{"id":2516,"date":"2013-12-20T08:00:13","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T08:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicchurchmarch.co.uk\/?p=2516"},"modified":"2014-01-02T19:24:01","modified_gmt":"2014-01-02T19:24:01","slug":"the-o-antiphons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catholicchurchmarch.co.uk\/?p=2516","title":{"rendered":"The ‘O Antiphons’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Antiennes-O\"<\/a>From 17 -24 December, we move into the second stage of Advent, with the emphasis less on waiting for the Second Coming of Christ and more on preparing ourselves for a worthy celebration of the Nativity.<\/p>\n

A very ancient set of prayers used during this time are the \u2018O Antiphons\u2019, recited during Evening Prayer. These short prayers take up seven titles for the Messiah found in the bible.<\/p>\n

For example, on the 20th December we pray: \u201cO key of David and sceptre of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close, no one can open. O come and lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.\u201d<\/p>\n

This text, picking up on the prophecy of Isaiah 22:22 (\u2018the Key of David will be place upon his shoulder and what he opens no one will shut\u2019) speaks of Jesus\u2019 Coming as a moment of liberation, when the gates of heaven are swung wide open.<\/p>\n

At some stage in their history, Benedictine monks put these antiphons into the particular order\u00a0 found below.<\/p>\n

O Wisdom (<\/i>S<\/i><\/span><\/strong>apientia)<\/i><\/span><\/h5>\n
O Lord (<\/i>A<\/i><\/span><\/strong>donai)<\/i><\/span><\/h5>\n
O Root of Jesse (<\/i>R<\/i><\/span><\/strong>adix Jesse)<\/i><\/span><\/h5>\n
O Key of David (<\/i>C<\/i><\/span><\/strong>lavis David)<\/i><\/span><\/h5>\n
O Rising Sun (<\/i>O<\/i><\/span><\/strong>riens)<\/i><\/span><\/h5>\n
O King of the Nations (<\/i>R<\/i><\/span><\/strong>ex gentium)<\/i><\/span><\/h5>\n
O God-with-us (<\/i>E<\/i><\/span><\/strong>mmanuel)<\/i><\/span><\/h5>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was a liturgical joke in doing this. By taking the first letter in Latin of each of the titles and working backwards, we come up with the words, Ero cras<\/i><\/span><\/strong> meaning \u2018I will come tomorrow.\u2019 <\/i>It\u2019s as if Christ’s promise is hidden even in our petitions for him to come and save us.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve probably spotted that these antiphons are the inspiration behind the familiar Advent hymn, O come, O come Emmanuel<\/i>. In these last few days before Christmas, why not find time to read through the verses of this hymn and take some time to pray about what they are saying?<\/p>\n