Dear Friends,
The Holy See’s recent announcement that paves the way for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen will likely fuel interest in the many YouTube postings of his Life Is Worth Living TV series.
These shows from the 1950s and 1960s, which drew vast numbers of Catholic and non-Catholic viewers alike, were models of apologetics and evangelization.
Sheen’s wit and wisdom and commanding screen persona were a potent mix that, for those with ears to hear, made Catholicism more understandable and (for some) less threatening. One of his famous aphorisms regarded suffering. One of the greatest tragedies, he used to say, was that so much pain went to waste. By that, he meant that people failed to see that they could offer up their suffering for something good, such as reparation for their sins and for the conversion of others.
It was a lesson he learned from the example of Our Lord. For Jesus’ passion and death is what brought the redemption of mankind. Lent is a fitting time for us to embrace a bit of the cross of Christ and to embrace sacrifices in reparation for our sins and the sins of others. In this way, we help to fill up “what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24).
To better appreciate the value of sacrifice in this Lenten season, consider praying with the help of our retreat guide, The Widow’s Might.
Knowing how to give a spiritual dimension to suffering can go a long way in helping the world see that even lives full of challenges are worth living.
In Christ,
Father Edward McIlmail, LC
Ask a Priest contributor
