At the conclusion of each Eucharistic Preface is a call for us to join in the Heavenly Liturgy of Christ and his angels and his saints. This is the worship that goes on in heaven. We join in the angelic hymn of praise described by the Prophet Isaiah in his vision of heaven:
"I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted,
and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Above him were seraphs, each with six wings:
with two wings they covered their faces,
with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
And they were calling to one another:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’ " (Isaiah 61-3)
The author of the Book of Revelation had a similar vision of the seraphim and their song:
"Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around,
even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.’" (Revelation 4:8)
We echo this angelic song on earth in every Mass with what is commonly termed "The Sanctus" (Latin for Holy). The Sanctus is introduced within the Eucharistic Preface with reference to the angelic hosts and heaven itself. For example, this reference in a Eucharistic Prayer for Feasts of Mary:
"Through him [Christ] the Angels praise your majesty,
Dominions adore and Powers tremble before you.
Heaven and the Virtues of heaven
and the blessed Seraphim worship together with exultation.
May our voices, we pray, join with theirs in humble praise, as we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy..."
I particularly like the Orthodox Church’s Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom with this introduction to the angelic hymn:
"For all this we give thanks, for all things known and unknown,
all benefits manifest and hidden... and also this Liturgy,
which God deigns to accept from our hands,
though before Him stand thousands of archangels
and myriads of angels, cherubim and seraphim,
six-winged, many-eyed soaring aloft on their wings,
singing, crying out and shouting the triumphal hymn:
Holy, Holy. Holy..."
In the Roman Rite the Sanctus quotes Isaiah 6:3, but adds the word "heaven," and also a reference from Matthew 21:9. Thus:
"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."
Here is a perfect hymn for us to join in heaven, and a foreshadowing of the coming of the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist.
The Sanctus brings us into the very precincts of heaven. With Christ and through him we offer worship in heaven as on earth. There, in heaven, he offers himself in an eternal offering of worship and love to God, with all his glorified members: the Virgin Mary and all the saints, accompanied by the angelic hosts. This is the "heavenly liturgy""It is in this eternal liturgy that the Spirit and the Church enable us to participate whenever we celebrate the mystery of salvation in the sacraments." (CCC1139).
We are also reminded of our union with heaven in the devotional decorations of the church. For example, flanking the Crucifix in our parish church are the panels of Mary and St. John. An icon of the Risen Christ is at the back of the Church. Above are angel banners. In two upper corners of the church are large banners of St. Joseph and the Madonna. And lo and behold, the stain glass windows near the sanctuary have those seraphim, the six winged angels, whom we join in their eternal hymn.
Next week: The Sacrifice of the Mass
