Mike (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} augustine) wrote,@ 2009-05-26 13:44:00 |
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Right now, I'm reading through Fulton Sheen's book Life of Christ, and I do believe that, outside of obvious exceptions such as the Bible, this is my favorite (non-Chesterton) book of all time. If I tried to quote everything that I loved, I would have to quote the entire book practically, so let me just give one I came across last night:
From the chapter "Trial before Pilate"
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...Pilate evidently caught the idea that moral conduct had something to do with the discovery of truth, so he resorted to pragmatism and utilitarianism, and sneered the question:
What is truth?
John 18:38
Then he turned his back on truth- better not on it, but on Him Who is Truth. It remained to be seen that tolerance of truth and error in a stroke of broadmindedness leads to intolerance and persecution; "What is truth?" when sneered, is followed up with the second sneer, "What is justice?" Broadmindedness, when it means indifference to right and wrong, eventually ends in a hatred of what is right. He who was so tolerant of error as to deny an Absolute Truth was the one who would crucify Truth.
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Also, from a *different* book (which I haven't read yet), his autobiography Treasure in Clay, I liked this incident:
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"In the early days when I was on national radio, a man came into St Patrick's Cathedral one Monday morning and, not recognising me, said: "Father, I want to go to Confession. I commute from Westchester every day. I had three friends with me - all Protestants. I became very angry and spoke most disparagingly and bitterly of that young priest that is on radio, Dr Fulton Sheen. I just cannot stand him. He drives me crazy. I am afraid that I probably scandalised those men by the way I talked about a priest. So, will you hear my confession?" I said: "My good man, I don't think you committed a serious sin. There are moments in my life when I share exactly the same opinion about Dr Sheen that you do. Go to Communion and reserve your confession for another day." He left very happily, saying: 'It certainly is wonderful to meet a nice priest'"
lol.
From the chapter "Trial before Pilate"
-----------------------------------
...Pilate evidently caught the idea that moral conduct had something to do with the discovery of truth, so he resorted to pragmatism and utilitarianism, and sneered the question:
What is truth?
John 18:38
Then he turned his back on truth- better not on it, but on Him Who is Truth. It remained to be seen that tolerance of truth and error in a stroke of broadmindedness leads to intolerance and persecution; "What is truth?" when sneered, is followed up with the second sneer, "What is justice?" Broadmindedness, when it means indifference to right and wrong, eventually ends in a hatred of what is right. He who was so tolerant of error as to deny an Absolute Truth was the one who would crucify Truth.
___________________________________
Also, from a *different* book (which I haven't read yet), his autobiography Treasure in Clay, I liked this incident:
-----------------------------------
"In the early days when I was on national radio, a man came into St Patrick's Cathedral one Monday morning and, not recognising me, said: "Father, I want to go to Confession. I commute from Westchester every day. I had three friends with me - all Protestants. I became very angry and spoke most disparagingly and bitterly of that young priest that is on radio, Dr Fulton Sheen. I just cannot stand him. He drives me crazy. I am afraid that I probably scandalised those men by the way I talked about a priest. So, will you hear my confession?" I said: "My good man, I don't think you committed a serious sin. There are moments in my life when I share exactly the same opinion about Dr Sheen that you do. Go to Communion and reserve your confession for another day." He left very happily, saying: 'It certainly is wonderful to meet a nice priest'"
lol.
