Mass in Other Words

It is true that there can be no more important half-hour in the forty-eight half hours which make up a complete calendar date. But you can go further than this and say that the time of Mass is the most important in the century, in history, in life. It is Calvary all over again, and nothing more important could happen in this world than the redemption of man by the crucifixion.

At the heart of every Catholic's life is the Mass. As such, it is a form of prayer that each individual must be intimately aware of and attentive to. However, The Mass in Other Words does not endeavour to increase the reader's awareness or attentiveness to the Mass by presenting a historical study of the Mass, nor defending a particular liturgical form, nor providing devotional material for prayer during Mass. Rather, this book considers what the Mass is.

Van Zeller thus goes to the heart of the Mass, giving a salutary reminder that every Mass is the sacrifice of Calvary and exploring what that means for us. In doing so, he shows how paying attention to what the Mass is will enable us to attend to it worthily, devoutly, and attentively. This book is an excellent companion to all who wish to return to worshipping in Spirit and in Truth.

Born in British-controlled Egypt, Dom Hubert van Zeller (1905-1984) was a Benedictine monk of Downside Abbey in Bath, England, where he was educated. Of his scholastic career he said that he "passed no examinations-merely by-passed them." The author of numerous books ranging from scriptural commentary to fiction and biography, he was also renowned as a minimalist sculptor and cartoonist. He was a friend of Ronald Knox and of Evelyn Waugh, who described Dom Hubert's writings as "characterized by vitality and elegance."