The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth - Front Cover May Vary

I highly recommend this book & this author. WHAT I LIKED: Scott Hahn is a skilled communicator, & I personally thought his writing facilitated some delightfully unexpected "aha" moments- Why? Because it's pretty hard not to be reinventing the wheel, yet still write with a ton of originality & to do so with such fundamental insights-both about the Mass & about the book of Revelation;that you wonder how all that is possible to achieve! Furthermore, the book gave me new perpective on things I've been brought up with, I think this is due to the way he situates & introduces his materials and then how he re-presents it clearly. Mere titillation is simply not his goal. My opinion is that he accomplishes his objectives with finesse while addressing aspects of faith that can seem forgotten, unbelievable or even just old hat for many believers. I really enjoyed the aspects of his own personal journey as an enquirer, a protestant Presbyterian Minister (Which he speaks of elsewhere) to his becoming a Catholic which he also uses to partially illustrate various concerns he has had within his own faith journey. WHAT IS THE BOOKS AIM? I think with this book, Hahn is attempting to establish & promote deeper reflection & experience of the Eucharist on so many levels through a biblical approach, one that initially seems at once ordinary but which is so extraordinary & indeed earth shattering by implication, that you wonder why you haven't seen this before. I think Hahn shares the truths he holds to, in the light of his Scriptural explorations in an exciting & effective way because there didn't seem to be any leaps too far, no jarring disconnects across his materials, or his interpretations. His ideas on the book of Revelation seem to be profoundly important as a hermeneutical key & rooted in the Church's earliest teachings yet it all seems so new. I think Hahn's book is especially powerful for deepening Faith & longing for the Eucharist today; rather than inadvertanly undermining it...which is no small feat in the cultural & even ecclesiastical perspectives that hold sway in the Church today. The book isn't aimed at the Academies or only Catholics either- yet it's no lightweight because of this. Perhaps, because of this gentle format, I felt like I had the best of both worlds available to me anyway- Scholarship & a worthy example of the much spoken about "New Evangelization", & deep understanding of the Catholic faith; such that I felt free to harness & distil his take on any particular chapter & reflect on this in a deeper way, taking his words to heart. I have to reread it!- There is so much to be studied again. IS IT WORTH THE TIME? The book is assuredly worth the the time & effort to pursue, I believe it is a profoundly important contribution to Faith & the Church's teaching on the Mass- especially in the difficult times of a global pandemic where belief is challenged like never before. POSITIVE PLUSES TO THE BOOK: A further plus to this book is that Hahn's narrative leaves no unpleasant taste in your mouth because he doesn't write in a showy academically jargon laden way; this stops things feeling forced/stuck or so reductive that it could seem too narrow or unreal-fake. Instead, Hahn communicates simply but without dumbing down, allowing our own inner reflections to become paramount without extraneous "noise". He gets out of his own way if you will & that is truly a great/wonderful gift to have as a writer. Responsibility & accountability fill the pages of shared explanation,& for this I am so grateful indeed. I completed the book, absolutely relieved that Scott Hahn left aside any need for reputational innovations or temptations to unashamedly & selfishly use the book merely to display his own aquired & blessed abilities in Scripture. No, there is a genuine humility that transpires throughout the pages to their conclusion & it was also a humbling experience because of that accountability too. He holds his own expertise in an extraordinarily light way for a scholar who possesses such high standing and this also helps the book avoid the trap of speaking of perspectives as if they are the only ones that can be held or explored. The book is so much better for all of this light touch! I think because of all the aforementioned, that Hahn inspires tangible confidence as a faithful guide to the discussions on The Lord's Supper & you can be really confident as a reader: that your in for the "ride of your life" & in really good hands as the book progresses. I think that The Lambs Supper is a remarkable work one which will stand the test of time, & for which Catholics owe Scott Hahn a great debt indeed. IS HIS APPROACH OUT OF TOUCH THOUGH? Hahn examines this great 'Mystery' of Faith: with no subliminal exclusionary judgements of others, no ego in the way, no one-upmanship or jaded lecturing AT YOU & what is not in the book as just described, makes a world of difference to real learning & deepening faith without presumptions or tired self- righteous platitudes. He has thus avoided his contribution being out of touch or mere entertainment devoid of reality that ends up merely being too cursory. There's enough to feast on here. I genuinely love the fact that the book is as full of questions, open possibilities & suggestions, as it is bite size narrative & invitation. I also enjoyed the clear layout of the book and the accessible presentation & flow of his thought on the page. NICE OR TRITE? The book for all it's "Niceness" isn't tame at all just because it is clearly situated and conversational- it's an unleashed book; a heady brew, a revolution, or Lion let loose between fragile book pages if you will. I knew after the first chapter this work would change things for me after only a few pages. I can't reccomend this enough because it is anything but easy, trite, baggy or useless. If I could own one book on the Scriptures & the Mass this would be it without any doubts- do all you can to get it and devour it with joy! IS HE AT HIS BEST? Hahn is definitely, if very quietly on fire; & he dares us to prayerfully/thoughtfully follow his gist so that what is obscured to us or misunderstood by us, may be informed, transformed and enlightened. If so, you'll be on fire too. By the end of the book, Heaven seems spinetingly close because it is shown to be astonishingly available & connected to us in a consuming way. He is evidently at his best, Scott Hahn has done some serious work to lay before the reader the incomprehensible Mysteries of faith in such a way. WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: What I hated about the book is very easy to say- I hated that it finished so soon, I wanted it to go on. FINAL THOUGHTS: You know you've just read a fabulous book, when you end up thinking you'd just so love to study under this tremendous communicator of Faith, because he has such a lively awareness of the Scriptures, the Ecclesia & the Earliest persons & components of Tradition: that what is tired or dull seems now so profoundly important and crucially vital even explosive! That-is how it was for me, it's been like sitting on an unexploded bomb; only now thanks to Hahn; you're taken to safety, yet enabled to see that the Mass is absolutely incendiary & shocking in its profundity in a miraculous way...'more precious than gold.' Nonetheless; here I can also criticise the work because I think this author could have given us much more than he has (sigh and tut-tut); a huge tome, a treatise if you will (Though just as accessible please). No doubt, although I'm kidding, (I am just a greedy ungrateful wretch) - more please Prof Hahn- Go on, let's have a definitive life's work & in one Volume please; I'm not asking for much am I! All in all, Hahn's explanation of Heaven touching earth and Communion & the Feast of Heaven in the Now- as outlined in this most important of contributions; is indeed a heady and mind blowing read, if you can own it & give yourself to its invitations. This book is like a huge treasure- an astonishingly clear, nigh on flawless & multifaceted & unique Gem. This is the real deal: it shines so colourfully, & so brightly. Thank you so much to Prof. Scott Hahn!

This is a beautiful book written by a very intelligent and committed convert to Catholicism. Dr Scott Hahn has written a book on a topic he very much thought was heresy some years ago. He explains the mass via the interpretation of the last book in the bible - Revelations. You will NEVER see the mass in the same away again and instead stand in wonder and awe of our God. I think every Catholic should read (and re read) this book in order to better grasp the magnitude of what is happening on the altar. Warning: this is an intellectual book, so you have may have to google the definition of some words here and there. At the same time, I found this book beautiful and fed my soul.

This covers many fundamental aspects of Christianity that all Christians should know about, but often don’t. Whilst the front page talks about the Catholic Mass - and this is an important part of the book - the book does an excellent job of bringing together the wider story of Jesus in the Old and New Testament. It’s a fairly short and easy to read book, but is not light on substance or meaning. I strongly recommend it.

The first part of this book is a basic introduction to the Mass. The second is an interpretation of the mass based on the book of Revelation (heavenly banquet). Well written and engaging, but some may find trying to put both into a single small volume doesn’t give them enough of either.

Having only recently discovered Scott Hahn. I really love his writing. He explains his subjects really well, without talking down to you. As with the other books of his I have read, you can either just read the book through, or look up the bible references as you go along. You could even use them as a study book. I find his books very helpful and enlightening.

Gave me a good insight to many aspects of Mass that I'd taken for granted

I found this book very easy to read and more revealing than any books I have studied on the Mass. The connection with "Revelation" is inspiring and needs to be read by anyone who wants to understand the Liturgy of the Mass more clearly. Scott Hann is a leading modern theologian, and the Catholic Church is fortunate to have him. Check out his history! I would recommend this book to all who are serious about understanding the summit of our Catholic faith, namely the Mass. If you only have one Scott Hann book on you shelf, this is it.

This is an amazing book. Its absolutely a must read for all the Catholics who regularly attend mass (or don't) as I can guarantee you've never heard what the mass truly is. After reading the book you will never again think that the mass is boring or get annoyed by a crying child. Especially for cradle Catholics for whom the mass became an opportunity for switching the brain off for an hour. I'm buying a few copies to give to friends as presents. This book can be (eternally) life saving.

No words! Read this book during my RCIA class and it opened my eyes to the mystery of the mass

カトリック信者であれば、あまりに慣れ親しみすぎて、ふとするとミサの価値を見落としているかもしれません。 プロテスタントの礼拝は、牧師の説教中心ですが、カトリックのミサは、祭壇上におられるキリストの現存とそのキリストへの礼拝が中心です。 しかも、黙示録の中で描かれている天国での礼拝が、そのままミサでは再現されています。「聖なるかな、聖なるかな、聖なるかな」、「神の子羊」等々。 著者であるスコット・ハーン氏は、元長老派の牧師で、誰よりもアンチカトリックでしたが、カトリックの教条を知れば知るほど、また、初期の教父たちの残した著書を調べれば調べるほど、そこに真理と２千年前から変わらない伝統を発見し、論駁できないことに困惑します。そして、ミサにあずかったことが決定的回心の瞬間となります。まさに聖書を愛するプロテスタントとしてミサを見つめるとき、聖書に書かれてあることが逐一ミサの中で実現しているからです。 カトリックに偏見を抱いてしまっているプロテスタントだけでなく、ミサのおどろくべき価値に気付いていないカトリックにとっても必読の書です。

This book helped me to see the Mass with so much more beauty and meaning than before. This was especially helpful as I had become callus to the Mass.

Ce livre montre le lien entre l’Écriture Sainte et la pratique catholique de la Messe - il montre notamment que les catholiques, loin de 'mépriser' la Bible comme cela leur a été reproché, la "vivent" pendant la Messe. C'est aussi un excellent livre pour ceux qui, en lisant la Bible, ont eu du mal à comprendre l'Apocalypse. C'est écrit dans un anglais très simple, proche du langage parlé, et donc assez accessible même sans avoir un excellent niveau d'anglais.

I recently went through the Catholic Church's RCIA program and converted to Catholicism. During my time in RCIA I read many current books on Catholicism and found they ranged in quality from excellent to total rubbish. This is one of the books I would put firmly at the higher quality end of that scale. The author is a former Protestant minister (the book doesn't specify the denomination although I'm guessing Lutheran by reading between the lines of a few comments in the book) who converted to Catholicism. From his knowledge of Protestant theology, he brings an interesting perspective to his commentary on Catholicism. In this book he examines the historical, Scriptural and theological origins of the Catholic Mass. It all fascinating material. The explanations of the Mass presented in the Church's RCIA classes are very basic compared those presented in this book. I made a list of the points raised in this book about individual components of the Mass and took it to Mass, checking off the points as they came up in the Mass. It was a very interesting exercise that left me with a far greater appreciation of the Mass than I got from the Church's RCIA classes. The second theme of the book is an interpretaion of the Book of Revelation suggesting that Revelation is basically an instruction manual for early Christians regarding Mass and other fundamental rites and practices of the early Christian Church. It's a very interesting interpretation that is well worth reading. In short, an excellent book that is well worth the attention of anyone wanting to explore the origins and meaning of the Catholic Mass in greater detail than you typically get in Church, certainly in far greater detail than the Church's RCIA classes.