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The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith
When a poor devout widow begs for a scrap of bread from a rich faithless baker, she promises to participate in the king’s wedding mass as payment for the baker’s generosity. The baker writes “One Mass” on a scrap of paper and places it on his scale to determine how much bread it is worth. To his and the entire town’s surprise, nothing in the shop, not even the gigantic wedding cakes made for the king, outweighs the simple piece of paper representing the true worth of a mass. Luminous old-world watercolor paintings grace the interior of the book and gold foil artwork lends an air of solemnity and sacred beauty to the story. This has been a best-selling children's book since it was first published. It us often made into plays for catechises, or used in homilies, and read on YouTube, and on private sites and channels.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
September 30, 2008
mass = density x volume
Actually I don't mean that kind of Mass. I never was very good at Science, sadly. But I do love this book! My friend, Joy, reminded me about it. It didn't come out until 2002 by which time both of my children had already received their First Holy Communion. I think they were past the 'playing Mass' stage by then too; they used to like to dress up in their past saints' days costumes and pretend they were saying and attending Mass.
This charming book is about another time when people stopped believing in the weight -- in the value -- of a Mass. The title is a play on words, but even though the story is light-hearted and the pictures colorful, you cannot help but see the underlying gravity (pun intended) of the message. And it is a message which needs to be heard as much today as ever before.
Suitable for all ages and faiths!
Actually I don't mean that kind of Mass. I never was very good at Science, sadly. But I do love this book! My friend, Joy, reminded me about it. It didn't come out until 2002 by which time both of my children had already received their First Holy Communion. I think they were past the 'playing Mass' stage by then too; they used to like to dress up in their past saints' days costumes and pretend they were saying and attending Mass.
This charming book is about another time when people stopped believing in the weight -- in the value -- of a Mass. The title is a play on words, but even though the story is light-hearted and the pictures colorful, you cannot help but see the underlying gravity (pun intended) of the message. And it is a message which needs to be heard as much today as ever before.
Suitable for all ages and faiths!
August 9, 2018
A beautiful story with amazing illustrations, perfect for Catholic children.
December 25, 2017
This is a beautiful book with an inspiring religious message gifted to my nephews from a great aunt. Unfortunately at ages 2 and 4, there is a lot of text for them to feel invested.
February 12, 2013
A lovely tale with brilliant symbolism.
I was blown over by how simply and beautifully told this was....
I was blown over by how simply and beautifully told this was....
January 20, 2019
Based on a story that Josephine Nobisso read in The Spirit of Medjugorje newsletter, The Weight of a Mass is an original fairy-tale intended to illustrate the significance of Mass, in the Catholic tradition, and the importance of attendance, for the faithful. The story of a miracle, it follows events in an unnamed kingdom, where the king's upcoming marriage to a neighboring queen is expected to be sparsely attended, because the ceremony is to be held in the cathedral, and the king's subjects have grown "cold and careless," in their religious observances. But when a humble beggar woman asks for a piece of bread at the local baker's - the very baker who created the king's wedding cake - in exchange for her evening Mass, which she offers to say for him, his scorn for her, and for the Mass, leads to an unexpected occurrence. For although he piles all of his baked goods on one side of his scale, the tiny piece of paper on which he has written "one mass," outweighs it all...
Although not a Catholic, and decidedly not a believer in the idea that religious ritual is necessary for spiritual sustenance and/or a relationship with the divine, I appreciated Nobisso's story, which - at the very least - highlights the fact that the spiritual realm has more "weight," despite being intangible, than many more material concerns. I'm not really the right audience for The Weight of a Mass, which I picked up, not because of its subject matter, but because the illustrator's work has been recommended to me. A Hungarian artist, Katalín Szegedí is a talented woman, and I appreciated her mixed media illustrations here, with their appealing blend of painting and collage, and wish that her work were more readily available in the states. So far, I have only been able to obtain this, and Nobisso and Szegedí's other joint venture, Take It to the Queen: A Tale of Hope .
Recommended to anyone looking for engaging children's stories that teach Catholic values, as well as to anyone interested in Katalín Szegedí's work.
Although not a Catholic, and decidedly not a believer in the idea that religious ritual is necessary for spiritual sustenance and/or a relationship with the divine, I appreciated Nobisso's story, which - at the very least - highlights the fact that the spiritual realm has more "weight," despite being intangible, than many more material concerns. I'm not really the right audience for The Weight of a Mass, which I picked up, not because of its subject matter, but because the illustrator's work has been recommended to me. A Hungarian artist, Katalín Szegedí is a talented woman, and I appreciated her mixed media illustrations here, with their appealing blend of painting and collage, and wish that her work were more readily available in the states. So far, I have only been able to obtain this, and Nobisso and Szegedí's other joint venture, Take It to the Queen: A Tale of Hope .
Recommended to anyone looking for engaging children's stories that teach Catholic values, as well as to anyone interested in Katalín Szegedí's work.
March 10, 2014
Although written from a Catholic perspective, the principle of faith can be universally applied. An excellent book!
July 7, 2016
Such a beautiful book! Gorgeous illustrations for this simple, yet profound little story. I only wish it were longer!
January 2, 2017
Luxembourg
The setting of this "original fable based on a true event" is never stated outright, though there is mention of a "schilling" which might hint at Austria, but the event on which the story is based occurred in Luxembourg. One account can be read at http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/h053rp.Mass.html.
The story is very appealingly told. It changes a number of details, but creates a well-composed whole that effectively instills the message of the original. What is especially gratifying - and I almost overlooked this - is that the undersides of the dustjacket flaps contain probably four pages or more worth of insights in small type. The switch from butcher's to baker's shop, for example, was made to emphasize that Christ is the Bread of Life and that in the Mass, the bread becomes His flesh. In the great tradition of Catholic art, little bits of the illustrations have clues and symbolism. I was blown away by the depth of this book. It is so simple and can be taken as just a nice story (even with the religious subject matter), but look further and you find so much more behind it.
The illustrations are glorious, showing the majesty of the cathedral, the delicious food, and the various people, both rich and poor. They are painted with warm watercolors, and a variety of perspectives are used. The book's design uses full bleeds on every spread; never any margins, so the large images draw the reader in. The colors and makeup of the images are well planned to provide space for the text, which is presented in chunks of about four sentences per page, sometimes on one page per spread; sometimes on two. It's very attractive.
The author and illustrator have done at least one other book (Take It to the Queen: A Tale of Hope) that I am eager to see - I hope it lives up to the high standard set by this one.
The setting of this "original fable based on a true event" is never stated outright, though there is mention of a "schilling" which might hint at Austria, but the event on which the story is based occurred in Luxembourg. One account can be read at http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/h053rp.Mass.html.
The story is very appealingly told. It changes a number of details, but creates a well-composed whole that effectively instills the message of the original. What is especially gratifying - and I almost overlooked this - is that the undersides of the dustjacket flaps contain probably four pages or more worth of insights in small type. The switch from butcher's to baker's shop, for example, was made to emphasize that Christ is the Bread of Life and that in the Mass, the bread becomes His flesh. In the great tradition of Catholic art, little bits of the illustrations have clues and symbolism. I was blown away by the depth of this book. It is so simple and can be taken as just a nice story (even with the religious subject matter), but look further and you find so much more behind it.
The illustrations are glorious, showing the majesty of the cathedral, the delicious food, and the various people, both rich and poor. They are painted with warm watercolors, and a variety of perspectives are used. The book's design uses full bleeds on every spread; never any margins, so the large images draw the reader in. The colors and makeup of the images are well planned to provide space for the text, which is presented in chunks of about four sentences per page, sometimes on one page per spread; sometimes on two. It's very attractive.
The author and illustrator have done at least one other book (Take It to the Queen: A Tale of Hope) that I am eager to see - I hope it lives up to the high standard set by this one.
September 24, 2017
"The Weight of a Mass" by Josephine Nobisso is lyrical and lovely and based on a true story. It's aimed at children learning about the Holy Eucharist and would make a thoughtful gift the next time you are invited to a child's First Holy Communion celebration. I am definitely not trying to diminish the mystery of the Eucharist- one which I will never fully understand - but this particular book just didn't give me goosebumps like I hope for when I read spiritual writing.
August 8, 2017
A wonderfully symbolic tale with beautiful illustrations and a beautiful message. One of my sons received this book for Christmas in 2010; sad to say I think we read it once and forgot about it. Very happy to have found it, will be sure to read it to my Sunday school classes this year.
June 16, 2021
Though I'm not Catholic, I really enjoyed this parable. The illustrations are gorgeous and it's very well paced. I like the core moral too (faith in God is more valuable than anything else).
May 25, 2013
The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith is a gorgeous book written by Josephine Nobisso and illustrated by Katalin Szegedi. It reads like a fairy tale, but is based on a true story that happened in Luxembourg, which can be found in the back of the book. This tale focuses on a simple request from a poor widow to a stingy baker. In exchange for her Mass intention that night, all she wants is just one stale piece of bread. To no surprise, the baker refuses, and the rest of the book is spent with the baker trying to show the worth of one Mass compared to his baked goods. I won't spoil the ending for you, but it I will say that it doesn't disappoint.
In this book, your children will learn lessons on faith, generosity, and kindness. Most importantly though, they will learn that the Mass is something which has value that can never be equaled, let alone outweighed, by human means. Whether the author intended it or not, this tale is also a tale of vocation, and that can be used to at least put the idea in your young children's heads that being a priest or other religious is a beautiful vocation in life. In today's world, we tend to want our kids to be rich and successful when they grow up, but this reinforces the fact that true riches and success come from God. Let us never let our children lose sight of this fact.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, because I can't give it 10 out of 5 stars. The illustrations are beautiful, but the story is gorgeous! I also appreciate that she explains the allegory of each part of the story on the inside flaps. It illuminated illustrations of the story that I didn't even consider. This is a book that every Catholic family should have in their home. In fact, I'm tempted to buy a copy for every child that I have. As a bonus, if you order directly from the website, the author will autograph the book and personalize it to your child. I love that, and it's amazing to me when authors do these little personal things.
In this book, your children will learn lessons on faith, generosity, and kindness. Most importantly though, they will learn that the Mass is something which has value that can never be equaled, let alone outweighed, by human means. Whether the author intended it or not, this tale is also a tale of vocation, and that can be used to at least put the idea in your young children's heads that being a priest or other religious is a beautiful vocation in life. In today's world, we tend to want our kids to be rich and successful when they grow up, but this reinforces the fact that true riches and success come from God. Let us never let our children lose sight of this fact.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, because I can't give it 10 out of 5 stars. The illustrations are beautiful, but the story is gorgeous! I also appreciate that she explains the allegory of each part of the story on the inside flaps. It illuminated illustrations of the story that I didn't even consider. This is a book that every Catholic family should have in their home. In fact, I'm tempted to buy a copy for every child that I have. As a bonus, if you order directly from the website, the author will autograph the book and personalize it to your child. I love that, and it's amazing to me when authors do these little personal things.
February 4, 2014
A faraway kingdom has grown less and less observant of their Catholic faith to the point where their king doesn't expect anyone to attend his wedding Mass. But on the day of the wedding, an old woman begs a baker to give her a crust of bread in exchange for her offering her Mass for him that evening. The baker, scoffingly deciding to see just how much a Mass is worth, writes "one Mass" on a piece of paper and drops it on one side of his scale. Everyone in the shop is soon amazed to see just how much a Mass is truly worth.
I love this book. Just love it. It always makes me cry. The story is beautiful, the illustrations are gorgeous. And one of the coolest parts is that it's based on a true story. A beautiful way to try to explain to children (or remind anyone) just how valuable and important the Mass is.
I love this book. Just love it. It always makes me cry. The story is beautiful, the illustrations are gorgeous. And one of the coolest parts is that it's based on a true story. A beautiful way to try to explain to children (or remind anyone) just how valuable and important the Mass is.
November 11, 2017
I'm pretty skeptical about reviews for religious books directed toward children. That being said, take this with a grain of salt, my seven-year-old son rated this book 5 stars.
I requested it from the library. When I got it out to read it to him, he told me he heard it before at his Sunday school class. I was really surprised at how excited he was to read it, so I thought I'd be blown away. While I liked it, I personally wouldn't give it 5 stars. I'd give it 4. But as I repeat over and over again, children's books are for children. His opinion holds more sway than mine, hence the rating. Regardless, if you're a Catholic family, I'd give it a read.
I requested it from the library. When I got it out to read it to him, he told me he heard it before at his Sunday school class. I was really surprised at how excited he was to read it, so I thought I'd be blown away. While I liked it, I personally wouldn't give it 5 stars. I'd give it 4. But as I repeat over and over again, children's books are for children. His opinion holds more sway than mine, hence the rating. Regardless, if you're a Catholic family, I'd give it a read.
April 17, 2009
Came across this fable at the Religious Educators' Conference in Anaheim '08. Many levels can reach a wide audience. Some online resources exist for classroom or parish group discussion group. A great resource for discussing the value of prayer/worship/and the mass. Many related topics included such as vocations, etcetera. Written as a chidlren's book with some lovely illustrations, but again, the higher level meaning appeals and can be grasped by older students/adults.
September 30, 2017
A beautiful story, and brilliantly illustrated. It has a few places where I felt the word choice took me out of the story a little, but overall it is a compelling look at how important faith is. The faith of a mustard seed can move mountains, and the weight of just one Mass can change the world. How easy it is to forget the importance and power of the spiritual world. There is so much more in the world than just what we can see.
November 18, 2008
Really a stunning book. If you are Catholic, this is a fabulous book for your kids, your grandkids--to give away at baptisms, etc... The story is about how much our prayers really matter, and everything about the book is lovely: the illustrations, the feel of the book, the well-trimmed and elegant text. And I wasn't paid to write this!
March 17, 2011
I'm not Catholic, but this book really got to me. Well written for children and was able to hold my nephews attention (which not many non-dragon books can do). Yes it's a Catholic book in that Mass means both the church service and the physical mass... but in every other way its just good Christian fiction for children.
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November 24, 2023"The baker, his son, and the widow trailed the procession to the cathedral, to offer Mass with their monarchs."
Based on the account of a true miracle that resulted in a vocation to the priesthood - and also a fun and inspiring story. Perfect read-aloud for Catholic children or for anyone interested in learning about Catholic faith and culture.
Based on the account of a true miracle that resulted in a vocation to the priesthood - and also a fun and inspiring story. Perfect read-aloud for Catholic children or for anyone interested in learning about Catholic faith and culture.
September 25, 2009
Great Catholic faith story.
November 28, 2011
Wonderful! A good book. A must read
December 5, 2009
One of THE BEST children's books I've ever read! It's based on a true story, though the authoress changed the location of the miracle and some of the surrounding circumstances.
February 6, 2013
Excellent, a must read every year, or even every month. Beautiful illustrations!!
August 7, 2013
wonderful Catholic fiction for children
April 29, 2016
Great story - CCD class really enjoyed it
May 2, 2016
The ending was just as beautiful as the illustrations! This book beautifully shows how easy it is to place monetary value on priceless things.
March 23, 2017
If you ever need to boost your faith, this book will do the trick!
I love this story!
I love this story!
October 7, 2021
I enjoyed this Catholic parable and the artwork is stunning.
January 22, 2024
A sweet little book, takes all of ten minutes to read. Quite thought provoking too.
The artwork is charming but weirdly bounces the story between 1500 and 1900.
The artwork is charming but weirdly bounces the story between 1500 and 1900.
September 1, 2021
Beautiful and a wonderful reminder of how little we know the designs and glory of God.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews