Voices: singing out, ringing out!

Therefore, we, too, extol you with all the Angels,

as in joyful celebration we acclaim:  Holy, holy, holy....

 

 

Choir of Angels ~ Hans Memling (c. 1433-1494, Netherlands)

 

 

“Liturgical action is given a more noble form when sacred rites are solemnized in song, with the assistance of sacred ministers and the active participation of the people.... Choirs must be diligently promoted, but bishops and other pastors must ensure that, whenever the sacred action is to be celebrated with song, the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute that active participation which is rightfully theirs.... Gregorian chant, other things being equal, should be given pride of place in liturgical services. But other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded.... Religious singing by the people is to be skillfully fostered, so that in devotions and sacred exercises, as also during liturgical services, the voices of the faithful may ring out” (Constitution on the Liturgy, 112-118).

St Cecilia

Martyr ~ Rome

Approx  90-117 AD

Patron of Musicians, Sacred Music

Incorruptible

Feast Day – Nov 22

 

"Words cannot express the things that are sung by the heart ... And if so happy that words can no longer express what they feel, 

people discard the restricting syllables. 

They burst out into a simple sound of joy, of jubilation.'"

Well said, St. Augustine!

  Sing praises to the LORD, O you His saints,

and give thanks to His holy Name.  ~ Psalm 30:4

Click here: St. Cecilia - YouTube (2 mins)

St Cecilia, pray for us! 

A single chorus of JOY!

 Preface to the Liturgical Eucharistic Prayer

And so, with Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim:

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.

 

Angels singing in white ~ J Kirk Richards

"Scripture says, 'Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him, and thousands of thousands ministered to Him, and they cried, 'Holy , holy , holy Lord of hosts, the whole creation is full of his glory.'  We too, therefore, gathering together in one accord in our conscience, should cry out earnestly as with one voice to Him." - St Clement of Rome

 

“On high, the armies of the angels are giving praise.  Here below, in the Church, the human choir takes up after them the same doxology.  Above us, angels of fire make the thrice-holy hymn resound magnificently.  Here below is raised the echo of their hymn. 

The festival of heaven’s citizens is united with that of the inhabitants of earth in a single thanksgiving, a single upsurge of happiness,

a single chorus of joy." – St John Chrysostrom

"The little acclamation we call the Sanctus (Latin for "holy")

is a triumphant chant for angelic and human voices in counterpoint. 

The first is a quotation from the prophet Isaiah (Is 6:1-4). ... It is followed by

a quotation from the Gospel, the song of the children of Jerusalem greeting our Lord as He entered His holy city (Mt 21:9). ... The heavenly voices

were acclaiming God the Father; the earthly voices greeted Jesus the Son,

and we put them together in this chant to proclaim that this Jesus,

the man from Galilee, is at the same time the one, eternal, true God."

- Fr Francis Randolph, Know Him in the Breaking of the Bread, A Guide to the Mass

 

"Truly, the Jews did well to shout their hosanna, 

as they went, wending in glad procession down the mount of Olives,

towards Jerusalem, entering by the Golden Gate; all was in harmony,

and breathed triumph; but how far more fitting is it for us to sing it,

at this portentous moment, when the Son of God is about to

come down in the midst of us who truly know Him! - Dom Gueranger

 

"The King does not come alone.  The holy angels are

at the altar in Christ's company, singing, 'The bread of angels becomes 

the bread of men.' " - St Vincent Ferrer