God Is Near Us: The Eucharist, the Heart of Life
by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Stephan Otto Horn, Vinzenz Pfnur
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Book Summary Information
Author: Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Stephan Otto Horn, Vinzenz PfnurTranslator: Henry Taylor
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2003-06
ISBN: 0898709628
Number of pages: 160
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Book Reviews of God Is Near Us: The Eucharist, the Heart of Life
Book Review: A Book mixed with Modernist Innovations and Catholic Truth
Summary: 3 Stars
God is Near Us is a book written by Cardinal Joseph Alois Ratzinger who was then the Prefect for the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine for the Faith.
He talks greatly about transubstantiation and distinguishes the difference between transubstantiation and transignification. The Holy Father even objects to the Protestant reformer, Fr. Martin Luther on his objection to a continual sacrifice such as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which was instituted by Our Lord.
Pope Benedict perfectly defines the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as "the Sacrament of the Reconciled where those who have reconciled with Our Lord could receive him".
Great on those Catholic teachings, but here's the Cons of the book:
Pope Benedict XVI is not opposed to communion in the hand. He does cite examples where communion in the hand was allowed by the Catholic Chuch during the early 8th century, but only to be prohibited in the future. This has not thrilled many traditionalist Catholics in the Roman Rite for him being "conservative" with the Holy Liturgy.
Pope Benedict uses the Modernist buzzword to describe the Eucharist as "to understand [the Eucharist] in a ecclesiological dynamism". Modernism defined on dynamism in which truth or dogmas constantly changes or adapts to the changes of time.
When describing the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, it's rather intertwined with the Conciliarist innovation of "Paschal Mystery" or as he defines it as the Mystery of Easter. There is rather less mention that the Mass is a propiatory act for the remission of daily sins and of temporal punishments due to mortal sins already forgiven.
Lastly, Pope Benedict says it does not matter whether the Consecration of the Chalice in the Roman Rite is mistranslated in the vernacular. If the consecration is mistranslated, then the meaning of the sacrament changes. How can the sacrament then be valid if the translation is not exactly word-for-word? The Latin text states, "Which will be shed for you and FOR MANY" but the ICEL (International Commitee of the English Liturgy) mistranslates it to "for you and FOR ALL".
Benedict XVI states that it does not matter whether it is "FOR ALL" or "FOR MANY" because Christ died for everyone which is unorthodox and contradicts the teaching of the Catholic Church as well as the theological significant statement to which St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori stated in his famous book, "The Holy Eucharist".
Reading this book, I was able to learn about the Holy Father's Modernist views and teachings on the Holy Eucharist.
If you wish not to be led by a Modernist spirit on the Holy Eucharist, then I suggest that you don't read it.
If you wish to read good books on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Holy Eucharist, I suggest you buy books written by Dom Prosper Guaranger. Dom Prosper Guaranger's books are now published by Loreto Publications and Baronius Press, Ltd. Or as an alternative on the Holy Eucharist only, read the book "The Hoy Eucharist" by St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori. St. Alphonsus' book on the Holy Eucharist is very different from that of the Holy Father's book.
Summary of God Is Near Us: The Eucharist, the Heart of Life
The Second Vatican Council says, "We ought to try to discover a new reverence for the Eucharistic mystery. Something is happening that is greater than anything we can do. The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is the font from which all her power flows."This profound statement about the Eucharist stands at the center of this book by Cardinal Ratzinger. He compellingly shows us the biblical, historical, and theological dimensions of the Eucharist. The Cardinal draws far-reaching conclusions, focusing on the importance of one's personal devotion to and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for the personal reception of Communion by the individual Christian, as well as for the life of the Church. For Ratzinger, any transformation of the world on the social plane grows out of the celebration of the Eucharist. He beautifully illustrates how the omnipotent God comes intimately close to us in the Holy Eucharist, the Heart of Life.
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