Episode 1982: Embracing the Cross: Lessons from Mary and the Good Thief

Embracing the Cross: Lessons from Mary and the Good Thief
We delve into the timeless wisdom of the Catholic faith. Today, we explore the profound insights of two revered figures: St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Venerable Fulton Sheen. Their words echo through the corridors of time, guiding us toward a deeper understanding of holiness and the acceptance of our crosses.
St. Mother Teresa once said,
"Keep the joy of loving God in your heart and share this joy with all you meet, especially your family. Be holy." In these simple yet profound words, she encapsulates the essence of Christian living – the joy of loving God and the call to holiness. But how do we embody this joy amidst the challenges and crosses of life?
"Keep the joy of loving God in your heart": Here, St. Mother Teresa emphasizes the importance of maintaining a deep and abiding love for God within oneself. In traditional Catholic teaching, the love of God is considered foundational to the Christian life. This love is not merely an emotion but a commitment of the will, rooted in faith and expressed through obedience to God's commandments.

"Share this joy with all you meet": St. Mother Teresa highlights the communal aspect of the Christian faith. As Catholics, we are called to be witnesses to the joy and love that comes from our relationship with God. This involves sharing the Gospel message with others, both through our words and our actions, so that they too may experience the joy of knowing and loving God.

"Especially your family": Family is regarded as the domestic church in Catholic theology, where faith is nurtured and passed down from generation to generation. St. Mother Teresa underscores the importance of sharing the joy of loving God within the family unit, fostering an environment of faith, love, and mutual support.
"Be holy": The ultimate goal of the Christian life, according to Catholic teaching, is holiness – a state of being set apart for God and conforming to His will. This call to holiness is universal and applies to all believers, regardless of their state in life. It involves striving for virtue, avoiding sin, and growing in intimacy with God through prayer, the sacraments, and acts of charity.

In summary, St. Mother Teresa's quote encapsulates fundamental aspects of traditional Catholic spirituality: cultivating a deep love for God, sharing that love with others, especially within the family, and striving for holiness in all aspects of life. It serves as a reminder of the Christian's mission to be a beacon of God's love and joy in the world.
Venerable Fulton Sheen offers us insight into this question as he reflects on the scene at the foot of the Cross. He draws our attention to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the good thief who found redemption in his final moments. Sheen beautifully parallels the second word of Jesus on Golgotha with Mary's own second word in Nazareth – "Be it done to me according to thy word." In these words, we find a profound lesson: the acceptance of God's will, even in the midst of suffering and uncertainty.
“At the foot of the Cross, Mary witnessed the conversion of the good thief, and her soul rejoiced that he had accepted the will of God. Her Divine Son’s second word, promising paradise as a reward for that surrender, reminded her of her own second word thirty years before, when the angel had appeared to her and told her that she was to be the Mother of Him who was now dying on he Cross…The second word of Jesus on Golgotha [Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise] and the second word of Mary in Nazareth [Be it done to me according to thy word] teach the same lesson: Everyone in the world has a cross, but the cross is not the same for any two of us. The cross of the thief was not the cross of Mary. The difference was due to God’s will toward each. The thief was to give life: Mary to accept life. The Thief was to hang on his cross, Mary was to stand beneath hers. The thief was to go ahead; Mary to remain behind. The thief received a dismissal; Mary received a mission. The thief was to be received into paradise, but paradise was to be received into Mary.”
—Venerable Fulton Sheen

Let's break down Venerable Fulton Sheen's quote from a traditional Catholic perspective:

"At the foot of the Cross, Mary witnessed the conversion of the good thief": This highlights the pivotal moment during the crucifixion of Jesus when one of the criminals crucified alongside Him acknowledges His innocence and asks to be remembered in His kingdom. Mary, as the Mother of Jesus, is present during this moment of profound grace and conversion.

"Her soul rejoiced that he had accepted the will of God": Mary's joy stems from witnessing the good thief's acceptance of God's will, as he surrenders to the mercy and redemption offered by Jesus even in his final moments. This reflects Mary's own lifelong surrender to God's will, as demonstrated by her fiat ("Let it be done to me according to thy word") at the Annunciation.
"Her Divine Son’s second word, promising paradise as a reward for that surrender": Jesus' second word from the Cross ("Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise") underscores the promise of salvation and eternal life extended to the repentant thief. This echoes the mercy and compassion of God, who offers forgiveness and redemption to all who turn to Him in repentance.

"Reminded her of her own second word thirty years before": Venerable Fulton Sheen draws a parallel between Mary's response to the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation and Jesus' words on the Cross. Both moments signify profound acts of surrender to God's will – Mary's acceptance of her role as the Mother of the Savior and Jesus' obedience to the Father's plan for salvation.

"Everyone in the world has a cross, but the cross is not the same for any two of us": Here, Venerable Fulton Sheen emphasizes the uniqueness of each individual's cross – the trials, challenges, and sufferings they endure in life. While everyone faces difficulties, the nature of these crosses varies according to God's will for each person.

"The difference was due to God’s will toward each": This underscores the providential role of God in assigning and shaping the crosses borne by individuals. Each person's cross is tailor-made according to God's divine plan and purpose for their life.
"The thief was to give life: Mary to accept life": Venerable Fulton Sheen contrasts the roles of the good thief and Mary in relation to life and surrender. The thief's act of repentance leads to spiritual rebirth and eternal life, while Mary's fiat symbolizes her acceptance of the life-giving mission entrusted to her as the Mother of God.

"The thief received a dismissal; Mary received a mission": This highlights the divergent outcomes resulting from the good thief's conversion and Mary's fiat. The thief is dismissed from his earthly suffering and welcomed into paradise, while Mary receives a mission to participate in God's plan of salvation through her maternal role in Jesus' life and ministry.
"The thief was to be received into paradise, but paradise was to be received into Mary": This profound statement encapsulates Mary's unique role in salvation history. While the good thief is granted entry into paradise, Mary becomes the vessel through which paradise – in the person of Jesus Christ – enters into the world, bringing redemption and salvation to humanity.
In summary, Venerable Fulton Sheen's quote offers a rich theological reflection on the significance of the Crucifixion, Mary's role as the Mother of God, and the unique crosses borne by individuals in accordance with God's will. It emphasizes themes of redemption, surrender, and the transformative power of grace in the lives of believers.
Consider the contrast between the crosses of Mary and the good thief. The thief's cross was one of punishment, yet through his acceptance of God's will, he found redemption and the promise of paradise. Mary's cross, on the other hand, was one of profound sorrow as she stood beneath her Son's Cross, witnessing His agonizing death. Yet, in her acceptance of God's will, she embraced her mission with unwavering faith and obedience.
What can we learn from this juxtaposition of crosses? It teaches us that while each of us bears our own cross, they are not all the same. Our crosses are uniquely tailored to us by God's providence. Some may be crosses of suffering, others of temptation, and still others of service. But regardless of the form our cross takes, we are called to embrace it with the same spirit of surrender and trust exemplified by Mary and the good thief.
Now lets wrap it up with a scripture reading for today:
"For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me."
–Galatians 2:19-20
"For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God": In this passage, the Apostle Paul speaks of dying to the law. This refers to the old covenant of the Mosaic Law, which could not bring about true righteousness and salvation. Through Christ's death and resurrection, believers are freed from the burden of trying to fulfill the Law's demands for righteousness. Instead, they are empowered to live for God in a new covenant of grace and faith.

"I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me": Paul emphasizes the profound union between the believer and Christ. Through baptism, believers are spiritually united with Christ in His death and resurrection. This union is so intimate that believers can say they have been crucified with Christ, symbolizing the death of the old self dominated by sin and the resurrection to new life in Christ. As a result, it is not the individual believer who lives, but Christ who lives in them. This highlights the transformative power of the Gospel to change hearts and lives.

"Insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me": While believers still inhabit physical bodies and live in the world, their lives are now governed by faith in Christ. They trust in His love and sacrifice on the cross as the basis for their salvation and as the motivation for their Christian living. This faith is not merely intellectual assent but a total surrender of one's life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

From a traditional Catholic perspective, this Scripture passage underscores key themes of salvation, union with Christ, and the transformative power of faith. It teaches that believers are justified not by their works under the Law but by their faith in Christ, who loved them and gave Himself for them. It also emphasizes the ongoing process of sanctification, as believers strive to live out their faith in Christ in every aspect of their lives.
As we journey through life, let us keep the joy of loving God in our hearts, sharing this joy with all we meet, especially our families. Let us strive for holiness, following in the footsteps of St. Mother Teresa. And let us embrace our crosses with the same humility and faith as Mary and the good thief, trusting in God's providence and the promise of paradise that awaits those who surrender to His will.
Thank you for joining us for today's episode. We hope you found inspiration in the wisdom of St. Mother Teresa and Venerable Fulton Sheen. Join us next time as we continue to explore the riches of the Catholic faith. Until then, may God bless you and keep you in His love. Now go out and convert somebody. Good Day!