Faith Magazine (Theology 101)

The Sanctus (“holy”) is one of the oldest congregational hymns of the Mass. It is taken from an ancient synagogue practice and was incorporated into Christian worship as early as the first century. It was not seen everywhere in Western practice until after the fifth century.

The first line of the Holy, Holy, Holy is from Isaiah 6:2-3. In a vision, the prophet sees God on a throne surrounded by his angels. In Hebrew, the term is sabaoth and implies that God has command over an army, or “host,” of angels. It is just one more indication of God’s power over all things. So, in the new translation, we will say “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts.”

“Hosanna in the highest” quotes what the crowds said as Christ entered Jerusalem. (Matt 21:9) “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” recalls those same crowds who originally were shouting out a verse from Psalm 118:26.

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USCCB (Changes in the peoples parts “Commentary”)

At the conclusion of the Preface comes the Sanctus, which in Latin means “Holy.” The Sanctus, like the Gloria, is intended to be sung – in fact, many different settings of the Latin text exist even in Gregorian chant.

The only textual difference from our current version is that “God of power and might” becomes “God of hosts.” The word “hosts” refers to a great gathering or multitude, and speaks here of God’s command over the heavenly host of angelic armies.

This reference has a Biblical foundation in Isaiah 6:1-3, where the prophet writes, “I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne… Seraphim were stationed above… ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!’ they cried one to the other. ‘All the earth is filled with his glory!’”
And in Luke 2:13, a “multitude of the heavenly host” also announces the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.

The words of the final three lines of the Sanctus can be found in the Gospel of Matthew, during the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem before His Passion, as the people shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest” (Mt 21:9). Versions of this acclamation appear in the other Gospels, and the “Blessed is he…” line comes from Psalm 118 (117), amidst a passage that became understood as a reference to Christ.

The Sanctus reminds us that all creatures on “heaven and earth” owe thanksgiving to God (“Eucharist” actually means “thanksgiving”). And because we truly believe that the Angels are also present and worshiping with us as we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, then every fiber of our being is made to reflect the utmost reverence. Therefore, immediately after the Sanctus, we kneel. Kneeling is a sign of respect and humility that is distinctly human and bodily – it is something that even the Angels, being pure spirit, cannot do.