The Aspérges

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NihilObstatINRI

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“Aspérges me. Dómine, hyssópo, et mundábor: lavábis me, et super nivem dealbábor.
Thou shalt sprinkle me, O Lord, with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall become whiter than snow.”
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Since I’m not a theologian, I first had to do a bit of research to find out exactly what hyssop is. My initial guess had been that it was related to the first Passover, in which the Hebrew people marked their doors with the blood of a lamb in order to be spared when the angel of death came to Egypt. It appears that I was correct about this, and hyssop became important in the Mosaic law, especially when it was connected with blood of a sacrifice, and generally representing purification.

In the Aspérges, we are sprinkled with holy water. I am particularly fond of the symbolism of water in its dual meaning of life and death. Water provides life for us, and is necessary for our survival, but it also has destructive potential and many have died in the water. When we are baptized in the water, both of these meanings are made present in a rich way. First we die to ourselves so that we may live in God. We make the descent with Christ to the dead so that we may rise with Him again to eternal life.

The mercy of God is limited only by our acceptance of it, and our cooperation with His grace. As the water reminds us, we put ourselves to death, put to death the flesh, so that we may rise with Him and follow Him to heaven. As we realize in the prayer of St. Francis, it is in death that we may be born to eternal life. In baptism we follow Jesus into the water of the Jordan, and by doing so we also are called to follow Him through His Passion, through His Crucifixion, to the tomb and into hell, to the dead, so that on the third day we may rise again with Him to eternal life and the immediate experience of God, the beatific vision.

irenaeusgsaintonge.blogspot.com/2011/03/asperges-of-traditional-latin-mass.html
 
I also believe it was with a Hyssop branch that was used to extend the sponge with wine which JESUS consumed before dieing on the cross.
 
Julian0404 said:
I also believe it was with a Hyssop branch that was used to extend the sponge with wine which JESUS consumed before dieing on the cross.
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It was. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret that, besides the obvious parallel between Passover and the Agnus Dei.
 
It’s a small woody shrub, a hardy perennial, fragrant and with purple-blue flowers. Some grows in my garden. Yes, it survives Minnesota winters. If you can’t find it in garden supply stores, ask them to order it for you. With its many small leaves it makes a great holy water sprinkler. I use a twig to bookmark Psalm 51.
 
svid2 said:
It’s a small woody shrub, a hardy perennial, fragrant and with purple-blue flowers. Some grows in my garden. Yes, it survives Minnesota winters. If you can’t find it in garden supply stores, ask them to order it for you. With its many small leaves it makes a great holy water sprinkler. I use a twig to bookmark Psalm 51.
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I meant in a religious/symbolic sense.
 
NihilObstatINRI said:
Since I’m not a theologian, I first had to do a bit of research to find out exactly what hyssop is. My initial guess had been that it was related to the first Passover, in which the Hebrew people marked their doors with the blood of a lamb in order to be spared when the angel of death came to Egypt. It appears that I was correct about this, and hyssop became important in the Mosaic law, especially when it was connected with blood of a sacrifice, and generally representing purification.

In the Aspérges, we are sprinkled with holy water. I am particularly fond of the symbolism of water in its dual meaning of life and death. Water provides life for us, and is necessary for our survival, but it also has destructive potential and many have died in the water. When we are baptized in the water, both of these meanings are made present in a rich way. First we die to ourselves so that we may live in God. We make the descent with Christ to the dead so that we may rise with Him again to eternal life.

The mercy of God is limited only by our acceptance of it, and our cooperation with His grace. As the water reminds us, we put ourselves to death, put to death the flesh, so that we may rise with Him and follow Him to heaven. As we realize in the prayer of St. Francis, it is in death that we may be born to eternal life. In baptism we follow Jesus into the water of the Jordan, and by doing so we also are called to follow Him through His Passion, through His Crucifixion, to the tomb and into hell, to the dead, so that on the third day we may rise again with Him to eternal life and the immediate experience of God, the beatific vision.

irenaeusgsaintonge.blogspot.com/2011/03/asperges-of-traditional-latin-mass.html
Click to expand...
Hyssop is the instrument used to apply the lamb’s blood on the doorposts. It’s used in several Levitical rites as well.

Hyssop also is mentioned in v. 7 of Psalm 51 (the Miserere) in relation to purification, the cleansing of sin.

Hyssop has been used to relieve chest congestion, as a kind of expectorant, so perhaps its aboriginal medicinal use became transported to have religious meaning (expelling of one’s inner filth and being made spiritually healthy).
 
Madaglan said:
Hyssop is the instrument used to apply the lamb’s blood on the doorposts. It’s used in several Levitical rites as well.

Hyssop also is mentioned in v. 7 of Psalm 51 (the Miserere) in relation to purification, the cleansing of sin.
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Why are people not reading the rest of my post? :confused:
I went on quite specifically to say exactly that.
 
NihilObstatINRI said:
It was. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret that, besides the obvious parallel between Passover and the Agnus Dei.
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St. John Chrysostom points out the cruel irony. The bystanders did not give Christ mere wine, but wine with vinegar. St. John adds that the hyssop was added because of this. I understand this as meaning, although hyssop suggests purification and cleanliness, it’s use here is ironic; the bystanders blindly see Christ as a criminal.
 
NihilObstatINRI said:
Why are people not reading the rest of my post? :confused:
I went on quite specifically to say exactly that.
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After you posted this, I went back to your initial post. I did not see any mention of Psalm 51. However, when I clicked on your blog link, I noticed that your initial post does not present your paragraph beginning with the Vidi Aquam, which paragraph does more clearly allude to Psalm 51 (being the first words of the Psalm). The text you provide there also references Psalm 50 (51). Is that what you meant?
 
Text of the Aspérges Me:

Thou shalt sprinkle me, O Lord, with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall become whiter than snow.

Text of Psalm 51, verse 7 (Douay Rheims):

Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Self evident.
 
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