Here Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem in the mid-4th century, urges catechumens to prepare themselves to receive the Holy Spirit at the Easter Vigil. He speaks of the sacrament of baptism in nuptial terms, describing it as a wedding feast at which the bridegroom will...
Ambrose here provides a fascinating glimpse into the rites preceding baptism in 4th century Milan as well as into the adult catechesis (RCIA) of the early Church in which direct discussion of the sacraments, mystagogia, was given only after people had already received the sacraments...
Holy Thursday, the Lord's Supper, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, Corpus Christi -- What did Jesus mean when he said "This is my body and this is my blood" and "Do this in Memory of Me"? And what does the Catholic mean by...
Cleopas and his unnamed companion were dejected as they made their way along the road to Emmaus. Their encounter with a stranger who rebuilds their faith and gives them hope to recognize him in the breaking of the bread - this illustrates for us...
Leo the Great teaches that he sign of the cross with the oil called chrism, conferred on all Christians in baptism and confirmation, makes all sharers in the priesthood and kingship of Christ, the anointed one....
The bread and wine of the Eucharist actually become what they symbolize and transmit what they contain, the body and blood of Christ, for our transformation. The Mass is both sacrifice and meal at the same time....
In Part 1 of Understanding the Mass, we examined how the Mass relates to the Sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. In this, part 2 of the series, we ask in what way the Eucharist can be said to be our sacrifice, the sacrifice...
Justin here describes the way the Sunday Eucharist was celebrated in Rome about 150 AD about 50-60 years after the last New Testament books. It shows that the Eucharist was interpreted in a very realistic way in the early church....
Didymus the Blind shows how the spiritual fire and living water of the Holy Spirit give us new birth and transform us into new men and women, sharers in the divine glory and co-heirs with Christ....
This excerpt from a homily by St. Gaudentius, bishop of Brescia, Italy clearly demonstrates a belief in the real, substantial presence of Christ's body and blood in the sacrifice of the Eucharist....