Devotion for today: blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord

We have arrived at the part of the Mass where men and angels are joined in their hymn of praise. The Bible is filled with references to what heaven is like: angels surrounding the throne of God praising him with songs of “Hosanna! Holy! Holy! Holy!”It is somewhat sad to think that for most of us, this is just a rote and uneventful prayer. I listened carefully at Mass one Sunday when we had no choir to sing this, and the congregation could not have sounded more lifeless if it had actually tried to do so. How Sad, I say again. Here we are, standing before God, united in a hymn of praise with His angels, getting ready for the most important part of the Mass, where Jesus will truly become present on the altar, and we rattle off our prayer while probably wondering what our favorite football team is going to do in the game that afternoon. We must make a change in our attitude at Mass. When we get to these familiar parts, and I know from experience how hard this is to do, we really must try to picture what is happening on the spiritual level, and not as man sees it. Picture the heavens opening, and the angels appearing, and in their “frightful” glory, inviting you to sing along with them in praise of the almighty God. Who knows, and one can hope, that this is just the practice session we need to be invited one day to sing in the heavenly chorus!! Go ahead; sing it out with all your heart:

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!!!

Edward Sri tells us: …we repeat the words which the crowds used to greet Jesus as He processed into Jerusalem: “Hosanna” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Both expressions were originally in Psalm 118, a pilgrimage hymn recited on the way to the Temple for major feasts. Hosanna is a transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “Save us,” which became an expression of praise in liturgical worship. The blessing upon “he who comes in the name of the Lord” was normally invoked on the pilgrims coming into the Temple. On the day we know as Palm Sunday, the crowds used these words to welcome Jesus as the one coming in the Lord’s name – in other words, the one representing God and acting on his behalf. It is fitting that we repeat these words at this moment in the Liturgy. Just as the crowds in Jerusalem welcomed Jesus into the holy city with these words from Psalm 118, so do we welcome Jesus into our churches, for he is about to become present in the Eucharist on our altars. (The Mass, Ascension Press, 2011)

Scripture for reflection:

Isaiah 6:2-3: Above him were Seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Matthew 21:9: The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Revelation 5:13: And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Prayer: Psalm 118:26-29

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you
 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
 up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise you;

 You are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
 his love endures forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE