Beginning last weekend, we had the opportunity to hear and to sing the new translation of the Gloria and the Sanctus. Although the textual changes are minor, they are more closely connected to both the Latin words they are derived from as well as the Scriptural passages they refer to. We will continue to practice these two sung prayers up until the beginning of Advent. The revised Roman Missal will be inaugurated at all masses in all the English speaking countries on Sunday, November 27th. Since the Gloria is not sung during the season of Advent, we will not have another chance to sing this song of praise and glory until Christmas. In the meantime, let us be bold with our voices and sing with all the voice God gave to each of us !
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the offertory presentation of the gifts, which profoundly signify the gift of ourselves. At the Invitation to Prayer over the Offerings, the priest celebrant will say:
“Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”
The italicized words are in the new translation. The “Pray brethren” asks intercession for the priest himself before he steps into the Holy of Holies of the Eucharistic Prayer. The people STAND and respond, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.” Familiar to us and integrated into every Eucharistic Prayer is the short acclamation entitled “Sanctus,” or “Holy, Holy,
Holy.” Although the text of the Preface prayer may change from one Mass to the next, the Sanctus is the same at every Mass. The new translation follows the same structure but incorporates a few textual changes:
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. 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”
The bishops describe this portion of the Eucharistic Prayer as one “in which the whole congregation, joining with the heavenly powers, sings the Sanctus” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal ¶79). This is heavenly speech!
Although we pray the Sanctus as a single prayer, the text is a composite of several different scriptural verses. The beginning lines “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory,” harken to Isaiah 6:3 and
Revelation 4:8. The rendering of “Sabaoth” as “Hosts,” from the Latin text of the Sanctus, rather than as “power and might,” more precisely references the angels and saints that praise their Lord. The lines “Hosanna in the highest,” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” are drawn from St. Matthew’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9) and by extension to the heavenly praise in Revelation 5:13 (Mystical Body, Mystical Voice 177, 178).
Inspired by God’s Word, the words of the liturgy in this case repeat the words of the Heavenly City in order that we may live comfortably in it, walking its golden streets (Revelation 21:21), eating its manna (Revelation 2:17), and singing its unending Song of the Lamb (Revelation 15:3).
More information may be found at http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal, the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and at www.mysticalbodymysticalvoice.org Mystical Body, Mystical Voice.
The Parish Liturgical Commission has been meeting on your behalf to help prepare us all for the changes that will be inaugurated on the first Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011. Please contact any of the following if interested in
finding out more: Steve Brown, Pat Colton, Pat Feige, Svea Fraser, Jerry Kehoe PLC@stjohnwellesley.org
