Tomorrow, May 21, 2022, ten of our Dominican brothers will be ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ in Washington, D.C. This poem (hopefully) provides them with a word of encouragement as they begin their lives totally and radically configured to Christ the High Priest. To paraphrase an adage found rendered in sacristies throughout the world, may each Mass the priest offers in his lifetime be celebrated as if it were his first Mass, his last Mass, his only Mass. Please pray for the ordinandi.

***

Preacher, I’ve received your question,
How shall I your praises sing?
At your first Mass, or confession,
Bear within your mind this thing:

How your state, to ancients reaching,
Draws down power from above;
Levites, through their old beseeching,
Vouchsafed, to my children, love.

Priests of mine like Moses, Aaron,
Many of the prophet band,
Samuel, child of the barren,
Came before me, fast to stand.

And these men, when dark night’s battle
Had not seen your freedom won,
Sang, as chaplains to the chattel,
Hopeful descants of the Son.

Now in new and troubled ages,
Though the vict’ry is assured,
Speak out from my holy pages,
Take heart in my constant Word.

But, though one thing have I spoken,
(David rendered one as two)
So to my advice a token
I shall add, for your debut:

In this first Mass, you’ll be noiseless;
Someone else the pulpit climbs.
But by no means are you voiceless:
In each Mass, Christ through you chimes.

His is not a banal story;
Rare is man by trite things awed.
Sing to them his naked glory
Which he wrought, when earth he trod.

Will can only so far bear them
For the heart of man is weak;
Thus my Son did come to spare them;
Feed his Body to the meek.

Be a man! Proceed sincerely.
And, though tears may o’er you flood,
Steel your voice to proclaim clearly:
This my Body, This my Blood.

Though, henceforth, you’ll be called father,
Ne’er forget your part as son.
Let not, in this hour, bother
Make your soul to come undone.

Be, you, then a holy nation,
A priestly kingdom of the Lord;
Forthwith from your ordination,
Jesus Christ will be adored!

✠

Photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. (used with permission)