Friends, welcome to Word on Fire, Catholic Ministries. Word on Fire is an

apostolate dedicated to the mission of evangelization, using media both old and

new to share the faith on every continent and to facilitate an encounter with

Christ and His Church. The efforts of Word on Fire engage the culture and bring

the transformative power of God's Word where it is most needed. Today we invite

you to join Bishop Robert Barron as he preaches the gospel and shares the

warmth and light of Christ with each one of us.

Peace be with you. Friends Pope Benedict memorably told us that the church does

three essential things. It worships God, it evangelizes, and it cares for the poor.

Everything else in the church's life, it falls under those headings.

Worships God, it evangelizes, and it cares for the poor.

Andy further asserted, which I think is really interesting and important, that

each one of these implies the other two. And you know, I'll use a technical term

here, an entire ecclesiology, that means a theology of the church, could be

constructed on that basis. I think if they're reteaching ecclesiology, I'd

begin with that. Three things that we do, and each one implies the other two.

That's the whole life of the church. In other words, you can't really worship

God without wanting to evangelize and without wanting to care for the poor.

You can't really care for the poor without being led to evangelize, without being

led back to the worship of God, etc. Right? Now, I'd say depending on historical

circumstances, the church will tend to emphasize or bring to the four, one or

other of these basic obligations. So look at our recent history, for example.

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