Characters of the Passion - Fulton J. Sheen

I bought a bunch of the book, Characters of the Passion by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen more than a year ago. I think I bought 5 books from the altar boys when they were doing a fund raising event. The adorable boys wanted to raise money for their ministry so I buy a few to help them along.

Then, I only managed to give away two books with a bookmark to two friends. I kept one for myself and forgot about the other two. I had been reading my copy since Corpus Christi. I do not know whether it was the mood, the ambience or I am just being really inspired. During Corpus Christi, I spent time in the almost deserted cathedral and read almost half of the book.

It is amazing how Archbishop Sheen brings to life all the folks, worthy and unworthy, through his book. What I viewed as ‘those characters in the Bible’ suddenly become like folks I meet everyday and I can even identify my own character in them. It is so moving to notice how my own faith, the lack of it and the amount I have sometimes are so close to what Peter had. I suddenly don’t feel so rotten after I compare with Peter. If the Lord chose Peter to be the Rock on which He built the church, I know the Lord will also (or have He already?) choose me to do His works.

When Archbishop Sheen wrote about Pontius Pilate and Herod, I can immediately identify some of the problems we are facing in our own Government now and how almost the same thing was happening back then.

The book is an easy read for Christians and yet, it is not filled with too many Bible verses, making it easy for non-Christians to understand the life of Jesus Christ and how the people around Him were during His last days.

As I said, I have forgotten I have two spare copies with a nice bookmark, wrapped in brown envelopes. My pink Sony Vaio laptop crashed yesterday and when I took out the laptop bag, I found the books there. So, who wants the spare copies? If you give me your address (by email), postage is on me. The book is free.

Archbishop Sheen has his own official website here at http://www.bishopsheen.com/. He lived between 1895 to 1979.

**I am going to Singapore for my nephew’s wedding and will be back on Monday. So, to all the fathers out there, Happy Father’s Day! May God bless you with good health, joy and lots of love.**