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In the days leading up to Christmas the Church offers us a series of beautiful antiphons or ancient chants. From 17 December to 23 December these antiphons are sung and read in Evening Prayer (Vespers) framing the Magnificat and as Gospel acclamations during Mass. These texts most probably originated in Rome before the 6th century. Each text in Latin begins with “O” hence they are known as ‘The O Antiphons’. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, taken from one of his attributes such as root, light and key mentioned in Scripture and refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.
In these antiphons we are reminded that we live between the two comings that give Advent its central theme: Jesus’ birth and his Second Coming. Since the expulsion from Eden, we have cried out for salvation and justice. A way has opened up for us through Jesus’ birth, his ministry on earth, and beyond death and resurrection, of his promise of a new kingdom.
These beautiful antiphons are Advent’s brightest jewels shining in the darkness of our night. They lead us to the light of Christ just as the Star led the wise men from the East to Bethlehem. Each title for Christ focuses on one aspect of his identity and is followed by further qualities flowing from that title. Each antiphon ends with a petition asking for a specific request from Christ appropriate to the title by which He was just invoked. The are:
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.
Scripture Texts for reflection and prayer: Wisdom 7:7-14 and Luke 10:21-24
O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.
Scripture Texts for reflection and prayer: Exodus 3:1-15 and Matthew 16:13-20
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.
Scripture Texts for reflection and prayer: Exodus 3:1-15 and Matthew 16:13-20
O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
Scripture Texts for reflection and prayer: Psalm 23:1-6, Isaiah 22 and Matthew 25:31-40
O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal
and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.
Scripture Texts for reflection and prayer: Isaiah 60 and Luke 1:67-79
O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.
Scripture Texts for reflection and prayer: Jeremiah 18:1-6 and Matthew 21:42
O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.
Scripture Texts for reflection and prayer: Isaiah 7:14 and Luke 2:1-19
Although the antiphons and dates have been recognised throughout Western Christianity, an alternative English mediaeval practice arose of adding an eighth antiphon – the O Virgo Virginum (O Virgin of virgins) dedicated to honouring Mary’s role in bringing Christ into the world with the following text:
O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be?
For neither before thee was any like thee, nor shall there be after.
Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me?
The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery.
“O come, O come, Emmanuel” is a popular Advent and Christmas hymn originally written in Latin in the 8th or 9th century and sung in monasteries as a metrical paraphrase of the O Antiphons as you will see from its verses:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Adonai, Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Source: The God Who Speaks
