Time Travelling to Calvary and Beyond

It is very important to make Christ in the Eucharist a priority during this Lenten and Eastertide season. The Church teaches that the Eucharist is a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice on the cross.[i] It also teaches that the Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated.[ii] In other words, it is the un-bloody re-presentation of the sacrifice Christ made for us on Calvary.

The manner in which the sacrifices are offered is alone different: On the cross Christ really shed his blood and was really slain; in the Mass, however, there is no real shedding of blood, no real death; but the separate consecration of the bread and of the wine symbolizes the separation of the body and blood of Christ and thus symbolizes his death upon the cross. The Mass is the renewal and perpetuation of the sacrifice of the cross in the sense that it offers [Jesus] anew to God . . . and thus commemorates the sacrifice of the cross, reenacts it symbolically and mystically, and applies the fruits of Christ’s death upon the cross to individual human souls. All the efficacy of the Mass is derived, therefore, from the sacrifice of Calvary.[iii]

If we are to commemorate and reflect on Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, there is no better way or place to do it than at Mass. When we pray the Mass, we also partake in the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. For some Catholics, however, that statement becomes more of a cliché than a profound reality.

It’s only natural for our imperfect human nature to struggle with such a reality, but what if we can time travel back some two thousand years ago and witness the Passion and Resurrection ourselves? What if we could be there to witness Christ ascending up Mount Olive, and stand in the background as He prayed there; the betrayal by Judas with a kiss; His ordeals with Annas and Caiphas; the mocking, scourging and brutality; His carrying of the cross, and yes, His crucifixion? Moreover, what if we can be among those who were with Him after His resurrection and stay all the way to when Christ ascended into Heaven?

Well, we can. In fact, this is what takes place each time we walk into the time-traveling doors of a Catholic Church to pray the Mass. As Fr. Calvin Goodwin, FSSP, reminds us about the Mass:

“When the priest ascends up the steps towards the high altar, he ascends with Christ up the hill of Golgotha, in which our redemption was accomplished, and that redemption, that sacrifice is made once again, really and truly, and substantially present in every celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Mass."

We truly partake in both His Passion and Resurrection at Mass, and unlike the people who were there on Calvary – we are able to fall on our knees and have Him placed on our tongue in Communion. To experience this in the most profound way, try praying a Mass in the extraordinary form, more commonly known as the Tridentine Latin Mass. If you do, here is what you will be partaking in during your surreal, yet real journey to Calvary and beyond:

THE PRIEST:                                                    CHRIST:

Goes to the altar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Goes to Mount Olivet

Commences Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Begins to pray

Says Confiteor (I believe...) . . . . . . . . . . . . Falls down and sweats blood

Goes up and kisses the altar . . . . . . . . . . . . Is betrayed by Judas with a kiss

Goes to the Epistle side [iv] . . . . . . . . . . . . Is captured, bound, and taken to Annas

Reads the Introit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is falsely accused by Annas and blasphemed

Goes to the middle of the altar and reads Is brought to Caiphas and there denied three

the Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy...) . . . . times by Peter

Says the Dominus vobiscum

(Lord be with you...) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Looks at Peter and converts him

Reads the Epistle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is brought to Pilate

Says the Munda cor meum

(cleanse my heart...[v]) at the middle

of the altar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is taken to Herod and mocked

Reads the Gospel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is taken back to Pilate and again mocked

Uncovers the chalice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is shamefully exposed

Offers bread and wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is cruelly scourged

Covers the chalice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is crowned with thorns

Washes his hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is declared innocent by Pilate

Says the Orare fratres Is shown by Pilate to the

(Brethren, pray...) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . people with the words Ecce homo

(Behold this man...)

Prays in a low voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is mocked and spit upon

Says the Preface and Sanctus Is preferred instead of Barrabas

(Holy, holy, holy...) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and condemned to crucifixion

Make the Memento for the living . . . . . . . . Carries the cross to Mount Calvary

Continues to pray in a low voice . . . . . . . . Meets His Mother and other pious women

Blesses the bread and wine with

the sign of the cross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is nailed to the cross

Elevates the sacred Host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is raised on the cross

Elevates the chalice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sheds blood from the five wounds

Prays in a low voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sees His afflicted Mother at the cross

Says aloud, Nobis quoque peccatoribus

(and to us sinners...). [vi] . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prays on the cross for men

Says aloud the Pater noster (Our Father) . . . Says the seven words on the cross

Breaks and separates the Host . . . . . . . . . . Gives up His spirit and dies

Lets a small portion of the sacred

Host fall into the chalice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . His soul descends to Limbo

Says the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God...) . . . . . . Is acknowledged on the cross as

the Son of God by many bystanders

Administers holy Communion . . . . . . . . . . . Is laid in the sepulcher

Cleanses the chalice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is anointed by the pious women

Prepares the chalice again . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arises from the dead

Says the Dominus vobiscum

(Lord be with you...) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appears to His Mother and the disciples

Says the last prayers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teaches for forty days

Says the last Dominus vobiscum . . . . . . . . Takes leave of His disciples and ascends to heaven

Gives the benediction to the people . . . . . . Sends down the Holy Ghost

Says the Ite Missa est (Go, you are

dismissed...) and the last gospel. [vii] . . . . . Sends the apostles into all parts of the world

to preach the gospel.

[i] CCC paragraph 1366

[ii] CCC paragraph 1382

[iii] The Faith of Millions," by John A. O'brien

[iv] In the Tridentine Mass the priest faces the altar. The Epistle is read from the right side, the Gospoel from the left.

[v] Cleanse my heart and my lips, O almighty God, who didst cleanse the lips of the prophet Isaias with a burning coal: vouchsafe through Thy gracious mercy so to cleanse me that I may worthily proclaim Thy holy Gospel. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[vi] And to us sinners also, Thy servants, hoping in the multitude of Thy mercies, vouchsafe to grant some part and fellowship with Thy holy apostles and martyrs [...]

[vii] In the Tridentine Mass the Last Gospel (John 1:1-14) is read following the dismissal and benediction:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him: and without Him was made nothing that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.
That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in His name. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.