December 23 O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law, come to save us, Lord our God! “O Emmanuel”: God with us! I become speechless when I try to reflect on these words! God Himself – the Second Divine Person of the Holy Trinity – became Incarnate (became man)! And He did this because of
December 22 O King of all nations and keystone of the Church, come and save man, whom you formed from the dust! Jesus is the King of King and Lord of Lords. He is a King that rules with love, mercy, justice and truth. At the end of our earthly lives and at the end
December 21 O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice, come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death! The first words of this prayer in Latin are “O oriens” which can be translated as “O the East” or “O the morning star” or “O the Dawn”.
December 20 O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal kingdom, come and free the prisoners of darkness! What is the significance of a key and particularly a key that opens the gates of God’s kingdom? Keys are used to unlock things. We are told in this prayer that a key is
December 19 O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all His people, come to save us without delay! Who is Jesse? Jesse is the father of King David. And long ago, God promised that the Messiah would come through the line of Jesse. Isaiah 11:1- “There shall come forth a shoot from
December 18 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 to rescue us with your mighty power! God is our Law-Giver. God does not give humanity rules/laws to be a tyrant or dictator. Rather, the laws and rules
December 17 O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love, come to teach us the path of knowledge! Wisdom – God’s Wisdom guides creation, as such we can see order and design everywhere we look! Look at the intricate details of a butterfly – not only appearance but also their
The “O” Antiphons Since the 8th century, the “O” antiphons have been proclaimed as part of the evening prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours from December 17-23. Each of these prayers begins with “O” and also includes the word “Come”. These are prayers that help us to even more deeply prepare for the coming