Believers are well aware that the Old Testament has its familiar Books of Psalms consisting of 150 songs, hymns and works of poetry often ascribed to the musical King David but certainly derived from many sources. The Hebrew Scriptures of course have many other “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,” as St. Paul recalled, scattered throughout the 45 books.
One of the oldest lines in the Bible is the lyrical celebration of the Hebrew deliverance at the Red Sea: “Praise to the Lord for he has been gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. “The “Holy, Holy, Holy!” prayed at Mass just before the Eucharistic Prayer is adapted almost entirely from the writings of Isaiah.
The New Testament as well includes a number of hymns and songs that were in circulation in the first days of the church that the sacred authors have probably lifted whole into their inspired writings. The Book of Revelation and the letters of St. Paul offer occasional poetic testimonies to the truths of the faith, including the awesome hymn from Philippians celebrating Jesus’ self-emptying and consequent exaltation by the Father. But the most well known works of poetry from the Christian Scriptures must be ascribed to St. Luke.
This evangelist has preserved for believers Mary’s powerful “Magnificat,” Zachary’s grateful “Benedictus,” and Simeon's heartfelt “Nunc Dimittis.” Believers should also recall that St. Luke has preserved for posterity the brief song of the angels heard from the skies over Bethlehem at the birth of Christ: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.” Of all the canticles contained in the Sacred Scriptures, Old Testament or New Testament, the “Gloria” is probably the most familiar, being incorporated into the opening rite of the Mass.
This liturgical song has been greatly amplified by the church over the centuries. It bears perennial witness to the believing community’s ancient desire to express deeply held beliefs in rhythmical fashion. Come this Advent, the English-speaking world will modify a bit the praises found in the “Gloria” the better to reflect the traditional Latin cadences. The restored “Gloria” will read:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. 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. 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. 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. Amen.”
Some commentators have criticized the Nicene Creed soon to be used at Mass for employing too many 50-cent words: consubstantial, incarnate, etc. Clearly the “Glory to God” does not merit such disapproval. The “Glory to God” has been simply restored; it has not been elaborately reworked. Worshippers will note that the phrase “good will,” inexplicably omitted from the current translation, will be restored. Such good will refers mutually to God’s benevolent will toward mankind as well as men’s good will toward each another. Then five bursts of tribute will spring from praying lips: we praise, we bless, we adore, we glorify, and we thank God for being our heavenly king and our almighty father. “Bless” and “glorify” have been returned to the order and “worship” has been replaced by the more powerful “adore.” Jesus will be appreciated again as the only “begotten” Son. He will again be acclaimed for taking away the “sins” of the world rather than the currently used “sin” of the world - recalling sin as an individual offense rather than a corporate fault. The brief litany to Jesus again includes all three petitions: have mercy on us; receive our prayer; have mercy on us. The final tribute to Jesus, the Spirit and the Father is identical in both translations.
When American Catholics begin worshipping at the church’s renewed liturgy starting in Advent, they will of course have to restrain the jubilation expressed in the “Glory to God” until Christmas, the brisk hymn of praise being repressed during Advent. How appropriate it is that this song first intoned by the angels on Christmas Eve should now be chanted by English-speaking Catholics for the first time on another Christmas Eve, commemorating the birth of the awaited Messiah.
