Response to Holiness

The Mirror of God’s Holiness

Isaiah 6:1-8 NKJV
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So, I said:
“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
“Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Ambrose
Cherubim and seraphim with unwearied voices praise him and say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts.” They say it not once, lest you should believe that there is but one; not twice, lest you should exclude the Spirit; they say not holies (in the plural), lest you should imagine that there is plurality, but they repeat three times and say the same word, that even in a hymn you may understand the distinction of persons in the Trinity and the oneness of the Godhead, and while they say this they proclaim God. (On the Holy Spirit 3.15.110)

Woe is me; I am undone.
Unclean speech is on my tongue.
Unclean thoughts pervade my mind.
Unclean people form my line.
Thrice holy God, royalty high,
From your throne to me come nigh.
Cleanse me from the stain of sin;
Fill me with Thyself within.
Angels bow in adoration,
Crying loud your holy station.
Lord, may I with them be joined
Worshiping with voices one,
“Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
God of glory, Lord of love.
Steadfast and unchangeable,
Take away from me all sinful
Actions, thoughts, intentions, words,
Then send me out into your world.

Holy, Holy, Holy

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of