How long the Israelites waited for the Messiah! Then, when he came and the promises began to be fulfilled, they did not recognise him. What a tragedy! Now the believing Jews are still waiting for him… They are also waiting for the coming of the Prophet Elijah, who is to precede the Messiah. But he too has already come: “If you will believe me, he is the Elijah who was to return”, says Jesus, referring to John the Baptist (Mt 11:14).
Seventh Antiphon O: “O Emmanuel”
O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.
O Emmanuel, King and Master
all that you say and do
serves as instruction and for our salvation.
You teach us the right way (Mt 22:16);
You reveal to us the mystery of man…
You are our Lord and our Master (Jn 13:13)!
Sixth O Antiphon: “O Rex gentium”
O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.
All peoples are waiting for you, O King of nations.
Deep down they know it:
There must be the One who truly loves us;
There must be the One whom we willingly serve,
There must be the One who does not take advantage of us for his own interests,
He who does not oppress us,
The One who can be trusted without reservation!
Fifth antiphon O: “O Oriens”
O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those
who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
When Thou, O Sun of righteousness, arisest,
thus diffusing the uncreated light,
You pierce through all darkness
and everywhere comes life, true life.
Fourth O Antiphon: “O Clavis David”
O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel,
Who dost open and no man doth shut,
Who dost shut and no man doth open,
come and bring forth from his prisonhouse
the captive that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death.
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt 28:18) – You say to us, O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel.
You, the Lamb of God, were the only one worthy to open the Book and its seals (Rev 5:1-5).
Third O antiphon: “O Radix Iesse”
O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.
In many parts of the world, O Lord, Your sign is raised up: the sign of the Cross.
Exalted in it, You exclaim: “I am the salvation of the nations”.
“Why this uproar among the nations, this impotent muttering of the peoples? Kings of the earth take up position, princes plot together against Yahweh and his anointed” (Ps 2:1-2).
Second O antiphon: “O Adonai”
O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel,
Who didst appear to Moses in the flame of the burning bush,
and didst give unto him the Law on Sinai:
come and with an outstretched arm redeem us.
O Adonai, Father of life!
You never forsook man, even when he turned his back on You. Read More
First O antiphon: “O Sapientia”
O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other,
mightily and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.
You, O Wisdom, bring everything into holy order, for You come from the Eternal Father. Thou dost penetrate all things and, by Thy strength and gentleness, dost restore the divine order.
You, O Eternal Father, send the One “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). To meet Him, to open oneself to His love, is to be touched by Wisdom. Read More
True unity
Isa 56:1-3, 6-8
Thus says the Lord: Make fair judgement your concern, act with justice, for soon my salvation will come and my saving justice be manifest. Blessed is anyone who does this, anyone who clings to it, observing the Sabbath, not profaning it, and abstaining from every evil deed. No foreigner adhering to the Lord should say, ‘The Lord will utterly exclude me from his people.’ No eunuch should say, ‘Look, I am a dried-up tree.’ Read More
My faithful love will never leave you
Isa 54:1-10
Shout for joy, barren one who has borne no children! Break into cries and shouts of joy, you who were never in labour! For the children of the forsaken one are more in number than the children of the wedded wife, says Yahweh. Widen the space of your tent, extend the curtains of your home, do not hold back! Read More