THE STONE OF STUMBLING - By Bishop Fulton J.Sheen - Mission Issue

Sep 21, 2026

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A bi-monthly Catholic mission magazine edited by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen presents a devotional reflection titled “The Stone of Stumbling.” The text explains how hearing Christ brings lasting responsibility, comparing rejection of Christ to different spiritual outcomes. It emphasizes that indifference is already a choice and that believers should deepen love through concrete sacrifices for missions worldwide. The issue includes editor notes about sending donations and addresses readers with practical mission appeals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages52

Reading Time2 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

THE STONE OF STUMBLING

Hearing Christ creates lasting responsibility

Responsibility through indifference, rejection, and love

Mission appeals and personal sacrifice

May ● June 1956ARYGRO nBishop Fulon J.Sheen,EditorDETRCT IPLEASE DO NO 1OV4SlCM # A MAGAZINE EDITED BY THE WORLDMISSION AIDSOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH EDITOR BISHOP FULTON J.SHEEN366 Fifth Ave.,New York 1,N.Y. Your sacrifices for the Holy Father's mis-sions can alwoys be sent to your own DiocesonDirector.If you do nof know his name,sendyour socrifices directly to the notionol office.Your diocese will be credited in either cose. MISSON,May-June,1956.Vol.XXXIII.No.3.·Published bi-monthly.PublicationOffice,10 Ferry Street,Concord,N.H.Business and General Offices at 366Fifth Avenue,New York 1,N.Y.Entered as second class matter at the Post Office,Concord,N.H.,under the Act of March 3,1879.Acceptances for mailing atspecial rate of postage provided for in Section 34.40,Act of February 28,1925,authorized April 12,1951.Subscription $1.00 per year.Published and copyright1956 by The Society for the Propagation of the Faith. POSTMASTER:Send form 3579 to MISSION366 Fifth Avenue,New York 1,N.Y. # THE STONE OFSTUMBLING By Bishop FultonJ.Sheen No nation or people to whom Christ comes inHis Church are ever the same afterwards.Oncea light shines on a photographic plate,thechange can never be undone.A Hindu in India,a Moslem in Arabia,a Bantu in Africa,a Dusunin Borneo once he hears a missionary preach onOur Lord,is free to reject Him.But in so doing,it is not like rejecting the doctrine of Buddhism.In the latter case,the listener sustains no morerelation to Buddhism than to a salesman at thedoor.But in rejecting Christ,the listener nearsan eternal relation to Him,affecting His Charac-ter and his destiny.Our Lord likening Himselfto a stone said:“When a man falls against it,hewill break his bones;when it falls upon him,itwill scatter him like chaff." 1 In one case,the stone is passive and lying mo-tionless;in the other case,it is a moving power.In the first instance,a man stumbles against itand hurts himself,in the second,the injury isirremediable destruction.Our Lord here repre-sents two classes of people not only in the foreignmissions,but even in our own land,who hearHis Gospel. Wherever Christ is preached there is respon-sibility.He is not a zero.A soul may leave Himalone,but He does not leave the soul alone.Noone can ever be the same afterwards as before.If the pagan remains indifferent,he is alreadyjudged.Indifference to Christ,is already a choice.When the hand of Christ is laid for the first timeon a Burmese,or a Japanese,or an American,itis not like a handshake —brief and quickly re-moved;it is a clasp that grows tighter and tighter;it even leaves the imprint of nails.The rejectionis an anticipation of judgment.Unbelief is itsown condemnation. We who have the blessedness to know the full-ness of Christ in His Church,to glow to His Kissin the Sacraments,to move in the certainty of HisFaith in the Vicar of Christ,should grow to our"Full stature in Christ."Otherwise we becomehalf-Catholic,coming down from the Cross short of the final act of love.You cannot even read thisedition of MISSION without it becoming a"Stone of Stumbling."Herein you learn that theChurch must bring Christ to all nations,all peo-ples,all races,and all tongues.This is our respon-sibility.When we learn that our sacrifices aregiven to the Holy Father,who cares for all themissions of the Church,we can never be thesame afterwards.Better not read the remainingpages of MISSION than read them and donothing;better walk around the block than seeChrist in rags;better not look at Christ in theblind than refuse to be His eyes in traffic;betternot see the refugee Christ in Hong Kong thanrefuse to give Him the equivalent of a package ofcigarettes for a bowl of rice. But better still,deepen your love of Christ,theMissionary,by accepting the burdens of theChurch Silent in China,the Church Crucified inRussia,and the Church Suffering in Hong KongWhen Our Lord got nearer His Cross,He leftHisdisciples a strange bequest at such a momen

FAQs

What does the “stone” symbolize in Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s reflection?

The stone symbolizes Christ as a lasting influence: resisting Christ leads to destructive consequences, while encountering Him changes a person permanently.

How does the text describe indifference to Christ?

Indifference is presented as already a form of judgment and a choice, not neutrality.

What practical response does the reflection urge from readers?

Readers are urged to deepen love for Christ by accepting mission burdens and making sacrifices that support the Holy Father’s work for missions.

Sep 21, 2026

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