A Retreat for Everyone – The Drama of the Mass (3/15)

Bishop Fulton Sheen explores the profound drama and mystery of the Mass, emphasizing that it is not merely a ritual or ceremony but a participation in the eternal sacrifice of Christ. The Mass, he explains, is a continuation of Calvary, where Christ offers Himself as both priest and victim. Sheen underscores that every element of the Mass reflects this divine drama, with the altar representing the place of sacrifice and the priest acting in persona Christi (in the person of Christ). The Mass unites heaven and earth, bringing the faithful into direct contact with Christ’s redemptive act.

Sheen highlights the significance of the offertory, consecration, and communion as key moments in the Mass. The offertory symbolizes our willingness to unite our own sacrifices with Christ’s. The consecration, the heart of the Mass, makes Christ truly present in the Eucharist—body, blood, soul, and divinity. In communion, we receive Christ, becoming one with Him and participating in His divine life. Sheen draws attention to the eternal nature of the sacrifice, explaining that the Mass is not a repetition but a re-presentation of the same sacrifice of Calvary, transcending time and space.

Finally, Sheen reflects on the transformative power of the Mass in the lives of believers. By participating fully and devoutly, the faithful are called to imitate Christ’s sacrificial love in their daily lives. He warns against reducing the Mass to a mere social gathering or forgetting its sacred nature, urging a return to reverence and awe. Through the Mass, Sheen emphasizes, the faithful are united with Christ’s passion and resurrection, drawn deeper into the mystery of salvation, and equipped to carry Christ’s love to the world.