The Mass by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina
The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition
Doubleday Religion, 2011
I suppose there's no shortage of books dedicated to the celebration of the Mass in the Catholic Church. It is after all, the "source and the summit of the whole Christian life." There are probably even many, many good books on the Mass – I know I have several. However, I'd be hard-pressed to find one more useful and practical than this 2011 offering by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina.
This is no doctoral-level, academic study of the Mass. Those looking for obscurely-textured interpretations and theories about this or that facet of the Mass will be sorely disappointed. The authors focus squarely on the facts, and therein lies the real beauty of this book. While there can be no doubt that the Mass is a carefully crafted, incredibly intricate celebration quite worthy of thick volumes of theological study, that's not what most lay people need. In the words of an iconic Los Angeles TV police detective, what the people in the pews (and those considering taking a seat in the pews) need are, "Just the facts."
There are facts here and plenty of them: facts about the Mass in the Bible, facts about the Mass in history, facts about the different names of the Mass, facts about the people in the Mass, and facts about the things in the Mass (i.e., the church, the furnishings, the vessels, the clothing, etc.). Most importantly, however, there is a step-by-step explanation of every part of the Mass, one of the most exhaustive I've encountered. Nothing is missed or forgotten.
If all this dedication to the facts sounds boring, it's not. First, there's no chance to get bored. Each topic is covered in a matter of several pages or less. Secondly, the prose is a study in artistic precision – the meaning and intent of each subject is richly conveyed, the heart of its being laid bare with nary a wasted word.
This book is a great tool for Catholic adults who grew up in the 70s and 80s and were poorly catechized as a result of the manifestations of misguided interpretations of Vatican II. Most of them honestly probably don't fully understand everything that's happening at Mass (if they did, they wouldn't have traded Mass for other churches or their kids' AAU travel teams). It would also be wonderful for converts coming into the church, either to read in an afternoon on their own or as part of an RCIA program. Either way, everything anyone needs to fully appreciate the Mass is here and there's no denying the facts – there is tradition, mystery and glory in the Mass!
Jesus-Shock by Peter Kreeft
St. Augustine's Press, 2008
In the midst of a modernized, western protestant Christianity that often reduces Jesus to nothing more than the purveyor of a "warm and fuzzy, be nice, and help one another" message, it's understandable if people forget that there was nothing warm and fuzzy about Jesus. He was radical— to the point of being shocking. In Jesus-Shock, Peter Kreeft opens our eyes again to the stunning and divisive truth of Christ.
Unfortunately, boredom is often what we find in church today. Over the centuries, we've managed to water down Christ into dull milk toast. Nothing could be further from the truth. As Kreeft says, "...if your Jesus is boring, your Jesus is not the right Jesus."
After an introductory section highlighted by quizzes and surveys that explain who needs to read Jesus-Shock and why, this small book jumps right to the facts: an overview of the available data that illustrates the Jesus-Shock phenomena, followed by example after example of Jesus' shocking words and deeds from the Gospels. The final third of the book deals with the greatest shock, the one that has caused the most controversy over the years: the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
The pace is quick and engaging. Kreeft's style is like that of the consummate boxer: he throws sharp and precise jabs one after another instead of one, big hay-maker. The result is an effective and enduring demolition of any resistance the reader might have to the concept of Jesus-Shock.
While Kreeft succeeds in demonstrating Jesus never was and never will be boring, the same can be said of Kreeft. To borrow one of his own turns of phrase, if the Peter Kreeft book you're reading is boring, then your Kreeft book is not a real Kreeft book.
The Transforming Power of Faith by Benedict XVI
Ignatius Press, 2013
While Pope Benedict XVI was and is not the media darling of either his predecessor or his successor, there’s little question his theological prowess surpasses theirs, as it does most of the other popes. Benedict is rightly revered as one of the church’s greatest theological minds. As such, it should come as no surprise that his 2013 book, The Transforming Power of Faith, is a dynamo packed with indispensable and foundational teaching on God and faith in Him.
The chapters of The Transforming Power of Faith are actually taken from the Pope’s General Audiences during the dates of October, 2012, through February 6, 2013. Though he officially resigned the papacy effective February 28, Benedict wasn’t just going through the motions those final weeks. The Transforming Power of Faith shows the opposite to be true – Benedict was teaching brilliantly to the very end.
Lest we forget, long before becoming Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger was first a theology professor for 20 years. That background was apparent in all his endeavors that followed, as it is in this book. While many a learned professor has struggled to share his knowledge in a manner accessible to the masses, Benedict XVI has no such issue in The Transforming Power of Faith. The truths he imparts are framed in easily understood, non-academic terms, yet his discourse retains an intellectual richness and depth.
The format is very logically arranged. A brief introduction is followed by several chapters relating to faith: what faith is, the Church’s faith, the desire for God, discovering knowledge of God, and the reasonableness of faith in God. These chapters are followed by seven chapters expounding upon the God Christians actually put their faith in as He is revealed by the Creed, which Catholics know is also called the Profession of Faith.
Unlike most other pope’s whose terms came to an end, Benedict XVI is still with us, though that won’t always be the case. Fortunately, however, he’s produced a rich and extensive treasury of writing that will preserve his teaching forever. The Transforming Power of Faith is most definitely a valuable part of that cache.
Letters to a Young Catholic by George Weigel
Basic Books, 2004
George Weigel has hit on the perfect concept book with Letters to a Young Catholic. The title, however, is a bit deceiving and doesn’t begin to give a sufficient preview of what’s between the covers.
These aren’t ho-hum letters written by some middle-aged guy sitting at his desk determined to share with the world’s throngs of searching adolescents what he thinks matters most about the faith. First, the letters are more like postcards – they’re all written from some place that’s shaped and touched the church. There are the places you’d expect, like Rome and Jerusalem, but there’s also Greenville, South Carolina, and an old pub in London. The 14 letters are each a combination of a history lesson about what happened at the locale, as well as a skillful explanation of some Catholic dogma or meaningful, deeply entrenched characteristic of the church that has, in one way or another, some connection to the place.
Weigel employs the technique masterfully. Each letter leaves the reader anxious to get to another. What interesting place will we get a letter from next? What happened there? Why is it important to Catholicism? Fortunately, the reader need only turn the page instead of having to wait for the another letter to arrive.
Secondly, while these letters certainly might be of interest and value to adolescents, they by no means discriminate by age. There is great value here for any Catholic still growing in and expanding their understanding of the faith (and, honestly, that’s all of us, isn’t it?). Weigel’s writing style makes the letters accessible to younger readers (high schoolers and college kids), but is smart enough that it will still readily engage mature readers of all ages, as well.
The revised edition published in 2015 includes five additional letters, but no matter the edition be prepared to take a great trip through some of the fascinating places that have shaped and exemplify Catholicism though the ages.
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