Book Review: Behold, Believe, Become

We are in the middle of the National Eucharistic Revival, launched in 2022 and sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The mission is to “renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the holy Eucharist.”

Perhaps, you are already participating in some sort of spiritual development activity “to gain inspiration and encounter God in a renewed way in the Eucharist.” Perhaps, you could use a fresh approach for growing spiritually. If so, I encourage you to read “Behold, Believe, Become.”
 
With “Behold, Believe, Become” we have a wonderful Eucharistic Revival resource for “enkindling” our relationship with Jesus and forming new habits of contemplation that will draw us closer to God. This book doesn’t delve into the intricate history of Eucharistic Prayers or of the meaning of various words and actions. Instead, it provides a unique exploration of the material stuff of the Mass that we encounter from the time we enter the church until the time we depart at the end.

In this short, 104-page book, Timothy P. O’Malley, Catholic theologian, educator and author at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, uses wonderful symbolism as he leads us on “an unconventional walk” to contemplate on “the things we see, say, and do” at Mass. O’Malley has dedicated this book to Father Romano Guardini, a German Catholic priest who is “regarded as one of the most important Catholic intellectuals of the twentieth century” and his “Meditations on the Mass” seems to have greatly influenced “Behold, Believe, Become.”

According to O’Malley, to get the most benefit from our “walk,” we must adopt a particular “disposition.” A disposition that will help us engage consciously and actively to look for the deeper meaning of what we are experiencing. He suggests that the motto, “matter matters” best describes the disposition we need to have.

In other words, we need to slow down and “contemplate what matters” for what we might normally consider as the “ordinary matter” of Mass: our arrival at the entrance door of the church, approaching the font, making the Sign of the Cross while dipping our fingers into the holy water, kneeling in the pew where we will sit, participating in the Liturgy and the Holy Eucharist and even the recession at the end of Mass. 

I really like how O’Malley blends very relatable, real-life examples throughout the book and that at the end of each five-six-page chapter is a three-part set of reflection questions (a question related to Behold, to Believe, and to Become). Also, it was great to find a QR code and website address that allows access to brief companion videos for each chapter that feature Deacon Jason and Rachel Bulman of “Meet the Bulmans.” 

“Behold, Believe, Become” is a thought-provoking book and my “unconventional walk” experience has definitely motivated me to see, say and do things differently at Mass. This book would be a great resource for your personal growth or for conversation in a small group setting.

John H. Dolezal is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.