O Antiphons Begin December 17
These are best displayed in the verses of the song, O Come Emanuel. You can simply just read or sing one of these verses in conclusion of your dinner.
You can also color a picture of the symbol each day and display this on your dinner table. Here is a Pinterest page devoted to these: http://www.pinterest.com/4popsicles/o-antiphons/ and some coloring pages: http://printablecolouringpages.co.uk/?s=o+antiphons FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS (writing for CatholicEducation.com) writes: What are the "O Antiphons"?The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.. . . . . . .According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one - Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai,Sapientia - the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion. |
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, thou Wisdom from on high, who orderest all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Refrain O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan's tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory over the grave. Refrain O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight. Refrain O come, thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery. Refrain O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times once gave the law in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain O come, thou Root of Jesse's tree, an ensign of thy people be; before thee rulers silent fall; all peoples on thy mercy call. Refrain O come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid thou our sad divisions cease, and be thyself our King of Peace. Refrain O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain Words: Latin, twelfth century; trans. John Mason Neale (1818-1866), 1851 |