The Meaning of Reconciliation

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen delivers a profound theological exploration of Christian reconciliation, asserting that the concept is inseparable from the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He begins by establishing a scriptural foundation, drawing from the epistles of St. Paul to demonstrate that humanity’s restoration to God was achieved through the sacrifice of His Son. Sheen emphasizes that this is not merely a historical event but the central "business" of the priesthood and the very heart of the Christian faith.

Using a powerful analogy, Sheen compares humanity's fall from grace to a sour note struck in a great cosmic orchestra. This single act of disharmony, he explains, reverberates infinitely through time, something humanity cannot correct on its own. The only solution is for the divine conductor to reach out from eternity, not to erase the discordant note, but to seize it and masterfully make it the foundational key of a new, more beautiful symphony. This, Sheen argues, is precisely what God accomplished through the Incarnation—transforming the tragedy of sin into the glorious melody of redemption.

To accomplish this, Christ had to "empty himself" and take on the full weight of the world's evil—physical, mental, and moral. Sheen illustrates how Christ vicariously experienced humanity's sickness, the profound loneliness of the atheist on the cross, and the crushing guilt of sin itself. He took the profaned chalice of human nature and reforged it in the furnace of Calvary, restoring it on Easter morning. The ultimate proof of this reconciliation is the Resurrection, for when the one whom our sins had "murdered" walks freely from the tomb, our guilt is nullified, and our freedom is won.