Award-winning writer Paula Huston offers a rich spiritual reflection on the origin and meaning of the Catholic Mass.    For Catholics, the Mass is the "source and summit of the Christian life," as the documents of the Church put it. Yet many Catholics might confess to not understand in any depth what goes on in a typical celebration of the Eucharist. In One Ordinary Sunday Paula Huston guides us through a Mass at her home parish in a rural California town. Huston's personal and spiritual reflections offer fresh and often unexpected insights into the profound mystery at the heart of the Catholic faith.  A natural storyteller, Huston deftly illuminates what might seem either mysterious to those unfamiliar with the Mass or overly familiar to those who have lost an appreciation of its mystery. In the Mass "we are healed and restored and spiritually fed," she writes. "We are unified and made whole as a people and as a Church. We get a little taste of heaven."

Table of Contents:
Contents Preface   xiii Introduction   xix Part I: The Story Prologue   3 Gathering   13    The Opening Processional, the Sign of the Cross, the Greeting Preparing   27    The Confiteor, the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Collect Remembering   37    The First Reading Responding   47    The Responsorial Psalm Reconnecting   57    The Second Reading    Resurrecting   67    The Alleluia, the Gospel Reading Listening   79    The Homily Declaring   89    The Profession of Faith Interceding   101    The Universal Prayer, or Prayer of the Faithful Part II: The Sacrament Prologue   113 Offering   121    The Preparation of the Altar, the Presentation of the Gifts, the Blessing of the    Bread and Wine, the Prayer over the Offerings Praising   133    The Sursum Corda, the Preface, the Sanctus Kneeling   143    The Eucharistic Prayer, the Epiclesis, the Institution Narrative and    Consecration, the Mystery of Faith, the Memorial Acclamation Assenting   153    The Intercessions, the Doxology, the Great Amen Praying   167      The Lord’s Prayer, the Passing of the Peace Communing   179    The Co-Mingling; the Agnus Dei; Lord, I Am Not Worthy; Holy Communion Going Forth   193    The Prayer after Communion, the Final Blessing and Sending Forth, the Recessional Epilogue   201 Appendix I: OCIA Study Guide for    One Ordinary Sunday   209 Appendix II: Book Group Study Guide for    One Ordinary Sunday   221 Appendix III: Individual Study Guide for    One Ordinary Sunday   227 Acknowledgments   231 Notes   233 Bibliography   241 Index   247