Alter Christus - In Spiritu Humilitatis

Lent is upon us. The fervent priest zealously makes plans to stir up his flock to repentance for sin and renewed fervor of life. But he may not forget his own Lent and the quickening of his own spiritual life. A most effective means for this will be to aim at growing in humility and compunc­tion of heart, the condition of all growth in holiness and of God's graces for himself and for his ministry.

HOLY MASS, A SCHOOL OF HUMILITY

Many things may help him to it: meditations on sin and on the Passion, his daily examen of conscience and weekly confession, practices of penance, the liturgical prayers for Lent in the missal and breviary. But in this recollection we would propose for his consideration the great help he could find every day in the prayers of the Ordinary of the Mass. For, many of these prayers are humble confessions of our sins and sinfulness, repeated acknowledgments of our profound unworthiness and misery, insistent supplications for forgiveness with loving trust in the mercy of God.

What a school of humility would holy Mass not be for the priest, if he recited those prayers with devout attention. It would not only help him to have, at the altar, the proper dispositions of humility, so necessary to offer the august sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving, propitiation and impetration; it would also imprint upon him, daily more and more, habitual feelings of repentant sorrow and abiding compunction which stabilize the soul in the sanctifying attitude of humility before God throughout the day's work. He would then perform everyone of his actions in the dispositions with which he offered the morning sacrifice: "In spiritu humilitatis et in animo contrito suscipiamur a te, Domine." And every­one of his actions would thus be "most pleasing in the sight of the Lord God".

* Has holy Mass any such effect upon me?

Perhaps my faith is not lively enough to expect it or long for it, and I hardly think of seeking in my daily Mass a daily growth in humility (as in many other virtues)?

Am I earnest enough in my preparation for Mass, keeping mind and heart, as much as possible, intent upon the stupendous act of divine worship I am, about to perform?

At the altar itself, what is my modesty and gravity?

Am I recollected enough to let myself be penetrated by the awe-inspiring sense of God's infinite Majesty, to whom all my prayers are addressed and whom the angels adore around me?

"Introibo ad altare Dei."

PRAYERS FROM THE ORDINARY OF THE MASS

In order to take in at a glance how frequently the priest finds occasion, in the prayers of the Ordinary of the Mass, to deepen his sense of humility, let us briefly refer to some of the many expressions that help him to it. During the meditation try to realize their full meaning, penetrate yourself with the feelings they express, recite them with deep conviction.

Already before Mass, when vesting: "ad abstergendam omnem maculam", "ut in sanguine Agni dealbatus", "exstingue in lumbis meis humorem libidinis", "quamvis indignus accedo ad tuum sacrum mysterium".

At the foot of the altar: Humbly imploring God's help in the opening psalm and confessing his own unworthiness, "quia peccavi nimis cogitatione. verbo et opere, mea culpa, etc". Again, when approaching the altar: "aufer... ini quitates nostras", "ut indulgere digneris omnia peccata mea". And, soon, the oft-repeated supplication for mercy in the "Kyrie, eleison".

Before the Gospel: "Munda cor mea ac labia mea. . .Tua grata miseratione dignare mundare."

At the Offertory: "quam ego indignus famulus tuus offero tibi . . . pro innumerabilibus peccatis et offensionibus et negligentiis meis", "tuam deprecantes clementiam", "in spiritu humilitatis et in animo contrito suscipiamur a te". And humbly asking the help of the Saints' prayers: "et illi pro nobis intercedere dignentur in coelis".

At the Preface: "nostras voces ut admitti jubeas depre­camur, supplici confessione dicentes. . . ".

During the Canon: The initial lowly prostration with its devout supplication marks his whole attitude henceforth before the divine Mystery: "Te igitur c1ementissime Pater. . . supplices rogamus", "oblationem servitutis nostrae...ut placatus accipias". And after the silent adoration with the most profound reverence of the sacred Body and Blood of Christ, again: "nobis quoque peccatoribus", "de multi­tudine miserationum tuarum sperantibus", "intra quorum consortium. . . veniae, quaesumus, largitor admitte", "di­mitte nobis debita nostra", " Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis".

The Communion prayers: "ne respicias peccata mea", "libera me...ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis", "pro tua pietate prosit mihi. . .ad medelam percipiendam ", "Domine, non sum dignus", "praesta ut in me non remaneat scelerum macula".

And at the last oblation: "placeat tibi...obsequium servitutis meae... quod oculis tuae Majestatis indignus obtuli...mihique...sit te miserante propitiabile".

* Alas! how little perhaps I feel the sanctifying influence of those prayers, because of my lack of attention to their meaning, too rapid a celebration of the holy Sacrifice, mechanical routine in performing the sacred ceremonies?

­Let me watch over this, as a special practice for Lent, and endeavour to grow in sincere humility by impressing upon my soul the deep sense of those prayers.

I may be helped in this by taking them sometimes for meditation, according to St Ignatius' second method of prayer, dwelling on the words as long as they afford spiritual food or consolation. ­

Above all, I will long and hope and pray for the light of God which will reveal to me the hidden treasures of the divine Mysteries: "Emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam. Ipsa me deduxerunt et adduxerunt ad montem sanctum tuum et in tabernacula tua. "

In the course of the day, especially during Lent, pay special attention to the many expressions of the same spirit occurring in the breviary: Confiteor, Miserere. . .

"Deus, propitious esto mihi peccatori" (Luke 18:13).

_________________________
Adapted from Alter Christus, Meditations for Priests by F.X. L'Hoir, S.J. (1958)
Meditation 63.

###
Please pray for our priests and pray for vocations to the priesthood.