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Living the Mysteries: A Guide for Unfinished Christians
Until we get to heaven, we're all unfinished Christians. There are no "self-made" success stories in the spiritual life. No do-it-yourself kits for aspiring saints. That's why Living the Mysteries is ideal for a family member, friend, or fellow parishioner who was recently in the RCIA program and received the sacraments of initiation - baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist - at the Easter Vigil. That's why it's perfect for a lifelong Catholic, too. The early Church had a process in which a teacher guided seekers through stages of inquiry and purification, culminating in a final phase called "mystagogy" - MIST-a go-gee- "the revelation of the mysteries." The instruction the early Christians needed is what we all need, no matter when we were baptized, no matter how much theology we've studied. That's because God's mysteries are inexhaustible and, until we get to heaven, we're all unfinished Christians. Now eight of the early Church's greatest teachers can be your guides as Living the Mysteries presents the wisdom and insights Designed as a devotional - and more - for the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost, Living the Mysteries is a rich spiritual resource valuable any time of the year. Each day You will treasure these timeless lessons on gaining eternal life.
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
16 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Scott Hahn
415 books1,326 followersScott Hahn is a renowned Catholic theologian, apologist, speaker, and bestselling author whose work has had a profound impact on contemporary biblical theology and Catholic thought. A former Presbyterian minister, Hahn converted to Catholicism in 1986 after an intense personal and theological journey, which he details in his popular book Rome Sweet Home, co-written with his wife, Kimberly Hahn. Their story of conversion has inspired countless readers around the world and remains a landmark in modern Catholic apologetics.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 7, 2013
Scott Hahn and Mike Aquilina should need no introduction, especially if you have read any of my other reviews. Both have written thousands of pages on Catholic doctrine and devotion. This book is intended to be read after Easter as it is a series of reflections or devotions over 50 days. However, one would benefit from reading it at any point in the Church's calendar, as we are all unfinished Christians.
Upon reading the first few pages of this book, the reader is informed that the content of the book is taken from ancient Church Fathers. I will admit that I was a bit skeptical at first as I thought it would be a ton of St. Augustine, as he is THE Church Father for Western Catholicism. And while he is one of the eight Church Fathers that the authors drew from, they also did a magnificent job of using some Eastern Church Fathers as well, including St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa (St. Basil's brother), and the theological heavyweight in the East, St. John Chrysostom.
Each day ends with three steps to help make the lesson stick. You pray about it, try and commit one of the key lines in the sermon to heart, and then there is a practical application for your daily life. It is tough to say which one is my favorite week, as each proved useful and worth reading. However, if I had to pick one, I think I would pick St. Clement of Alexandria's week "On Illumination." Throughout this week, one learns about "The Power of Prayer" and "How to Live Like a Christian." The messages on both of these days were powerful and inspiring.
This book gets 5 out of 5 stars, but I wish I could give it more. If you want to know more of what the early Church taught and would like to read more from the Church Fathers, this is a good starter book for you. I know Easter is still several months away, but this is my recommendation to you for Easter reading. I look forward to reading through it again during the Easter season at a slower pace and trying to gain more from this rich and beautiful book. This book was provided for free in exchange for a review by Our Sunday Visitor.
Upon reading the first few pages of this book, the reader is informed that the content of the book is taken from ancient Church Fathers. I will admit that I was a bit skeptical at first as I thought it would be a ton of St. Augustine, as he is THE Church Father for Western Catholicism. And while he is one of the eight Church Fathers that the authors drew from, they also did a magnificent job of using some Eastern Church Fathers as well, including St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa (St. Basil's brother), and the theological heavyweight in the East, St. John Chrysostom.
Each day ends with three steps to help make the lesson stick. You pray about it, try and commit one of the key lines in the sermon to heart, and then there is a practical application for your daily life. It is tough to say which one is my favorite week, as each proved useful and worth reading. However, if I had to pick one, I think I would pick St. Clement of Alexandria's week "On Illumination." Throughout this week, one learns about "The Power of Prayer" and "How to Live Like a Christian." The messages on both of these days were powerful and inspiring.
This book gets 5 out of 5 stars, but I wish I could give it more. If you want to know more of what the early Church taught and would like to read more from the Church Fathers, this is a good starter book for you. I know Easter is still several months away, but this is my recommendation to you for Easter reading. I look forward to reading through it again during the Easter season at a slower pace and trying to gain more from this rich and beautiful book. This book was provided for free in exchange for a review by Our Sunday Visitor.
July 6, 2020
Contains excerpts from the writings/homilies of the early Church fathers on the sacraments and Christian life. Excellent for prayer, also good for learning about the roots of the Catholic Church’s understanding of the sacraments.
November 7, 2012
This is a good little devotional. It is, in fact, much smaller than my time to read it suggests. It has 50 passages on the mysteries of the Church, meant to be read each day following Easter, so that the final reading falls on Pentecost. I wish I had read it to succinctly. I also wish I had maintained an attempt to memorize the memorization bits for each day, to make the devotional more effective in my life.
That said, the book was not perfect. The translations were, occasionally, quirky. The content of each passage was not always clear. These two details can be written up to the habits of the Novus Ordo and the designated audience (i.e., Roman Catholics), respectively, so they are not huge losses. I do not think that the passages were nearly long enough to have three "prayer" quotes, one "memorization" quote, and one "application" lesson for each reading. Some of those passages were downright paltry, and takes quotes from them to be reiterated three seconds after you finish reading them is... well, it's good rote, but it's bad reading. So your mileage may vary, as that goes.
Overall, it was a good book with some good lessons on the mysteries; definitely a must-read for anyone curious about or questioning the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. Its use of ancient writers, rather than Scott Hahn and Mike Aquilina's own writings (nothing against them personally or professionally, but they are modern, and there's a certain orthodox delight in relying on the older gents), makes for enlightening reading, although it may - at times - feel disjointed and forced. Also, the introductions to each passage offered by Hahn and Aquilina are often redundant and occasionally excessive; I see little need for their presence, except to tilt the scales toward "original content" in the book.
At any rate - a good read, and done at last.
That said, the book was not perfect. The translations were, occasionally, quirky. The content of each passage was not always clear. These two details can be written up to the habits of the Novus Ordo and the designated audience (i.e., Roman Catholics), respectively, so they are not huge losses. I do not think that the passages were nearly long enough to have three "prayer" quotes, one "memorization" quote, and one "application" lesson for each reading. Some of those passages were downright paltry, and takes quotes from them to be reiterated three seconds after you finish reading them is... well, it's good rote, but it's bad reading. So your mileage may vary, as that goes.
Overall, it was a good book with some good lessons on the mysteries; definitely a must-read for anyone curious about or questioning the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. Its use of ancient writers, rather than Scott Hahn and Mike Aquilina's own writings (nothing against them personally or professionally, but they are modern, and there's a certain orthodox delight in relying on the older gents), makes for enlightening reading, although it may - at times - feel disjointed and forced. Also, the introductions to each passage offered by Hahn and Aquilina are often redundant and occasionally excessive; I see little need for their presence, except to tilt the scales toward "original content" in the book.
At any rate - a good read, and done at last.
May 27, 2015
Helpful guide for a somewhat neglected period of the calendar.
There are many devotional guides for times like Lent and Advent, but I'd never seen one for Pentecost until this book. It's a 40-day reading plan that starts at Easter and goes through Pentecost, which is a time in the Church year of great importance. It draws from a handful of Church fathers and focuses on mystagogy, the learning of mysteries commonly undertaken by new Christians following their baptism. As a new Catholic convert, I found this extremely helpful. More established Catholics will as well.
Non-Catholics should be aware that this book is for Catholics and uses heavy doses of the doctrine and language of the Church. If you can deal with that, then you might learn a lot about why the Church places such importance on this time.
There are many devotional guides for times like Lent and Advent, but I'd never seen one for Pentecost until this book. It's a 40-day reading plan that starts at Easter and goes through Pentecost, which is a time in the Church year of great importance. It draws from a handful of Church fathers and focuses on mystagogy, the learning of mysteries commonly undertaken by new Christians following their baptism. As a new Catholic convert, I found this extremely helpful. More established Catholics will as well.
Non-Catholics should be aware that this book is for Catholics and uses heavy doses of the doctrine and language of the Church. If you can deal with that, then you might learn a lot about why the Church places such importance on this time.
June 3, 2017
While I think this might prove a good introduction for those who know basically nothing about church teachings, for someone who wants more knowledge of early church fathers' teachings, it simply does not fit the bill. It is much too simplistic to prove helpful.
I am re-reading this book again to see if I was too hasty in my opinion of it....
I liked it better this time around. I think that last time I had just finished most of my RCIA courses and was expecting the readings of the ancient theologians to be more in-depth than they were and so was disappointed. Of course, this is a good introduction for those who haven't read anything, or at least not much, regarding the early founders of the church. And it is good for group discussions, which is what our church uses it for. It is just not an in-depth study of any particular mystery....
I am re-reading this book again to see if I was too hasty in my opinion of it....
I liked it better this time around. I think that last time I had just finished most of my RCIA courses and was expecting the readings of the ancient theologians to be more in-depth than they were and so was disappointed. Of course, this is a good introduction for those who haven't read anything, or at least not much, regarding the early founders of the church. And it is good for group discussions, which is what our church uses it for. It is just not an in-depth study of any particular mystery....
September 11, 2012
This is a great book for use in the Mystagogy portion of RCIA, or for a sacramental retreat for adult Catholics. It consists of small excerpts from the sermons and writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, reflecting on the graces and meaning of the liturgy and the sacraments. It is keyed to a 50-day period, corresponding with the Easter Season, so it is clearly designed for those who have been initiated into the Church at Easter - the neophytes. However, because many Catholics were baptized as children and only grudgingly underwent Confirmation, this book is useful for that time when those same Catholics rediscover the great gifts that their parents gave them in the form of the Faith, and decide they want to embrace and celebrate it themselves.
September 22, 2015
A must read for all Christians especially Christians or people searching to find their way that are questioning faith in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Marvelous read on many of our great, early Saints. Enjoy and learn.
April 23, 2013
Excellent private study on the teachings of the early Church Fathers. Organized into topics and divided into short excerpts. A great daily meditation.
June 17, 2017
Nice book following RCIA
December 20, 2019
This is very enjoyable. Especially if you take it one day at a time.
December 17, 2024
Read the unintended way; not as daily devotions but as a ravenous catechumen. Wish it was longer. See NewAdvent online for full catechetical lectures from patristics.
May 19, 2021
The book is a 50-day devotional meant to be read between Easter and Pentecost, the traditional period of Mystagogy for the recently baptized. Each day has a different writing from one of the Church Father's on the topics of the Sacraments, the Eucharist, the Church, the Christian Life, and the Glory of God.
St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Clement of Alexandria, St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Leo the Great.
I may just re-read this every single year. A terrific and enlightening read for anybody interested in the Christian Church of the first few hundred years after Christ!
St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Clement of Alexandria, St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Leo the Great.
I may just re-read this every single year. A terrific and enlightening read for anybody interested in the Christian Church of the first few hundred years after Christ!
April 18, 2020
Really cool Easter to Pentacost "devotional." This is a great read for anyone who's been baptized, and especially for anyone who's ever been confirmed in the catholic church. Great little excerpts from early church fathers explaining what we believe as Christians, with just a little modern commentary and life applications. The intro chapters are also very informative.
I would not recommend this book to anyone who is not yet baptized as it's not exactly an intro to Christianity (for that I would recommend Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis), but rather a deeper diving into the mysteries of Christ and His body, the Church.
I would not recommend this book to anyone who is not yet baptized as it's not exactly an intro to Christianity (for that I would recommend Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis), but rather a deeper diving into the mysteries of Christ and His body, the Church.
July 5, 2020
Read this for discussion following RCIA. Great book.
May 30, 2023
This is an incredible devotional build entirely from excerpts of Church Fathers' sermons on aspects of mystagogy and intended to be read between Easter and Pentecost.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews