Fr. Michael G. Nevin, R.I.P.

I served Fr Nevin’s mass one spring day last year. He was in and out hospital a couple of times at that stage but he was still eager to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on the altar as a priest of Jesus Christ. And that was not a ‘normal’ mass where the priest opened with a joke or a ‘good morning’. It was real work, real sacrifice. He slowly climbed up to the altar with his cane. He kissed the altar gently. He said his prayers in a low but fervent voice. He genuflected with his very best given his frail physicality at Consecration. He shed tears after the elevation till the end of mass, which prevented him from pronouncing audibly the three Hail Marys at the end of Mass. He transcended the altar to the Calvary in a deep and real sense. I was enlightened by that work of God, operatio Dei. I have never prayed a mass like that ever before. I was too deeply moved to tears, staring at that work and my work and His Work on the altar. Thank you, Father, for being a great priest, a sacrificial servant of Christ. 

This brought to mind words from St Josemaria in his commentary on the Way of the Cross:

"After so many years, that priest made a marvelous discovery: he came to understand that the Holy Mass is real work: operatio Dei, God's work. That day, when he celebrated Mass, he experienced pain, joy and tiredness. He felt in his flesh the exhaustion of a divine task. For Christ too it cost a great effort to carry out the first Mass: the Cross." (Statio XI, 4)

From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me (2 Tim 4:8)