The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition

I bought this along with The Church by the same authors because I want to learn more about Catholicism. You might be surprised by the details of the Mass which my Catechism classes didn’t touch upon. As a Catholic returning to the faith after having been away for years, I realized there was a lot about my faith I knew next to nothing about. This book, along with The Church, has really broadened my understanding about that most sacred thing we Catholics love…The Mass.

"The Mass is What Catholics Do." These first words of the book, The Mass: The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition" by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina remind us that celebrating the Mass is the source and summit of the Catholic faith and the most recognizable element of that faith. But how deeply do we understand the history and reasons behind the individual parts, actions and words of the Mass?Cardinal Wuerl and Mike Aquilina in this new book magnificently illustrate the innate beauty behind the Mass by breaking it down into various pieces to explain each section in glorious detail."When the Church celebrates the Mass, she commemorates Christ's Passover and it is made present: the sacrifice Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present. The Church calls us not jut to a commemoration of long-ago events, as great as that might be, but also to enter the mystery itself- today. We are not bystanders, but participants."The first part of the book connects the actions, prayers and liturgies in our modern mass to the mass as celebrated almost 2,000 years ago by the first Christians. We are reminded in a very direct way that Christ instructed at the Last Supper to "do this in remembrance of me," and so we continue to "do this" as faithful Catholics in a modern age.The authors continue throughout the first section of the book to walk the reader through the mechanics of the mass; how we prepare ourselves, the parts of the mass, the roles of participants, the sacramentals used in the mass and even the distinct areas and furnishings of the physical church. This section of the book explained and defined many attributes of the mass or the church that I routinely see, but never fully understood its function or even its name.The second section of the book explores details and explanations of the mass that even many Catholics might not know. Through our personal experience, events and actions within the mass seem familiar or common. The authors describe how each action, each prayer and even the very words we use are designed to draw us into real communion with Christ, so that our participation takes on a new importance in our experience.If you think attending Mass has become too routine, pick up this excellent, informative book to provide a fresh look at the most familiar type of Catholic worship from both a priest and layperson perspective. By providing a deeper understanding of the parts and whole of the mass, you will be inspired to view the Mass in a more reverent and passionate way, leading it to become a more necessary desire in your Catholic life.* I bought this book in Hardcover & on Kindle The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition

The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition, is on the way to our home but my Kindle is playing in my iPad - as that download is immediate!I read so much of this amazing book last night. It is so well done! This beautiful book, so well organized, has a great purpose for anyone going into the Catholic Church, as well as those who are already in the Church. In my humble opinion, if anti-Catholics read this, they would have such deep respect for the Mass. There is not a question that is not answered! I can see The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition being used in every RCIA class in the country and even for adult studies. If there is one thing missing from Catholicism, it is that we often don't know why we do, what we do. Sadly, often when we are asked the "whys" we stare like a deer into the lights of an oncoming car.Although the pictures are on the Kindle, I am anxious to see the ones in the book. The pictures will be helpful to those who are new to the Mass. I plan to come back and edit this review but I want to say - as in all good things - it was "worth waiting for!" Getting books from Amazon on a 'wait list' seems to have a touch of Christmas morning - anticipation is great but the arrival is even greater!Do order the book. You can't be disappointed. Buy it for anyone who is new to the Church and for those who are just planning on coming in. I will have my book on the coffee table at all times to attract those friends and guests who come to visit.Those of you who know Mike Aquilina, my favorite writer of Early Church Fathers, Love in the Little Things, A Year with the Church Fathers and Angels of GOD - know he just can't write anything but great things and then to have him teamed up with the much loved Archbishop Donald w. Wuerl who is now Cardinal Wuerl - who could ask for anything more. Our faith is so rich.

I came back to the Catholic church after 45 years of being away (long story:>) and was interested in learning about what the various actions in the Mass symbolized. I love ritual, and was curious about the history of the Eucharist, and the changes in the last 50 years since Vatican ll. The authors are very conservative-and I am a liberal- but I was able to respectfully disagree with much of the introduction--though one thing that amused me was they they wrote that a piece of chocolate cake cannot be consecrated because Jesus used wheat and that's that -- final--but then went on to describe the magnificently ornate and embellished chalice and patten- which made me laugh out loud as I suspect Jesus did not use solid gold vessels-- see Raiders of the Lost Ark :>)But once I got through the introduction, I was able to enjoy and learn from the wonderfully simple and complete description of the various aspects of the Mass. I sent the book to a colleague who just moved to Africa who can't relate to her Evangelical congregation over there. She has been going to a Carmelite center for Mass- and found this book helpful in understanding. The priests there have 'welcomed her to the table', so she got it first hand that there are variations in conscience among catholics-even clergy-about this.This could be a good overview/intro for anyone who is not catholic and wants to know about the Mass/ Eucharist.

Would highly recommend this book! Should be required reading for every catholic to have an in-depth understanding of the mass. It is easy to read and understand, accessible to everyone.

Greatly appreciate the Mass as a gift we can partake in and read up on the significance of why things are done and what things represent Would make a great Confirmation gift.

this is a short and easy intro into why catholics do what they do during mass, what every thing in mass is done for and why. mass is beautiful & this little intro is a great way to get a tidbit of the years of traditions that built the centre of the Catholic faith.

Very inspiring.

Good gift-book for new Catholics (and also those not-so-new, who are looking for some kind of "refresher's course"), clear, simple language, light reading.