The O Antiphons

Advent is one of my favorite seasons of the church year. The wreath with its four candles bears more and more light as Christmas is about to dawn. The purple paraments remind us to prepare the royal highway for the King of kings. The midweek services teach us more about “God with us” in the person of Jesus Christ. And the tranquil hymns remind us of the Christ who once came in Bethlehem, still comes in Word and Sacrament, and will come again on the Day of Resurrection.

Here at Divine Shepherd, the common thread that runs through the fabric of this season is the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” [LSB 357]. This hymn is based on the ancient O Antiphons (dating at least as far back as the fifth century) assigned to the seven days preceding the Church’s celebration of Christ’s birth:

• December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
• December 18: O Adonai (O Lord of Might)
• December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
• December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
• December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)
• December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)
• December 23: O Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)

The first letters of the Latin titles taken backwards form the acrostic “ero cras,” which translates as “tomorrow, I will come.” As will be shown in the days ahead, each of the seven O Antiphons uses a prophetic Messianic title from the Old Testament Scriptures (specifically Isaiah).

I encourage you to pray these during the final week leading up to Christ’s birth!