Asperges Me and the Use of Hyssop
“Asperges me, Dómine, hyssópo, et mundábor.”
“Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed.” (Psalm 50:9)
As Paschaltide comes to an end, we will say goodbye to Vidi Aquam and see the return of Asperges Me on Sunday before High Mass.
The priest about to celebrate High Mass on Sundays arrives at the foot of the altar. He intones these words from Psalm 50 as he sprinkles the altar with holy water three times, then himself, then the entire congregation. Usually this means he will walk up and down the main aisle again.
The Asperges is one of my favorite things about Sundays. The congregation joins the Schola in singing excerpts from the 50th Psalm and the Gloria Patri. The priest wears a cope and there is something just so magnificent as he descends back among the people to sprinkle them with holy water before he humbly recites the prayers at the foot of the altar.
The tone is in some sense joyous, as if our hearts might burst at having the privilege of gathering at such an occasion. Yet there is something somber about it too: Miserére mei, Deus. Have mercy on me, O God, we plead.
The Asperges is a cleansing. We are joyful at the prospect, but overcome by our unworthiness to assist at Mass. And at the mention of hyssop, we call to mind not just the cleansing holy water, but the blood of a lamb slain.
What is hyssop? It is a plant. We might recall that its branches were used in the bloody rituals of the Old Testament. In Exodus 12:22 Moses tells the Isrealites what to do with their slaughtered lambs:
“And dip a bunch of hyssop in the blood that is at the door, and sprinkle the transom of the door therewith, and both the door cheeks”
And in Exodus 24:8 one might say Moses uses it to sprinkle the people with the blood of a sacrificial lamb: “This is the blood of the covenant.” As we replace blood with water (and in most cases hyssop with the aspergillum), may we be reminded of the new covenant and the Blood shed once and for all.
Moreover, hyssop is a minty plant used in cooking and medicine. As my husband—the excellent cook around here—pointed out to me, it is common to use mint with lamb. Thus it would be fitting to have a hyssop branch lying around when preparing a Paschal lamb. It amazing to reflect on the way that these rituals elevate the natural rhythms of our lives.
Indeed, the Asperges has captured the heart of my toddler and our home is often filled with sudden outbursts of the beautiful chant.
I’ve noticed that some parishes have brought back the Asperges in one form or another even before a Novus Ordo Mass. Have you noticed it in your church?
