| GLORIA
(Taken from Notes Made at the Conferences of Dom Prosper Guéranger)
Then the Priest has to intone the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, he goes to the middle of the Altar; extends his arms at first, and then joins his hands together; but, neither here, nor at the intonation of the Credo, does he raise up his eyes. At the close of the hymn, he makes the sign of the Cross, because there is pronounced the name of Jesus, who, together with the Holy Ghost, is in the glory of God the Father; and thus mention is made of the Blessed Trinity. This Hymn is one of the most ancient in the Church's collection. There has been an attempt made (Mgr. Cousseau, Bishop of Angoulême. )to prove that it was composed by St. Hilary. But there are really no grounds for such an assertion. One thing is certain, that this Hymn dates from the earliest days of the Church, and that it is to be found in all the Missals of the Eastern Churches. Nothing can exceed the beauty of its expressions. It is not a long composition, like, for example, the Preface, in which holy Church always begins by some doctrinal teaching, and then turns to prayer: here, on the contrary, all is enthusiasm and fervent language of the soul. The Angels themselves intoned the Hymn; and the Church, inspired as she is, by the Holy Ghost, continues the words of the Angels. Let us dwell upon the words of this magnificent Canticle.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! et in terra, pax hominibus bonae voluntatis: Glory be to God in the highest heavens; and peace on earth to men of good will; to men that are beloved of God. These are the words of the Angels: to God, be glory; to men, who, heretofore, were all children of wrath, the peace and blessing of God.
<Pastor's note: the Greek (and protestant) rendering of the hymn has ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία -- "good will to men." However, this is not possible based on a critical reading of Luke 2:14. Fr. Jungmann remarks that εὐδοκία refers not to "the good will of men but the good will of God, God's pleasure, God's favor and grace... [These] are therefore men of God's grace and selection, men to whom the news of God's kingdom has been proclaimed.> |