The Gloria
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to his people on earth (Lk 2:14).
* * *
The Gloria or “Greater Doxology” is of great antiquity. Its style supports the theory that it is among the earliest of all Christian hymns. There is no phrase in it that does not also appear either in the epistles of St Paul or in the writings of St John.
The first Christians used to sing it in their meetings, usually early in the morning. They saw in the rising sun a symbol of Christ, a great light that comes to dispel darkness. Soon it was introduced in the Mass, but only on Christmas day. In the sixth century, Pope St Symmachus extended its use to the main solemnities, Sundays, and feasts of martyrs, but only for the Mass celebrated by the bishop. Towards the tenth century, it began to be used more or less as it is now.
* * *
The Gloria is sung or said on Sundays outside Advent or Lent, on solemnities and feasts, and in special, more solemn celebrations. It is usually sung by the congregation, or by the congregation alternately with the choir, or by the choir alone. If not sung, it is to be recited either by all together or in alternation.
With the Gloria, the Church, assembled in the Holy Spirit, praises and entreats the Father and the Lamb.[1] It begins with the words the angels said to the shepherds on Christmas night (Lk 2:14), for which reason this composition is also known as the Angelic Hymn:
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
* * *
The shepherds, being simple men, were overwhelmed with enthusiasm and excitement. They felt they had to sing of such a sublime mystery. And then, enlightened by the Light of the world, doubtless they realized that they should glorify that great mystery not only through the music of their rustic flutes, but also in their hearts.
We must be like them: a living testimony to God’s glory.
Of what use would be all our acts of piety, if we did not amend our life, if we did not fulfill our professional duties?
We do not want to proclaim the glories of God while our mind and will are clothed in vanity.
We do not want to speak of them, while our heart is full of bitterness toward our neighbor. You and I must not act thus.
* * *
After the angels’ shout of joy, we can distinguish two parts in the Gloria. The first is addressed to the Father:
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Man must worship the Creator before asking favors of him. There can be no peace on earth unless we recognize the sovereignty of God.
With all the strength of our souls, we affirm our abiding in God when we confess his glory. But notice that in the course of the Mass, we have many opportunities to thank God for his favors to us. Here we thank him, not for what he has done, but for what he is: propter magnam gloriam tuam, for his great glory, for his immensity, for his incomprehensibility.
* * *
The second part is addressed to Jesus Christ:
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
The soul praises and blesses the Son of God, the “Only Begotten Son.” He himself, the Good Shepherd, became the sacrificial Lamb in order to save all men by his death—on a cross.
And this spotless Lamb did not hesitate to become the “man of sorrows” and to burden himself with our sins, in order to take away the sins of the world, in order to reconcile man with God.
He had such compassion on our infirmities that he left behind his seat in heaven “at the right hand of the Father.”
Greater love than this no man had, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Now, if he is such a friend of ours, why should we not ask him humbly to have mercy on us?
He will listen to our pleas, because he said “ask and you shall receive.” Therefore, let us ask him humbly, confidently, and with perseverance: “Receive our prayer.” We poor men can never stop begging from God. May we never lack the faith and humility to continue doing so.
* * *
We can find in this hymn the four reasons for which the Mass is said. These should also be our dispositions when we participate in the Mass:
Praise of God: “We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you,”
Thanksgiving: “We give you thanks for your great glory,”
Atonement and sorrow for sins: “You take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.”
Petition: “Receive our prayer.”
Here our souls surge with these sentiments that will mount as the Mass goes on. Thus the soul sings the Gloria, even though the lips may only be reciting it. The soul sings in the name of the entire creation, yearning for the coming of the kingdom of God, which is announced and effected in the Mass.
* * *
This most beautiful of hymns is brought to its end in sublime simplicity:
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
* * *
This act of faith in Christ and in the Blessed Trinity has its origin in the Greek liturgy of the first centuries. When the priest showed the body of Christ before Communion, the people acclaimed the Lord by saying, “You alone are the Holy One, you are the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the glory of the Father.” Then the words, “you alone are the Most High” were added, taken from Psalm 82, verse 19, which have always been applied to Christ.
Footnote:
[1]GIRM, no. 31; GIRM3, no. 53.
* * *
The Gloria or “Greater Doxology” is of great antiquity. Its style supports the theory that it is among the earliest of all Christian hymns. There is no phrase in it that does not also appear either in the epistles of St Paul or in the writings of St John.
The first Christians used to sing it in their meetings, usually early in the morning. They saw in the rising sun a symbol of Christ, a great light that comes to dispel darkness. Soon it was introduced in the Mass, but only on Christmas day. In the sixth century, Pope St Symmachus extended its use to the main solemnities, Sundays, and feasts of martyrs, but only for the Mass celebrated by the bishop. Towards the tenth century, it began to be used more or less as it is now.
* * *
The Gloria is sung or said on Sundays outside Advent or Lent, on solemnities and feasts, and in special, more solemn celebrations. It is usually sung by the congregation, or by the congregation alternately with the choir, or by the choir alone. If not sung, it is to be recited either by all together or in alternation.
With the Gloria, the Church, assembled in the Holy Spirit, praises and entreats the Father and the Lamb.[1] It begins with the words the angels said to the shepherds on Christmas night (Lk 2:14), for which reason this composition is also known as the Angelic Hymn:
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
* * *
The shepherds, being simple men, were overwhelmed with enthusiasm and excitement. They felt they had to sing of such a sublime mystery. And then, enlightened by the Light of the world, doubtless they realized that they should glorify that great mystery not only through the music of their rustic flutes, but also in their hearts.
We must be like them: a living testimony to God’s glory.
Of what use would be all our acts of piety, if we did not amend our life, if we did not fulfill our professional duties?
We do not want to proclaim the glories of God while our mind and will are clothed in vanity.
We do not want to speak of them, while our heart is full of bitterness toward our neighbor. You and I must not act thus.
* * *
After the angels’ shout of joy, we can distinguish two parts in the Gloria. The first is addressed to the Father:
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Man must worship the Creator before asking favors of him. There can be no peace on earth unless we recognize the sovereignty of God.
With all the strength of our souls, we affirm our abiding in God when we confess his glory. But notice that in the course of the Mass, we have many opportunities to thank God for his favors to us. Here we thank him, not for what he has done, but for what he is: propter magnam gloriam tuam, for his great glory, for his immensity, for his incomprehensibility.
* * *
The second part is addressed to Jesus Christ:
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
The soul praises and blesses the Son of God, the “Only Begotten Son.” He himself, the Good Shepherd, became the sacrificial Lamb in order to save all men by his death—on a cross.
And this spotless Lamb did not hesitate to become the “man of sorrows” and to burden himself with our sins, in order to take away the sins of the world, in order to reconcile man with God.
He had such compassion on our infirmities that he left behind his seat in heaven “at the right hand of the Father.”
Greater love than this no man had, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Now, if he is such a friend of ours, why should we not ask him humbly to have mercy on us?
He will listen to our pleas, because he said “ask and you shall receive.” Therefore, let us ask him humbly, confidently, and with perseverance: “Receive our prayer.” We poor men can never stop begging from God. May we never lack the faith and humility to continue doing so.
* * *
We can find in this hymn the four reasons for which the Mass is said. These should also be our dispositions when we participate in the Mass:
Praise of God: “We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you,”
Thanksgiving: “We give you thanks for your great glory,”
Atonement and sorrow for sins: “You take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.”
Petition: “Receive our prayer.”
Here our souls surge with these sentiments that will mount as the Mass goes on. Thus the soul sings the Gloria, even though the lips may only be reciting it. The soul sings in the name of the entire creation, yearning for the coming of the kingdom of God, which is announced and effected in the Mass.
* * *
This most beautiful of hymns is brought to its end in sublime simplicity:
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
* * *
This act of faith in Christ and in the Blessed Trinity has its origin in the Greek liturgy of the first centuries. When the priest showed the body of Christ before Communion, the people acclaimed the Lord by saying, “You alone are the Holy One, you are the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the glory of the Father.” Then the words, “you alone are the Most High” were added, taken from Psalm 82, verse 19, which have always been applied to Christ.
Footnote:
[1]GIRM, no. 31; GIRM3, no. 53.