Open the Door

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authority, Come O God, House of David, House of Israel, Isaiah, Jesus, key, love, Messiah, O Antiphons, power, prophecy, salvation, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unconditional love

Today’s O Antiphon speaks of the Messiah as the Key of the House of David. Isaiah writes of the authority given to the leader of the House of David, the one who has the power to open or to shut without anyone taking that power away. The authority of this powerful leader of God’s kingdom “shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onwards and forever more.” (Isaiah 9:7)

How do we understand this power? How did Jesus come in order that this prophecy would be fulfilled? Clearly his power was not the might by which earthly monarchs of earlier days manifested their authority. St. Paul speaks of the humility of the Christ (Messiah) who “emptied himself” of power in order that a new age be initiated, a new way of being triumphant.

What was the key to that new way? It could only be fueled by love. Pouring himself out in love was the example provided for us. We need only to search the gospels to find all the doors unlocked with that key of love. “Love one another as I have loved you,” Jesus said in word and deed. But we cannot only depend on the one who governs for that kind of success. Our participation is demanded. Love others as your very self. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, take care of those less fortunate…You know the terms. The freedom that comes with loving unconditionally will be the salvation of the world. Are we willing?

O Key of David and scepter of the House of Israel, you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open: Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those that dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

The Flowering Root

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Come O God, God's plan, Isaiah, Jesus, Joseph, King David, Mary, Micah, O Antiphons, Root of Jesse, sign, synchronicity, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, worship

The O Antiphon for today comes from a prophecy in chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Scriptures which says: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (Vs. 1) “And on that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.” (Vs. 10) One would have to know that Jesse was the father of King David and that the prophet Micah, in chapter 5 of his prophecy, had written that the Messiah would be born “of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem.” And one more thing leads to Jesus being recognized as Messiah. Although they lived in Nazareth, Mary and Joseph were required to travel to Bethlehem, as members of the lineage of Jesse, to enroll there in the census at the end of Mary’s pregnancy.

We can look at many important happenings of our lives as “synchronicity” (meaningful coincidences). Some people would describe the above circumstances as such. Believers the world over would have another explanation, however. They would call it “God’s plan.” Today’s O Antiphon cries out in that belief.

O Root of Jesse (or 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.

Our Lord

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Adonai, Come O God, Jews, Moses, O Antiphons, redeem us, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Torah

On this second day of the O Antiphons, we see the paradox of the Christmas event. The word used to name the one who is to come is the title used by the Jews when reading the Torah to avoid using the proper name of God. Saint Paul uses it to speak of the one “who did not deem equality with God something to be grasped, but rather he emptied himself” to come as a child and be with us as one of us. And yet we have come to know him also as Lord.

O Adonai, Leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

Countdown

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Alleluia, Come O God, Most High, O Antiphons, prudence, teach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom

Today starts the last week before Christmas and in addition to the shopping frenzy and the excitement of those waiting for the visit of Santa Claus, Christian ritual has its own traditional countdown known as the O Antiphons. On each day both in the gospel acclamation at Mass (the “Alleluia verse”) and at evening prayer (Vespers) there is a call to Christ to “Come!” Each day uses a different symbolic title for Jesus and pleads with God in a different way to bless and save us through the agency of Jesus. These are ancient verses, beautiful and worthy of reflection as we wait. Today we begin.

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence!

The Cry of the Poor

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Come O God, deep wellspring of love, homeless, joy, poor, psalm 34, refugees, rescue us O God, the Lord hears the cry of the poor, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unemployed, weather disasters

The Psalm response for today’s Liturgy of the Word sings out from Psalm 34: “The Lord hears the cry of the poor…” Upon hearing that, I am reminded of all the materially poor in the world and refugees who have nothing but what they can carry, those who may now have the safety of resettlement but are still bereft of any familiarity with place or persons with whom they had shared life. I think of those who have recently been victim of weather disasters in my own country who have suffered the loss of home and, sometimes, of family. I think of the homeless and those who are unemployed or under-employed. And then I think of the mentally and spiritually poor, those who struggle to find meaning in life. It is for all these people and more that today I pray this psalm of hope with trust in a God who will come to heal all ills, a God who hears the call: Come, O God, and do not delay!

My soul fills up and overflows with joy; all humble-hearted ones know this, they too are glad. O you who hear and know this inner state of joy, praise God with me, join strength to strength, your praise with mine…And even in the midst of troubles sore, look long and never be ashamed. See, it is God who hears and saves your life. Know too that heaven surrounds you with angelic forms, those messengers sent out by God to guard and guide you through the many storms of life…Indeed God hears the voice of all who cry in pain, drawing near to them with tender loving care. God comes so close to those who live with brokenness, to heal those with the deepest inner wounds. God is the healer of our shattered hearts. Yes, it is true, the troubles that plague humanity are vast and deep. But it is God who frees us from them all…So rescue us, O God, from all our ravaged ways, to live unending in the deep wellspring of your love. (Ps. 34: 2-3, 6-7, 17-19, 23)