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by Fulton J. Sheen (Author), Allan Smith (Editor)
THE SEVEN WORDS OF JESUS AND MARY
It is interesting that Our Lord spoke seven times on Calvary and that His Mother is recorded as having spoken but seven times in Sacred Scripture. Her last recorded word was at the Marriage Feast of Cana when her Divine Son began His Public Life. Now that the sun was out, there was no longer need of the moon to shine. Now that the Word has spoken, there was no longer need of words.
St. Luke records five of the seven words which he could have known only from her. St. John records the other two. One wonders, as Our Blessed Lord spoke each of His Seven Words if Our Blessed Mother at the foot of the Cross did not think of each of her corresponding words. Such will be the subject of our meditation: Our Lord's Seven Words on the Cross and the Seven Words of Mary's Life.
World-renowned evangelist and New York Times best-selling author Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen presents a collection of engaging sermons, that will encourage the reader to better understanding the relationship between the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus.
Throughout the pages of this book, Archbishop Sheen will provide some valuable insights as to the deep bonds between a mother and her children. Using the Seven Last Words spoken by Jesus from the Cross on Calvary as a backdrop, Sheen will address the subject of motherly love using his inimitable writing style, with immediacy, yet conveying joy and comfort in the subject matter.
These meditations on the Seven Last Words correlated to the seven recorded times in scripture that Mary spoke make no pretence to absoluteness. The Words are not necessarily related to each other but they do make convenient points of illustrations.
THE VALUE OF IGNORANCE
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
THE SECRET OF SANCTITY
"This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise."
THE FELLOWSHIP OF RELIGION
"Woman, behold thy son! (Son) Behold thy mother!"
CONFIDENCE IN VICTORY
"My God! My God! Why hast Thou hast abandoned Me?"
RELIGION IS A QUEST
"I thirst."
THE HOUR
"It is finished."
THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
"Father, into Thy Hands, I commend My Spirit."
Possessing a burning zeal to dispel the myths about Our Lord and His Church, Sheen gave a series of powerful presentations on Christ's Passion and His seven last words from the Cross. As a Scripture scholar, Archbishop Sheen knew full well the power contained in preaching Christ crucified. With St. Paul, he could say, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2).
During his last recorded Good Friday address in 1979, Archbishop Sheen spoke of having given this type of reflection on the subject of Christ's seven last words from the Cross "for the fifty-eighth consecutive time." Whether from the young priest in Peoria, Illinois, the university professor in Washington, D.C., or the bishop in New York, Sheen's messages were sure to make an indelible mark on his listeners.
Given their importance and the impact they had on society, it seemed appropriate to reintroduce these reflections once again on the seven words of both Jesus and Mary.
God Love You.
