Explanation of the Prayers and Ceremonies of Holy Mass, Dom Prosper Guéranger - Gloria in Excelsis

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.  In this the opening of the Hymn, it speaks to God, without distinction of Persons; and holy Mother Church, after the example of the Angels, takes up, at first, the same tone; and thus continues: Laudamus te: We praise Thee; for praise is due to Thee, and we offer it unto Thee.  Benedicimus te: We bless Thee; that is to say, we offer Thee thanksgiving, in return for thy benefits.  Adoramus te: We adore Thee, O Infinite Majesty!  Glorificamus te: We give glory to Thee, for that Thou hast created and redeemed us.  The bare addressing these several expressions to God, with the intention of praising Him, thanking Him, adoring Him, and glorifying Him, is a perfect prayer and praise; such is the intention of the Church; let it be ours, and we shall not need to go in search of any higher meaning to our words.  Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam: We give thee thanks for thy great glory.  The better to take in the deep meaning of these few words, let us remember that God vouchsafes to make it a glory to Himself to bestow His favours upon us.  The greatest of these is the Incarnation; and the Incarnation is his greatest glory.  Hence, the Church might well say to Him: We give thee thanks, because of Thy great glory; The homage paid by the Word Incarnate, even in what might be thought the least of his adorations, procures more glory to the Divine Majesty, than all created beings, unitedly, could do.  Truly, therefore, the Incarnation is the great glory of God.  And we His creatures give Him thanks for it; because if the Son of God became Incarnate, it was for us, it was because of us, that He did so.  Yea, it is for us, that Thou, O God, achievedst the mystery which gives Thee the greatest glory: it is most just, then, that we thank Thee for it: Gratias agimus tibi, propter magnam gloriam tuam! - Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens: O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.  Here, the Church addresses herself directly to the Father.  Previously, she was intent on the Unity which is in the Godhead; she now thinks of the Trinity; and seeing, first of all, the divine Person who is the Principle and source of the other Two, she exclaims Deus Pater omnipotens!  God, Father Almighty!  Then she turns to her Divine Spouse.  She can never tire speaking of Him; and almost all the rest of the Canticle is addressed to Him.  She sings the Incarnate Son of God, and she calls Him Lord: Domine, Fili unigenite: Lord, the Only Begotten Son!  She also calls Him by the human name which he received as creature: Jesu Christe!  But, she does not forget that He is God; she loudly proclaims it, saying: Domine DEUS, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris!  Yes, her Spouse is God; he is, too, the Lamb of God, as St. John declared Him to the people; and, finally, He is Son of the Father.  In her delighted love, Holy Church gives her Spouse every title she can think of; she enumerates his glories; it is a joy to her to announce them all in turn.  Among these titles, she gives him that of Lamb of God; but she seems to falter a moment, before adding what is the sad consequence of that title, - namely, that He had to take the world's sins upon Himself.  She must, first, speak again of His magnificence; she calls Him Filius Patris; and this said, she takes heart, and sings out to her Spouse, that, being the Lamb, He has humbled Himself so low, as to take upon Himself the sins of the world: Qui tollis peccata mundi.  Who takest, and takest away, the sins of the world. Thou hast deigned to redeem us by Thy Blood; now, therefore, that Thou art in glory, at the right hand of thy Father, abandon us not, but have mercy upon us: Miserere nobis!  She no longer hesitates to say those words; she repeats them, for they tell us where our strength lies: Qui tollis peccata mundi.  The Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, taking away our defilements and our sins, what have we to fear?  Is it not this that makes us strong?  The Church is thus minded.  She tells and re-tells the glorious truth first, she asks for mercy and then, she beseeches Him to attend to the prayer of His Bride: Suscipe deprecationem nostram.  Behold us here assembled for the Sacrifice; receive, then, our humble prayer.

After having thus spoken, holy Church contemplates her divine Spouse throned in the highest heavens: Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris: Who sittest at the right hand of the Father.  Just before, she was complacently looking at Him as the Lamb of God, who had taken on Himself the sins of the whole world; she now advances higher, and goes even to the Father's right hand, where she beholds Him who is the object of her adoration and praise.  There, she reaches the very Being of God; there, she pays her homage to all Holiness, all Justice, all Plenitude, all Greatness, as she is now going to proclaim.  But, first, she repeats her cry for mercy: Miserere nobis!  Have mercy on us, for Thou hast redeemed us!  Tu solus Sanctus; Tu solus Dominus; Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe: Thou alone art Holy; Thou alone art Lord; Thou alone art most High, O Christ Jesus!  Thus, in this Canticle, holy Church perseveres in her endeavours to reach her divine Spouse; each one of her exclamations is like an attempt to be with Him.  She thinks of her own necessities; she thinks of Him; she is all enthusiasm.  She no sooner mentions His name, than she must tell all His Perfections; not one must be forgotten.  She dwells on His name, because He is her Spouse; she praises Him, and glorifies Him, and calls Him the alone God, the alone Lord, the alone Most High.  She adds, however: Cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris; together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father.  Thus, she mentions each of the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity and the praise she gives to Christ, by calling Him alone Holy, alone Lord, alone Most High, applies also to the other two Persons, since the Father and the Holy Ghost cannot be separated from the Son, and, like Him, They are alone Holy, alone Lord, alone Most High: and no one is Holy, no one is Lord, no one is Most High, except the great God himself.

In this magnificent Canticle, everything is, at once, grand and simple.  Holy Church is in admiration at the thought of her divine Spouse.  She began with the Kyrie; then, the Hymn of the Angels followed; she took up their song, and continued it; and the same Spirit that spoke, through the Angels, to the Shepherds, taught the Church how to worthily close the Canticle.