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How can we be “spectators of love”?
Catechism Meditation:
Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own “to the end,” he makes manifest the Father’s love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.” And again: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” ―No. 1823
REFLECTION. In 1979, Archbishop Fulton Sheen gave his last recorded interview on the AM New York program, conducted by journalist Marie Torre. The interview is remembered for its candid reflections on the state of the Church, the human heart, and the erosion of love in modern society. The conversation took place in the months before Sheen’s passing, and Torre’s questions often probed his views on contemporary moral and spiritual challenges. In this interview, Sheen expressed concern that love — the central virtue of Christian life — was being destroyed in our society. He warned that without love, the Church and the world would lose their moral compass, and that the “destruction of love” was a crisis of the highest order. Sheen warned that without love, all other virtues lose their meaning. He linked the loss of love to a growing spiritual apathy in society. He urged the Church to be a place where love is lived and shared, not just preached. And he stressed that each person must choose to be a “spectator of love” rather than one of the indifferent.
Just weeks earlier, on April 13, 1979, Sheen delivered his last public sermon at St. Agnes Church in Manhattan, titled “Spectators on and about the Cross“. In it, he divided people into three groups:
- Spectators of the indifferent or fallen away – those who have turned from faith but still watch.
- Spectators of pain – those who suffer and are drawn closer to God through their trials.
- Spectators of love – those who remain faithful and open to God’s grace.
Sheen’s “spectators of love” category directly reflects his belief that love is the mark of a true Christian and the antidote to societal decay. In both the interview and the homily, he emphasized that love is not just a feeling but a disciplined, sacrificial act that must be cultivated in the face of a world increasingly indifferent to it.
For Sheen, the Cross has a greater meaning than just being an historical event or a religious symbol. He knew it as the place where every disciple learns the meaning of love: that authentic love always costs something; that true love is sacrificial; that love forgives; love perseveres; and love gives itself away. The Cross is the place where the Lord teaches His most powerful sermon about how to live, how to suffer, and above all, how to love.
Having such deep sentiments for the Crucified Lord, Sheen issued an even more personal challenge: “You want the Cross but not the crucifix. The cross you wear can be a charm, but the crucifix cannot. Somehow, when you see it, you feel involved! A statue of Buddha does not stir you. Put a crucifix on your desk for three days and see what it does to you!”
There is a world of difference between wearing a cross as jewelry and gazing upon a crucifix in prayer. One is a reminder of Christianity; the other is an invitation to discipleship. The crucifix confronts us with the One who loved us “to the end’’ (Jn. 13:1) and quietly asks whether we are willing to love in the same way.
Fulton Sheen’s last interview in 1979 is remembered for his stark warning that the destruction of love in society is a grave spiritual danger, and for his call to be “spectators of love” — a theme that also underpinned his final homily. His words remain a poignant reminder that love is both the heart of Christianity and the key to healing the moral fabric of the world. Every glance toward the crucified Christ becomes another lesson in forgiveness, humility, sacrifice, perseverance, and mercy. We spend our entire lives learning those lessons, and even then, we have only begun. The greatest education the world can offer may fill our minds, but the Crucifix alone teaches the heart how to love, and that is a lesson for eternity.
Source: CatholicExchange.com, MagisCenter.com
PRAYER. Lord Jesus, instill in me a genuine love for all my neighbors. May my actions and words always reflect Your love and mercy towards others. Amen.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“Loving one another is now reasonable, because the God of love made us, the God of love redeemed us, and because the God of love sanctified us.” ― Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen