December 20, 2021
Dear friends,
I’ve written before about how the church marks time with color. Another way that the church marks time is with texts of Scripture and prayers. Each Sunday of the Church Year has its own propers — readings and prayers for the day.
The days leading up to Christmas have some beautiful propers of their own, including the O Antiphons. An antiphon is a verse that is repeated at the beginning and end of another set of verses. We begin and end our Introit with an antiphon every Sunday.
The O Antiphons are verses to be sung before and after the Magnificat (Mary’s Song — “My soul magnifies the Lord. . .”) at Vespers in the days leading up to Christmas. Each verse begins with a Biblical name for Christ:
17 December: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
18 December: O Adonai (O Lord)
19 December: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
20 December: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
21 December: O Oriens (O Morningstar)
22 December: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)
23 December: O Emmanuel (O With Us is God)
That last one becomes the title verse of an Advent favorite: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Have a listen and hear how each verse of that hymn corresponds to one of these antiphons (starting with the 7th antiphon, and then going back to the beginning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJjyY2R_Ick&ab_channel=MaterDeiProductions
Here are the texts of all the antiphons — beautiful prayers for Christ to come and save us!
O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.
O Adonai and ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the Law on Sinai: Come with an outstretched arm and redeem us.
O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do homage: Come quickly to deliver us.
O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the pris’ners who are in darkness and the shadow of death.
O Dayspring, splendor of light everlasting: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
O King of the nations, the ruler they long for, the cornerstone uniting all people: Come and save us all, whom You formed out of clay.
O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior: Come and save us, O Lord our God.
God bless and keep you,
Pr. Buchs
COMING EVENTS:
Choir rehearsal – Wednesdays, December 22 @ 6pm
Midweek Advent Service – Wednesdays, December 22 @ 7pm
Christmas Eve Divine Service – Friday, December 24 @ 7pm
Christmas Day Divine Service – Saturday, December 25 @ 9am