Sunday, January 14, 2018

Shoulder to Shoulder With Archangels

There is a portion of the Anglican liturgy during the season of Epiphany (which has been going on since January 6th on the Christian calendar) that I find thrilling and significant, both on a liturgy basis and as a church historian.

It comes after the offering and Doxology. The priest offers the Sursum Corda ("Lift Up Your Hearts") exchange with the congregation and then goes into an address to God as follows:

"Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name."

The congregation then goes right into singing the Sanctus (a hymn that expresses God's holiness), but...hey, did you catch that underlined portion above?

You are singing with angels and archangels.

God desires you to sing with the company of heaven.

We get to boldly proclaim that we're going shoulder to shoulder with Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, and others to sing out loud.

You get to do that.

If that's the case, Psalm 8 is right.

We are crowned with glory and honor and God is worthy of our song.

That's your thought for today.

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