In our ongoing study of the Service of Holy Eucharist from
the 2019 Book of Common Prayer (BCP) we have turned to the Eucharistic Prayer
examining last week the Proper Preface. This week we join with the heavenly
chorus in what is known as The Sanctus:
The Sanctus
The Celebrant continues
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of power and might, heaven and
earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the
highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the
highest.
At this point in the liturgy the congregation and the
ministers are all standing in prayer and adoration when we say or sing together
the ancient words of scripture – the three -fold HOLY. “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord
God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the
highest.”
We cannot say these words without the heavenly images of
Isaiah and the book of Revelation:
“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting
upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the
temple.2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered
his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one
called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole
earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:1-3)
This amazing image given to the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled
in the Book of Revelation when St. John was shown the image of the throne of
God:
“From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings
and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire,
which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it
were a sea of glass, like crystal.
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four
living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature
like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature
with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.
8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes
all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy,
holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:5-8)
As we worshipfully proclaim these words we join with Angels
and Archangels, Saints past and present in the worship of the Lord in a
foretaste of what is to come in heaven.
After the three-fold Holy – we proclaim “Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” In this moment we join
with the people of Jerusalem as Jesus made his triumphant entry. At every
celebration of the Holy Eucharist Christ makes his triumphal entry into our
churches, our hearts, and our minds. It is therefore not only appropriate but
our duty to shout the praises of the Lord!
I pray that on this, the Last Sunday of Epiphany, as you
gather for worship and reverently proclaim the Sanctus your hearts will be
filled to overflowing with the gratitude that comes from knowing and loving
Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God!
Bishop Menees
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