Advent

O Adonai

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O antiphon
O Adonai

O Adonai – O Lord!  It’s one week before Christmas, one week before the coming of Christ.  The anticipation is building.  The O Antiphons this week manage to intensify the anticipation.  I wrote about the O Antiphons last year but it bears repeating.

The O Antiphons are antiphons that are recited at evening prayer (part of the liturgy of the hours)  during the octave leading to Christmas.  Therefore, it starts on December 17 and goes through December 23.  Each antiphon highlights a title of the Messiah and  refers to the prophecy of Isaiah.

The reason I love the idea of reciting the O Antiphons is because it really forces me to focus on the coming of the Messiah on Christmas.  If I’ve been distracted during the previous three weeks of Advent, the antiphons are like the brakes in my life.   They are a sign for me to slow down, think, be present and mindful of the important event about the transpire.

When using the O Antiphons each day, we invoke the name of the Lord and await His response with hopeful anticipation.  There are many great websites that provide special prayers to complement the Antiphon of the day.  It’s a nice activity to do in the evening with the whole family.

Here are the antiphons for each day:

December 17 – O Sapientia (O Wisdom)

December 18 – O Adonai (O Lord)

December 19 – O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)

December 20 – O Clavis David (O Key of David)

December 21 – O Oriens (O Radiant Dawn)

December 22 – O Rex Gentium (O King of all the nations)

December 23 – O Emmanuel (O God with us)

December 24 – because the antiphons are said during evening prayer, no antiphon is said on this day because the timing of evening prayer on this day is considered the Christmas Vigil, which counts as Christmas and is the day the Lord actually comes.

Finally, when you take all the highlighted letters in reverse you get the words ERO CRAS – which mean Tomorrow, I will come! Christ’s response to our calling all week.

In preparing to write this post, I was reminded of an Amy Grant song I like called El Shaddai.  I hope you enjoy it.  God bless you!

Wisdom of Solomon

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King Solomon

This year I have continued my tradition of the Jesse Tree.  Yesterday, the ornament for the day was of King Solomon and the verse to read was 1 Kings 3:1-14, 16-28.  This is the verse where God appears to King Solomon and says: “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”  How many of us would love to have that happen to us?  If it did, how would we respond?

King Solomon responds:  “O Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing how to act.  I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.  Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.  For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”

Wow!  I would say THAT is the epitome of humility.  To admit that you don’t know it all or that you can’t do it on your own.  To admit that you are but a small, inexperienced being incapable of fulfilling your purpose without the help of God. To understand the importance of being just in the eyes of God.  When you read a little further in the verse, you come to hear the pleasure God takes in Solomon’s response and how he is rewarded for his humility.

King Solomon sought to do the will of God.  It is obvious from his response that he wanted nothing more than to be able to know that whatever he did during his reign was the right thing.  He didn’t ask for riches or more power for himself.  He didn’t ask for bad fortune for his enemies.  He knew he had to work from the inside out if he was to make any progress during his reign.  He was aware of his imperfections and he knew he had to “fix” himself before he could be of any help to others.

I often pray for inspiration and wisdom that I might inspire others.   There are times when there are specific things I need and I add that to my prayer list.  Upon reading the response of King Solomon, I decided that I wanted to imitate his humility in prayer.  So I came up with this prayer:

O Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, a faithful disciple, to share your Word with others, but there are times when what I say or how I act is not pleasing to you.  My desire is to serve you in the midst of the world.  A world filled with so many people with so many different personalities and beliefs.  Give me, your servant, a heart and mind of wisdom, understanding and patience to see and meet these people where they are so that when they see me, they see You instead.

What was your response BEFORE reading King Solomon’s?  Did it change after reading it?  Would the Lord be pleased with your request?  Make King Solomon’s prayer your prayer today.  God bless you!