St Clement of Rome Catholic Church

Time is a very valuable gift given to us by the Lord. He is the owner of the vineyard where our “fig tree” is growing. It would be absurd to expect the fig tree to determine when its time is up. (Luke 13:1-9)

That right belongs to the owner of the vineyard. Similarly, we don’t decide when our time on earth is up. Regardless of our bearing good fruit or of our sterility; regardless of our preparedness, age, health condition, goodness or lack thereof, the Lord reserves the right to call us to himself whenever he sees fit. Besides old age, the end of our life on earth could also be the result of a “mean Pilate” who mingles our blood with the one of our sacrifices, or due to a “falling tower,” or simply a little bacterium or a mysterious virus.

In Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s 1930 book,The Divine Romance, he ended with words about Jesus’ Last Sermon. Immediately, one might think back to his priestly ministry to his apostles and their growing flock. The Bishop quickly dispels this notion by citing that Jesus’ Seven Last Words from the Cross, taken as a whole, constituted His Last Sermon. After looking at them in the Bishop’s context, I believe that Jesus’ last sermon on earth provide us with a clear insight to His teachings and short life on earth.

The Seven Last Words were a constant source of inspiration for the Venerable Bishop. In fact, he often used them as the basis for his brilliant sermons, which he often delivered on Good Friday. By their very nature, they make an excellent source for meditation and spiritual reflection. I remember attending one such talk at my first parish and school, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, on Queens Boulevard in New York City. I think I was home for Spring Break from the College of the Holy Cross.