Calvary and the Mass

Ven. Archbishop Sheen's reflections on what is now know as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is one of his most dynamic and eloquent books. It is a vivid, inspiring explanation of the true meaning of the Mass, an explanation that is filled with wisdom and beauty. Leading us through the several phases of the celebration of the Mass, Sheen shows us its relationship to Christ's Crucifixion on Golgotha. He points out how the seven parts of the Sacred Ceremony are based upon the Lord's seven last words from the Cross. Under Sheen's brilliant guidance, we see the Mass in its true light, as the crowing act of Christian worship. It is the commemoration, the reenactment, the perpetuation of the Divine Sacrifice. In Calvary and the Mass, Sheen not only gives a clearer, fuller meaning to the celebration, but also reveals a pattern of faith by which we may direct our lives to a higher fulfillment, embracing the example set by Christ in His self-sacrifice.