Baron's seremon helps a lot. Not just with understanding id="hidden44" class="buttons"> of the mass in Japanese language but mainly with understanding of it's essential meaning. Thank you! ....وسعت 1
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@diane4983قبل 9 أشهر When things are brought into the light we can deal with it. 3
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@immaculatelum5102قبل 9 أشهر Love your first point your Grace thought not easy. Thank you Your Grace 4
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@jovitondcosta007قبل 9 أشهر Thank you so much Bishop God bless you. 1