Victory Over Vice (1939) is one of several books by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen exploring the Seven Last Words of Christ during His Crucifixion. In this short work, Archbishop Sheen considers each of the final utterances of Christ from the perspective of one of the capital sins. He demonstrates how each phrase proves the purity of Jesus Christ, and he uses each as an instruction on how we, too, can overcome these mortal vices.
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979) was a well-known priest and media personality throughout the mid-20th century. First ordained in 1919, he began his priesthood in the Diocese of Peoria. Always seeking greater theological and philosophical understanding, he continued his education at the Catholic University of America, the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, and the Pontificium Collegium Internationale Angelicum in Rome.
In 1930, Archbishop Sheen became a weekly contributor to the popular radio show, The Catholic Hour, a position he held for 20 years. In the 1950s, he expanded his media appearances to include Life is Worth Living, a successful Catholic television program. This show earned him an Emmy for Most Outstanding Television Personality in 1953.
While sharing his wisdom on television and radio, he also taught at the Catholic University of America, and wrote dozens of books and essays on matters of scripture, faith, and spirituality. In several works, Archbishop Sheen returned to the topic of Christ's Seven Last Words in his writing, including in Victory Over Vice.
In this work, Archbishop Sheen uses the Seven Last Words as a guide through the perils of the seven deadly sins. Each of these sins led to the crucifixion. But we were also given a guide to overcoming them during the life and death of Jesus Christ. By understanding them, we can guard against them and use His example to guide our own lives.
Archbishop Sheen is careful to define each of these sins and to explain when they cross from an acceptable behavior or trait into a dangerous failing. Envy, for example, can be justified and even helpful when it "inspires us to emulate good example and to progress with those who are our betters." But it becomes a sin when it "is a wilful grieving at another's good, either spiritual or temporal, for the reason that it seems to diminish our own good."
Throughout each of the Seven Words, Christ shows us how we should behave when faced with sin in ourselves or in others. When he is faced with the anger of the masses, he begs, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." When faced with the thief to the left who envies His Power, he instead turns to the thief on the right and pronounces that "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." When faced with the pride of those who have turned from God, "He permits Himself to feel God-lessness and it broke His heart in the saddest of all cries: 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'"
Faced with anger, envy, lust, pride, gluttony, sloth, and covetousness leading up to and throughout His death, Christ shows us how to respond to each in others and in ourselves. It is a simple matter to preach what we should do to avoid sin. But to see how Christ responded when faced with it, and avoided it in His own purity, is a true gift.
The study of Christ's final words is an important area of meditation for the faithful. They prove the consistency of His teachings. From the Sermon on the Mount to His actions through His life to these last phrases, we see how He traversed the trials of life. And we find a blueprint to avoid sin and cleanse our own souls.
