Video series offers ‘deep dive’ into the mysteries of the Mass

A new video series featuring several U.S. Catholic bishops will offer what organizers call a “deep dive into the sacred mysteries of the Mass.”

“Beautiful Light: A Paschal Mystagogy,” produced by the National Eucharistic Revival, will be livestreamed on seven consecutive Thursdays from April 4-May 16 at 8 p.m. on the revival’s Facebook, YouTube and Instagram channels.

Launched in June 2022, the revival is a three-year grassroots initiative sponsored by the nation’s Catholic bishops to enkindle devotion to the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The various events and programs of the revival will be capped by the National Eucharistic Congress, which will take place July 17-21 in Indianapolis.

The upcoming video series will be hosted by Sister Alicia Torres, a member of the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago and part of the revival’s executive team, and National Eucharistic Revival missionary Tanner Kalina.

The episodes, led by various bishops, will survey the central aspects of the Mass as part of what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1075) calls “liturgical catechesis,” or “mystagogy.”

Derived from the Greek for “being led (or initiated) into the mysteries,” mystagogy has since the early church enabled newly initiated Christians to better understand the sacred mysteries they have just embraced.

The video series is intended for both viewers who are “cradle Catholics” as well as those who “have just entered the church at Easter,” Sister Alicia said in a blog post announcing the series — and the participating bishops will also share their responses to “questions that are pressing on our hearts,” she added.

Along with a better understanding of the Mass, the series aims to help the faithful lead Eucharistic lives, Sister Alicia wrote.

The schedule for the series is as follows:

— Episode 1 (April 4), “Sacrifice” with Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis, who will focus on the offertory of the Mass, explaining how the faithful can unite their own offerings to the total self-gift of Jesus to the Father for the salvation of the world.

— Episode 2 (April 11), “Praise and Thanksgiving” with Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn, N.Y., mystical Body of Christ while offering praise and thanksgiving to God.

— Episode 3 (April 18), “Called to Holiness” with Auxiliary Bishop Gregory W. Gordon of Las Vegas, who will consider the epiclesis prayer, through which the Holy Spirit is invoked to consecrate the bread and the wine — and the faithful.

— Episode 4 (April 25), “Jesus, Lord and Lover of Souls” with Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., and leader of the National Eucharistic Revival on behalf of the U.S. bishops, who will explain the institution narrative, during which the bread and wine are transformed into Christ’s body and blood as the priest speaks Jesus’ words from the Last Supper.

— Episode 5 (May 2), “Paschal Mystery” with Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of Atlanta, who will speak about the “anamnesis” (Greek for “calling to mind”), also known as the memorial acclamation, and how that sacred remembrance once again makes present the paschal mystery.

— Episode 6 (May 9), “The Body of Christ, the Church” with Bishop Gordon returning for a second session to explain how the entire mystical body of Christ — those in heaven, on earth and in purgatory — is present at every Mass.

-Episode 7 (May 16), “The Joy of Trinitarian Adoration” with Auxiliary Bishop Joseph L. Coffey of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, who will examine the significance of the Doxology and Great Amen, during which the priest elevates the consecrated host and chalice while proclaiming praise for the Triune God.

More information about the video series, along with links to the platforms on which it will be livestreamed, can be found at the website of the National Eucharistic Revival (https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/post/beautiful-light-a-paschal-mystagogy-live)

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