Have you been rejoicing? Last Sunday was Gaudete Sunday, which literally is a command to rejoice! We rejoice because our Lord’s coming is so near. The Church in her great wisdom…hint, hint; leaves us with symbols to help us stay aware of what is happening at the moment in the Liturgical Cycle.
One of those such symbols is the “O Antiphons” which the Church leaves her Ministers, religious, and anyone else who prays the Divine Office with. She has also reworded and rearranged them so that they may be used for the Alleluia Verse during the Mass before the reading of the Gospel. These Antiphons are thousands of years old, though they are most familiar to us, because of the traditional Advent Hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel. In the traditional arrangement of the Antiphons in Latin, when viewed from Christmas Eve backward, the first letters of the Latin texts (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia) spell out the phrase ero cras or (“I come tomorrow”). This Season is a wonderful time for us as a people of God to Rejoice in the coming of the Lord, and make straight the way for his path.
The Antiphons are each a name for the Messiah, found in the book of Isaiah, the prophet. And they are recited/prayed from December 17-23. (One week before Christmas.)
Get up, go to confession! Prepare your soul to receive him on Christmas! Are you ready? Rejoice for his coming is near! Stand up, prepare yourself and your household for; ERO CRAS -“I come tomorrow!”
| Antiphon for the Magnificat during Evening Prayer, Liturgy of the Hours |
Alleluia Verse, Lectionary for Mass (#201) |
Latin & English Lyrics, Traditional Hymn |
Biblical Texts |
| Dec. 17: O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation. |
Dec. 17: Sapientia Altissimi, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge! |
Veni, O Sapientia, quae hic disponis omnia, Veni, viam prudentiae ut doceas et gloriae.(2) O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. |
Wisdom 8:1Isaiah 11:2-3; 28:29Proverbs 8:1-36John 1:1-5 |
| Dec. 18: O Adonai, et dux domus Israel, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free. |
Dec. 18: Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in bracchio extento.O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power! |
Veni, Veni, Adonai, qui populo in Sinai legem dedisti vertice in maiestate gloriae.(3) O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height in ancient times didst give the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe. |
Exodus 3:2Isaiah 33:22; 63:11-12Micah 6:4Acts 7:30-31 |
| Dec. 19: O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid. |
Dec. 19: Radix Iesse, stans in signum populorum: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay! |
Veni, O Iesse virgula, ex hostis tuos ungula, de spectu tuos tartari educ et antro barathri.(4) O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse’s stem, from ev’ry foe deliver them that trust Thy mighty power to save, and give them vict’ry o’er the grave. |
Isaiah 11:1, 10Isaiah 52:15Romans 15:12 |
| Dec. 20: O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel, qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom. |
Dec. 20: Clavis David, qui aperis portas aeterni Regni: veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris sedentem in tenebris.O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness! |
Veni, Clavis Davidica, regna reclude caelica, fac iter tutum superum, et claude vias inferum.(5) O Come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heav’nly home, make safe the way that leads on high, that we no more have cause to sigh. |
Revelation 3:7Isaiah 22:22Jeremiah 13:13; 51:19Matthew 4:16; 16:19
Luke 1:79 |
| Dec. 21: O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. |
Dec. 24, Morning Mass: Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae et sol iustitiae: veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death! |
Veni, Veni O Oriens, solare nos adveniens, noctis depelle nebulas, dirasque mortis tenebras.(6) O Come, Thou Dayspring from on high, and cheer us by thy drawing nigh; disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadow put to flight. |
Isaiah 9:1; 58:8; 60:18-20Malachi 4:2Luke 1:78-79John 8:12
Revelation 22:16 |
| Dec. 22: O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man: Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust. |
Dec. 22 & 23: Rex gentium et lapis angularis Ecclesiae: veni et salva hominem quem de limo formasti.O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust! |
Veni, Veni, Rex Gentium, Veni, Redemptor omnium, ut salvas tuos famulos peccati sibi conscios.(7) O Come, Desire of the nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid every strife and quarrel cease and fill the world with heaven’s peace. |
Isaiah 2:4; 11:10Psalm 47:8; Jeremiah 10:7Daniel 7:14; Haggai 2:8Romans 15:12
Ephesians 2:14, 20 |
| Dec. 23: O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectratio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domines, Deus noster.O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people: Come and set us free, Lord our God. |
Dec. 21: Emmanuel, rex et legifer noster: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.O Emmanuel, our King, and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God! |
Veni, Veni, Emmanuel captivum solve Israel, qui gemit in exsilio, privatus Dei Filio.(1) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. |
Isaiah 7:14Matthew 1:231 Timothy 4:9 |
| . | . | Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel! |
Psalm 14:7Phil 4:4 |
Walking The Way of Beauty 