Reflections on the Mass: The Preface Acclamation

The priest ends the Preface of the Eucharistic prayer with an invitation to us. We are to join our voices to those of the angels and sing a hymn of praise to God in all His glory. So we lift up our voices and our hearts in praise.

“Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.” We proclaim three times that God is holy, and this reminds us that God is Trinity in Unity. He is one God, one divine substance, but three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We don't have to understand it, and we never fully will, but we do have to belief it. For God has revealed it. “Lord God of hosts” reminds us that God is the God of the angels, too, of His angel army. This is His military title, reminding us of His omnipotence.

“Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.” This is more true than we realize. God's glory surrounds us. His creation reflects it, each element in its own way. We, too, are called to reflect God's glory and to respond to His glory with awe and wonder. Everything around us is a gift from Him. We don't deserve any of it. He gives it freely out of love. Are we grateful?

“Hosanna in the highest.” Hosanna is a cry of rejoicing, but the word literally means “save us” or “rescue us.” As we pray this line, we are to recognize that only God can save us and rescue us from our sins and our weakness and the horrible messes we get ourselves into. God is the Savior. We need His salvation to the maximum. We rely on His help, for we cannot save ourselves. So when we say “Hosanna,” we cry out to God for something that only He can give: our salvation.

“Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.” This line comes from Matthew 21:9. Jesus is riding into Jerusalem on the day that would come to be known as Palm Sunday. The crowd is celebrating before Him, crying out that He is blessed and that He has come in the name of the Lord. They are recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, but they do not fully realize yet that He is also God. Yet their praise is sincere, and now we echo it, and we have all the more reason to do so, for we know Who Jesus is.

“Hosanna in the highest.” Still echoing the crowd in Jerusalem, once more we proclaim, “Hosanna in the highest.” We join our voices to theirs, asking God to save us and rejoicing because He has, He is, and He will.