In the final O Antiphon we call upon God in a personal way, O Come Emmanuel God with us, our King and Lawgiver, come to save us.
O Emmanuel
O Our King and Lawgiver,
the Expected of the Nations
and their Savior,
come to save us, O Lord our God.
This antiphon is based on the following scripture:
Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel".
Isaiah 33:22: "Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes, the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, he it is who will save us".
This O Antiphon makes today a “little” Ash Wednesday: Come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth. This plea is that God will save all humanity, all He created and formed from the dust of the earth. Come Lord Jesus breathe the breath of your life into us and make us one.
O Rex Gentium
O King of the gentiles/nations and their desired One,
the cornerstone that makes both one:
come, and deliver man,
whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.
This Antiphon is based on the following scripture:
Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God: See, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that has been tested, a precious cornerstone as a sure foundation; he who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken.”
Psalm 118:22 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
Matthew 21:42 “Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes’?””
Mark 12:10 “Have you not read this scripture: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…””
Luke 20:17 “But he looked at them and asked, “What then does this scriptures passage mean: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?”
Acts 4:11 “He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.”
Ephesians 2:20 “build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.”
Revelation 15:3 “and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the Nations.””
In ancient times, at Mass, Christians faced the East, calling on Christ the Dayspring, to “shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow.” Today, December 21 marks the shortest day of the year and longest night. Through night’s darkness, the Advent candles continue to burn bright and the Church calls to Our Lord, the Dayspring, the Radiant Dawn, the Morning Star to come.
We are all in need of a Savior, none are immune. We look to the Dayspring to ransom us from death and darkness. Sin seeks shelter under the cover of darkness, but we can return to the light through baptism or the sacrament of penance. Flee darkness, confess sin, and live in His light, comfort and freedom. O Dayspring come and disperse the gloomy clouds of night.
O Oriens
O Dawn of the east, brightness of the light eternal,
and Son of Justice:
Come, and enlighten them that sit in darkenss
and in the shadow of death.
This Antiphon is based on the following scripture:
Isaiah 9:1-2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing.”
Isaiah 9: 5-6 “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.”
Malachi 4:2 “But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays; And you will gambol [frolic] like calves out of the stall.”
Luke 1:78-79 “because of the tender mercy of our God by which the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star.”
We have reached our fourth night in the Christmas Octave the O Clavis: O Key of David. Jesus the descendent of David, son of Jesse is the one “who has the Key” to unlock us from our prison of sin. Jesus is the one “who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts and no one opens.”
Keys represent authority; the one with the key has the authority. Jesus, who came to us at Bethlehem, has never left us. He entrusted the keys to His Church to “bind and to loose” to Peter after the Resurrection, to hand down in succession. Come Lord Jesus, help us to trust, believe and follow, knowing that Your key is the key that unlocks our cell, and bondage to sin.
O Clavis
O Key of David, and scepter of the House of Israel,
who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens:
Come, and bring forth the captive from his prison,
he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.
This Antiphon is based on the following scripture:
Isaiah 22:22 “I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.”
Isaiah 42:6-7 “I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”
Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”
Revelation 3:7 “The the angel of the church in Philadelphia, write this: ‘The holy one, the true, who holds the key of David, who opens and no one shall close, who closes and no one shall open.’”
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Latin
Veni, Clavis Davidica,
Regna reclude caelica,
Fac iter Tutum Superum,
Et claude vias inferum.
English
O come, Thou Key of David,
come, and open wide our heav’nly home,
Make safe the way that leads on high,
That we no more have cause to sigh.
From the Splendor of Turth, YouTube Francis xcc Channel
In today’s Gospel we hear of Elizabeth, old and once barren, now pregnant with John the Baptist. In Micah we hear that from Bethlehem, a place “too small” our Ruler “shall come forth”. And that when Mary a young girl “is to give birth has borne” God’s “greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth.” Divine design once again brought out of humility as God uses the meek, the old, the seemingly unworthy, or inadequate to bring forth Our Savior. Come Lord Jesus, let not our sin or unworthiness keep us from Our Emmanuel.
First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Micah 5:1-5
Responsorial Psalm 80 Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Second Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews 10:5-10
Gospel according to Luke 1:39-45
