This Rose will take you a step further after Praying the Mass Like Never Before which can be found here. If you are looking to dive deeper into the Sacred Liturgy and discover a new perspective on your role in the Mass, then this Rose is definitely for you!
Calvary and the Mass is a short book by Archbishop Fulton Sheen. He unpacks the connection between the suffering of Christ Crucified and the Sacrifice of the Mass. There is so much about the Mass to uncover, and we will never be able know everything in our lifetime. Fortunately Archbishop Sheen goes into great detail in such few words to guide us in this one aspect. He goes through each part of the Mass and explains the connection to Calvary and what it means for us in our part of the Body of Christ.
| Growing in Prayer | Calvary and the Mass |
|---|---|
| Objective | Grow in love of the Eucharist and learn how to be fully present during each part of the Mass |
| Seedtime | 1 hour read |
| Feedtime | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Directive | Go to Mass. Beforehand take 15 minutes to examine your conscience and ask forgiveness and afterward take 15 minutes to pray in thanksgiving (Additional information below) |
The book Calvary and the Mass is public domain and can be found on various websites. Here is a PDF version or you can find your own if you prefer. Alternatively if you have a scribd account, you can find it there. It is roughly around 30 pages and you don’t have to read it all in one go. Feel free to take it chapter by chapter as there is a lot of information to take it. I would recommend that you take some notes on key words or phrases that you’d like to remember, otherwise it may be easy to forget or get mixed up with other parts.
EXTRA NOTES ON DIRECTIVE
Each chapter of this book gives great detail on its connection to Calvary and to us in our participation of the Mass. With this in mind it would be most beneficial to pray with what you have read throughout the seven parts it outlines: The Confiteor, The Offertory, The Sanctus, The Consecration, The Communion, The Ite Missa Est, The Last Gospel. This could be as simple as taking one thing per chapter to pray with during the Mass.
For Example:
(From Chapter 5: The Communion)
“All love is reciprocal. There is no one-sided love…this being so, should not the Communion rail be a place of exchange, instead of a place of exclusive receiving?”
In remembering this line, you think of what you have to offer Jesus. What can you give Him? What does He desire from you? He gives His sacrifice freely. Is there anything you can freely offer Him?
This is just an idea of how you can use this book to go deeper in the Mass. Above all else, you should allow the Holy Spirit to guide you on your journey with this book. The most important part is to be intentional with your time at Mass and enter into it with an open and grateful heart.
Golden Rose 