This may be a valid way to begin a psychological discussion of baptism as a cure for rejection, but it's less likely to be the most theologically balanced way to lay a foundation for such a discussion.

Another example: The reader may be perplexed to find that Schuchts refers to the sacrament of the Eucharist as "holy Communion." For Communion is but one part, albeit the central part, of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the other part of the Mass being the Liturgy of the Word.

What the church calls the sacrament of the Eucharist is the Mass entire, not only Communion, and Communion is no sacrament unto itself, apart from the rest of the Mass. Thus, it would far more theologically accurate to discuss the Eucharist/Mass, not just "holy Communion," as healing "wounds of abandonment." How does the Liturgy of the Word contribute to healing from "wounds of abandonment"? One may doubt that Schuchts' approach here is helpful to encouraging in Catholics a balanced understanding of the Mass.

In his concluding chapter, Schuchts summarizes what he has written about each sacrament as a source of healing. He adds scriptural reflections and provides a helpful concluding prayer for each sacrament. The reader will find in "Be Transformed" discussions of the sacraments that will lead to paths of healing and insights unlikely to be discovered elsewhere.

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Finley is the author of more than 30 books on Catholic themes, including "The Gospel Truth: Living for Real in an Unreal World" (Wipf & Stock) and "The Rosary Handbook: A Guide for Newcomers, Old-Timers, and Those In Between" (Word Among Us Press).