Footsteps to Heaven

Episode #26: Part 7 of "Going Deeper into Mass" – WHEN DOES THE BREAD AND WINE BECOME JESUS? The Eucharist Prayers of the Mass bring us to the source and the summit of our faith. This is when we receive what we need to live the holy, make a difference in the world and experience the miracles that faith is supposed to provide for us. At what point during the Eucharist Prayers does the miracle of transubstantiation happen and the bread and wine supernaturally become Jesus? Or – is there just a moment in time? Terry Modica explains how it’s really like a pregnancy. Stay tuned for the rest of this series going deeper into Holy Mass. You might also be interested in our video series on this topic, entitled " Take, Eat, and Drink ". This is a set of 17 short segments (three to five minutes) that is used by catechists but is also good for personal use. Each video ends with a question for personal reflection or group discussion. See it @  http://gnm-media.org/take-ea...

Episode #25: Part 6 of "Going Deeper into Mass" - THE OFFERTORY During the Offertory, we are offering back to God the gifts and blessings that he has given to us. In thanksgiving, we give God the gift of money to help the Church do the works of Jesus. We give the gift of the fruits of our labors. What has he given you? What are your personality traits, the good ones, which God designed you to have? These are gifts from the God – you were made in his image – and at this point in the Mass, now is the time to thank him for what makes you the wonderful you that you are. You can supernaturally place any of the giftedness of your life on the altar when the priest accepts (when Jesus accepts) the monetary collection. Now is the time to thank God for the blessings in your life by offering them back to him for his use. And thus the gifts are multiplied! Stay tuned for the rest of this series going deeper into Holy Mass. You might also be interested in our video series on this to...

Episode #24: Part 5 of "Going Deeper into Mass" - THE CREED When we proclaim our faith out loud, the devil hears us and knows he has been defeated. This is one reason why we recite the Creed during Mass and why it’s important to not be silent but to pay close attention to the words of the Creed and what they mean. Every line of the Creed conquers lies about who God really is -- God the Father, God the Savior Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit – and also who we are as the Church. In this episode, Terry Modica describes the heresies that the Creed overcomes. Stay tuned for the rest of this series going deeper into Holy Mass. You might also be interested in our video series on this topic, entitled "Take, Eat, and Drink". This is a set of 17 short segments (three to five minutes) that is used by catechists but is also good for personal use. Each video ends with a question for personal reflection or group discussion. See it @  http://gnm-media.org/take-eat-drink/...

Episode #23: Part 4 of "Going Deeper into Mass" - THE LITURGY OF THE WORD It's important to really have an open mind and heart and to really listen to what God wants to say to us throughout the Holy Mass. He speaks most clearly during the Liturgy of the Word. It’s meant to change us! And it’s meant to empower us to go out from church and change the world. This is why the ministry of reading the Word of God – and cantoring the psalms -- is the work of evangelization. Stay tuned for the rest of this series going deeper into Holy Mass. You might also be interested in our video series on this topic, entitled " Take, Eat, and Drink ". This is a set of 17 short segments (three to five minutes) that is used by catechists but is also good for personal use. Each video ends with a question for personal reflection or group discussion. See it @  http://gnm-media.org/take-eat-drink/ Do you believe more people should hear this podcast show? Please sponsor upcoming epi...

Episode #22: Part 3 of "Going Deeper into Mass" - THE GLORIA The timing of the Gloria during the Catholic Mass is important. It comes immediately after the Penitential Rite for a reason. We sing our praises to God after we've opened ourselves to the healing of our souls. Having received forgiveness, we want to sing praises to God and give him our gratefulness. We are grateful that Jesus died on the cross for us to take away the sins that we thought about during the Penitential Rite. We sing “Glory!” because we are excited that we have been set free from the enslavement of sins. In a spirit of thanksgiving, we sing or pray the Gloria together – the priest and laity together as one body. This is when we begin to really enter into celebrating the glory of God. The Gloria is meant to inspire awe. Stay tuned for the rest of this series going deeper into Holy Mass. You might also be interested in our video series on this topic, entitled " Take, Eat, and Drink "....

Episode #21: Part 2 of "Going Deeper into Mass" - THE PENITENTIAL RITE The Catholic Mass is a celebration of our union with God the Father, God the Son our Savior, and God the Holy Spirit who empowers us to become the saints God designed us to be, the saints Jesus suffered and died for us to become. Because Jesus is present in the community, we need forgiveness for the unloving things that we have done to each other – and “each other” means anyone at all, anywhere – all children of God. Therefore our sins, because they divide us from God and from each other, must first be absolved prior to receiving the Eucharist. The Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Penitential Rite restore our unity with God and with the Church – with each other – so that we can receive the Eucharist rightly. In other words, so that we can be mystically and fully united to Christ and all that he offers us – all the love of the Father, all the help and all the guidance of the Holy Spirit, all the mira...

Episode #20: Part 1 of "Going Deeper into Mass" - THE BEGINNING How personal is your relationship with Jesus during Mass? The entire Catholic Mass is an encounter with the True Presence of Christ, and it should change us: We should be healed by it. We should feel loved and become more fully loving as a result of it. Our hearts should become more peaceful. Our tendencies to sin should be transformed into greater strength to resist sin. A true encounter with Christ makes a difference. This is what Mass is designed to do. Mass begins with a gathering song and procession. This is as important as any other part of the Mass and should never be missed. Here's why! Jesus begins to reveal himself. Here's how! You might also be interested in our video series on this topic, entitled " Take, Eat, and Drink ". This is a set of 17 short segments (three to five minutes) that is used by catechists but is also good for personal use. Each video ends with a question for ...