Book Review: As We Worship So We Become: Meditations, Prayers and Devotions to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar
Rev. Marco Testa, As We Worship So We Become: Meditations, Prayers and Devotions to the Most Holy Sacrament of The Altar: 2023.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass strengthens us to live Eucharistic lives of prayer, repentance, conversion, self-sacrifice, charity, adoration, witness. Through Christ’s sacrifice on the altar, as well as frequent Eucharistic Adoration, abundant graces are poured out on those who believe “that the Eucharist is the source and summit” of our lives. By God’s grace, everything about us – our thoughts, attitudes, actions – our entire being changes in conformity with Christ.
As We Worship So We Become: Meditations, Prayers and Devotions to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is “lovingly offered to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus through the hands of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament in an act of reparation; as a humble effort to make known the riches of the Church’s greatest treasure – The Most Holy Sacrament of the altar – with the many who no longer know what the Church has consistently taught about the Eucharistic Mystery.” For the faithful who frequently participate at the Holy Sacrifice and visit our Lord in Eucharistic Adoration, this compact book helps to deepen our appreciation, understanding and humble worship.
The first section of the book is titled Several Meditations on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Using the Extraordinary Form Mass as a way to “introduce those who are not familiar with this Rite to its spiritual and mystical depth” since it is the “Rite that sustained and nourished the spiritual life of countless Saints and which gave birth to Christian culture,” Fr. Testa takes us sequentially through each part of the Sacred Liturgy to clearly explain its purpose and the role it fulfills in our formation into devout disciples of Christ. The sacrificial nature of the Mass, which has largely been forgotten in our time, is emphasized in this first section. “The outright denial of the sacrificial nature of the Mass or ignorance of this truth is at the heart of the crisis the Church is experiencing today; and by extension, the crisis in the world.”
The second section, Prayers and Devotions, focuses on time spent before the Blessed Sacrament and in Eucharistic Adoration. As our participation at the Holy Sacrifice grows in depth and understanding, the “fruit” of the Sacrifice, Holy Communion, transforms us so that “the Holy Eucharist becomes the source and summit (fons et culmen) of our life.” Prayer and adoration become as natural as breathing and our devotional life intensifies.
This section includes several prayers that prepare us for the worthy reception of Holy Communion. Likewise, there is a selection of prayers of thanksgiving after receiving the Blessed Sacrament, including the beautiful Thanksgiving Prayer contained in The Divine Worship Missal (Ordinariate Form). The Prayer of the Crusade of Reparation to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, written by Bishop Athanasius Schneider for the Eucharistic Reparation Crusade, July, 2020, is one of the powerful prayers found here, as is The Seven Offerings of The Precious Blood of Jesus.
In a confused, disoriented world that has largely lost sight of God, “the Sacred Liturgy rightly and reverently celebrated is the most effective tool of evangelization…In Eucharistic Adoration, the worship that we give to God in the Mass is extended, and our loving communion with God is deepened.”
Everything we desire for ourselves and for our neighbour is found in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in humble adoration of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. This little book, compact in size but considerable in its effect, aids us in our longing to love and adore Our Lord above all else. As We Worship So We Become is a powerful tool as we endeavour to lead our life rooted in a profound Eucharistic love of God and neighbour.
As We Worship So We Become: Meditations, Prayers and Devotions to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is available for online purchase at stmichaelstrove.ca, a Catholic online store based in Toronto, Canada.
Rev. Marco Testa, As We Worship So We Become: Meditations, Prayers and Devotions to the Most Holy Sacrament of The Altar: 2023.
Remembering Father Alphonse de Valk
(Today marks the sixth anniversary of the death of Father Alphonse de Valk, C.S.B., a faithful, courageous and indefatigable Basilian priest, pro-life-and-family apostle, and the founder of Catholic Insight magazine. Here is what we wrote those on his entering into eternity five years ago, as we continue to remember him in our prayers and thoughts)[…]Continue reading→
Divine Mercy Sunday – An Echo of Every Mass
Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe’… ‘My Lord and my God!’ (Jn. 20:18)). Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, and as we celebrate the end of the Easter Octave, we contemplate the wounded side of our Saviour, the Church’s source of life. On Good Friday in the[…]Continue reading→
In the Glorious Light of Easter, Alleluia!
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory (Col. 3:3-4). The Resurrection of Our Lord and Saviour[…]Continue reading→
An Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday
The time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is one of waiting, in silence, as the world wonders – anticipates – what will happen, after the death of Christ. We re-live this time each year in the anamnesis of our liturgy, and in turn look forward to the glorious re-creation of all things at the[…]Continue reading→
Pope Saint John Paul II’s First Good Friday Homily
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS AT THE COLOSSEUM Good Friday, 13 April 1979 When we make the Way of the Cross from one station to the next, in spirit we are always at the spot wherethis journey had its “historical” place: where it[…]Continue reading→
Allegri’s Miserere and Mozart’s Memory
On this Good Friday, a fitting help to our devotion is Allegri’s Miserere, his unsurpassed musical setting of Psalm 51, recited in Lauds (Morning Prayer) every Friday. Composed around 1638, under the patronage of Pope Urban VIII- the same one who battled Galileo – the sublime piece was performed only on certain occasions in the[…]Continue reading→
Pope Benedict’s Last Holy Thursday Homily
MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI Basilica of St John Lateran Holy Thursday, 5 April 2012 Photo Gallery (Video) Dear Brothers and Sisters! Holy Thursday is not only the day of the institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, whose splendour bathes all else and in some ways draws it to[…]Continue reading→
The Two Passions of J.S. Bach
As we enter in Holy Week, it is fitting to suggest some solemn music to fit the season, here the two settings of the ‘Passion’ put to music by Johann Sebastian Bach. According to sources, Bach wrote five ‘Passions’, orchestral chorales based on the final days in the life of Christ, but only two have[…]Continue reading→
Fabric of Resurrection and Redemption: The Gown of Stillness
Editor’s note: this reflection was originally posted by the Catholic Artist Connection. The mission of the Catholic Artist Connection is to connect and support Catholic artists of all disciplines both professionally and spiritually, to ease the loneliness of being a Catholic artist and encourage the creation of art for Christ. People look at the same[…]Continue reading→
Homily of John Paul II in the Basilica of the Annunciation
A blessed Solemnity of the Annunciation to one and all! Verbum caro factum est! Here is a meditation of the late, great John Paul II, staunchly devoted to Our Lady, from the Jubilee Year, just over a quarter of century ago, to provide food for thought, as we celebrate, and pray. Editor. JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE OF[…]Continue reading→