“The Mass” video series by Bishop Robert Barron
Join us in the Fireside Room at All Hallows Catholic Church for Bishop Robert Barron’s new video series “The Mass.” Bishop Barron takes us even deeper into our understanding and desire for The Mass in our spiritual lives.
Showing on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and Thursdays at 7 p.m. See one or see them all. Each video is independently excellent. There will be no showings during Thanksgiving week: November 23 or 25.
Lesson 1: A Privileged Encounter (October 26 & 28)
One of the most basic truths about the Mass is that it is an encounter with Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a philosophy or a set of ideas, but rather a relationship with the person of Christ. In the Mass, in a privileged way, we meet him, listen to him, respond to him, commune with him.
Lesson 2: Called Out of the World (November 2 & 4)
The Greek word ekklesia, which we translate to “Church,” is derived from two words, “ek” and “kalein”, which literally mean “being called out from.” The Church is that community which has been called out from the world, which is to say, the dysfunctional order, and called into a new way of being, the kingdom of God inaugurated by the eternal King himself, Jesus.
Lesson 3: God Speaks Our Story (November 9 & 11)
Biblical people are part of a story that they didn’t make up. To be a Christian is to be part of the great story of creation, the fall, the formation of a people Israel, and the coming of the Messiah. To know ourselves, therefore, is to hear this story told over and over again. The beauty of the Mass is that it is Christ himself who tells this story at every Mass.
Lesson 4: Responding to God (November 16 & 18)
After we have listened to our story, we respond to God with the homily that links Scripture with our daily lives, the Creed that is our statement of belief in what God has revealed, and the Prayer of the Faithful, where we ask God to do something specific for us because we trust his promises.
Lesson 5: Preparing for Sacrifice (Nov 30 & Dec 2)
Next comes a great gathering of gifts to offer back to God: bread, wine, and usually money. Offering these gifts involves both a symbolic and often a real sacrifice, if one is generous in contributing to the collection basket. Next, we encounter the climax of the Mass – the moment when the mystical body of Christ comes to full sacramental expression.
Lesson 6: The Real Presence Creates Communion (December 7 & 9)
Now the moment of transubstantiation arrives, when Jesus is made present to us in his very Flesh and Blood under the appearance of bread and wine. This moment is a mystery, but a reality nonetheless. Christ has come and there is a feast, and it is an eternal one that gathers the whole Church, living and dead, into communion with each other through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord made present at each Mass.
If you do not wish to attend in person, and wish to view the videos at home, you have two options.
- You can subscribe to Bishop Robert Barron’s Word On Fire online streaming service for $20 per month, and you can end the service when you are ready. This will allow you to view this video series and all of his programs. Click here for subscription information.
- You can purchase (and own) the DVD set for this series directly from Word on Fire for $60+. Click here for purchasing details.
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