Life of Christ

by Fulton J. Sheen

He was to be identified with humanity, so much so as to call Himself the “Son of Man,” then He had to share the guilt of humanity. And this was the meaning of the baptism by John. Many years before, He had said that He must be about His Father’s business; now He was revealing what His Father’s business was: the salvation of mankind.

Whenever a Hebrew thought of a lamb or a dove, he immediately thought of a sacrifice for sin. Therefore, the Spirit descending upon Our Lord was for them a symbol of submission to sacrifice.

Very few people believe in the devil these days, which suits the devil very well. He is always helping to circulate the news of his own death. The

Peter would tempt Our Lord later on, in the same way, and for that reason would be called “Satan.”

The ungodly like religion in the same way that they like lions, either dead or behind bars; they fear religion when it breaks loose and begins to challenge their consciences.

The vocation of a policeman was sanctified that day when these officers refused to arrest the Savior.

Here is the answer, after all these years, to the mysterious words in the Gospel of the Incarnation which stated that Our Blessed Mother laid her “firstborn” in the manger. Did that mean that Our Blessed Mother was to have other children? It certainly did, but not according to the flesh. Our Divine Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was the unique Son of Our Blessed Mother by the flesh. But Our Lady was to have other children, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit!