A Retreat for Everyone – Memorial of the Cross (4/15)

Bishop Fulton Sheen reflects on the Mass as the divine memorial of Christ’s sacrifice, instituted at the Last Supper and fulfilled on Calvary. He likens the Mass to a grand drama, conceived in the mind of God from all eternity, rehearsed through Old Testament sacrifices, and actualized in the Crucifixion. The Mass ensures that Christ’s sacrifice is not confined to history but made present in every time and place. Sheen emphasizes that the Mass is not a mere commemoration but a true participation in the eternal offering of Christ, making His death and resurrection accessible to all.

The structure of the Mass is portrayed as a three-act drama: offertory, consecration, and communion. Sheen explains that the offertory represents our priestly role as we offer ourselves alongside the bread and wine, symbols of unity and sacrifice. In the consecration, Christ becomes present, and we, as participants, are called to unite our lives with His. This mystical death mirrors Christ’s physical death on the cross, as the separate consecrations of bread and wine signify the separation of His body and blood. Sheen underscores that through the Eucharist, Christ’s passion is renewed, not in a repetitive sense but as a continuation of His saving act through the faithful.

Sheen concludes by illustrating the transformative power of the Mass. Communion is the culmination, where the faithful receive Christ’s body and blood, symbolizing their unity with His divinity. Yet, the Eucharist also demands sacrifice—dying to self in order to live in Christ. Through vivid examples, such as the devotion of a leper in Africa and priests celebrating Mass secretly in Dachau, Sheen highlights the reverence and sacrifices demanded by the Mass. He urges all, especially priests, to embrace their priestly and victim roles, recognizing the profound mystery of the Mass as the center of Christian life and the ultimate expression of God’s mercy.