Thursday 30 May 2013
"And one (seraph) called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.'" (v.3)
Background
This passage is set 800 years or so before the birth of Christ,and the prophet Isaiah can pinpoint the precise time and place whenhe had his Temple vision. In the whole of the Bible this is theonly reference to 'seraphs'. All we know about them is that, forIsaiah, they were bright heavenly beings offering endless praise toGod.
The seraph's great shout of praise, beginning "Holy, holy, holy",has gained a central place in Christian worship. In matchless music- as the 'Sanctus' hymn (which translates as 'Holy') - this can bedescribed as the greatest single verse with which to express gloryto God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The words are said or sungacross the world Sunday by Sunday at the very heart of theEucharist.
Something 'other-wordly' happens when great words and great musiccome together in praise of God. Earth is carried up into heaven andheaven comes down to earth. The great moments in the Bible arethose when heaven and earth meet.
To Ponder
- Try to listen to a recording of a 'Sanctus'. Try versions byBach, Mozart, Schubert, or the haunting
- This weekend, go for a walk in one of nature's great 'outdoorcathedrals' and in the vastness and beauty of sky, hills, fields orsea. As you walk, open yourself afresh to discovering that "thewhole earth is full of [God's] glory".
- Why does a deep awareness of God's presence compel so manypeople to admit their unworthiness or confess theirsinfulness?