Lessons Twenty-four, Twenty-five, and Twenty-six

I'd like to share another bit from the same chapter of the book I shared with you yesterday:

It makes a rather good parable, don't you think, if one takes the room as representing the Church, and the glass as representing that curious thing for which we have no name-that sheath of simultaneous attraction and repulsion which surrounds the Church...How is it that you get two people, both attracted towards the Church, both as far as you can judge in thoroughly good dispositions, and yet one of them finds the way in and the other doesn't?...how do you account for those souls which seem to see their way, the whole Catholic idea is opening itself up to them, and yet at the last moment they seem to come up against a wall of glass?  I say "wall of glass" because it is something we can't account for, just as the moth which is trying to get into your room can't account for the mysterious inhibition which retards its progress.

The last bit about the moth made me giggle aloud when I read it.


Lesson Twenty-four
Baptism
315.  What is Baptism?  Baptism is the sacrament that gives our souls the new life of sanctifying grace by which we become children of God and heirs of heaven.
This chapter also covers baptism by blood, or desire.  By blood is achieved by martyrdom for the belief in Christ, and by desire is gained by loving God above all things.  They are "life lines" as the book puts it.

Lesson Twenty-five
Confirmation
330.  What is Confirmation?  Confirmation is the sacrament through which the holy spirit comes to us in a special way and enables us to profess our faith as strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.
334.  What is holy chrism?  Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm, blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday.
This chapter explains our weapons, which are:

1. Suffering and Sacrifice
2. Prayer
3. Good Example
4. Encouragement

It also features rather entertaining pictures to illustrate things like number 330; the soldier in Christ.
Apparently the Bishop used to give people he confirmed a "slight blow on the cheek" to remind them that they will encounter suffering on this road.  Interesting.
The chapter also encourages you to continue study after confirmation.  I tend to agree with this; you cannot possibly have learned everything you need to know about the faith.  There is always more to read.

Lesson Twenty-six
The Holy Eucharist
343.  What is the Holy Eucharist?  The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament and a sacrifice.  In the Holy Eucharist, in the appearances of bread and wine, the Lord Christ is contained, offered, and received. 
The above link is a miracle that Father mentioned during this lesson.  There are also others, but I like the story of the first link better.
This chapter/lesson helped ease my mind about transubstantiation.  I had previously been uncomfortable with the idea that the Eucharist was real flesh and blood.  It is symbolically - and in the above cases literally - and the meaning behind the symbol is pretty fantastic (in the good way), if you ask me.
An acquaintance of mine that recently (ish) found me on facebook was telling me about going to a Lutheran - I think she said Lutheran - service.  I'm not sure what they call them.  Anyway, she went up to receive communion and asked the priest/reverend/preacher if he was going to "give her the damn wafer already, or just keep waving it around in front of her face?"  After relating this to me she laughed and said something to the effect of it being the 21st century; why couldn't they have something that actually tasted good, like a cracker or cookie or something?

Speaking of it being the 21st century, Father made a comment about the use of that argument.  He said (this is not verbatim) "so, the 21st century means tradition should end?"
Tradition is tradition for a reason, you know.  I prefer tradition to modern habits, but that's me.