In his book, The Mass: The Presence of the Sacrifice of the Cross, Charles Cardinal Journet provides a following insights into comparing Protestant and Catholic views on the Sacrifice of the Cross and the Sacrifice of the Mass
For Protestants, starting with Luther and Calvin, the relationship was either-or – either choose the sacrifice of Christ or choose the sacrifice of the Mass.
Protestants saw the sacrifice of the Mass as another sacrifice and therefore a poor rival to the sacrifice of the Cross. Seen in this narrow perspective, the choice was simple: choose the Cross and leave the Mass.
As a result, Protestants effectively returned to the Old Law and cut themselves off from the very manner in which Christ desired to apply the salutary power of the Cross for the forgiveness of sins in the New Law (through the sacraments as the “instruments Christ uses in order to lead in a superabundant manner the grace of His past Passion into each soul” (40).
For Catholics, starting with the Apostles, the relationship was both-and – choose both the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Mass.
Catholics saw the sacrifice of the Mass as the same sacrifice and therefore a wonderful application of the sacrifice of the Cross. Seen in this broad perspective, the choice was simple: choose the Cross and the Mass.
As a result, Catholics proclaim the great mystery of the New Law and fully present the very many in which Christ desired for us to experience the salutary power of the Cross for the forgiveness of sins.
This position was based on a true understanding of Sacred Scripture’s insistence of the absolute perfection of the “one bloody sacrifice-event of the Cross” (32), as highlighted in the letter to the Hebrews, and the necessity of reproducing until the end of time “the unbloody sacrifice-institution of the Last Supper” (ibid) through the Mass, as highlighted in the institution accounts of the Last Supper in the Synoptic Gospels and in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (see chs. 10, 11).
Prodigal Catholic 