The Mass is a drama

What is the Mass? The Mass is a drama; it's not a tragedy because there's a Resurrection. In every great drama there is first of all the conception of it strong in the mind of the artist. Second, there are long rehearsals, the choosing of characters and types; third, there is opening night; and fourth, there are road companies. The drama of the Mass was conceived in the mind of the eternal dramatist, for the Lamb was slain from the beginning of the world.  Then there were the rehearsals and the types and the choosing of characters: paschal lamb, the serpent, and the many other instances and prototypes of sacrifice in the Old Testament. Then came the opening night, the Last Supper, which looked forward to the cross. And then the Lord sent out his road companies, his priests: “Do this in memory of me.” Same action, same words, same drama, only different characters pronouncing the lines. When, therefore, we begin the Mass, we are reaching back to the cross of Calvary and lifting it out of its rocks and planting it right down here in our midst. Every time a Mass is offered, Calvary is represented somewhere on earth.