Kapłan jako słaby i grzeszny sługa w modlitwach Mszy św. liturgii zachodniosyryjskiej
Priest as a Weak and Sinful Servant in the Priestly Prayers of the West Syrian Liturgy of Eucharist

Summary/Abstract: The liturgical ministry of the priest is closely connected with divine service, which he administers on behalf of the Christian congregation gathered together in prayer. This state presupposes that the priest who is celebrating the Holy Mass should be a perfect model for his co-believers. However, because of the complications of human nature, it seems to be impossible not to acknowledge the weakness and sinfulness in the lives of priests. In this paper the Author, taking into consideration the traditional teaching on the priesthood with the prayers of the Holy Qurbono in the West Syrian Tradition, highlights the prayers where the priest confesses many times his human sinfulness asking the Lord for divine mercy to ensure that he is indeed truly worthy to participate in the sacred mysteries with his community. It is significant surely that there are twenty-three references directly towards the priest himself. Standing in front of God he remains as a sinner, whose faults are great and countless. The texts of the penitential prayers make him aware that to ensure that the celebration is worthy, he needs divine forgiveness, because only then are his “weak and sinful hands” able to fulfil the priestly service on behalf of the community gathered there in the church.

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