Attende Domine
Our Happy Lenten Hymn
“They probably don't sing that in Lent because it sounds so happy!” so said a friend of mine to me after hearing the chorus of Attende Domine for the first time.1 “No silly! it is the lenten hymn in the Latin Rite! And Lent is happy!” I protested in obstinacy. This opening remark revealed both a truth and a common misconception. Written in Mode V (Lydian), known for its joyful and bright character, Attende Domine does, in truth, exude a reserved gladness of heart. The misconception is the thought that Lent should be void of all such gladness. My own esteem for Attende Domine lies in its melodic protest against this error.
With Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany the anticipation, joy, and discovery are more simple and easy. It´s as simple and easy as celebrating a birth! With Lent, Good Friday, and Easter the spirit of the season is more complex and difficult to access. Lent demands more of us. It's as difficult as desiring to witness the death of a beloved friend or wanting to see the awful consequence of your fatal flaws inflicted on those you love. Even thinking about this reality is painful, desiring it is harder still. How can we find any sort of joy here?
The text of Attende Domine tells us to fix our gaze on Jesus Christ alone. It teaches us in each verse to sing in the joyful hope of soliciting His Mercy and to hope of joining Him in His triumph over sin and death. Like this festive hymn itself, all of lenten austerity constitutes preparatory work to behold and join Him in victory. Those training the muscle that says “no” to self and “yes” to spiritual things in this holy season discover a surprise: contrary to all worldly fear and perverse imagination, fasting, good resolution, and self-renunciation give rise to a stalwart, subtle cheerfulness.
The somber penitential cheer wrought by self-renunciation in this season goes hand in hand with the grace of feeling a compunction of heart as one recites “we want Barabbas” in the Holy Thursday liturgy. Sorrow and joy, fear and hope, compunction for sin and awe of Divine Love–all hang in a delicate, mutually-supporting balance as we approach Mount Calvary: the point of unity of Divine Justice and Mercy. This ascent takes training, we have to learn to keep our eyes on Him. If we look off to one side, we miss the crucial point of unity and fall. The spirited melody of Attende Domine helps embolden us to get up from our inevitable falls and turn our eyes again to Our High King (“rex summe”) and Cornerstone (“lapis angularis”) Jesus Christ.
Attende Domine also conveys this profound lenten truth: the deeper sorrows that Lent offers are those conditioned by a chaste joy. The clean penitent joy of hopeful hearts both broken and adoring at once while beholding their Crucified Redeemer. I love this chant because I hear this very balance in the plaintive, luminous melody of its chorus, “Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi” (“Look down, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against thee”).
Stephen Weller is a missionary and pilgrim in Europe. He writes sermons and theological essays at sanctstulti.substack.com as well as stories from his life and missionary activity at dasoloapiedi.substack.com.
Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.
(1) Ad te Rex summe, omnium Redemptor,oculos nostros sublevamus flentes:exaudi, Christe, supplicantum preces.
(2) Dextera Patris,lapis angularis, via salutis, ianua caelestis, ablue nostri maculas delicti.
(3) Rogamus, Deus, tuam maiestatem: auribus sacris gemitus exaudi:crimina nostra placidus indulge.
(4) Tibi fatemur crimina admissa: contrito corde pandimus occulta: tua, Redemptor, pietas ignoscat.
(5) Innocens captus, nec repugnans ductus; testibus falsis pro impiis damnatus quos redemisti, tu conserva, Christe.
(English) Refrain: Look down, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against thee.
1. To thee, high King, Redeemer of all, weeping we lift our eyes; hear, Christ, the prayers of thy servants.
2. Right hand of the Father, cornerstone, path of salvation and gate of heaven, cleanse the stains of our sins.
3. O God, we pray thy majesty,lend thy holy ears to our sighs, mercifully forgive our offenses.
4. To thee we confess committed sin, with contrite heart we unveil hidden faults; may thy mercy, Redeemer, forgive.
5. Seized though innocent, led away unresisting, condemned by false witness in place of the guilty, Christ keep those whom thou hast redeemed