Dublin Retreat 5/16 - "Theology of Serving Society: Vulnerability and the Eucharist"

In this session, Archbishop Fulton Sheen explores the theology of serving society rooted in Christ. He begins with a prayer, asking for guidance in understanding the mission to society as ambassadors of Christ. Sheen emphasizes the need for a theology of serving society, pointing out that while there is plenty of philosophy and sociology, understanding the mission in Christ is crucial.

The Archbishop then delves into the nature of Christ, focusing on the fact that Christ had no human person, only the divine person. This lack of human personhood allows Christ to incorporate all of humanity and their experiences. Sheen highlights the importance of understanding the mission to society rooted in Christ rather than mere philosophy or sociology.

The concept of harmonization is introduced, suggesting that Christ, through his life experiences, took into his humanity all human tragedy. Sheen goes on to discuss how Christ harmonized infancy, youth, labor, and universalized all humanity, including Gentiles.

The Archbishop concludes by drawing practical conclusions from the incarnation. The first conclusion is vulnerability – the idea that priests, as ambassadors of Christ, need to be sensitive and open to the wounds and pains of humanity. The second conclusion is the centrality of the Eucharist, which becomes the foundation for the love of neighbor, especially when dealing with the physical needs of others.

Sheen encourages a unified theology of Christ and social work, arguing against divisions in the Church and presenting vulnerability and the Eucharist as essential components of serving society.