In the final run up to Christmas we recite or sing a special set of antiphons before the Magnificat during Evening Prayer.
December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
December 18: O Adonai (O Adonai)
December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
December 21: O Oriens (O Morning Star)
December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the nations)
December 23: O Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)
Their origin is associated with the Benedictine Abbey of Fleury in France where the antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century they were in use in the liturgy of Rome. They are so arranged that if you take the first letter of each Christological title, starting from the last, they spell our “ERO CRAS” meaning “Tomorrow I will come”.
Each title is messianic and connected with a prophecy in Isaiah – there is a great analysis to be found on the Wikipedia page entitled “O Antiphon”
There is also a website with the chants – http://members.cox.net/oplater/OAntiphons.pdf
I draw your attention to the antiphons at this time of the year, because this tends to be a very fragmented and stressed time for Marist communities. There is huge pressure on parish men in the preparation for the Christmas liturgies. Those associated with schools have been going through a series of prize-givings and end-of-year masses, plus a round of festal meals.
Communities tend to scatter either just before or just after Christmas. With new appointments taken up in January there will be farewells and the knowledge that this particular group of men may never be together again.
Thus, this is a very important time of year for us as communities, and I offer the O Antiphons as a possible reflection-text. Here are a few of my ideas – you’ll probably have better ones:
The custom of the Benedictine monks of Fleury shows us the importance of spiritual leadership and of valuing and caring for each member of the community.
The titles remind us that our communities are to be messianic – that we are to be focused on the Christ and are to be living witnesses of his Kingdom which is to come.
We are called to live and reflect a wisdom that is different from the techno-savvy and street-smarts of our age.
We are to do so under the Lordship of Christ as men under authority, going where we are sent, doing the work we are tasked to do.
We are to be rooted in the long tradition of the Church and the holy people of God.
The “power of the keys” is exercised by the Church in reconciliation. We are called by the Mother of Mercy to bring people back to friendship with God and with each other.
Christ is the Morning Star whom we look towards. I think that means we must have an optimism and a certain joy and freshness in our lives and our approach to others.
We follow the King of the Nations, so we can’t be too narrow in our own scope. We must reach out to all peoples.
And finally, God is with us! The work we do is not our work, it is God’s, and he is working with us and through us. We ought never despair because nothing is impossible to God.