Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #283476 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Review
"No one can fully express the sweetness of this sacrament, in which spiritual delight is tasted at its very source, and in which we renew the memory of that surpassing love for us which Christ revealed in his passion." -- Thomas Aquinas

Customer Reviews

Source and Summit of Catholic Faith
"The noble core of the Eucharist from the Upper Room to an urban cathedral or village church has withstood the tumults of history--and always will." These words that appear in the conclusion to McBride's history of the Mass express one of his main themes: the Holy Spirit's guidance in development of the Catholic Church's Eucharist. As the apostles fashioned their experience of the first Eucharist into a liturgy available to all, so believers through the centuries added to and adapted the Mass. In large brush strokes, McBride takes us through services in house churches, monasteries, basilicas, and modern parishes. At the same time he provides details on historic and cultural events that shaped such elements of the Mass as music, liturgical books, and participation of the laity.

The text is written in a clear, concise style and formatted with additional margin comments, illustrations, and an index. Catholics and others interested in the evolution of the Mass will find this an excellent resource. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are especially useful for groups.

The Mass is a work-in-progress
This is a concise history of the development of the Mass. Written in plain English, the book does a great job in revealing the gradual changes of the Church as reflected in the liturgy in general, Eucharist in particular. I would recommend this book to Grade 6 and above of the CCD students who do not have a sense of history when they attend Sunday Mass. For a generation that faces constant changes in all aspects of their lives,knowing that there has been hugh development in the way Catholic worship God can only strengthen their faith, which yearns for constant understanding.