10/29/2021 – “The Man Who Knew Communism Best” – Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Some might point out that this is essentially my recent post Archbishop Sheen’s “The Devil”. It is a subset shall we say, for six decades or so after this telecast, the global wave of God hate is upon us. But again, “the world is not scary, it is just evil”, unfathomably so, the complete flip side to God’s unfathomable love. At the same time, the Gospel is being preached throughout the earth. Matthew 24: 12 – 14: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Time ceases to exist in His Kingdom. So, let me say, by His grace, we have won already! Ephesians 6: We stand in faith as His remnant warriors, while simoultaneously at His feet as little children. Recall, Jesus admonished his disciples: “Unless like you are as these children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Christ imitators , no?, our highest calling in this world. (Note : “The Lion and the Lamb”) Again, let us seize upon this closing window of opportunity to give Him the glory through the current suffering. Soli Deo Gloria!
And small stuff: This again brings me back to my father’s comment to me when I was a very young boy that the Russian novelists – 19th and early 20th century were their evangelists and theologians, fulfilling shall we say the “Great Commission”. So, we have Archbishop’s captivating presentation of our messenger: “Fyodor Dostoevsky” (as he notes, multiple spellings on his last name). Funny, I still have that memory of his coming off the train from downtown Chicago as Mom and us kids picked him up at the Lombard station. He was carrying Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”. It beats taking a nap. He couldn’t read it at home with four young children. haha
A few years ago, I shared my dream retirement vision to my bride that I wanted to start a version of “The Inklings” deep dive into great books of yore that we can appropriately point straight back to the Word. One prime example would be Dostoevsky’s “Brothers Karamazov”. At any rate, my bride’s curt but loving reply was: “good luck with that one Jimmy”. Not as compelling perhaps as a final lap life story as say: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, but still it points to what Jesus told Peter: “In your old age, I will take you where you don’t want to go.” And for those of you who don’t know: Tradition has it that Peter was crucified upside down by the Romans as a last request. He didn’t feel worthy of being crucified head up , as His Lord and Savior.
What’s bizarre is that I can still remember watching these very early telecasts by myself as a young boy. Maybe I am just blanking on the telecasts with Dad watching with me. The irony: My father was catholic, I was baptized and went to lutheran church with our Mom, as did two of my three younger siblings. Just Christian… We did watch “Bonanza” as a family on the old tv. But, if that were the case with Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, I would think that would have stood out for me as a boy as really special, as “off the charts” sublime. (only once do I recall us as worshipping together Sunday morning, that being the lutheran church on Christmas morning.) At least Mom did not shut off the tv when I was watching these episodes. haha (but seriously , praise God!)