For centuries, the Catholic Church has taught the Faith through a simple and profound structure: the Creed, the Sacraments, and the Commandments. These three pillars form the foundation of Catholic catechesis and have guided the religious education of countless generations of Catholics.
Yet in many modern educational settings, these pillars are sometimes separated or taught in isolation. When this happens, the Faith can appear fragmented or incomplete. In reality, the Creed, the Sacraments, and the Commandments are deeply interconnected and must be taught together in order for children and adults alike to understand the fullness of Catholic teaching.
This structure is not accidental. It reflects the very logic of the Christian life.
The Creed: What We Believe
The Apostles’ Creed summarizes the essential truths that Catholics believe about God, the Church, and the work of salvation. It answers the most fundamental questions of the Faith: Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? What is the Church? What do we believe about eternal life?
When children learn the Creed, they are learning the framework of Catholic belief. They begin to understand the nature of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation of Christ, the role of the Church, and the hope of the Resurrection.
But belief alone is not the entire Christian life. What we believe must lead us into a deeper relationship with God.
The Sacraments: How We Receive Grace
The Sacraments are the means through which God gives His grace to us. They are not merely symbolic actions but real encounters with Christ.
Through the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and Confession, Catholics receive the grace necessary to live the Christian life. Baptism makes us members of Christ’s Body. Confirmation strengthens us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist nourishes us spiritually.
When children learn about the Sacraments alongside the Creed, they begin to see that the truths we profess are not abstract ideas but realities that shape our lives through the grace God provides.
The Commandments: How We Live
The Ten Commandments and the moral teachings of the Church show us how to live according to God’s will.
These commandments are not arbitrary rules but a path toward holiness. They teach us how to love God above all things and how to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Without understanding the Creed and the Sacraments, moral teaching can appear as nothing more than a list of restrictions. But when children see that the Commandments flow from the truth of who God is and from the grace received in the Sacraments, they understand that morality is about living in friendship with God.
The Unity of Catholic Catechesis
Most catechisms reflects this ancient structure with divisions into various parts:
The Profession of Faith (the Creed)
The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (the Sacraments)
Life in Christ (the Commandments)
Christian Prayer
This structure reveals an important truth: belief, worship, and moral living cannot be separated.
We believe in God through the truths expressed in the Creed. We receive His grace through the Sacraments. We live according to His will through the Commandments.
Together, these pillars form the foundation of Catholic life.
Teaching the Faith to the Next Generation
For parents, educators, and Directors of Religious Education, teaching the Faith effectively means presenting these truths in a way that shows their unity.
Children must learn not only what the Church teaches but also why these teachings matter and how they shape the Christian life.
When catechesis reflects the traditional structure of the Creed, the Sacraments, and the Commandments, students gain a much clearer understanding of the Faith as a coherent whole.
This approach has guided Catholic education for centuries because it reflects the natural order of the Christian life: belief, grace, and moral living.
Whether used by parents, homeschool families, or parish religious education programs, teaching the Creed, the Sacraments, and the Commandments together helps ensure that the next generation of Catholics understands the Faith not as isolated lessons but as a unified path to holiness.
“For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, My name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to My name a clean oblation.” (Mal. 1:11)
This article continues the meditations begun in The Mass as God’s Wonderful Promise and Gift. In the previous installments, we considered the Eucharist as God’s astonishing nearness to man and the Mass as the perfect sacrifice foretold by the prophets. Now we turn to a question that forces Catholic doctrine into the practical realm of daily life: if Christ’s sacrifice is perfect and complete, how do its merits actually reach me?
In developing this theme, I am again drawing from and inspired by the nineteenth-century Redemptorist priest Father Michael Mueller (1825–1899), whose works aimed to explain and defend Catholic doctrine clearly, firmly, and devotionally. In adapting these reflections for A Catholic Life, I rely far less on extended quotations and far more on synthesis and application, while still allowing Mueller’s voice to appear at key moments.
I. Our Lord Is a Priest Forever
Holy Scripture teaches that our Redeemer is “a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech” (Ps. 109:4). This is not a poetic title. It is a doctrinal key. A priest is not merely one who prays; a priest is one who offers sacrifice. The angels and saints pray for us in heaven, but they are not called priests because they do not offer sacrifice. Christ, however, is Priest in the fullest sense—because He offers Himself.
Mueller makes a simple but powerful point: if Christ’s priesthood is eternal, then His sacrificial offering must also be made present perpetually, not as a new crucifixion, but as a perpetual sacramental oblation by which the fruits of Calvary are applied to souls in every age.
“The Royal Prophet declares that Jesus Christ is a priest forever. Therefore, He must offer sacrifice forever… The only sacrifice which our Savior offers up forever… is the Sacrifice of His Body and Blood in the Mass.”
Here the logic is unmistakable: Christianity is not merely a religion of moral counsel. It is the true religion because it possesses the true sacrifice. And that sacrifice is Christ Himself—offered once on Calvary in a bloody manner, and offered perpetually on the altar in an unbloody manner.
II. The Cross Merited Everything—But the Merits Must Be Applied
At the Cross, our Lord paid the price of redemption. The value of His sacrifice is infinite. Nothing can be added to that value. Yet the mere fact that Christ died does not mean that every soul is automatically saved, regardless of how it lives or dies. Salvation must be personally applied. Grace must be personally received. The merits of Christ must reach the soul in a living way—cleansing, healing, strengthening, transforming.
Mueller explains this distinction with clarity: Christ merited all grace by His Passion and Death, but God has also willed channels through which that grace is communicated to individual souls. Chief among those channels are the Sacraments and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
“The question is: how are these merits of our Savior to be applied to our souls so that we may profit by them?”
Mueller’s analogy is memorable: an immense reservoir may overflow with pure water, yet a man perishes of thirst if the water never reaches him. The reservoir is real; its supply is infinite; but the water must be conveyed. Likewise, the merits of Christ are inexhaustible, but the soul must actually receive them through the means God has established.
III. The Mass Brings Calvary Near—and Makes It Personal
The Mass is not a new payment for our salvation, as though Christ’s death were insufficient. It is not a second sacrifice competing with Calvary. Rather, it is the one sacrifice of Christ made present sacramentally so that its merits may be applied “throughout all ages”—to the Church, to the living, to the dead, and to each soul who assists with faith and right disposition.
This is why it is not enough to regard Calvary as a distant historical scene. God willed that the sacrifice should be near. He willed that it be accessible, not only to saints in extraordinary contemplation, but to ordinary Catholics in ordinary life. The Mass places the sacrifice before our eyes, offers it to the Father, and pours out grace upon the faithful who unite themselves to it.
Mueller expresses this personal dimension with remarkable force:
“Christ on the Cross is, as it were, an object strange to us; there He is the universal Victim. But Christ in the Mass is our property, our Victim; He is there offered up for every individual among us, especially if we partake of the Sacrifice by receiving Holy Communion.”
This is also why Protestant objections to the Mass inevitably fail. To say that the Mass “obscures” the Cross is as foolish as claiming that Baptism obscures the Cross. Baptism applies the Cross. Confession applies the Cross. Holy Communion applies the Cross. And the Mass—supremely—applies the Cross, because it makes present the Victim and offers Him sacramentally to the Father.
IV. A Perpetual Memorial: The Mass as the Renewal of Christ’s Whole Life
Men erect monuments to commemorate great events. Nations build memorials. Families preserve heirlooms. But what human work compares to the works of God? What “monument” could possibly be adequate to the Incarnation, the hidden life, the public ministry, the Passion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of the Son of God?
Mueller’s answer is striking: Christ Himself instituted His own perpetual memorial—not a mere stone monument, not a human artifact, but a living sacramental mystery. The Mass does not only recall Christ’s Death; it contains, in a profound way, the mysteries of His whole life, because the same Christ is present—incarnate, living, crucified in sacramental representation, risen, and glorious.
And this is not pious metaphor. The Victim offered at Mass is not a “piece” of Christ. It is the whole Christ—His living Body, His Precious Blood, His rational soul, and His Divinity. Therefore, in the Eucharistic sacrifice, Christ is present as who He is, and as the One who accomplished the whole work of redemption.
“In holy Mass, therefore, is present our Saviour incarnate for us, born for us, dead for our salvation, risen for our justification, ascended to heaven as our eternal hope.”
This is why the Mass is not only the “memorial” of Christ in the weak modern sense of recalling something past. It is a memorial in the strong Catholic sense: it makes present what it commemorates. In the Mass, the past becomes present; the sacrifice becomes present; the Victim becomes present; and the merits of Christ’s whole saving life are applied to souls here and now.
V. Practical Application: How to Assist at Mass So as to Profit From It
If the Mass truly applies Christ’s merits to us, then the question becomes painfully personal: Do I profit from it? The Mass is always infinite in itself, because the Victim is infinite. Yet our fruit from the Mass can be greater or lesser depending on our dispositions.
Here are a few concrete conclusions that follow:
Assist at Mass as though you are truly before God. Because you are. The Victim is Christ.
Unite your intentions to the offering. Place your sins, sufferings, labors, anxieties, and petitions on the altar with the Host.
Approach with contrition. The Mass is not entertainment. It is sacrifice and reparation.
Do not treat Holy Communion as routine. Receive worthily, with preparation and thanksgiving.
When possible, attend Mass more than once a week. If a man knew that the merits of Calvary were being poured upon his soul, why would he not desire to be present?
Mueller’s own closing exhortation is fitting, and worth retaining:
“Hence, we behold Him in the Mass—this same God, again become a victim, giving Himself to us in perpetual sacrifice, in order to apply forever to the souls of men the merits of His life and death.”
Conclusion
The Cross is the source of all grace. But the Mass is the great means by which God brings the Cross near—so that the merits of Christ do not remain merely “true in theory,” but become medicine, strength, light, and transformation in the life of the faithful.
In the next installment, we will turn more directly to the interior fruits of this mystery: how the Holy Sacrifice forms us, purifies us, and draws us into the likeness of Christ—not only by reminding us of Him, but by giving Him to us and applying His merits to our souls.
Let us conclude with the same prayer used throughout these meditations, uniting ourselves to the Holy Sacrifice offered throughout the world:
Eternal Father, we humbly offer You our poor presence and that of the whole of humanity from the beginning to the end of the world at all the Masses that ever have or ever will be prayed. We offer You all the pains, sufferings, prayers, sacrifices, joys and relaxations of our lives, in union with those of our dear Lord Jesus here on earth. May the Most Precious Blood of Christ, all His blood and wounds and agony save us, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen!
“For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, My name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to My name a clean oblation.” (Mal. 1:11)
This article continues the meditations begun in The Mass as God’s Wonderful Promise and Gift and deepens the foundation of Eucharistic faith by focusing on a truth modern Catholics often forget: Christianity is not merely a religion of moral instruction or interior sentiment. It is, essentially and irreducibly, a religion of sacrifice.
For this reason, I am again drawing from and inspired by the nineteenth-century Redemptorist priest Father Michael Mueller (1825–1899)—not to reproduce his text at length, but to recover the Catholic instinct he insists upon: where there is true religion, there is true sacrifice; and where there is true sacrifice, there is an altar.
I. Sacrifice Stretches Back to Our First Parents
If we want to understand why the Mass stands at the heart of Catholic worship, we must begin where Father Mueller begins: not in the Middle Ages, not in the catacombs, not even at the Last Supper—but in the very dawn of human history.
Man was created to worship God. And worship, even by the light of reason alone, is not merely internal. It expresses itself outwardly: through adoration, thanksgiving, supplication, and—most profoundly—sacrifice. Mueller observes that it is natural for man to give gifts to those he loves; how much more natural, then, to offer something to God, the Creator and Sovereign Lord. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
After the Fall, this instinct becomes even more urgent. Sin introduces guilt, fear, and the knowledge that man has offended the Divine Majesty. Our first parents understood they deserved punishment. They understood that God was worthy even of their lives. Yet they also learned that no merely human offering—no matter how severe—could fully repair what sin had destroyed. God therefore consoled them with a promise: a Redeemer would come, One whose obedience would honor God more than man could ever dishonor Him.
Here we see the first great lesson: sacrifice is not merely “what religious people do.” It is the language of the fallen soul returning to God. It is the confession—made with actions—that God is Lord of life and death, and that man depends entirely upon Him.
II. Sacrifice Was Both Natural and Commanded
Even if reason alone suggests sacrifice, God also willed that sacrifice become a command—precisely because man is weak and forgetful. Our wills are easily distracted. Our resolutions are easily broken. And therefore, God provided man with a concrete, repeated act of divine worship that would strengthen him, humble him, and keep alive the hope of the Redeemer to come.
In the earliest ages, sacrifice took various forms: offerings of first fruits, holocausts, and other gifts given to God for different intentions—adoration, thanksgiving, petition, and atonement. Sacred Scripture speaks of Cain and Abel, of Noah, of Job, of Abraham, and of other patriarchs offering sacrifice. Even across pagan nations, sacrifice remained as a kind of remnant of original revelation—though tragically corrupted in countless ways.
This universality matters. It demonstrates that sacrifice is not an accidental feature of religion. It is its essential expression. A “religion without sacrifice” is not merely incomplete; it is incoherent. It lacks the very act by which man confesses God’s supreme dominion and his own dependence.
III. Why Animal Sacrifice?
One of the most illuminating points Mueller makes is that animal sacrifice, considered purely on human reasoning, would appear strange—perhaps even absurd. Why should the life of an innocent creature be offered in place of guilty man?
The answer is that animal sacrifice was not chosen as a “reasonable exchange.” It was chosen as a sign and foreshadowing. In a world haunted by the sense of sin and death, the shedding of blood spoke a language that grain and wine alone could not speak: it declared that sin deserves death; it declared that guilt demands expiation; it declared that man’s life belongs to God. And it pointed forward to a greater truth: that only a spotless Victim could truly take away sin.
Thus, domestic animals—gentle and innocent—became living images of the Lamb of God. And every time Israel saw blood poured out, Israel was being prepared (often without fully realizing it) for the day when the true Blood would be poured out: not the blood of goats and bulls, but the Precious Blood of the Son of God.
IV. The Old Law Was Temporary by Design
It is crucial to understand that the sacrifices of the Old Law were never meant to endure forever. They were real acts of worship commanded by God and pleasing to Him when offered with right dispositions. But they were also shadows—figures and preparations—destined to give way when the Reality arrived.
Mueller explains this with a helpful analogy: the stars and moon give light, but they vanish when the sun rises. In the same way, the sacrifices of the Old Law had meaning and purpose, but their purpose was not to remain forever. They existed to prepare mankind for the one perfect sacrifice that alone could reconcile God and man.
Here St. Paul’s teaching becomes essential: it is impossible, in itself, that the blood of oxen and goats should take away sin. Their value was not intrinsic power; it was divine institution and typology—God ordained them as signs of the Redeemer.
V. Christ Came Not to Destroy, But to Fulfill
Our Lord explicitly teaches that He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17). This includes the law of sacrifice.
What was essential in the Old Law remains essential in the New: worship, priesthood, sacrifice, and the offering of a victim to God. What changes is not the need for sacrifice, but the perfection of sacrifice. Instead of countless victims, there is one. Instead of mere figures, there is the Reality. Instead of blood that points forward, there is the Blood that redeems.
The prophets themselves foretold this transformation. Malachias speaks of a clean oblation offered from sunrise to sunset among the Gentiles. Isaias foretells priests drawn from the nations. In other words, the Old Law would end, and a universal sacrifice would arise—offered not merely in Jerusalem, but “in every place.”
And it is precisely this prophecy the Church has always applied to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
VI. Christ United the Bloody and Unbloody Sacrifices in Himself
Before the coming of Christ, there existed two broad forms of sacrifice: bloody sacrifice (animals) and unbloody offerings (bread, wine, and other gifts). Mueller makes a particularly powerful observation here: the Old Law also contained two priestly “figures”—the Aaronic priesthood (associated with bloody sacrifice) and the priesthood of Melchizedek (associated with bread and wine).
Christ unites and fulfills both in His own divine person.
At the Last Supper, He offers bread and wine according to the figure of Melchizedek—yet He does not merely offer them as bread and wine. He changes them into His own Body and Blood and commands His Apostles to “do this” in His memory. Then, on the following day, He offers Himself in a bloody manner on Calvary—the Victim of the New Covenant. In this way, the “two sacrifices” of old are gathered into one perfect sacrifice: the Sacrifice of Christ, made present sacramentally in the Mass.
VII. The Last Supper Was the First Mass
Here modern errors must be confronted plainly. The Last Supper was not merely a symbolic farewell meal. It was not a bare “institution narrative.” It was sacrificial. It was priestly. It was liturgical. It was, in truth, the first Mass.
Christ did not merely speak about His Body and Blood; He offered them. He did not merely tell the Apostles to remember Him fondly; He commanded a sacrificial action: “Do this.” In doing so, He instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood together.
Mueller’s own description of this moment is striking, and worth preserving briefly: “And thus was Mass, the sacrifice of the New Law… instituted by our holy Redeemer.”
Notice the logic: the Mass is not a later invention of medieval piety. It stands at the foundation of Christianity itself, because Christianity is the religion of the New Covenant—and the New Covenant is inaugurated in the Blood of Christ, sacramentally offered and sacrificially continued.
VIII. The Apostles and the Early Church Lived from the Altar
Once Christ instituted the sacrifice, the Apostles immediately exercised it. The Acts of the Apostles speaks of Christians assembling to “break bread,” and early Christian writers attest that this act was understood as sacrificial worship. Even in persecution, Christians risked death to offer and assist at the Holy Mysteries.
This brings us to one of the simplest and strongest arguments for the sacrificial nature of Christianity: the altar.
An altar exists for sacrifice. It has no other religious purpose. If the early Church had no sacrifice, it would have had no altars. Yet the testimony of Christian antiquity is saturated with altars—stone altars, tomb-altars of martyrs, altars in catacombs, consecrated altars dedicated solely for the offering of the Eucharistic sacrifice.
Mueller collects patristic testimony emphasizing the unity of the Eucharist and the unity of the altar: one Eucharist, one sacrifice, one altar, one bishop. He also draws from St. Justin Martyr’s famous second-century description of Sunday worship—so recognizably “Catholic” that it becomes difficult to see how any honest reader could deny that the early Church believed the Eucharist was truly Christ and that Christian worship was sacrificial.
IX. A Brief Word on Modern Judaism
In your earlier meditation you raised an important historical point: Old Testament Judaism was a sacrificial religion centered on the Temple. After the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70, that sacrificial system ceased, and what later developed (in Rabbinic Judaism) is not the same sacrificial religion practiced in the time of our Lord.
For our purposes here, the central lesson is this: the Old Law sacrifices were never meant to continue indefinitely, and once the true Lamb had been offered, the shadow necessarily passes. Christianity is not “one option among many” in continuity with Temple sacrifice; it is the fulfillment and replacement of the old figures, because the Redeemer has come and His sacrifice is perpetually applied through the Mass.
Conclusion
To believe in the Mass is to believe that sacrifice did not end with Christ—it was perfected by Christ, instituted by Christ, and entrusted to His Church as the continual worship of the New Covenant.
When we attend Mass, we are not at a lecture. We are not at a community gathering. We are at the altar of sacrifice. We are present at the clean oblation foretold by the prophets. We are present where the Lamb of God is offered sacramentally, unbloody, yet truly. And we are invited to unite ourselves to that offering—placing our sins, our gratitude, our sufferings, and our entire life upon the altar with Christ.
Let us conclude with the same prayer used throughout these meditations:
Eternal Father, we humbly offer You our poor presence and that of the whole of humanity from the beginning to the end of the world at all the Masses that ever have or ever will be prayed. We offer You all the pains, sufferings, prayers, sacrifices, joys and relaxations of our lives, in union with those of our dear Lord Jesus here on earth. May the Most Precious Blood of Christ, all His blood and wounds and agony save us, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen!
“For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, My name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to My name a clean oblation.” (Mal. 1:11)
This article continues and expands the meditation begun in my previous post, The Mass as God’s Wonderful Promise and Gift. There, I focused on the Mass as a hidden treasure and the Eucharist as the greatest Gift God could give—God Himself. Here, I turn to a closely related theme: the Real Presence as a doctrine that demands living faith, visible reverence, and (at times) extraordinary signs by which our Lord has strengthened His Church when belief was attacked or mocked.
These reflections are drawn from and inspired by the nineteenth-century Redemptorist priest Father Michael Mueller (1825–1899), whose devotional and doctrinal works aimed to press Catholic truths into the imagination and conscience until a man is forced to ask: Do I actually believe what I say I believe? Mueller’s book on the Mass—first published in 1874 and recently re-typeset and edited—was warmly commended in its own day and deserves renewed attention in ours.
In adapting these meditations for publication here, I will rely far less on extended quotations and more on explanation and application. Still, Mueller’s voice will appear at key moments. I will format any direct quotation as a block quote so it can be footnoted easily.
I. Real Presence: The Doctrine That Reorders Everything
It is one thing to confess with the lips that Our Lord is present in the Blessed Sacrament. It is another to live as though it were true.
Catholics often speak—rightly—of the Mass as the unbloody renewal of Calvary. We know (at least in theory) that the Sacrifice of the Cross is made present sacramentally; that the Mass is true worship, true oblation, true sacrifice; and that the Eucharist is not merely a symbol or representation, but Jesus Christ Himself—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—under the sacramental veils.
And yet the modern world grows louder, more frantic, and more distracted by the day. Even for practicing Catholics, it becomes easy to treat the Mass as one more event on a weekly schedule: attended, fulfilled, and quickly forgotten. That shift does not happen all at once. It begins quietly: a loss of awe, a habit of distraction, a reduced sense of sin, and a practical assumption that the Eucharist is “holy,” yes—but not the kind of holiness that demands trembling reverence.
But if the Real Presence is true, then everything changes. The tabernacle is not a decorative box. It is not an ornament for the sanctuary. It is a throne. It is Bethlehem and Calvary and the Upper Room gathered into one hidden location where the God-Man truly dwells. If Christ is there, then a church is not merely a room for religious gathering; it is a sacred place because the King is present. And if the King is present, then every Catholic is bound not merely to “believe,” but to adore.
It is precisely because this doctrine reorders everything that the devil hates it and the world resists it. The Real Presence is not merely a comforting devotion; it is a declaration of divine authority. It says: God is here. God speaks. God reigns. God judges. God sanctifies. God demands worship. And for fallen man, that is intolerable unless he repents.
II. Christ Permits Evil to Draw From It a Greater Good
If the Eucharist is the heart of the Church, we might ask why God has permitted it to be attacked, denied, mocked, profaned, or treated casually—even among those who claim the name of Christian. Why allow heresy at all? Why allow irreverence to spread?
The Catholic answer is not that God wills evil. He does not. But He permits evil—and He permits it in such a way that, without compromising His holiness, He draws from it a greater good: the strengthening of the faithful, the purification of devotion, the exposure of error, the humiliation of pride, and the more brilliant vindication of truth.
This is the logic of the Cross. Our Lord allowed Judas to betray Him and Peter to fall. He allowed Himself to be scourged, mocked, and crucified. The malice was real; the injustice was real; yet the providence of God was greater still. From the darkest hour, God drew the world’s redemption.
So too in Eucharistic history: when belief grew cold, when heresy grew bold, and when the sacred mysteries were assaulted, God permitted trials. And at times of His choosing, He answered those trials with confirmations—sometimes quiet and interior, sometimes public and extraordinary—so that the faithful might be strengthened, the wavering corrected, and the proud rebuked.
This must be said clearly: miracles do not replace doctrine, and signs do not create faith. The Church’s authority is sufficient. Still, it has pleased God at certain times to grant remarkable confirmations—not because the Church needs spectacle, but because man’s heart is slow, forgetful, and often stubborn.
III. Corpus Christi and the Mercy of Public Adoration
One of the clearest examples of God drawing a greater good from an age of danger is the Feast of Corpus Christi. The feast is not a medieval embellishment. It is a providential response to the needs of the Church—especially when Eucharistic faith was challenged and devotion threatened.
The heart of Corpus Christi is remarkably simple: the Church publicly does what she always does interiorly—she confesses what she believes. The Eucharistic procession is a sermon preached without words: Christ is here. The same Lord Who once walked the roads of Judea now passes through our streets, not because He needs honor, but because we need to honor Him. Public worship becomes a form of reparation and a remedy for a forgetful world.
Mueller points to the purpose of Corpus Christi with characteristic directness:
“This means was the institution of the Feast of Corpus Christi.”
And he emphasizes why it mattered at the time it arose:
“It was instituted by divine inspiration in order that the Catholic doctrine might be strengthened by the institution of this festival, at a time when the faith of the world was growing cold and heresies were rife.”
Whether we consider the historical development of the feast or its enduring spiritual fruit, the lesson is the same: when faith is threatened, the Church does not retreat into ambiguity. She proclaims Christ more openly. The Host is lifted up not as a symbol, but as the living Lord. And the faithful are invited to order their interior life according to what the Church dares to confess in public: that Jesus Christ is truly present.
In our own day, Corpus Christi remains an essential anchor for authentic Eucharistic renewal. It teaches Catholics to worship outwardly what they claim to believe inwardly. It teaches that reverence is not optional; it is the natural language of faith.
IV. The Evils of Protestantism and the Assault on the Eucharist
To understand why the Church has clung so tightly to Eucharistic devotion—and why she has insisted upon clarity—we must speak honestly about what happens when the Real Presence is denied.
The Protestant revolt was not merely a dispute about external ceremonies or church governance. At its heart was a revolt against the sacrificial priesthood and the Eucharistic mystery. Once the Mass is denied as a true sacrifice, and once transubstantiation is rejected, the Eucharist is reduced—first to a symbol, then to an occasional memorial, and eventually to a matter of subjective meaning rather than objective reality.
And historically, the denial did not remain theoretical. Where the Eucharist was rejected, the fruits often followed: contempt for Catholic worship, ransacking of churches, ridicule of altars, destruction of sacred vessels, mockery of adoration, and the stripping away of the very instincts of reverence. When a culture abandons the truth that God is truly present among us—hidden under the sacramental veil—reverence collapses. And when reverence collapses, blasphemy and cruelty are never far behind.
This is why the Church has always treated Eucharistic doctrine as a matter of life and death, not as an item for polite ecumenical vagueness. If Christ is not truly present, then Catholic worship is superstition. But if Christ is truly present, then Protestantism is not merely “a different emphasis.” It is a denial of the Lord’s own words: “This is My Body.”
And because God is merciful even to the weak and wavering, He has sometimes granted extraordinary signs precisely in such ages—so that the faithful might be strengthened and the arrogant humbled.
V. Nicola Aubry and the Terrifying Clarity of Spiritual Warfare
Among the most arresting narratives Mueller presents is that of Nicola Aubry. Modern sensibilities do not like such stories. Yet the case teaches an unforgettable lesson: the devil knows the truth about the Eucharist even when heretics deny it; and Christ, in His sovereignty, can force even His enemies to confess what unbelief refuses to adore.
What is especially striking about this episode is that it is not presented as mere curiosity. It is doctrinal and moral. It reveals the hatred hell bears toward the Eucharist, and it highlights the authority Christ has placed in His Church.
Mueller frames the matter with a question that cuts to the heart of providence:
“Why this struggle between Our Lord and satan, since our divine Savior is his Lord and Master?”
His answer, in substance, is that God permitted the trial in order to sanctify, to instruct, to confirm Catholic doctrine, and to draw a greater good from what the devil intended for ruin. In this case, our Lord’s victory becomes a kind of living catechism: it teaches that Christ is present, that the Eucharist has power, and that even infernal hatred must yield before the King Who hides Himself under humble appearances.
One cannot read such accounts and still pretend that the Eucharist is a harmless symbol. The devil does not rage against symbols. He rages against reality. He rages against Christ’s sacramental Presence because the Eucharist is Christ’s nearness to man—Christ’s condescension, Christ’s mercy, Christ’s kingship, Christ’s claim upon souls.
This is why the Church has always insisted that reception of Holy Communion must be worthy: free from mortal sin, approached with reverence, prepared by repentance. The Eucharist is not a common thing. It is the Holy of Holies.
VI. The Power of Our Lord’s Body
Mueller repeatedly returns to a central point: the Host appears small, silent, unimpressive—but omnipotence is hidden there. The God-Man is not divided. Wherever He is present, His power and majesty are present, even if veiled.
He expresses the paradox plainly:
“So, when we look upon the Sacred Host it is true, we see there no mark of His Majesty… Yet, for all that, Jesus does not lack the power and means to manifest Himself in the Sacred Host as the Lord of Heaven and earth…”
This is precisely why Eucharistic devotion tests the sincerity of faith. God hides Himself so that man will be humbled, so that the soul will learn to prefer divine testimony over sensory evidence, and so that love may become pure—seeking God for God’s sake, not merely for the thrill of visible marvels.
Yet in mercy, God has at times allowed that veil to be partially lifted. Not because the ordinary Eucharist is “less real,” but because man’s heart is often forgetful. And when God grants such signs, they function like the miracles of Christ in the Gospel: they confirm doctrine, strengthen the faithful, and rebuke unbelief.
VII. The Miracle of Augsburg and Three Extraordinary Favors
Among the most sobering accounts is the miracle associated with Augsburg. While the details are striking, the spiritual meaning is even more striking: irreverence toward the Eucharist is never a small sin; and when Christ permits extraordinary confirmation, it is both mercy and warning.
The narrative involves sacrilege—a soul receiving Holy Communion and then committing a grave profanation by keeping the Host. Such a sin does not bring freedom; it brings misery. In the story, conscience becomes a torment until repentance returns. That alone is an important lesson: one cannot “possess” Christ as a talisman. The Eucharist is not a charm, and it does not tolerate being treated as an object.
When the Host is finally returned and the priest examines what had been hidden, the account describes a visible change—one meant to confirm, terrify, and instruct:
“On taking the two pieces of wax apart, he beheld, instead of the species of bread, human flesh, and even the muscular fibers.”
And again, the narrative emphasizes a further manifestation:
“the Sacred Host split at once in two… united by muscular fibers.”
Mueller presents this episode not as spectacle but as instruction. Such a miracle becomes, in effect, a catechism written in flesh rather than ink. It forces the question: if Christ’s Body is truly present, how dare we approach without reverence? How dare we receive in mortal sin? How dare we treat the altar casually? How dare we reduce the Eucharist to a symbol?
When Mueller speaks of “extraordinary favors” associated with such miracles, the point is not that we should chase marvels. The point is that God sometimes grants concrete confirmations to restore fear of God, to awaken repentance, and to strengthen faith where it has grown weak.
VIII. Eucharistic Miracles Still Today
There is a temptation to assume that Eucharistic miracles belong only to distant centuries. But the Church’s history repeatedly shows that God has sometimes granted such confirmations even in relatively recent times. The point is not to build a spirituality that depends on marvels; the point is to recognize that God is not absent from our age, even when unbelief is loud.
When such miracles occur, they function like the miracles of Christ in the Gospel: they confirm doctrine, strengthen the faithful, and expose the poverty of skepticism. They are signs of mercy—given not because the Church lacks evidence, but because hearts lack attention.
But perhaps the greatest “miracle” needed today is not that accidents visibly change, but that Catholics would recover Catholic instincts: silence, recollection, confession, reparation, and adoration. The Real Presence demands a real response. It calls us not merely to “attend Mass,” but to worship God with our whole heart, to repent of sin, and to receive Holy Communion worthily.
IX. Practical Application: What Eucharistic Faith Requires
If we want Eucharistic renewal in a serious sense, it will not be achieved merely by banners, slogans, or programs. It requires the restoration of Catholic life at its roots:
Frequent confession, because the Eucharist is not a right but a Gift, and because mortal sin and Holy Communion cannot coexist.
Reverent liturgy, because what we do at the altar teaches what we believe.
Eucharistic adoration, because worship trains the soul to receive rightly and strengthens faith more than argument alone.
Reparation, because the Eucharist has been denied, mocked, and abused, and love demands that we make amends.
Doctrinal clarity, because confusion is not charity, and ambiguity does not save souls.
Corpus Christi teaches that public confession of faith matters. The history of Protestant denial teaches that the Eucharist is always contested. Nicola Aubry teaches that hell itself testifies to the Eucharist’s power. Augsburg teaches that irreverence wounds the soul and that Christ’s Body is truly present. And the broader witness of
One aspect of being Catholic that is often not discussed, as it comes up usually a few times in a person’s lifetime, is the observation of Holy Years of Jubilee. Beyond the weekly, monthly, and annual cycle that we know well as Catholics, there is the Jubilee cycle that comes less frequently. The website FishEaters does a good job introducing the origin of Jubilee Years:
In the Old Covenant, God set aside certain times to be honored as sacred. As recorded by Moses in Exodus 20:8-11, there was to be a weekly "Sabbath" -- which means "cease" or "rest." In Deuteronomy 16:16-17, Moses records God's commands to our spiritual ancestors to keep the yearly Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. In addition to these weekly and yearly cycles of time, God also ordered periodic year-long sabbaths. These "sabbatical years" were of two types: the regular sabbatical year which was to take place every 7th year, and the special year of Jubilee, which took place after "seven weeks of seven years," or after 49 years -- that is, in every 50th year. All told, then, every 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th, 42nd, 49th, and 50th years would be sabbath years, with two years in a row -- the 49th year and the 50th year of jubilee -- being such. The word "jubilee" is a Hebrew word which etymologically indicates the ram's horn -- "jobel" (also "shofar") -- that God ordained should announce these special sabbatical years in Leviticus 25:1-13
The Church has accordingly adopted this practice and continued it, since our Lord Himself said He came not to abolish the Old Law but to perfect it. We see this in many different aspects of the Old Testament such as the ritualistic observances in worship and even the vestments.
There will be a holy year in 2025, keeping the tradition of holy years every quarter-century. The last holy year was the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015-2016; before that there was the “ordinary” holy year of 2000, styled the “Great Jubilee.” The previous ordinary Holy Year was in 1975.
But in the last century we have seen more Holy Years, in addition to Jubilee Years, as Father De Souza notes:
In 1933, Pope Pius XI called an extraordinary jubilee year for the 1,900th anniversary of the redemption…The idea of “special years” has become a key pastoral tool in the last century. The tradition of holy years began in 1300, with invitations for Catholics to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Eventually the interval between holy years was shortened from 100 to 25 years, so that everyone might (theoretically) have a chance to complete a holy year pilgrimage during his lifetime.
Special holy years were issued in 1954 (Marian Year), 1967 (Year of Faith), 1983 (Jubilee of Redemption), 1988 (2,000th Anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Birth), 2002 (Year of the Rosary), and 2004 (Year of the Eucharist). Closer to our own time Pope Benedict XVI observed three such years throughout his pontificate: The Year of St. Paul, the Year for Priests, and the Year of Faith. In 2015 Pope Francis called an extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and followed in 2019 with the Year of Our Lady of Loretto and in 2020 with the Year of St. Joseph.
The Holy Doors (Portae Sanctae)
Jubilee Years in particular are special as they are opportunities for us to invoke the mercy of God in a special way and come to Rome on pilgrimage to enter the Holy Doors which are only ever open in Jubilee Years. FishEaters elaborates on that:
The Sacrament of Confession can be likened to God's granting to us what He commanded to Moses: "remission to all the inhabitants of thy land: for it is the year of jubilee." In these holy years, penance is key (a General Confession in Jubilee Years is recommended by Pope Benedict XIV).
In addition to the special emphasis on the alleviation of the eternal effects of sin through the Sacrament of Confession, the temporal effects of sin are a focus of Jubilee Years, too. A plenary indulgence can be gained, under the usual conditions, by making a pilgrimage to the four primary patriarchal churches in Rome and walking through their Holy Doors (portae sanctae), which are symbolic of Christ. This is the standard requirement for the Jubilee indulgence, but the exact requirements (published when the Jubilee is announced) may vary from Jubilee to Jubilee and usually include provisions for visiting local churches, doing charitable works, or fasting, etc.
The Holy Doors are present in the four major Basilicas of Rome. In the past few years, some additional Holy Doors were established by the Holy See. To see the opening of the Doors, or to walk through them during the Holy Year, is an experience that one will not forget. The Holy Jubilee of 1950 was documented by Life Magazine and with the advent of television, most Catholics had their first opportunity to ever see the ceremony of their opening.
My Experience of the Jubilee Pilgrimage
This year I had the privilege of personally taking part in the Jubilee. A Jubilee Year is not just a theological concept or a historical tradition, but a lived reality for those who make the journey. Walking through the Holy Doors of the four major basilicas of Rome was a moment of profound grace and awe. The prayers, confessions, and indulgences connected with the Jubilee all came alive when I was physically present in the Eternal City, following the same path that countless pilgrims have walked for centuries.
During this Jubilee pilgrimage, I was blessed to walk through all the Holy Doors of the four Major Basilicas, each one a profound reminder of Christ as the true gate of salvation. I prayed at the tomb of St. Lawrence, venerated the relics of the saints—including the foot of St. Mary Magdalene, the True Cross, and even the Crib of Bethlehem—and gazed upon the breathtaking Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Each day I was able to assist at the Traditional Latin Mass, uniting my prayers with countless pilgrims across the centuries. On a lighter note, I even mailed a letter to the Holy Father, savored the incomparable cuisine of Rome, and managed to log over 30,000 steps daily in the sweltering summer heat—a reminder that pilgrimage is both a spiritual and physical journey.
The Church reminds us that these years are not meant simply as a commemoration, but as a true call to conversion and renewal. That truth was something I felt tangibly as I entered each basilica, joined the faithful from every nation, and reflected on the mercy of God poured out so abundantly in these extraordinary times.
In this article, I have included several of my own photographs from the pilgrimage. They capture not only the grandeur of the basilicas and the Holy Doors but also the spirit of joy and prayer that filled the streets of Rome. These images, I hope, convey some of the sense of sacredness and unity that a Jubilee offers to the universal Church.
“When the Rosary is said properly, my power is behind it. Say it with my Divine Son and me in mind…then each bead can conquer a host of men" (Words of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Blessed Mary of Agreda)
Far too often when the Rosary is recited as a group before Mass – or even on our own – it can be a series of prayers offered in haste without a focus on the words. If we focus too much on “saying our daily Rosary” to cross it off the to do list instead of praying each word, we can not expect these prayers to be pleasing to Our Lady or our Lord. While this is easier said than done, it is something we can intentionally try to counter. Today, pray the Rosary using the principles and advice lead out by St. Louis de Montfort in “The Secret of the Rosary” where he recalls the importance of saying the Rosary with attention, devotion, and meaning.
The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort
"The Secret of the Rosary" by St. Louis de Montfort is structured into 53 short chapters, each called a "Rose," which are divided into five sections. These sections explore different aspects of the Rosary, including its history, benefits, mysteries, and how to pray it devoutly. St. Louis de Montfort emphasizes that the Rosary is not just a mechanical repetition of prayers but a powerful weapon against sin, a source of grace, and a way to deepen one's relationship with God and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
What are the Benefits of a Rosary Said as a Group?
St. Louis de Montfort summarizes five benefits of saying the Rosary as a group:
Generally, our minds are more focused during communal prayer compared to when we pray alone.
When we pray together, each person’s prayer becomes part of a collective offering. If one person’s prayer lacks fervor, another’s devotion can compensate, creating a stronger, unified prayer. And in so doing, the fervent will encourage the lukewarm.
Praying the Rosary alone brings the merit of that one Rosary, but when prayed with others, the merit is multiplied by the number of participants. This is the power of communal prayer. The same can be said for the Mass too.
Public prayer holds greater power than private prayer to appease God’s anger and invoke His mercy. The Church, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, has always emphasized the importance of public prayer, especially during times of widespread suffering and crisis.
If the faithful pray five decades of the Rosary together, whether in a public setting or privately with others, they can gain an indulgence of ten years, once a day. A plenary indulgence may be obtained on the last Sunday of the month, provided they are free from venial sin, go to confession, receive Communion, visit a church, and pray for the Pope’s intentions—if they have prayed the Rosary together at least three times during the preceding weeks.
How Can We Pray the Group Rosary with Greater Devotion and Attention?
The following insights from St. Louis de Montfort should be internalized and incorporated into all of our Rosaries, especially when we pray the Rosary as a group before Mass so we are not distracted and praying in vain repetitions. The Rosary when prayed well is not a series of vain repetitions.
Mindful Recitation: St. Louis de Montfort teaches that when praying the Rosary, it is essential to be fully present and attentive to the words being spoken and the mysteries being meditated upon. The Rosary is not just a vocal prayer but a meditative one, where each Hail Mary should be said with love and reverence, keeping in mind the mystery associated with each decade. Praying before religious images can help us from getting distracted.
Praying with the Heart: St. Louis stresses that the Rosary should not be prayed mechanically or out of habit but with deep devotion and sincerity. Each prayer should come from the heart, with a genuine desire to honor God and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The act of praying the Rosary should be seen as a loving dialogue with Our Blessed Mother and Our Lord. When we see the Rosary as a true dialogue with Heaven, we can better understand how important and precious it is.
Intention Matters: The intention behind the prayer is crucial. St. Louis encourages everyone to offer their Rosary with specific intentions, whether for personal needs, the conversion of sinners, or for the souls in Purgatory. By doing so, the prayer becomes more meaningful and spiritually fruitful. Recall the intention and fruit of each mystery while praying it.
Quality Over Quantity: St. Louis de Montfort is clear that it is better to pray fewer decades of the Rosary well, with devotion and reflection, than to rush through all the decades without proper focus. He cautions against hurrying through the Rosary as if it were a task to be completed quickly. The quality of the prayer is more important than the quantity. If we are not able to focus, it may be better to say the Rosary at a different time in the day.
Taking Time for Meditation: He also advises taking time to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary, which are the key events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. This meditation is what gives the Rosary its power. We can say the mystery, read a few Scriptures verses regarding it, and even pause and visualize the scene before continuing on with the first “Our Father” of the decade.
Conclusion
"When people say the Rosary together it is far more formidable to the devil than one said privately, because in this public prayer it is an army that is attacking. It is very easy to break a single stick, but if you join it to others to make a bundle, it cannot be broken. In union, there is strength” (St. Louis de Montfort)
The next time we pray the Rosary as a group, may we call to mind the words of St. Louis de Montfort and truly see the Rosary for what it is – a weapon against the evil one. And to wield this weapon well, let’s try to offer each prayer of it with attention and deliberate focus. We are waging a battle against the devil by the Rosary. No battle is won by haphazard swings. Each bead takes dedication and attention.
Each year, I have made what I call "Catholic Resolutions." These New Year's Resolutions are not centered on losing weight, eating more vegetables, or securing a raise. I make resolutions for all facets of my life, including these. Rather, these resolutions each year are centered around my spiritual life. I encourage all of you to make resolutions specifically geared toward improving your own Faith life and your own knowledge of the Faith. One's spiritual health needs the same care - if not more - than our physical, financial, or professional health.
Am I truly living a Catholic life? Am I learning more prayers? Am I helping others to learn the Faith and live it out? Do I regularly receive the Sacraments?
Do you struggle with certain sins or addictions? What actions do I need to take to really conquer them?
This is the time of year to truly set Catholic Resolutions, which will have eternal repercussions. Now is the time to actually make true and lasting Catholic Resolutions for the new year.
Some General Suggestions of Catholic Resolutions:
Pray the Rosary every day, if you are out of the habit of it
Pray Lauds, Vespers, and Compline (from the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Divine Office) every day.
Determine what is your predominant fault and make a plan to fight it and conquer it this next year.
Make time for a morning meditation and mental prayer each and every day before work.
Identify one virtue to acquire and one vice to conquer this year. Make an action plan for how you will actually make progress on a daily and weekly basis to do so.
Jan Hus (also known as John Hus) was a Czech religious philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He was born in Husinec, Bohemia (which is part of the modern-day Czech Republic) around 1369 AD and he died on July 6, 1415, in Konstanz, Germany.
Hus was a predecessor to Luther and his errors greatly affected the Faith. He believed that the Church had become corrupt and that its teachings had strayed from the true message of Jesus Christ. He was eventually excommunicated by the Church in 1411. Despite this, he continued to preach and gained a large following in Bohemia. In 1414, he was invited to the Council of Constance to defend his views, but he was arrested and tried for heresy. He was found guilty and burned at the stake on July 6, 1415.
Hus's ideas had a significant influence on the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, particularly in his emphasis on the authority of the Bible and the priesthood of all believers. He is considered a national hero in the Czech Republic, where his ideas are still celebrated today, although the Czech Republic is known as one of the most atheistic countries in the world. The embrace of Protestantism ultimately leads to atheism.
What Did Huss Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?
The Council of Constance condemned 30 of Huss’s false teachings as heretical. They included the following:
1. There is only one holy universal church, which is the total number of those predestined to salvation. It therefore follows that the universal holy church is only one, inasmuch as there is only one number of all those who are predestined to salvation.
2. Paul was never a member of the devil, even though he did certain acts which are similar to the acts of the church's enemies.
3. Those foreknown as damned are not parts of the church, for no part of the church can finally fall away from it, since the predestinating love that binds the church together does not fail.
4. The two natures, the divinity and the humanity, are one Christ.
5. A person foreknown to damnation is never part of the holy church, even if he is in a state of grace according to present justice; a person predestined to salvation always remains a member of the church, even though he may fall away for a time from adventitious grace, for he keeps the grace of predestination.
6. The church is an article of faith in the following sense: to regard it as the convocation of those predestined to salvation, whether or not it be in a state of grace according to present justice.
7. Peter neither was nor is the head of the holy catholic church.
8. It is not necessary to believe that any particular Roman pontiff is the head of any particular holy church, unless God has predestined him to salvation.
9. The pope is not the manifest and true successor of the prince of the apostles, Peter, if he lives in a way contrary to Peter's. If he seeks avarice, he is the vicar of Judas Iscariot. Likewise, cardinals are not the manifest and true successors of the college of Christ's other apostles unless they live after the manner of the apostles, keeping the commandments and counsels of our lord Jesus Christ.
10. There is not the least proof that there must be one head ruling the church in spiritual matters who always lives with the church militant.
Grouping these together, we see two key issues: predestination and papal authority. He paved the way for Luther and his successors.
The Errors of Luther
One key figure in the Protestant Reformation was Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, who, led astray by private judgment, set himself against the Faith held for 1500 years. He decided that all Christians before him had been in error. Is it possible to believe that Jesus founded a Church to mislead the world, and then after 1500 years approved of over 500 contradictory church denominations founded by men? But, you may say, the Protestant Church is the Church of Christ, purified of error, and only this purified form dates from Luther. I answer that you must choose between Luther and Christ. Jesus said His Church would never teach error (John 14:26); Luther says it did teach error. If Luther is right, Christ is wrong; if Christ is right, Luther and all his followers are wrong.
Luther's chief errors are contained in the following propositions: (1) There is no supreme teaching power in the Church. (2) The temporal sovereign has supreme power in matters ecclesiastical. (3) There are no priests. (4) All that is to be believed is in the Bible. (5) Each one may interpret Holy Scripture as he likes. (6) Faith alone saves, good works are superfluous. (7) Man lost his free will by original sin. (8) There are no saints, no Christian sacrifice, no sacrament of confession, and no purgatory.
Martin Luther unleashed a holy war against the Church. Actual physical battles in defense of the Catholic Church exploded in Germany and abroad. His movement of protest was formally called Protestantism. The resultant physical conflicts in Germany alone caused the destruction of more than 1,000 monasteries and castles, the sacking of hundreds of peasant villages which were left in ashes, and the burning of the harvests of the nation. More than 100,000 were killed. Others, inspired by this easy and seductive way of finding salvation once for all times, were quick to pile on, each with a different interpretation of Scripture.
Who Was Zwingli?
Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531) was a Swiss theologian and the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. Zwingli's religious ideas emerged independently of Luther's in the early 16th century, yet both sought to attack the Christian Faith with a radically different doctrine than that which was preached for 15 centuries beforehand.
Zwingli took his own interpretation to Switzerland, where he taught that the actual body and blood of Christ was not present in the Eucharist, but only a representation. His interpretation of Scripture caused further consternation between not only the Catholic Church and his adherents, but also between Zwinglians and Luther’s adherents. John Calvin taught that only certain people were predestined to be saved. No amount of work by one not predestined could change God’s mind. Those not predestined were going to Hell. And as Protestantism spread, so did a myriad of different interpretations of Scripture emerge.
What Did Zwingli Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?
The Bible As the Sole Authority: Zwingli emphasized the authority of the Bible as the sole source of religious truth in a rejection of any other authority. Those familiar with the errors of sola-Scriptura can easily refute this since the entire history of the Church showed that authority was never found directly in the Scriptures. Even the Bible itself states: "Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours."
Rejection of Church Tradition: Zwingli challenged the veneration of saints, celibacy of the clergy, and the use of images and relics. All of these ideas of his can be condemned through a study of history, Scriptural authority (ironically), and the teaching of the Apostles and their successors.
Denial of the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist: The alleged “Reformers” were unanimous in rejecting Transubstantiation and the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist, and they argued endlessly over the Real Presence. Zwingli denied any Presence and called the sacrament a commemoration or symbol. Calvin accepted a ‘presence of power’ or spiritual presence. Luther believed in the Real Presence but not in Transubstantiation but a separate false doctrine called Consubstantiation. Zwingli actually so vehemently opposed Calvin and Luther that he declared them damned and ministers of Satan. Luther eventually wished to remove the doctrine and, in his words, give “a great smack in the face to popery,” but he declared that the Scriptures were too clear on the Real Presence of Christ to remove the doctrine.
Rejection of the Merits of Penance: Zwingli directed multiple attacks against the merits of good works, including fasting and abstinence, through the infamous “The Affair of Sausage” in 1522. He audaciously claimed that since Sola Scriptura was the only authority, sausages should be eaten publicly in Lent in defiance.
Who Was John Calvin?
John Calvin was born in Noyon, France, and initially studied law, but his interests soon turned to theology after he learned of Martin Luther’s new religion. In the early 1530s, Calvin fled from France to Basel, Switzerland, where he began to develop his theological ideas and wrote "Institutes of the Christian Religion” which was filled with the errors of predestination, sola scriptura, and others which became the foundation of the “Reformed” protestant sects.
In 1536, Calvin was invited to Geneva, Switzerland, where he became a leading figure in the city's Reformation. He sought to implement his ideas of church governance and moral discipline, which led to conflicts. After being initially expelled from Geneva, he was later invited back, and during his time there, he helped establish a theocratic government that emphasized a strong connection between Protestantism and state. Thankfully God raised up St. Francis de Sales to combat Calvinism who, by God’s grace, converted 72,000 heretics back to the Catholic Faith.
Calvin's teachings spread throughout Europe, and his influence extended to various Reformed movements in different countries, such as the Netherlands, Scotland, England, and parts of Germany. His theological ideas, known as Calvinism, became a major force in shaping Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, and Reformed Baptists.
What Did Calvin Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?
The Bible As the Sole Authority: Like Luther and Zwingli, Calvin emphasized the authority of the Bible as the sole source of religious truth in a rejection of any other authority. He rejected the Catholic view that tradition, along with Scripture, held equal authority in matters of faith. For Calvin, Scripture alone was sufficient for understanding God's will and receiving divine guidance. And like those who came before him, Calvin’s view is refuted by both Scripture itself and 1,500 years of actual Church history.
Justification by Faith Alone: Calvin, like other protestant founders, held to the doctrine of "sola fide," or justification by faith alone. He taught that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone and does not require us to live out our faith through any works, which contradict the teaching of our Lord directly.
Denial of the Visible Hierarchy Established by Christ: He opposed the hierarchical system of the Church which was established by Christ to have a physical earth, including the authority of the pope.
Rejection of Church Tradition: Calvin objected to the veneration of saints and the use of images and relics.
Denial of the Sacraments: Calvin recognized only two Sacraments— Baptism and the Eucharist – but he viewed even those two Sacraments as symbolic acts that pointed to spiritual realities and rejected the idea of Sacraments as channels of divine grace which affect what they signify. He therefore denied the Real Presence of Christ, the Sacrifice of the Mass, and even the efficacy of Baptism for Salvation. Those who were baptized as children in denominations that follow Calvin’s ideas should be conditionally baptized upon conversion to the Catholic Faith.
Predestination: One of Calvin's most controversial and egregious teachings was the doctrine of predestination. He believed in the concept of "double predestination," which asserted that God predestined some individuals to be saved (the elect) and others to be damned (the reprobate). He, therefore, rejected free will since a person is destined to either heaven or hell and cannot change their fate.
Various Congregational, Reformed, and Presbyterian churches look to these errors as their basis. We have a responsibility to work for the conversion of those ensnared in the errors of Calvin, and to that end, let us invoke the patronage of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen who was martyred by the Calvinists for his defense of the Catholic Faith.
There is No Uniformity in Protestantism
Once Luther stated that the Bible was open to individual interpretation, the theological trail became crisscrossed with Biblical theorizing and harsh denunciations. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Anabaptists, and others all preached different pathways of what each described as the true road to salvation. And they all conflicted with each other. Just as 1 + 1 must equal 2, it is impossible for all of the conflicting and varied protestant groups to all be true. The truth is actually found only in the Catholic Church.
"He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works" (Proverbs 18:9)
Mid-Year Goal Evaluation
Now that we are in the second half of the year, it is an ideal time to assess our year thus far in terms of our spiritual progress. I have often recommended people set Catholic-based goals as part of their New Year's Resolutions. And I strongly encourage people to reflect each week on how those goals are going - in addition to other goals (e.g., professional, family, financial, fitness, etc). Goals are not useful if we set them and forget them. And the same is true for our good resolutions made in Confession or our ambitious plans at the beginning of the year to study the Faith more, to pray more often, to assist at Mass more days in the week, to fast more, or to conquer our vices or dominant fault. We need reminders to assess what we are doing. I encourage people to spend time each week to assess all of these. I have found that either Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, work best for this kind of review.
The Importance of a Daily Schedule
As James Clear makes evident in his best-seller "Atomic Habits," small, incremental changes in day-to-day life can have an enormous impact over the long term. A daily schedule is one way we can better organize our lives for greater productivity to fulfill our vocation. Since so many people are prone to say they do not have time to pray, study, or assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass during the week, crafting a schedule that is conducive to Catholic life is an ideal starting point for achieving Catholic-based productivity.
Father Patrick Troadec, in "From Epiphany to Lent," provides a short but helpful reflection on the importance of having a daily schedule:
We have various obligations depending on our role in society, and it is not rare that we neglect certain of our duties and let ourselves be absorbed by others...or by leisure...We can fail in some of our duties simply because we are disorganized, but certain other activities we do sometimes neglect deliberately because we find them distasteful.
So the first question we have to ask ourselves is this: Among our duties, do we not have a tendency to put too much emphasis on one aspect, to the detriment of some other? Once we have made an inventory of our duties, we have to prioritize our activities, sifting what seems urgent from what is really important, and giving an absolute priority to what is important. That will help us to see where best to start and what time to dedicate to each activity.
And so if we wish our life to be more fruitful and effective, it is good to reflect on the way we spend the precious time which God gives us for working out our salvation. Too many people let themselves be caught in the two-sided trap of overwork and idleness. So it is important to reflect on the means of avoiding this double pitfall. The means is simple and it is within everybody’s grasp: it is a daily schedule. A daily schedule that is well made, well structured, can help us bring more peace into our life, more serenity and more effectiveness.
For there are two ways of living: allowing the events of the day to carry us along as the various occupations arise one after the other, or else guiding those events by determining the place and the time for every occupation. And there is no doubt that this second solution is the better and the more effective of the two.
With a daily schedule that is well thought-out, we truly conform our will to the will of God and we run much less of a risk of sacrificing the essential to the secondary, the important to the trivial. Help me, Lord Jesus, always to organize the broad lines of my days, to plan a time for everything, to be always occupied with something and to avoid not only idleness but overwork, both of which are harmful to my balance and to my spiritual life.
In the past, I shared "A Daily Schedule for A Christ-Centered Life," which can be adapted for your needs. The principle of finding morning and evening times for prayers is key. Practicing our routine daily, in the same spot and at the same time, is highly effective. And as James Clear teaches in "Atomic Habits," habit stacking can be very effective. This practice involves attaching a new habit to an existing one, using the current habit as a cue for the new behavior. For instance, saying that you will say morning prayers and the Angelus after brushing your teeth and showering is habit stacking. You then know when to do it. And you set a specific place each day for it. This has been shown to significantly increase the likelihood of success.
Principles of Atomic Habits to Use for Catholic Goals
The main points of the book can be summarized as follows. Think through each on how it can help you grow in sanctity this year.
The Four Laws of Behavior Change: James Clear outlines four fundamental principles that drive habit formation:
Cue: A trigger that initiates the habit.
Craving: The desire or motivation to act on the habit.
Response: The actual behavior or habit itself.
Reward: The positive outcome or benefit from performing the habit.
Make Habits Obvious: To build good habits, Clear advises making cues and triggers more visible and noticeable. This could involve setting up visual cues or creating specific routines to prompt the desired behavior. Having your Rosary out is one such cue. If it is in the closet or in a bag, you will not think to pray it.
Make Habits Attractive: Linking positive emotions and rewards to habits can make them more appealing. By associating enjoyable experiences with the habit, we are more likely to repeat it.
Make Habits Easy: Simplifying the process of habit formation increases the likelihood of success. Reducing friction and lowering the barriers to entry for positive habits makes them easier to adopt.
Make Habits Satisfying: Providing immediate and satisfying rewards for completing a habit reinforces the behavior. Feeling a sense of accomplishment can reinforce the habit loop.
Break Bad Habits: To break undesirable habits, it is essential to identify the cues and triggers that lead to them. Understanding the underlying reasons for these habits helps in replacing them with positive alternatives.
The Role of Identity: Clear emphasizes the significance of seeing ourselves as the type of person we want to become. By adopting a new identity and belief system, we align our habits with our desired self-image. We are Catholics. That means something with how we live and act. And this identity requires a behavioral change.
The Two-Minute Rule: A practical strategy to overcome procrastination and build new habits is to start with actions that take less than two minutes to complete. This simplifies the task and provides momentum to continue. This is a great way to help us pray the Angelus more. Just set a timer on your phone or watch for 6 AM, Noon, and 6 PM each day. The Angelus takes only a few minutes to pray.
Habit Stacking: This technique involves attaching a new habit to an existing one, using the current habit as a cue for the new behavior. This method increases the likelihood of forming the new habit.
Environment Matters: Modifying the environment can significantly impact habit formation. By organizing our physical and digital spaces to support positive habits, we make it easier to follow through. Having a specific place to pray is one way we can adapt this. It does not even need to be an entire room. Having a certain chair used only for spiritual reading or setting up a home altar can be very effective.
Plateau of Latent Potential: Often, breakthroughs come after consistent efforts, even when it seems like progress is slow. Habits may take time to show their full impact.
I have also found the principles of David Allen's "Getting Things Done" book to be highly effective in helping me achieve all my responsibilities while prioritizing my spiritual goals. The following flow chart from his resources is something that I regularly use, and I would encourage you to download it and use it as well.
Yet In All Things, Priorities Come First
In all of the talk of productivity, first things must still come first. And to the Catholic, that is the priority of Sunday Mass which is foundational in our life. If possible, we can and should go to Mass more often during the week. But at a minimum, Sunday must be a day of rest and a day of worship of God. All else must be based on that understanding - productivity can never overtake the 3rd Commandment and the Precepts of the Church.
Conclusion
Now that we are halfway through the year assess how you can make renewed progress for the spiritual life in the second half of the year. Finish strong. Fight the good fight. Do not treat the Catholic Faith as one part of your life but rather, treat it as the center of your life. Prioritize your Catholic values and goals. As our Lord said, "Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).
If you have any recommendations for how to organization your productivity to live a Catholic life, or if you have any links to books, podcasts, articles, or videos that you found helpful, please paste them in the comments below.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links on this blog are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, for instance, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made by those who click on the Amazon affiliate links included on this website. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Matthew is a Third Order Dominican from Chicago and an expert on Catholicism, with an emphasis on Traditional Fasting. He has written for "A Catholic Life" since 2005. Matthew is a Certified Catechist and is a speaker available to address your next parish or Catholic conference gathering. Matthew spends his leisure time traveling, teaching, writing, and enjoying Catholic culture. He is also a writer for "Catholic Family News" and "The Fatima Center." Please contact Matthew directly regarding advertising requests for A Catholic Life or in regard to speaking engagements.
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