Parish Marian Year
December 17 begins the ‘O’ Antiphons, and it means Christmas is only an octave away.
The ‘O’ Antiphons (also known as Greater Antiphons or the Great ‘O’) are ancient antiphons found in the liturgy that is prayed from December 17-23. They all begin with the invocation ‘O.’ They call to mind the ancient longing and pleading of the people of the Old Testament for a Saviour to come, invoking different Christological titles on the seven days before Christmas Eve. In praying these we remember the original yearning for the First Coming of Christ at Bethlehem, and echo the same waiting and supplication for the Emmanuel to come at Parousia, His Second Coming. The ‘O’ Antiphons take us through chronological order from before Creation to the birth of Christ at Bethlehem.
December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
December 18: O Adonai (O Lord and Ruler)
December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)
December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of Nations)
December 23: O Emmanuel (O God with Us)
You might recognize the antiphons as the same words in the favourite Advent hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
Each day’s antiphon is recited before and after the Magnifi-cat in the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the also in the Alleluia versicle before the
Gospel at Mass. By the time we reach December 23, the backwards acrostic of the Latin initials of the Christological titles spell ERO CRAS: Tomorrow I will come.
O Wisdom—At God’s word, creation was formed; the Word issued from the mouth of God, the Son, came to earth; we ask prudence to keep on the paths of wisdom to come to His Kingdom.
O Lord and Ruler—God fulfilled His promises and redeemed the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt, and also unveiled the Law at Sinai; Jesus as Lord redeems mankind from the bondage of sin and bestows the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Parousia is often seen as a fulness of Pentecost.
O Root of Jesse (father of King David) —Jesse’s tree was cut down to the root, with only the stump remaining. Jesus revitalizes that root. He is the Vine and the Branches, of which requires pruning until Parousia.
O Key of David—Paradise was closed by the sin of Adam, but Jesus re-opens it with His Redemption. At the end of time there will be no more sin or obstructions to the Kingdom of God.
O Dayspring/Sun of Justice/Rising Sun—The prophets begged for deliverance from the darkness of death, which Jesus accomplished at His resurrection as the new Rising Sun. At Parousia this Light of the World will dispel any remaining sin and darkness.
O King of Nations—Israel in exile longed for the Kingdom of God; Jesus, Desire of Nations, extends this Kingdom to all peoples, Jews and Gentiles alike. At Parousia Je-sus will draw all things to Himself and His Kingdom will be fulfilled.
O Emmanuel—The sacred name revealed to Israel of Who was to come was fulfilled as Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us, with His enduring presence. This is the final Scriptural image of the apocalyptic vision in Revela-tion, seeking the ultimate promise of the Emmanuel at Parousia: "Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20).
Jennifer Gregory Miller Dec 16, 2019
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Anglican cleric, former chaplain to Queen
Elizabeth, to become Catholic
December 17, 2019 Rev. Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to Queen Eliza-beth, will be received into the Catholic Church next Sun-day. He explained: "I came to realise (too long after both Newman and Chesterton had already explained why) that only the Catholic Church, with the weight of the Magiste-rium, had the ecclesial integrity, theological maturity and spiritual potency to defend the Faith, renew society and save souls in the fullness of faith."