O Antiphons House

Today begins my very favorite time of Advent.

Anticipation is building as we draw nearer and nearer to Christ's birth, both at Church in the liturgy, as well as at home with little ones anxiously counting down the days to Christmas.  Unlike the Advent "Wreath"

and Jesse Tree...

(we'll decorate it for real on Christmas Eve) 

...the "O Antiphons" are one of those traditions that sort of escaped my upbringing--firmly rooted in tradition as it was--and I've only recently begun incorporating the devotion in our own home.

The O Antiphons, rich with ancient monastic relevance, refer to the seven antiphons that are chanted during evening prayer (vespers) as part of the Liturgy of the Hours.


As a little aside...have you ever prayed the Liturgy of the Hours?  I can't say I am able to do so daily but it's a beautiful way to participate with the universal Church in the rhythm of prayer and the calendar of her feasts.  Monastery bells ring throughout the day and throughout the world calling priests, bishops and religious to these prayers every single day and the laity are encouraged--insofar as they are able--to join them.  More information on the Liturgy of the Hours can be found here and here.


Anyhow...O Antiphons...each antiphon refers to a title of the Messiah and a prophesy of Isaiah.  O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord or Ruler), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel (God Is With Us).


Incidentally, we sing the O Antiphons each Sunday in Advent with the song, O Come O Come Emmanuel.  Each verse proclaims one of the above antiphons.

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 Day-spring, 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

Last year, I was inspired by Elizabeth Foss to involve the kids in this octave leading up to Christmas by building an O Antiphon house.  Starting today (which also happens to be my oldest son's birthday--so he now looks forward to beginning this little ritual) we begin filling our little Antiphon house with the little blocks which refer to the O Antiphon of the day.  

This is what it looks like the morning of Dec. 17

(The first letter of the Messianic titles: Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia--spell out Latin words ERO CRAS, meaning, "Tomorrow, I will come.")  By Christmas day, all the little "rooms" will be filled as Jesus fulfills each prophesy and messianic title.

This is what it will look like on Christmas Day

Fun!

This has been a very peaceful Advent and we are looking forward to celebrating Baby Girl's first Christmas.  DH is going with the boys to see Voyage of the Dawn Treader tomorrow and I'm looking forward to starting getting some Christmas shopping done while they are there.

By the way, it was hugely fun to join many of you tonight for Sew's online baby shower!  I had a little trouble logging in until just before she opened the first gift but what a joy it was to see so much love poured out on her and her beautiful baby!