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Seven Words of Jesus and Mary: Lessons on Cana and Calvary

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The well-known Reverend Fulton Sheen (for whom the well-known actor Martin Sheen chose his stage name) wrote this book fairly early in his public ministry, as it was first published in the forties and reprinted in 1953. Those early editions are still generously available here upon the amazon, for example at Seven words of Jesus and Mary, as well as now this well crafted recent reprint from Liguori Publictions, the noted Catholic printing house.

Please note this work is under one hundred pages, yet presents an intriguing theological analysis of the interplay of the words of the the Blessed Virgin Mary, compared and complemented with the so-called Seven Last Words of her Son Jesus Christ on Calvary.

Please remember we here speak of the significant number seven in the same way we speak of the seven days of Creation. Certainly counting word for word we may find in the varying Gospels more than seven individual words. The sense lies in seven sayings or sentences, as was traditionally understood at the traditional Good Friday sermon. And thus Bishop Sheen presents as well seven "words" of Mary.

Perhaps the most earth-shaking words of Our Blessed Mother of God are those recorded by Saint Luke at the Visitation, when she declares the Magnificat announcing the fulfillment of the vision of Isaiah in her unborn son. God has done mighty things. Holy is His Name. Previewing the Beatitudes, she declares blessings for the poor and woe to the rich, as the poor will be filled with every good thing and the rich sent empty away (or as in the Latin, filled with vanity and inanities). The powerful will be torn down from their thrones and the humble lifted up. The Magnificat for good reason is recited standing with special liturgical mmovements and antiphons each evening in Vespers, and is further commentated in such works as Le Magnificat, ou, La revolution de Dieu (Racines), Mary: Model of Justice (Reflections on the Magnificat), etc., etc., etc. With so much spiritual wealth available we may of course forego therefore in this vein the opportunity to read the new collection of conference papers of widely varying quality gathered in Living the Magnificat: Affirming Catholicism in a Broken World (Affirming Catholicism).

In any case, and not to dwell much longer upon it, we may find Bishop Sheen's brief booklet herein well published once more by Liguori. We may hear once more with him and through his meditations that interesting conversation in Cana, and the painful words of Calvary. Much is hidden within this seemingly small book, and as we look even now ahead to Lent we may consider it for our Lenten lectio divina. Highly recommended for all Catholics wishing to experience and to begin to understand more deeply the tender and strong relationship of mother and divine son. We Catholics may also well turn to such well known and respected works as Mary, Mother of the Redemption: The Religious Basis of the Mystery of Mary, Praying With Jesus And Mary: Our Father, Hail Mary and Mary of Nazareth: Prophet of Peace.

This book starts my Lent every year followed by Abandonment to Divine Providence. They both draw me into a much deeper spiritual life.

The late Fulton J. Sheen once again showed his worth as a theologian and communicator, a teacher of the Faith par excelance.

Linking the seven words Mary speaks in the New Testament Gospels and the seven words Jesus says from the Cross, Archbishop Sheen has put together a light, easy read, yet with amazingly deep parallels and insights on their connectedness and the theological lessons which can be drawn from both Jesus' and Mary's seven words and the parallels between them.

Reading this book, it is easy to see why Archbishop Sheen had such a popular and award-winning TV show. (Almost makes me wish I were old enough to remember it!)

I learned a lot from this little book. It was an easy read. It's one I will likely read again one day.

Although I haven't read this since it will be our book group selection in a couple of months, I have heard that it's a very good, thought-provoking book. Anyone who used to listen to Bishop Sheen or is familiar with his work will find this a book that is worth reading.

Keep this book by your bedside and have extra copies available for giving as gifts. The writing is superb, the theological points are flawless, and the inspiration is great. Each chapter beautifully, charitably, and clearly lays out Christ's love for us and our response to His love. Each susequent reading (yes, you'll want to read it over and over) offers an opportunity to renew our relationship with Jesus and His Mother, Our Mother. Archbishop Sheen, Pray for Us.