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An Advent Scriptural Prayer |
On the evening of December 17, the last and most intensive phase of Advent preparation begins. On this evening is inaugurated the first of the Great "O" Antiphons of Advent. These 7 jewels of Liturgical song sum up all our Advent longing as they paint in vivid terms the wretched condition of mankind and his need of a Savior. Addressing Christ with seven magnificent titles, they beg Him with mounting impatience to come to save His people. These antiphons have always been intoned with solemnity in monasteries at the Vesper Hour and in the Divine Office. But in recent years families have discovered these gems of poetry and have used them as part of their family Advent evening prayers. Where there are children, these are used in conjunction with the "O Antiphon House".
The "O" Antiphons and the Advent House
December 17! This day always falls in the third week of Advent, and the children will be
very busy that night. For on these last seven days before Christmas, the Church chants and
recites solemnly at Vespers, the Great Magnificat and its antiphons. These are the final
preparation and the most ardent appeal of Holy Mother Church for the coming of her
Bridegroom. They serve as the introductory theme and conclusion to Mary's Hymn of Praise,
The Magnificat.
The Greater Magnificat Antiphons are usually called the "O" Antiphons because each one begins with a prayerful O. In monastic churches, the abbot, vested in robes of dignity, intones the first of these, while the solemnity of the moment is further expressed by the ringing of the church bells. On succeeding days, these antiphons are solemnly intoned by the religious, in the order of their seniority, vested in cope and assisted by ministers bearing lighted candles.
The "O" Antiphons express the Church's longing and expectation for the Messiah, her startled wonderment at the fullness of grace which the Christ-Child is about to bestow on the world. The antiphons, scriptural texts only a few lines long, are inspired poetry. Each ends on the eager cry, "Come!" On December 23 when the door of the Advent House is opened, children find the little King Jesus on His manger bed.
"There is a climactic order in these antiphons," Father William McGarry, S.J., writes. In the first antiphon, O Sapientia, we take a backward flight into the recesses of eternity to address Wisdom, the Word of God. In the second, O Adonai, we have leaped from eternity to the time of Moses and the Law of Moses(about 1400 B.C.). In the third, O Radix Jesse, we have come to the time when God was preparing the line of David (about 1100 B.C.). In the fourth, O Clavis David, we have come to the year 1000. In the fifth, O Oriens, we see that the line of David is elevated so that the peoples may look on a rising star in the east, and hence in the sixth, O Rex Gentium. we know that He is king of all the world of man. This brings us to the evening before the Vigil of Christmas, and before coming to the town limits of Bethlehem, we salute Him with the last Great "O", O Emmanuel, God-with-us.
The Antiphon Advent House
The "O" Antiphon Advent House, Helen McLoughlin, in her book Family Advent
Customs says: "Most exciting of our family Advent customs is the Advent House, with
its seven sealed windows concealing SYMBOLS of Christ derived from the Old Testament.
Beginning December 17th, the little House is held before a light and the Beautiful
"O" Antiphons of the Liturgy become our daily prayer. The little ones can hardly
wait to break the seal on each Advent House window. They find within a colorful
transparency depicting a symbol of Christ, such as the burning bush, the key of David, the
root of Jesse, symbols which grow in richness and meaning year by year."
To construct a flat "O" Antiphon House, you want to use seven small pieces of violet-colored construction paper with 3-sided cuts into each one—each cut forming the opening of a door. Assemble the seven pages of "door cut" construction paper on a larger piece of white paper, laying them out in pairs going up vertically, with the seventh centered at the top of the paper. Glue them onto the larger white paper with the O Antiphon symbols glued in such placement that upon opening each door, the symbol is revealed. A large triangle of black construction paper is cut to fit at the top of the violet paper, forming the roof for the house. In it is also a 3-sided cut to form the door for Christmas Eve. The doors are labeled and opened from the bottom of the page going up. So that the door in the roof is the last one opened on Christmas Eve. Printed on the back of the white sheet should be the O Antiphon verses so that as each door is opened the verse can be read by the family. The doors should be numbered from the 17th to the 23th of December.
On the roof of the Advent House can be an eighth window for December 24th, , and its door in the shape of a star. It should conceal a picture of the first Christmas and the following prayer:
December 24th: "Christ is born! Come let us adore Him! The goodness and kindness of God our Savior appeared. A Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us: whose government is upon his shoulder; and His Name shall be called the Angel of great counsel."
Before and after the recitation of each day's appropriate O Antiphon, the Magnificat is recited or sung. After the recitation of the Magnificat and repeating the O Antiphon, the family sings and appropriate Advent Hymn. Examples are: Rorate Coeli, Behold a Branch is Growing, O Come O Come Emmanuel. If the O Come O Come Emmanuel is used, it should be taken from "The Westminster Hymnal" since its seven verses are arranged in such manner that each verse correlates with one of the great antiphons. On the shortest day of the year, December 21, when darkness lies longest over the land, the children could be told how the Church sings to the Expected One: "O Orient, splendor of eternal light, Sun of Justice; come, and shine with Thy light upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
THE "0" ANTIPHONS
O Wisdom, (O Sapientia)
Who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all
things mightily and sweetly, COME, and teach us the way of salvation.
O Lord of Lords, (O Adonai)
And Leader of the house of Israel, COME, and with outstretched arms redeem us.
O Root of Jesse, (O Radix Jesse)
Who stands for an ensign of the people, before whom kings shall keep silence and unto
whom the Gentiles shall pray, COME, to deliver us and delay not.
O Key of David, (O Clavis David)
And Scepter of the House of Israel, COME, and bring forth from his prison the captive that
sitteth in darkness and the shadow of death.
O Dawn of the East, (O Oriens)
Brightness of the light eternal, COME, and enlighten them that sit in darkness and the
shadow of death.
O King of the Gentiles, (O Rex Gentium)
And the desired of them, COME, and deliver man whom Thou didst form out of the dust of the
earth.
O Emmanuel, (O Emmanuel)
God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of all the nations, COME, and save us, O
Lord our God."
The Magnificat of Our Lady
To be recited after the recitation of each day's "O" Antiphon
My soul doth magnify the Lord; and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior,
Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid.
For behold, all generations shall call me blessed,
Because He who is mighty hath done great things for me
and holy is His Name.
His mercy is from generation to generation to them that fear Him.
He hath shown might in His arm;
He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their thrones
and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich he hath sent away empty.
He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of His mercy,
even as He spoke to our fathers,- to Abraham, and to his seed forever.
NOTE: Further Advent and Christmas preparation ideas can be found in The Christ-Like Home.
