MEDITATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS (5/8): “Light for revelation to the gentiles”

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As Jews faithful to the Law of the Lord, eight days after Your birth Your parents circumcised You and gave You the name of Jesus, the Saviour (Lk 2:21).

When, forty days later, they brought You to the Temple to present You to the Lord, You met Simeon, one of the faithful of Your people (Lk 2:22-25). The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen you. And so it happened! Filled with the Holy Spirit and taking You in His arms, He pronounced over You those unforgettable words: Read More

MEDITATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS (3/8): My heart I want to give you

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You wanted to choose simple people: they were shepherds (Lk 2:8-20). You, Beloved Child, love simplicity. You can enter more easily into a simple heart.

And You also make us simple. It is not necessary to know everything at once. It is more important to let Your love burn in us and to hasten like shepherds to pass on the Good News. Read More

MEDITATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS (2/8): Angels and men

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“Glory sing the cherubs in the fields of Bethlehem…”

You are not only the joy of Israel and of all mankind; you are also the joy of the angels, our friends in heaven.

How you must have rejoiced, beloved angels, when you recognised in God’s light His immense Wisdom in choosing this way of salvation!

Your songs of joy resound again in our hearts: “Glory to God in the highest heaven!” (Lk 2:14) Read More

Waiting for the Lord

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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). 

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Sixth O Antiphon: “O Rex gentium”

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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!

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Fourth O Antiphon: “O Clavis David”

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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).

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