Praying the O Antiphons

By Karalee Romaneski on December 14, 2023 in Advent

The long waiting is nearly at an end. Nearly. But before we rush headlong into presents and feasting and “Merry Christmas!” there is one more bit of reflection to engage in: Who is this Jesus we are waiting for? This is where the O Antiphons can help us, this last week before Christmas.

The O Antiphons are a series of seven short sentences (“antiphons”) that are recited or chanted during Evening Prayer in the days leading up to Christmas. They are familiar to most of us as paraphrased in the Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” but
they have been in use in monastic communities since the 4th century and in the Church since at least the 8th century. Each of the antiphons begins with “O” and references one of the titles for Jesus drawn from the Book of Isaiah. Each also includes a petition that springs from this title:

  • – December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)—Isaiah 11:2-3, 28:29
  • – December 18: O Adonai (O Lord)—Isaiah 11:4-5, 33:22
  • – December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)—Isaiah 11:1, 10
  • – December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)—Isaiah 9:6, 22:22
  • – December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)—Isaiah 9:1
  • – December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)—Isaiah 2:4, 9:5
  • – December 23: O Emmanuel (O God with Us)—Isaiah 7:14

 

In English as we speak it today the vocative O is rarely used in the same way we see it here. Thankfully, liturgical language preserves a kind of impatient address for us with the O, opening our mouths and our eyes at the same time (try it!). When we sing
and pray in worship, the O is followed often by the petition for someone to come and join us: O come, let us sing unto the Lord. O come, O come, Emmanuel. O come, all ye faithful. The O — and these Os — arranges our mouths and hopes around specific
persons and special ends.

You can join centuries of saints by reciting each antiphon in your own practice of Evening Prayer this coming week: each day’s antiphon appears before and after the Magnificat, the beloved Song of Mary. If you use the online 2019 Daily Office app, the antiphons are inserted for you. Note, however, that this app uses the medieval Sarum breviary version, which adds an eighth antiphon, for Mary: O Virgo Virginum. This antiphon is recited on December 23 rd , so the seven antiphons of the names of Jesus are moved up a day, beginning December 16th instead of December 17th . For an extra treat, listen to this beautiful chant of the antiphons on YouTube here: O Antiphons Chant.

Advent is a season of waiting, of longing with eager expectation for God’s promise to be fulfilled. The O Antiphons direct our attention to the promised Messiah and build our expectation for his coming. Each time we speak or sing the phrase “O Come,” our
desire and longing grow. As we await the Savior, we anticipate his three-fold coming: as a child at Bethlehem on Christmas morning; daily, in our own experience; and his coming again in glory, as he has promised.

Ero Cras: Tomorrow, I come!

There is a secret hidden in the arrangement of the Antiphons.

The first letters of each of the titles, when followed from last to first— Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia—spell the Latin words ero cras. This phrase means, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Christ has promised to come to us and to be for us all that we need. In Advent, we wait for him, look for him, expect him. Pray your expectation and your faith in him. He has promised to come to us, where we are, as we are. How do you desire Jesus to come to you now, in this particular season of your life? Which name or title reflects your current desire or need? You might pray with each of these seven names but consider also other names of Jesus, such as the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, the Way, or the Truth and the Life. Pray your desire and expect Jesus to come to you and meet you in the place of your greatest need. Praying with the O Antiphons is an occasion for gratitude. God has not only promised to come to us but has come to us, and for this we offer grateful thanks.

  • – How have you experienced Jesus as Emmanuel, “God with us”? Have you known him as an intimate friend and companion on the way?
  • – Or has Jesus been for you Clavis, a “key,” or Oriens, the “rising dawn” or “morning star,” enlightening you and shedding light on your path?
  • – When has Jesus been for you Sapientia¸ “wisdom” from on high, teaching you
    the way to true, authentic, abundant life?

 

In this final week of Advent, pray your gratitude, offering a prayer of thanksgiving for all that Jesus has been and all that he has done for you.

O come, O come, Emmanuel!!

Please note: Most of this material is drawn from writings by Brother David Vryhof, SSJE; Assistant Superior, The Society of Saint John the Evangelist.