I decided to read it and see if it was really just another book of fluff, syrup and theological psychobabble that I expected from the "National Eucharistic Revival" crowd.

First off, I believe in giving credit where credit is due; this book provides a deep theological exploration of the True Presence and the Reality of Jesus in the Eucharist. Barron quotes the Church Fathers, the Bible, and St. Thomas Aquinas, among others. He is very adamant about the truth that Christ is Present in the Holy Eucharist and he argues that it is not just a 'mere symbol' but rather the actual Body and Blood of Christ. One can see that the author had the best of intentions with this book.

But there were some issues that I could not quite get past...

1. SOMEWHAT EMPTY-HANDED

"69% of Catholics do not believe the Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ... This book can help."  (from inside cover of the book)

Considering that this book is being sold by the hundreds of thousands, specifically to fix the crisis of belief in the True Presence among Mass-attending Catholics today, I hoped for more clear guidance on how to receive Christ worthily in the Blessed Sacrament. I hoped for more information on how to show proper reverence to the Blessed Sacrament. It is difficult to revere something that we do not understand, but the Church has always believed "Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi" (As we Worship, So we Believe).  We should not only learn about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but we should also learn how to show reverence for Him.

I think we can all agree that sacrilegious Communions is one of the most often repeated offenses today, yet it is so little spoken of from the pulpit!

Writing this book is an honorable, and essential assignment that the Bishop has taken on. However, this book, in my opinion, is not for us "regular-Joe-in-the-pew" Catholics. Theologically it is pretty dense. Many Catholics who attend Mass are clueless about even the basic Catechism let alone the theological depth that the Bishop is diving into in this book. If, perhaps, this book was truly written for the "regular-Joe-in-the-pew" Catholics, it would have been better if it was written more simply and to the point like the Baltimore Catechism, Msgr. Ronald Knox's The Mass in Slow Motion, or Jesus Our Eucharistic Love by Stefano M. Manelli. I also would have liked to have seen examples of Eucharistic miracles that have occurred over time, and perhaps snippets of stories of Saints who gave their lives for the Eucharist, such as the young boy St. Tarcisius, or little Imelda Lambertini or Nellie of God. I hoped for clear instructions on how to participate in the Mass in a way that is pleasing to God.Many Catholics are unaware that they should not talk loudly or laugh in church, as this shows disrespect for God in the Blessed Sacrament. Many do not even know to make a proper genuflection while passing the Tabernacle or to check their palms after receiving Jesus on the hand for any particles left over (or better yet, to receive God on the tongue as is still the liturgical norm that is often forgotten!) I have seen Catholics bow to the altar but then ignore the tabernacle that is off to the side in some Novus Ordo parishes. Talk about ignorance!

While Barron delved so deeply into biblical history and the themes of the "Sacred Meal," and so on, it still felt very lacking.I do not think that the majority of lay Catholics will be interested in picking up this book, let alone finishing it. Nor do I think that this book has even half of what Catholics today need to hear. Which brings me to my second point.

2. WHY SO LITTLE TALK OF SACRILEGIOUS COMMUNIONS?

Another serious issue that I have with this book is the lack of clear explanation concerning sacrilegious Communions. Or at least, any clarification on the proper state of grace that we must be in to receive God Himself in the Eucharist. I think we can all agree that sacrilegious Communions is one of the most often repeated offenses today, yet it is so little spoken of from the pulpit! This is so spiritually dangerous and cannot be excused.

Considering that the Church has always taught that this grave sin of sacrilege is one of the worst sins that a soul can commit, I believe this should be tackled head on when re-catechizing the masses on the Eucharist. Can we truly have a "National Eucharistic Revival" without working to eradicate this grave offense? The Catechism of the Council of Trent (De Euch., v.i) declares: “As of all the sacred mysteries… none can compare with the … Eucharist, so likewise for no crime is there heavier punishment to be feared from God than for the unholy or irreligious use by the faithful of that which … contains the very Author and Source of holiness.”

In Bishop Barron's book, the Church's teaching on "eating and drinking" our own "judgment" as St. Paul writes, is spoken of in one large paragraph on page 99, almost at the end of the book. That's pretty much it. Barron reiterates St. Thomas's teaching on how a soul that is dead (in mortal sin) wouldn't be "helped" by receiving the Eucharist because its "like giving medicine to a dead body" (page 99) and then the Bishop adds St. Pauls letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 11:29.) Great! But he does not go into more detail.

Considering the massive number of Catholics who are unaware of what a mortal sin is, this needs to be very, very clear.

Earlier in the book, Barron vaguely mentions the topic, but it did not fully satisfy in my opinion. On page 15, he writes, "...we can see that the inclusion of sinners is the very heart and raison d'être of the meal he (Jesus) hosts." He also calls the Eucharist the "sacred meal as medicine for the sin-sick soul," on the same page. Later, he writes, "And so we sinners (once we accept that we are indeed sinners) are forgiven and welcomed into easy intimacy with Christ at the liturgy." Beautiful! But what does "accepting that we are indeed sinners" really mean? Going to Confession? Page 68 is a bit clearer, "Only in the measure that we are transformed through sacrifice, only when our sin and suffering have been dealt with, can we sit down in the fellowship of the sacred banquet." There are a few more sprinkled throughout the book but, to my knowledge, page 99 is the only place that really speaks about mortal sin and the state of the soul. Again, considering the massive number of Catholics who are unaware of what a mortal sin is, this needs to be very, very clear. It should have been earlier in the book and way more fleshed out.

3. SAME OLD, SAME OLD

In his book, Barron quotes Teilhard de Chardin, Karl Rahner and Feuerbach. A seemingly common issue among certain modern-day Catholic writers. Teilhard and Rahner are obviously controversial in their approach to aspects of Catholicism; they are wrong on many issues. And Feuerbach advocated atheism and anthropological materialism and, apparently was often recognized as a bridge between Hegel and Marx.

I know that the "modern church today" doesn't seem to believe that it is necessary to mention if someone they are quoting is actually a Catholic in good standing or not. It should be important, especially today with all the confusion and mish-mashing of religions and beliefs to clarify whether the source they are using is totally on the same page as the Church or not.

There are a few other issues I have with this book, but they are far less egregious than the three I have already mentioned. Though this quote was particularly confusing: "It is in this mission to feed a hungry world that we see the real point and purpose of the sacred meal," (page 33) The Four Ends of the Holy Mass are, "Adoration," "Thanksgiving," "Atonement," and "Petition." Perhaps that can be boiled down to "feeding a hungry world" spiritually but... its not quite as clear or beautiful is it? Is it too much to ask for genuine Catholicism explained clearly? Or must the laity suffer yet more social justice gobbledygook? Bishop Robert Barron has some good talks overall, and I believe he is doing what he thinks is the right thing for souls, but I do wish that he could have written his book with more radical Catholic fervor and rather than some of the typical "Spirit-of-Vatican II-obsessive-disorder" stuff. Please leave the crazy Teilhard and Rahner stuff at home dear Bishop and tell us more about the saints who died for the Eucharist!

IN CONCLUSION

I had some hopes for this book when I read in the preface, "...under the prescript of the beautiful, we would draw attention to the liturgical and devotional practices that surround the Eucharist." I naïvely assumed that this meant that Barron was going to touch on boots-on-the-ground ways we can begin to show more reverence for the Eucharist. But I didn't really see much of that in this book.

Modern-day Catholics should be given books in bulk that resemble "The Mass in Slow Motion," "Jesus Our Eucharistic Love," or even the "Baltimore Catechism." Instead, what we have in Barron's new book is a sort of heavy, although short, book that feels unaware, or unconscious to just how spiritually ignorant and starving we "regular-Joe-in-the-pew" Catholics really are.

Sigh.

While I do appreciate Bishop Barron's hard work and energy in trying to reach the masses, and it is not completely without merit, I do not believe that it is what "the 69%" need to wake up and recognize the True Presence. Instead, I recommend reading books like the aforementioned, "Mass in Slow Motion" by Msgr. Ronald Knox, "Jesus Our Eucharistic Love", and "The Purity of Soul Necessary for Holy Communion" by Stefano Manelli. I also highly recommend watching any of GabiAfterHours videos on the Eucharist on youtube. His talks are excellent. He is very clear, down-to-earth, and reaches deep into the aching heart of every viewer, young and old, and calls them to a greater love and devotion to the Holy Eucharist. Some of his best are, "The Eucharist is REALLY Jesus," "Emphasize the Eucharist: 5 Ways," "The Power of the Eucharist," and "The Eucharist: A Reverence Revolution."

St. Tarcisius, martyr for the Eucharist, pray for us!

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