Sanctus: Singing With All the Saints

During my lunch time for the past few weeks, I have been reading The Blessings of Weekly Communion by Kenneth Wieting. As the name of the book suggests, the author explores and encourages the practice of weekly communion. He definitely makes a compelling case based on history, scripture, and the Lutheran Confessions.

In today’s reading, Wieting discusses the singing of the Sanctus in the Communion liturgy by referencing a selection from They Will See His Face by Richard Eyer.

At this point in the Divine Service the curtain separating this life from the next is drawn back and we sing with those who have gone before us the glory of Christ’s victory over sin and death. Here, in the Divine Service, as nowhere else on earth, we are together as one, saints above and saints on earth. Here, more than anywhere else in this life, we are near to those who have died in Christ. No memories or private devotions can rival the reality that all the community of heaven worships with us when we worship together in the Divine Service on a Sunday morning. What better place to find healing and reunion with loved ones than in the gathering of God’s people before the altar? (Eyer quoted in Wieting, page 202)

One of the great joys I have as an organist is leading this earthly and heavenly host in song. This is the time in the service when all the stops on our 7-rank pipe organ get pulled out and I would use the zimblestern (if I had one). It is both a humbling and exhilarating experience.

I’d be interested to know how others interpret the Sanctus. Do you and/or your congregation see it as singing with all the saints?

Related posts:

1. Singing With All the Saints
2. Heaven on Earth
3. Word & Sacrament – How Christ Makes a Christian
4. Difficult Hymns That Are Not Difficult
5. Singing Difficult Hymns