The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the pinnacle of the Catholic spiritual life. Even the most rudimentarily catechized Catholic is aware of its importance, our obligation to participate, and its distinguishing character in relation to other denominations. Naturally, it has been the subject of many books, essays, lectures, podcasts, etc. From ancient works (On the Sacraments by St. Ambrose) to early modern (The Holy Mass by Dom Gueranger) to contemporary (The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition by Mike Aquila and Cardinal Wuerl), a considerable amount of time and money has been spent on explaining the Mass. In such a world, especially given that so much of that material is in the public domain, it can be difficult to distinguish one’s own work and justify its place in the discussion. The Mass Explained: Fostering a Deeper Understanding and Appreciation for the Roman Catholic Mass by Dan Gonzalez has earned a justified place in this multi-generational discussion.

One of Gonzalez’s main themes is that the Mass and liturgical history of the Church express the fullness of human experience. The Mass and Eucharist, as the source and summit of the faith, incorporate and utilize every human sense. In addition, many of the world’s greatest pieces of art (statutes, paintings, music, etc.) were created to demonstrate the work of Redemption expressed within the Mass and augment our experience of it.

Gonzalez, therefore, organizes his book as a walk through the Mass. He begins with the historical and spiritual precursors to the Catholic Mass and then proceeds from the Introductory Rites through the Concluding Rites. His work is thorough and addresses even the most minute actions within the Mass. His main contribution to the discourse is twofold. First, this book is more thorough than many other single volume, non-academic works on the Mass. One can consult it regarding almost any question that the average Catholic may have regarding the history and meaning of the various acts within the Mass. Second, his walk through the Mass is enhanced by including the rich, artistic patrimony of the Church at every stage. As a good academic provides footnotes and citations for each claim asserted, Gonzalez provides artistic citations for each part of the Mass, thus demonstrating how the Church has historically incorporated the fullness of human experience within the liturgy.

Thorough Look at Liturgy

As I said above, Gonzalez’s key contribution is not a new insight or historical discovery about the liturgy. Rather, his contribution regarding the history and meaning of the Mass is how thoroughly he treats it in a single, easily accessible text. The book is well over 500 pages, but each page contains text, reasonable footnotes, and images from the Church’s patrimony and the historical record. He does not assert a specific thesis which he is aiming to prove. This is a quasi-encyclopedic work which aims to educate and summarize the Mass in a thorough and accessible way for the average person.

No movement is left unaddressed. Gonzalez’s work stands out, in part, by the attention he gives to less frequently treated moments in the Mass. For example, chapter two discusses why we stand and sing when the priest processes to the altar. While these gestures seem so simple and intuitive, Gonzalez encourages us to dive in and examine: Why do we stand as humans? What does that mean? What message does it send to us and other observers? Why do we sing? What does that communicate compared to speaking or shouting? He draws from historical and contemporary examples to show us how to probe the why behind what we do at Mass. Everything from standing up when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish score a touchdown (Gonzalez does not mention the Fighting Irish but my own bias forces me to do so) to standing for a judge in the courtroom to singing happy birthday is put forward so that we can explore the meaning behind such customs.

Additionally, Gonzalez discusses the significance of the Sign of the Cross. While the Sign of the Cross feels as natural as breathing to most Catholics, many of us also tend to think about it as much as we think about breathing—which is to say, never. It’s part of our nature which also means it tends to be as forgotten as many of our natural rhythms are. Gonzalez, therefore, calls our attention to the significance of this action which bookends virtually every prayer a Catholic utters. From the history of the Sign of the Cross to the horrific reality of the Crucifixion to the Biblical revelation of the Trinity, Gonzalez expounds upon the meaning and purpose of this sign which permeates and repeatedly occurs within the Mass.

Artistic Witness to the Mass

Another defining feature of Gonzalez’s text is the extensive, artistic catalogue and representation of the Mass throughout. Although over 500 pages, once opening the book, one does not feel overwhelmed by its length due to the extensive artistic depictions found on each page. Far from being a dense, intimidating book, Gonzalez presents it as eminently approachable.

In his discussion of the ancient roots of the Mass, he provides images from Jewish synagogues and the early Christian catacombs. In his discussion of the Liturgical Cycle (seasons), he provides paintings and images of historical, pre-Lenten artifacts/traditions. In his discussion of the “elements of sacrifice,” he provides images to demonstrate the historical importance of wheat and bread and why we should appreciate the significance of Christ as the “Bread of Life.” In his discussion of the “Offering the Bread and Wine,” he provides artistic representation of incense and its historical use to engage our olfactory sense in liturgical worship.

Each chapter also includes historical analogues for why we do what we do at Mass. Beyond Jewish or ancient Christian precedents, he also discusses secular, historical examples of similar conduct with corresponding art. The chapter on processions includes a discussion of military and processional standards (fulfilled within the Catholic liturgical context by the processional crucifix). The chapter on the Liturgy of the Word includes photos of the Gutenberg Printing Press which revolutionized publication of books and made the Bible much more widespread and accessible. Thus, each topic and each assertion is brought to life via artistic representations and expressions throughout history.

Thoroughly Approachable

Overall, Gonzalez’s book is a tremendous addition to the corpus of literature on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. While he did not set out to introduce a unique or original notion about the Mass historically or theologically, he certainly achieved his goal to “help readers understand that the Mass is divinely instituted, rooted in Scripture, and tempered by tradition. It’s the holiest thing man can do on earth, the greatest mystery, the most perfect form of prayer, and a most inconceivable act of love!”

This book is one of the most thorough and approachable single-volume books on the Mass I have encountered. In addition to everything discussed above that he does well, each chapter concludes with bullet-point summaries, review questions, and reflection questions to further integrate what the book discusses into our daily lives. This is a nice touch to ensure that the content moves beyond a superficial discussion to a deep, transformative force in our spiritual lives. The questions help reaffirm what was discussed and encourage us to use what was learned when we attend and participate in Holy Mass.

Furthermore, Gonzalez does a nice job addressing the more controversial waters regarding the liturgy. He is able to intelligently discuss some distinctions between the Roman Missal of Pope St. Paul VI and the Roman Missal of Pope St. John XXIII (i.e., the Traditional Latin Mass) in a thoughtful and charitable way without falling prey to antagonistic rhetoric on either side of a sometimes contentious issue. For instance, in his discussion on the Confiteor, he aptly compares the different versions found in these respective Missals in a manner most edifying to the reader, without disdain for either Missal, and in the spirit of figures who have preceded him such as Benedict XVI and Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio, founder of Ignatius Press and one of the co-founders of Adoremus.

Burden of Scholarship

Virtually no work is without some weaknesses. In The Mass Explained, one weakness seems to be an over-reliance on “scholars” including several outdated, likely incorrect theories.

For example, in his discussion of the foundation of the liturgy (chapters one and two) and the offertory prayers (chapter 27), he asserts a scholarly consensus about the significant evidence for the Jewish influence upon the early liturgy. This was a very popular view throughout the mid-20th century, but it is considerably less certain today. Recent scholarship suggests that any influence, rather than directly from Jewish liturgy upon Christian liturgy, was more a mutual, co-developmental influence between each. Robert Taft, Paul Bradshaw, and Maxwell Johnson—all authoritative scholars on the historical development of the liturgy—each suggest that the trend of the past few decades has been to reevaluate the direct, uni-directional influence that was taken for granted and assumed in the mid-20th century.¹

Additionally, Gonzalez references the “Apostolic Tradition” document as an early source of information concerning ancient Christian worship. Like the view of a uni-directional liturgical influence of Jewish upon Christian worship, this view is hotly debated and the document is likely much older than originally believed.² Regarding both of these issues, it would have been helpful and informative if Gonzalez at least acknowledged these important developments and the implication they have for understanding the development and origin of various prayers.

Finally, in chapter two, Gonzalez discusses St. Luke’s use of the term “vanished” in the Road to Emmaus story. While liturgical and Biblical scholars have provided insights into the liturgy, it is important to remember that scholars do not provide authoritative interpretation of the Scriptures and the liturgy: the Church and her saints and doctors do. There are many faithful Biblical scholars, but it is a well-known problem in the field that many Biblical scholars are atheists or otherwise heterodox regarding defined ecclesial interpretations of Scripture. Rather than focusing on how scholars do not agree on the meaning of a term, it might have been more fruitful to dig into what the Fathers of the Church say about the story and the use of the term.

Ultimately, this work is a wonderful addition to the literature on the Mass. Despite a few instances of over-reliance upon the work of certain scholars and likely erroneous historical assertions, the content and organization of The Mass Explained would be a welcome and fruitful addition to any Catholic family’s home. Addressing every movement of the Mass with its historical, sociological, and theological background combined with artistic representations of the realities at hand, Gonzalez helps bring the Mass alive to his reader in a manner that demonstrates the Mass as the truest and fullest expression of human experience in adoration of the Divine.

1. See generally: Robert Taft, The Liturgy of the Hours in East and West; Paul Bradshaw, The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship; and Maxwell Johnson, Sacraments and Worship: The Sources of Christian Theology.
2. See generally: Bradshaw, The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship and Johnson, The Apostolic Tradition: Its Origins, Development, and Liturgical Practices. While the latter title was published after The Mass Explained, it is a synthesis of historical research which Johnson has been involved with for much longer.