The Cross and Beatitudes: Lessons on Love and Forgiveness

I really like Fulton Sheen and I have read a few of his books. He is so smart and interesting and such a spiritual person. I think he should be a saint. He really knows all about the Catholic religion and the faith.

I am currently reading this book as part of my Lenten spiritual reading. Although I'm only on lesson three, I feel confident in recommending this book to anyone, regardless if you have someone you need to forgive or not. With this book, it is easy to see how to apply the lessons to your own life, and to think about where you might be more merciful towards others, or to "offer up" your suffering to Christ on the cross.

I've read other books on the beatitudes, but through Sheen's comparison to how Jesus lived the beatitudes on the cross, I really came to understand them much more deeply. This is a quick read and will help anyone grow spiritually and understand how to apply the Beatitudes to his or her life.

Archbishop Sheen's short series of meditations on the Seven Last Words and the Seven Beatitudes is a good read for anyone who wishes to meditate further on Our Lord's Passion. Though he claims there is no connection between the two subjects other than his artificial construction, I believe that he saw a real connection that exists between the two. Some of his written information is contextual (such as the "mailed fist of Communism"), but when one spends time in contemplation, one will realize that his information is not as dated as it seems. A good read any time of the year, but recommended especially for Holy Week.