The Mass in Slow Motion

By Ronald Knox The first of Ronald Knox’s three “Slow Motion” collections, The Mass in Slow Motion comprises fourteen sermons preached during World War II to the students of the Assumption Sisters at Aldenham Park. Modest yet arresting in style, Knox explains the Mass from the opening psalm to the solemn words of conclusion: Ite missa est. While the liturgy Knox contemplates is that of the Tridentine Rite, the abundant fruits of his contemplation can be easily translated to the Ordinary Form of the present day. Indeed, their primary impetus is the powerful portrayal of the continuous action of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in which formula yields to mystery and man participates in his own salvation. First and foremost, the Mass means reminding ourselves of our Redemption—Jesus Christ was crucified for me. First and foremost, then, we are catching our breath at a great deliverance, and thanking God for it. (Ronald Knox) Along with its “Slow Motion” companions, The Mass in Slow Motio