A Servant of God: Fulton Sheen
The Seven Last Words are the sayings of Jesus Christ upon the cross. In The Seven Last Words, Archbishop Sheen explains the content of this final sermon. Recorded in the gospels of Mark, Matthew, John, and Luke, these short yet profound phrases guide us through the death of the Savior while providing a better understanding of the depths of His Divine Love. Beginning with forgiveness for His tormentors and ending by turning His face toward His Heavenly Father, Christ's final words show His teachings in action, just as He did throughout His life.
The Cross and the Beatitudes explores the Seven Last Words from another angle. In this work, Archbishop Sheen draws a parallel between the eight Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount and these final sayings. These Beatitudes, or blessings, offer guidance to the listener, arguing for love and humility rather than strength and pride. While there are eight beatitudes, Archbishop Fulton Sheen considers the final to be an overarching blessing that includes the seven preceding it. By connecting seven beatitudes to the Seven Last Words, he unites the beginning of Christ's spiritual teachings with their completion upon Calvary.
In Victory Over Vice, he approaches the Seven Last Words in yet a different way. This work examines the seven cardinal sins through the lens of the Last Words of Christ. While these sins in others led to the crucifixion, Jesus Christ's response to them gives us a blueprint for how to face them in ourselves and in those around us.
The two remaining works in this collection are general guides to a life of peace and tranquility. Way to Happiness makes the argument that inner joy comes from fulfilling our primary purpose-to overflow with "...Pure Life, Pure Truth and Pure Love-and that is the definition of God." To this end, Archbishop Sheen has provided short essays on the themes of happiness, work, love, children, youth, inner peace, giving, and man. These essays help the reader to apply Biblical principles to their everyday lives.
| Description | The books in this collection represent a span of 21 years of Archbishop Sheen's priestly life. Three of them share a similar theme-the examination of Christ's Seven Last Words.
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