Heart of the Christian Life: Thoughts on the Holy Mass

The celebration of the Eucharist, in which Jesus Christ becomes present, is the center of the Catholic faith. This volume brings together substantive texts of the Holy Father on the many aspects and dimensions of the Mass and the Mystery of the Eucharist, a rich source for every Christian and a spur to reflection and personal prayer. Delivered in addresses and homilies to a wide variety of audiences , these reflections reveal the depth and breadth of Pope Benedict XVI's profound and life-long love for the Holy Eucharist.

A major theme throughout the works of Joseph Ratzinger, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is the Church's source of life, unity and fruitfulness. This theme has been carried deeply into his pontificate, as can be seen in this collection, which challenges the faithful to believe that by receiving Christ in Holy Communion, they are drawn not only into the very life of God, but into the community that is Christ's Body, the Church.

In the institution of the Eucharist we see the very foundational act of the Church. Through the Eucharist the Lord not only gives himself to his own, but gives the reality of a new community 'until he comes' (cf. 1 Cor 11:26). Through the Eucharist the disciples become his living house that grows through history as the living Temple of God in this world.

-- Pope Benedict XVI