O antiphons

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a; Psalm 71 My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory;  Luke 1: 5-25

This week as we enter into the octave before Christmas, the church directs and fixes our attention on the Messianic promises through the ancient texts proclaimed by the prophets of old, known as the O Antiphons. 

The antiphons echo through the liturgy from ages past in which Israel's attention was fixed on the one who was to come.  They are echoes of voices from days gone by filled with hope for tomorrow for the coming Messiah.

There is a tone of expectancy in the antiphons as the Church ask us to unite ourselves with the Virgin heavy with Child, but also the Church herself, the bride of Christ, stand heavy with expectancy, as she yearns for Jesus' final birth not just at the end of time but in the hearts of all. 

O Wisdom (Sapientia) from the Most High, O Ruler(Adonai) of the House of Israel, O Root(Radix) of Jesse, O key (Clavis) of David, O Rising Dawn (Oriens) and Day Spring, O King (Rex) of the Gentiles, O Emmanuel, God-with-us, fill the remaining days with hope. 

In the Latin, the initials of the antiphons, Sapientia, Adonai, Radix, Clavis, Oriens, Rex,Emmanuel  backwards  spell ERO CRAS, in Latin translates, "tomorrow I will be there." 

In the liturgy of Advent we begin with the prayer, "Come Lord Jesus."  As we approach the Christmas event and encounter, we hear Christ respond to our prayer, "Tomorrow, I will be there."

The "tomorrow" the heart longs for finds its fulfillment in the Christ encounter in the manger. Praying the liturgy we enter into the answer to the deepest longing of the human heart. 

Come Lord Jesus, do not delay we await your arrival this day.

Picture is a print of Jeane Kun entitled "root of Jesse"