Gloria in Excelsis

Even though Christmas is now over a month behind us, at every Divine Service we sing what the angels sang to the shepherds in Luke 2:14 when they announced the birth of the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth." We recognize that short verse of praise to be significant not only for the shepherds but for us, for whom Jesus also was born, lived, suffered, died and rose again. So we sing it, again and again and again.

Have you ever repeated some of your favorite movie lines over and over? Clarion and I often share a lot of laughter as we do back and forth dialogue from movies, especially comedies. Sometimes we'll bust into one of our favorite parts of a movie for a few seconds. The words just stick with us. I wouldn't liken that fully to singing the Gloria, or any part of the liturgy for that matter, but it's similar. The story of salvation is a story of great importance for us and this song sung by the angels marks one of the most significant moments in the story. That should always stick with us and roll off our lips in great and glorious praise.

We don't pray the liturgy every Sunday because "that's the way we've always done it." Tradition is important, but never driven by that mentality. We pray the liturgy because it tells the greatest story ever, the story of God redeeming His beloved creation, especially humanity, and it anchors us firmly in the story. There is incredible meaning not only for us, but for the whole human race. Certain parts, like the Gloria certainly stand out. There is much to digest in this ancient song.

Our worship is a confession of what we believe about God, especially Jesus, who He is and what He's done for us. Whenever we sing the liturgy, especially the Gloria, we're not only strengthened in who Jesus is for us, but we make a grand proclamation to all who are present—the Savior of the world has come! Those words make a lifelong impression on our hearts and minds that stay with us, even when our bodies grow old and our minds start to slip. That's the beauty of lifelong liturgical worship, not entertainment-driven, but Gospel-driven, anchoring us in the greatest truths in the history of mankind.

The Gloria has also been called the "Greater Doxology." While the opening line is of Latin origin, the hymn itself which follows it is of Greek origin. It became a regular part of the Mass, following the Kyrie, in the 6th century. Christians for centuries have made use of its text in praise to the Holy Trinity. How humbling it is that we still sing it today, yes in different musical settings, but still confessing what Christians have always confessed, that Jesus Christ is the Savior, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!