Study Guide for The Lamb’s Supper

Recently I received Scott Hahn’s Study Guide for The Lamb’ s Supper from Doubleday.  Receiving the study guide became a good reason to re-read The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth.  The book presents the Book of Revelation in it’s connection to the Mass in that the key to unlocking so many strange symbols is the liturgy.  This is more than just of thesis of Dr. Scott Hahn.  He discovered this independently only to find that it was a thread of teaching in the Church Fathers and some once again presented in the Second Vatican Council.  Scott Hahn is adept at presenting deep theological truths in bite-sized chunks without watering down the information presented.  Re-reading The Lamb’s Supper reminded me of many elements that I had half-forgot and really want to keep uppermost in my mind when it comes the the liturgy.

As for the study guide itself, it is a nice companion to the book.  Each section following the book starts with a solid summary of the chapter itself, followed by related doctrinal statements, a hymn, and then a series of questions/reflections on the contents.  These questions were written by the always great Mike Aquilina.

I am usually not impressed by study guides and their usefulness, but this is not the case here.  While it could be used on a personal level, it is in the group setting that it would shine.  I would really recommend it for youth groups, adult continuing formation, home school families etc.  You can easily have people read the chapter ahead of time and then read aloud the summary which will both remind people of what they read, but also help in emphasizing and memory retention.  The doctrinal component from the Catechism and a range of Church documents and other sources really connects the chapters with what the Church teaches.  Plus the Questions are not just something thrown together but an important part of the guide, especially in a group setting.

The teaching on the Book of Revelation related to the Mass is very important and something that should be more known to help Catholics not only know their faith, but the reality of the highest form of prayer – The Mass.  So I think it is ideal for use in youth groups, adult formation, or within a homeschool family since both the book and the guide are highly accessible and the information of primary importance.