Symbols at Mass
The Eucharist is full of symbolic words and actions. Knowing about them makes the Mass more meaningful.
Crucifixes and Crosses
A crucifix is there at each celebration of the Eucharist. This is because at Mass the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary is re-presented for us.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
St. Pope Pius X said that Mary’s title Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is perhaps the most meaningful of all. In this second part of my talk last week, you will see why. “Mary can guide us toward this most holy sacrament because she herself has a profound relationship with it,” St. Pope […]
Why Pray a Psalm at Mass?
At every Mass we pray or sing a psalm after the first reading. A psalm is a prayer-song taken from the Old Testament and attributed to King David, who, as you know, played the harp. I thought of blogging about psalms today because we are in the month of the Holy Rosary, a devotion that […]
What Is the Eucharist? Where We Feast on God Together
In view of Sunday’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), an excerpt from my upcoming book, “I am going . . .” Reflections on the Last Words of the Saints is fitting: A teacher was taking her little ones to chapel to visit Jesus. As they passed classrooms, she […]
How Well Do You Know the Eucharist?
In honor of the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (or Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ) celebrated this Sunday, here is a Eucharist IQ Quiz that I use in my workshops on the liturgy. You simply have to tell whether each statement is true or false. The answers are at […]
Do Catholics Really Eat God?
Since we celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) on Sunday, let’s think about the Eucharist. What ever gave Jesus the idea of having bread become him so that we could consume him? Talk about crazy love. Although many faith traditions consider Jesus’ words, “This is my body” a figure of speech, we […]
Birthday Gift Via the Bible
We believe that God communicates with us through Sacred Scripture. His word, which is living and effective, can speak to us personally in many ways. When I was in the novitiate, one day the novice director explained that the Scripture readings for the Eucharist on our birthday contain a special message for us from God. […]
Song as Prayer
At our July 4th Mass, we sang every verse of every song, something Catholics rarely do. It got me thinking about the major role song plays in our lives. I believe we are the only earthly creatures that can sing, not counting birds who each have their own sound (except for the mockingbird). Whale sounds […]
Bread and Wine of the Eucharist
I’m in Arabia at a conference for catechists. My keynote address is on the Eucharist. It includes this delightful and thought-provoking story by Richard T. Szafransk published in Emmanuel, used with permission, and adapted by me. I was a grape once. Now I’m a raisin. I’m stuck in this box with a bunch of other […]
