Product Details
The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith

The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith
By Josephine Nobisso

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Product Description

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.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #536199 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-09-30
  • Original language: English
  • Dimensions: .1 pounds
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 32 pages

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-This gentle tale celebrates the power of the Mass in the Roman Catholic faith. A shabby, penniless old woman enters the baker's shop as he is preparing luscious creations for the king's wedding, which is about to take place in the city cathedral. Few are expected to attend, however, because the populace has grown cold and neglectful about their faith. When the baker refuses to give the old woman even a crust of stale bread, she offers to say a Mass for him, in exchange for food. Scoffing, he writes "One Mass" on a tiny piece of paper, places it on his scale, and tries to overbalance it with heaps of his finest pastries, but to no avail. The Mass outweighs them all. Chastened, he and his customers hurry to the cathedral to renew the practice of their beliefs at their monarch's marriage. The text, which was inspired by an actual event recounted by a priest in Luxembourg, is written in a lilting, storytelling style and teaches its lesson sweetly. Double-page spreads of warm-toned watercolors are filled with swirling action and show charming, doll-like people in Victorian dress.
Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2002
“A lovely Catholic parable . . . that can be read with pleasure and understanding by those of any religious background—or none.”

Christian Library Journal, February 2003
“Unfolds its message with solemn grace and purpose . . . woven together with a lilting text and warm, romantic illustrations.”