Here we are one week after Pentecost, the "day" the Spirit fell upon the people of the early Christian community to give them "power from on high." This week we celebrate and glorify God in three persons, blessed Trinity as the hymn goes. Have you ever heard or sung Holy, Holy, Holy? This hymn was written by Reginald Heber (1783-1826) who was a Bishop in the Church of England. He wrote it specifically for Trinity Sunday in 1826. (See Sharefaith for Story & Full Lyrics) Although I generally prefer more contemporary versions of traditional hymns, I don’t care for any of the updated versions I have heard of this one. As you prepare your heart to reflect on this week’s reading, take this link to listen to a beautiful traditional arrangement of Holy, Holy Holy produced by Maratha! on Youtube.
Read verse 1 as a gentle prayer before your reflection…
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, bless'd Trinity!
Perhaps Bishop Heber was meditating on the first few verses of Isaiah 6 as he was inspired to write Holy, Holy, Holy, a song that has truly stood the test of time.
And perhaps the great bible artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883) spent considerable time meditating on this small portion of Isaiah as inspiration for his painting "Isaiah." Perhaps you might spend a few moments "gazing" upon this rendition of the great prophet Isaiah ...
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| Public Domain. Courtesy Creationism. org |
Lectio: Read Isaiah 6:1-5 aloud slowly savoring each of the words … Allow yourself to be immersed in the rich images of this mystical experience of the prophet Isaiah.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I had a vision of the LORD. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple. Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying, as they shouted,
“Holy, holy, holy, LORD All-Powerful!
The earth is filled with your glory.”
As they shouted, the doorposts of the temple shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. Then I cried out, “I’m doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD All-Powerful.”
Meditatio: Linger and meditate over the words in this passage for as long as you are drawn to them. Identify the word, phrase, sentence, or idea that most catches your attention on this reading. Ponder this powerful experience as you consider what the word/words mean to you.
Lectio: Read Isaiah 6:1-5 aloud a 2nd time.
Meditatio: Ask yourself: Where does this passage touch my life, my community, or my world today? Pause and meditate on the connections you are seeing.
Lectio: Read Isaiah 6:1-5 aloud a 3rd and final time.
Meditatio: As you continue to meditate, allow the silence emerging from within you to settle your heart … can you discern God’s voice in the midst of your meditation? What are you hearing? Is there an invitation you are hearing with ears of your heart … an invitation to change, to act/re-act, to speak out, to be, or just to rest … allow the voice of God to emerge.
Oratio: Lectio Divina (sacred reading) leads us to prayer. What begins as God addressing us – through our reading and responses – leads us eventually to a place where we are drawn into the presence of God and we respond from the depths of our heart and soul in prayer and praise.
Contemplatio: When the words begin to fade away, allow once again the silence to fill your entire being. Rest in this state of contemplation ... meaning without words/thoughts for as long as you feel comfortable in the silence … allow all of your thoughts to float away and simply “BE” in the presence of God.
Amen …
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